The best silicone ear plugs, compared.
Top pick: Hush Plugz, 42 skin-tone pairs – Highest score at 96: 4.8 from 95 reviews is the highest star line in this set. The spec prints no decibel figure. Best value: Hush Plugz, 7 pairs – Lowest shelf price at about £4.59, with 4.5 from 837 reviews. The listing prints both 20–30 dB and 20 dB. Updated 21 October 2026.
Most shoppers want them for a snoring partner, side sleeping, travel, or surface water, not as a measured workplace protector. Quiets is the only row whose bullets state 23 dB and EN 352-2:2020, as a listing claim rather than a certificate we inspected. Form and the noise line are set out in the [silicone ear plugs buying guide](/hub/hearing-protection/silicone-ear-plugs/sub/silicone-ear-plugs-buying-guide). Three are a reusable pair with spare silicone tips that sit in the canal, in sizes from XS to L. Nine of the twelve amazon.co.uk listings are mouldable putty you press over the ear-canal opening.
Most shoppers want them for a snoring partner, side sleeping, travel, or surface water, not as a measured workplace protector.
42 products checked · 58 hrs invested · +19,200 readers
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
Where will you use them?
The skin-tone Hush Plugz listing is six packs, 42 peach pairs, at £14.70, and it carries the highest star line in the set: 4.8 from 95 amazon.co.uk reviews. The spec block has no attenuation figure, so that score reflects the stars and not a measured SNR. Twenty-four UK texts say the putty stays in, blocks a lot of night noise, and keeps water out, with monthly repeat buys for snoring. One rider says they block too much to hear on a motorcycle, which is over-protection rather than a comfort win. Plugs get trodden into carpet, and one review treats them as disposable while the spec says reusable. A case is asked and not confirmed. The sample is thinner than the other Hush packs, which is the limit on treating 4.8 as a settled ranking.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a large skin-tone stock for nightly putty, and you do not need a printed decibel line.
Less suitable: You want the biggest UK review sample, a stated SNR, or enough outside sound to hear traffic.
Specifications
Common questions
Is a noise figure stated?
The spec block has no attenuation or noise reduction rating.
How many pairs are listed?
The title says 6 packs (42 pairs). The size line says 1 pair (pack of 42). Item count and piece count are both 42.
What do reviews say about swimming and noise?
Reviews say they keep water out and block a lot of night noise. One rider says they block too much for motorcycling. Plugs trodden into carpet are mentioned.
The Hush five-pack lists five packs of seven peach pairs at £12.58, with 30 dB as both attenuation and noise reduction rating, and no EN 352-2 line. The amazon.co.uk line is 4.7 from 543 reviews, and UK texts describe snoring reduced enough for longer sleep, including one report of broken nights becoming about eight hours. The spec says disposable, and a bullet says do not clean, reuse, or separate the plugs, while those same reviews describe reuse and splitting a plug that feels too big. Follow the bullet rather than the habit. One review mentions an ear that felt slightly quieter afterwards. There is no case in the file. Water protection is a listing aim, not a lab result.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You will use a fresh plug each time, and you want a stated 30 dB line on a large Hush stock.
Less suitable: You want a pair you wash for a week, or you plan to halve plugs so they fit a small ear.
Specifications
Common questions
Can you reuse this pack?
The spec says disposable. A bullet says do not clean, reuse, or separate the plugs into small pieces. UK reviews still describe reuse and splitting.
What noise figure is stated?
The spec states 30 dB as noise attenuation and as a noise reduction rating.
What size issue do reviews mention?
Reviewers say one plug is too big and that they split it in half. That practice conflicts with the bullet that says not to separate them.
The clear Hush Plugz triple is three packs of seven pairs at £8.80, with no attenuation, SNR, or noise reduction rating in the spec. The amazon.co.uk line is 4.6 from 1,506 reviews. UK texts call the three packs strong value, and they describe comfort above foam once you learn to seal around the opening rather than push the putty in. Side sleeping scores well in one review, and small ears can use part of a plug. Hair sticks, and at least one review says snoring still comes through. The spec says reusable, while a cleaning method is asked and not specified. Country of origin is filed as the United Kingdom, and the bullets claim medical-grade silicone without naming a standard.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a well-reviewed Hush multi-pack, and you can accept a listing that prints no decibel figure.
Less suitable: You need a stated noise figure before you buy, or a plug that reviews say never sticks to hair.
Specifications
Common questions
Is a noise figure stated?
The spec block has no attenuation, SNR, or noise reduction rating.
How many pairs are in the listing?
The bullets say a 7 pair pack times 3. Unit count is 21. Number of pieces is 7, which matches one pack rather than the whole order.
