I was quite impressed with the TOZO NC20. Given their US$65 street price they perform remarkably well, they’re very comfortable, and noise cancellation is good – particularly in the wind. I found them to be a practical and comfortable everyday option at a very reasonable price.

Comfort

Comfort is the most important factor with in-ear headphones, and this is where the NC20 stand out. I was able to wear them for a couple of hours without discomfort, which is not something I can say for many in-ear designs. If you often struggle with fit, particularly with pain in the lower concha (outer bowl of the ear), these may be a good option.

Noise Cancellation

Noise cancellation is very good given their value oriented pricing. ANC mode performance is about average, reducing background noise to a reasonable degree. The dedicated wind noise reduction mode is particularly effective. It does a good job of cutting wind noise both for the wearer and for people on the other end of calls, which makes these a strong option for outdoor use and things like phone calls and Teams meetings in breezy conditions. The main limitation is that wind cancellation mode has to be enabled manually in the app rather than from the earbuds.

Usability

Day-to-day usability is a bit mixed. Controls are functional but limited, with no option to mute the microphone from the earbuds and little room for customization. I often found myself accidentally touching the earbud controls when putting them on, so I’d then have to start the app to go back into wind reduction mode. The app works but lacks some basics, such as an obvious way to reset the EQ back to flat after using presets.

Battery life is good. I used them in 30 – 60 minute bursts and the earbud battery was still at 80% or better. After two weeks of light daily use the case was showing about 50% full. The charging case is reasonably compact, with a simple LCD display showing battery levels for the case and earbuds.

One drawback is that the earbuds are difficult to remove from the case due to their smooth finish, limited grip, and being deeply recessed in the case. Once out of the case they are easy to drop. That same smoothness likely contributes to their comfort in the ear, so it is a trade-off. I dropped the earbuds a couple of times before I got used to them, whereas I rarely drop other brands of earbuds.

Sound Quality

Sound quality is good. From what I was able to test, they deliver a pleasant and listenable sound that works well for podcasts, calls, and general music listening. They benefit from some EQ adjustment, particularly boosting bass and treble to add a bit more depth and clarity. They provide an enjoyable and well-rounded listening experience for everyday use, but are probably an audiophile pick.

Other

After about two weeks of use the left earbud appeared to fail between being placed in the case and taking it out a few hours later. A full charge and another reset didn’t help. I did a full reset again the next day, holding the case button down for about 45 seconds while they were fully charged, and they started working again. I’ll update this review if I find reliability issues.

These headphones have quickly become my favorite option for calls, podcasts, and general use. Aside from the temporary failure, the NC20 made a strong impression as a comfortable, practical and great value pair of earbuds.

Tozo kindly provided this review unit to headphonereviews.org so we could provide this honest and independent review.