Being a mom with two children under six, I can tell you we have been through our share of headphones. Between gaming headsets, earbuds, wired headphones, and wireless ones; we have wrangled, tangled, and mangled more pairs than Best Buy sees in a year…until we found the ONANOFF BuddyPhones Play+ Wireless SafeAudio Headphones.
The BuddyPhones were offered to my family for review, and I was pleasantly surprised with the product. I hadn’t heard of them before, but when opening the box I was met with a lot of information plastered all over the packaging, so I did a little research to see what was supposed to make them so great. They boast about great battery life, SafeAudio features, Study Mode, and ultimate durability and safety. So far, the BuddyPhones Play+ have held up their end of the bargain.
Inside the box we found a sturdy set of bright blue headphones complete with stickers for decorating (as well as blank stickers so the kids could make their own and truly personalize their own sets). Each pair, available in six colours, came with an extremely short charging cable, and a “BuddyLink” cable—which is an auxiliary cord meant to link two pairs of headphones so kids can share the same media, which will undoubtedly be a lifesaver on long car rides.
Furthermore, the cable is long enough to reach across the backseat to prevent any road trip tug-of-wars. The headphones also came with a small fabric carrying bag; a nice touch, but flimsy, so I don’t see it protecting much. The headset itself folds inward so not only will it slide neatly in the bag, but it adds an extra layer of convenient portability—considering how much stuff we have to lug around whenever we go anywhere with the kids.
“No cats chewing the wires that my son left dangling, and definitely no two year-old tugging at the cord while my son screeches for her to go away. Turns out wireless is great for all ages!”
The battery life for the device is more than sufficient. It promises 20 hours of use, and at our house, all the electronics get plugged in after dinner, so there is no world where we will need 20 hours. The BuddyPhones lasted through remote learning, and a day of entirely too much screen time with power to spare. I have no doubt they will meet other users’ needs, even when they don’t hit the charging dock at night.
They are also, of course, wireless, which I didn’t know I loved for my kids, but it’s my new favourite feature. No cats chewing the wires that my son left dangling, and definitely no two year-old tugging at the cord while my son screeches for her to go away. Turns out wireless is great for all ages!
Speaking of tug-of-war, these headphones are very durable. The constant tossing, bending, pulling, and stretching a pair of headphones goes through in a day with two small children is merciless; and the BuddyPhones held up extremely well. They have made it through the battle with not even a scratch so far, and that’s a load off my mind. The better news is that the BuddyPhones come with a limited two year warranty, so I can rest easy knowing that the product is at least somewhat protected from the torture of little ones.
“The BuddyPhones Play+ headphones also come equipped with a microphone, which surprised me.”
The BuddyPhones Play+ headphones also come equipped with a microphone, which surprised me. I hadn’t considered that my kids would need a microphone for anything outside of gaming, but figured it couldn’t hurt to be there. Turns out the company was thinking ahead, because the microphone has come in handy for online learning. The usual laptop microphone picks up every little sound in the room, whereas the invisible BuddyPhones microphone catches more direct sound allowing him to be heard more clearly. It works well, even with Facebook Messenger when we call Grandma!
With full Bluetooth connectivity we can move the headphones from tablet to cell phone, seamlessly. They make it simple—with easy button presses and clear voice instructions through the earphones, meaning for the most part my six year-old can follow the instructions on his own. We can also use the cable to connect him from the headphones to the tablet if we ever need to use them wired.
BuddyPhones has thought ahead for our kids with SafeAudio, meaning that they come with only three volumes, 75dB for toddlers, 85dB for kids and 94dB for travel mode. Not only does this mean no more having to fight about turning everything down, but they’re helping us keep our children’s ears protected.
They also come with a small switch that will turn the headphones into Study Mode, which, “helps isolate voices from other sounds, producing crisper, clearer vocals for studying or watching lessons.” Though I’m no audio expert, this sounded really helpful, especially for online learning where there is nothing but background noise for 20 different houses. I haven’t noticed a difference in sound, but my son seems to be focusing better since wearing them.
BuddyPhones seems to have thought of everything they could to meet the needs of small children. These headphones are durable, comfortable, cute, and extremely functional. They come with extra bells and whistles that, as a parent, I didn’t even know we needed. I couldn’t ask for more from the BuddyPhones Play+ Wireless SafeAudio Headphones, aside from maybe a shorter name and longer charging cord. I would highly recommend these for any children, especially for travel and online learning.