How do reviews describe the seal?
Reviews say the putty seals around the ear opening rather than being pushed down the canal, and that hair can stick.
Robinson Healthcare's Hush Plugz seven-pair pack is the lowest price in this set at £4.59, with 4.5 from 837 amazon.co.uk reviews. The listing files both 20–30 dB attenuation and a 20 dB noise reduction rating, so those lines should stay separate, and EN 352-2 is not stated. UK texts say the putty moulds, stays put, and blocks more than foam for light sleepers, with repeat orders. Dirt is the recurring limit: pairs need cleaning or replacement after a few uses, so nightly wear spends the stock even though the pack is cheap. One household anecdote says an alarm was missed. Soften and mould them, or the first fit is poor. A pocket case is in the bullets, and swimming is a recommended use rather than a tested depth. On price against a large, high star line, this is the best value row.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a cheap mouldable starter, and you will replace pairs when they pick up dirt.
Less suitable: You need one agreed decibel figure, or a washable tip you expect to keep for months.
Specifications
Common questions
Which decibel figure is on the listing?
Noise attenuation is given as 20-30 dB. The noise reduction rating is given as 20 decibels. Both appear in the specification.
Does the listing include a case?
The bullets say a durable, pocket sized carry case.
What do reviews say about cleanliness?
UK reviews say they mould well for snoring and get dirty quickly, so they are cleaned or replaced after a few uses.
Quiets is the only listing in this set whose bullets state both 23 dB SNR and EN 352-2:2020, plus PPE Category III and CE 2754, at £15.95 for one pair. The certificate is not on the listing, so this remains a listing claim. The amazon.co.uk line is 4.5 from 33 reviews, and the review texts used here are UK reviews. Reviewers praise four sizes, a case, and nights where the tips stay in on either side, taking the edge off traffic and room noise rather than creating silence. One review found them useful in noisy rooms and limited at live music. The right tip takes trial, size M is pre-installed, and a few buyers call the price high for the result. Water use is not stated. Thirty-three reviews cannot carry a workplace decision on their own.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the only stated SNR-and-standard pair in this table, and you will try the four tips before you judge the seal.
Less suitable: You want a large review sample, a cheap putty multi-pack, or a plug sold for swimming.
Specifications
Common questions
What standard do the bullets name?
The bullets say 23 dB SNR, EN 352-2:2020, and PPE Category III with CE 2754. The certificate itself is not on the listing.
What is in the box?
One pair, four tip sets from XS to L with M pre-installed, and a carry case.
Do reviews say they create silence?
Reviews praise night comfort and the sizes. They also say sound is reduced, not removed, and that the right tip takes trial. There are 33 reviews.
Frienda is 21 mouldable pairs at £13.99, with 32 dB NRR in the title and the same 32 dB repeated as attenuation and as a noise reduction rating. EN 352-2 is not stated, so this is not an SNR. The amazon.co.uk line is 4.4 from 2,239 reviews. UK texts describe strong blocking for sleep, camping, and festivals, easy moulding, and a size that worked for narrow canals when other plugs failed. One review mentions about four or five uses after washing. Noise is still not gone, an airtight seal bothers some people, and irritation shows up if you keep the same pair too long. One detailed review moulds cones and pushes them in, which drives putty toward the canal instead of covering the opening. The bullets also claim waterproof performance and travel boxes for adults and children.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a large coloured putty stock for nights and trips, and you will cover the opening rather than push a cone in.
Less suitable: You need EN 352-2 on the listing, or one washable tip pair instead of a multi-pack.
Specifications
Common questions
What does 32 dB refer to?
The title says 32 dB NRR. The spec repeats 32 dB as noise attenuation and as a noise reduction rating. EN 352-2 is not stated.
What is in the box?
The bullets say 21 pairs in white, blue, and orange, plus three large boxes and three travel boxes.
How many uses do reviews mention?
One UK review says about four or five uses after washing. Others say noise is reduced but not removed, and that plugs can irritate after reuse.
Alrens lists one black pair at £7.99 with four spare tip pairs claimed, and it prints three noise lines at once: 30–50 dB in the bullets, 30–50 dB as attenuation, and 32 dB as a noise reduction rating. EN 352-2 is not stated. The amazon.co.uk line is 4.4 from only three reviews, with two UK texts in the file. Those texts call the plugs comfortable, washable, and decent on trains and planes, with side sleeping and a case, and they describe a softening of background noise rather than a strong block. That is too small a file to test a 30–50 dB range. The piece-count field says 1, which conflicts with four tip pairs. A filtered-protection bullet has no filter specification.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a low-cost tip pair to try, and you treat the decibel range as unresolved until the listing prints one figure.
