Happy Plugs Air 1 Zen headphones review: Antibacterial, solid sounding wireless earbuds

It's time to check out a new set of totally wireless headphones, this time from Happy Plugs. The Swedish based company is known for their stylish headphone designs in a variety of form factors.

The Air 1 Zen stake their claim by promising a good mix of battery life, sound quality, and a unique antibacterial finish, clearly inspired by a pandemic and increased cleaning concerns. Can't say we blame them.

But this is a crowded market, so we're digging in to see if the Air 1 Zen earbuds can do enough to stand out.

Round design

• Distinct design in multiple colors
• USB-C charging
• High quality magnets and hinge

If I had to describe the Air 1 Zen earbuds in one word, it would be “bubbly.” Everything about these headphones just feels round including the headphones themselves and the case. Everything is rounded off and uses very soft-touch material, which I'm assuming is tied in to the antibacterial claims from Happy Plugs.

The case is fairly basic, but sturdy. The bottom houses the sync button, USB-C charging port, and battery indicator lights, and there's an antenna-like silver strip around the opening of the case. We've got the white and mint green to check out, and both look pretty good. Happy Plugs has slapped their brand name on the front of the case, with Air 1 Zen on the back.

The case is relatively lightweight, but has an incredibly strong hinge and magnets. Sometimes it feels like the magnet holding the earbuds themselves is a little too strong, but you won't have to worry about accidentally losing them.

If you're interested in the earbuds inside the case, they're also pretty basic. They've got your regular ear stem design with interchangeable soft tips, and look pretty unassuming. I will note that I think the mint green looks significantly better than the white variant here, because the earbuds are actually silver with a white ear tip. However, the buds are made of plastic, and the silver just looks really cheap. The matte mint green looks much, much better in comparison.

Zen sound

• Well-rounded sound profile
• Good fitting ear tips
• Affordable

At $79, the Air 1 Zen sit in a delicate spot between some of the higher end buds on the market, and the sea of incredibly cheap headphones. It can be a tough line to walk, but Happy Plugs seem to have done a good job.

The ear tip cushions on the Air 1 Zen earbuds are easily some of the most effective I've used on these kinds of headphones, and that's good for two reasons.

If you're looking for noise cancellation, properly fitting and secured ear tips will help isolate some sound and block out noise around you. Obviously there's no active noise cancellation here, so keep your expectations in check, but these will definitely keep you focused on the music in many environments.

But perhaps most importantly is that good ear tips improve bass response, and that helps the Air 1 Zen fill out a very good sound profile. They're relatively punchy for wireless earbuds, with a very full midrange. Lower notes come through well, although I wish the high end was just a little sharper. Some heavier rock music can get a little muddled, but fortunately never at the expense of vocal tracks thanks to the excellent midrange sound here.

Everything else

• Future-proofed specs
• Antibacterial design
• Good battery life

Happy Plugs has rounded out these earbuds with some other solid features, too, We've mentioned earlier that they use antibacterial materials, which promises to reduce the spread and growth of harmful bacteria on your earbuds. This one's hard to test, but I didn't get sick while using the headphones, and after 2020 I don't think anything can be too clean, so I'm all for it.

The battery life is also very solid here, with 6 hours on a single charge and up to 30 hours with the included case. It's a little on the bulky side, but not terrible and definitely worth the extra charges. It'll take a little less than 2 hours to fully recharge your headphones.

There's a slew of microphones on each earbud, too, which should help your regular phone calls or video chats. Additionally, they're using Bluetooth 5.2 for a consistent, clear connection. I never had trouble with the microphones or staying connected to any of my devices.

Worth it?

• Great value under $100
• Good choice for frequent travelers
• Avoid the white color option

Coming in under $100, I think these earbuds are a pretty excellent value. You're getting a very good sounding pair of headphones with good build quality and a slew of color options. The case holds together well, and they have above average battery life.

If you're strictly chasing sound quality to dollar performance, you can probably do a bit better elsewhere, but part of the appeal here is a stylish set of earbuds that check a ton of boxes and look pretty cool while doing it. Just avoid that white color, trust me. The mint looks great, though!

Air 1 Zen Wireless Earbuds | $79 | Happy Plugs