Less suitable: You need a consistent noise figure, or more than a handful of UK reviews, before you rely on it.
Specifications
Common questions
Why are there two noise figures?
The bullets say 30-50 dB depending on surroundings. Noise attenuation is also filed as 30-50 dB, and the noise reduction rating is 32 decibels.
How many reviews are on the listing?
The listing line says 4.4 from 3 reviews. Two of the review texts are from the UK.
What do those reviews say?
They call the plugs comfortable, washable, and usable for side sleeping, and say noise is softened rather than strongly blocked. The case keeps spare tips together.
Knoxzy sells six blue mouldable pairs at £5.99, with 27 dB SNR in the bullets and a 27 dB noise reduction rating in the spec, and no certificate in the file. The amazon.co.uk line is 4.2 from 3,697 reviews. Fifty UK texts praise help with snoring, moulding for small ears, and side sleep that stays in for some people, including repeat buys over years. Tack is the limit: several reviews say stickiness lasts about three or four nights, hair sticks, and a later batch felt stiffer. Noise is reduced, not removed, and a cold plug seals poorly until you warm it. The title says waterproof and swimming is listed, which is a claim rather than a depth test. The size field says six pairs while the piece count says 1.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want inexpensive mouldable pairs for night noise, and you will replace them when the tack goes.
Less suitable: You need a certificate you can file with an SNR, or a plug that stays tacky for a full week.
Specifications
Common questions
Is 27 dB filed as SNR?
The bullets say 27 dB SNR. The spec also says a noise reduction rating of 27 decibels. No certificate is on the listing.
Is a case included?
The listing does not confirm a case in the bullets.
What do reviews say about reuse?
Several UK reviews say tack lasts about three or four nights, and that a later batch felt stiffer.
The Mobi Lock pack is 30 mouldable blue plugs at £9.99, with 32 dB filed as a noise reduction rating and no SNR or EN 352-2 line. Across 715 amazon.co.uk reviews the average is 4.1, and the 32 UK texts describe sleep in hotels and beside snoring, plus a few shower reports that water stayed out. The same file says the plugs work out overnight, squeak as they creep, and leave bits on removal. One reviewer says the wax tore and a piece stayed in the canal until A&E removed it. They feel less sticky than some other putties, which helps hair and makes the seal easier to lose. The bullets say rinse and reuse; a torn plug is finished, not a candidate for another night.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a large putty stock for occasional nights or showers, and you will throw a plug away if it tears.
Less suitable: You need a seal that stays put until morning, or a listing that states SNR and EN 352-2.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the listing include a case?
The bullets say 30 reusable plugs come in a portable case.
What noise figure is stated?
The listing states 32 dB as noise attenuation and as a noise reduction rating. SNR and EN 352-2 are not stated.
What do UK reviews say about pieces left in the ear?
One review says the wax tore and a piece stayed in the canal, and that A&E removed it. Other reviews talk about plugs working out overnight or bits coming off.
Deep Sleeps is the largest review file in this set: 4.0 from 6,794 amazon.co.uk reviews, eight clear mouldable pairs at £11.49, with bullets that say up to 27 dB and a pair lasting up to seven days. UK texts say snoring and neighbour noise drop enough to stay asleep once you warm the disc, press it over the canal, and flatten it. The discs are often called very large, and several buyers tear one in half, which is a review habit rather than the printed method. Noise reduction is described as average rather than a silent room, and the putty must not be left to dry out. The title names side sleepers, the spec also lists shooting, and EN 352-2 is not stated. Piece counts disagree: the title says eight pairs, while the spec also shows 16 pieces and a unit count of 7.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the thickest UK review file for mouldable sleep plugs, and you can shape a large disc over the opening.
Less suitable: You want a small pre-sized tip, a workplace SNR, or the cheapest pack in the table.
Specifications
Common questions
How does the listing say to fit them?
Roll a plug into a ball, press it over the ear canal, hold, then flatten it against the outer ear.
How long does the listing say a pair lasts?
The bullets say each pair is reusable for up to 7 days and can be cleaned with oil-free soap and water.
Do the piece counts agree?
The title says 8 pairs. The spec also shows 16 pieces and a unit count of 7. Both figures appear on the listing.
Top Med's title is children's mouldable putty, six pairs at £5.80, with a 22 dB noise reduction rating when used as directed. The amazon.co.uk line is 4.0 from 322 reviews, and only ten UK texts are in the file. One says the plugs stayed in for a seven-year-old in a pool, and another used them with an ear bandit after grommets so lessons continued. Other texts say the seal failed, water still entered, and sound was only slightly muffled. The serious report is putty that broke into tiny pieces in the canal, with a doctor unable to remove them and surgery or microsuction mentioned. They are described as very soft and smaller than adult plugs, and they fall out of some small adult openings. Waterproof is a bullet, not a lab result, and it does not replace the leaflet your child's surgeon gave you.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You are buying a smaller putty for a child, and you will follow the surgeon's swimming leaflet rather than the waterproof bullet.
Less suitable: You are an adult with a narrow canal, or you want reviews that treat the water seal as reliable.
Specifications
Common questions
Who is the title aimed at?
The title says children. One UK review says the plugs are smaller than adult ones and stayed in for a 7-year-old in a pool.
What noise figure is stated?
The spec states a noise reduction rating of 22 decibels. The bullets say that figure applies when used as directed.
What failure do reviews describe?
Reviews say the putty can break into pieces in the ear, let water in, and muffle sound only slightly. One reviewer says a doctor could not remove the pieces.
JP London is one washable black pair with tips from XS to L and a case, at £6.99, with 33 dB filed as a noise reduction rating and no EN 352-2 line. The amazon.co.uk line is 3.7 from 62 reviews, the lowest stars here, drawn from 23 UK texts. Some buyers find them soft when the size suits, and they prefer the price to a dearer loop-style plug. Several others say every tip falls out within minutes, the silicone feels hard, and pain starts after about four hours. Reviewers who still hear most of the room do not recognise the 33 dB title. The sport list includes swimming and surfing, while the title is sleep. This is a tip fit, so a poor seal is a size problem rather than a moulding problem.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a cheap tip set to try four sizes, and you will stop if none of them stay seated.
Less suitable: You need a plug that UK reviews say stays in, or mouldable putty for side sleep.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this mouldable putty?
No. The bullets describe one pair plus tip sizes XS, S, M, and L, and a carrying case.
What noise figure is stated?
The title says 33 dB. The spec noise reduction rating is 33 decibels. EN 352-2 is not stated.
What do the 62 reviews focus on?
Some say snoring is reduced when the tips stay in. Several say every size falls out, or that the silicone feels hard and they can still hear.
Scores use the twelve amazon.co.uk listings in this comparison. Each score is the star line only: the amazon rating divided by 5, then multiplied by 100, and rounded. It does not add points for a stated SNR, a large review file, or a lower price, and it does not deduct for a missing decibel field. This is not a lab test. The highest score is the top pick. Best value is the lowest shelf price in the set that still has a large review file, on a different listing.
Amazon star line
100%The score on each row is (amazon rating / 5) × 100, rounded to a whole number. A 4.8 becomes 96. A 3.7 becomes 74. The block does not add points for a stated SNR, a large review file, or a lower price, and it does not deduct for a missing decibel field or a sample under 100. Hush Plugz, 42 pairs, leads because 4.8 is the highest star line, not because the pack was measured as a hearing protector. Shelf prices, stars, and review counts are the amazon.co.uk lines on each listing.
Putty and tips are different purchases. Read the form, the kind of decibel, and the reuse line before the pack size.
Silicone ear plugs in this set are not one product. Nine of the twelve amazon.co.uk listings are mouldable putty you press over the ear-canal opening. Three are a reusable pair with spare silicone tips that sit in the canal, in sizes from XS to L. Custom moulds are a different purchase. Which? puts them from around £80. None of these twelve is that product.
SNR with EN 352-2 is a hearing-protector claim. A noise reduction rating is a different label. Only Quiets states both 23 dB SNR and EN 352-2:2020 in this set, and the certificate is not in the file. Hush Plugz, seven pairs, prints 20–30 dB and 20 dB. Alrens prints 30–50 dB and 32 dB.
That listing says disposable and tells you not to clean, reuse, or separate the plugs. Reviews still describe splitting a plug that feels too big. Follow the bullet on the listing you bought, not the habit in the reviews.
A water claim is for the surface, not a year of putty reuse and not a block against snoring. Do not buy Top Med, whose title says children, for a small adult ear without checking size. Shop putty is not a substitute for a surgeon’s swimming instruction.
Form comes first. Putty caps the opening. Tips sit in the canal. Do not treat them as one product. Nine listings here are putty multi-packs. Three are tip pairs: JP London, Quiets, and Alrens. Fit in the UK reviews is the practical test. The plug stays in for side sleep, or it creeps out, tears, or sticks to hair. A higher title decibel does not fix a poor seal. Then name the noise figure. SNR together with EN 352-2 is a hearing-protector claim.
Reuse is whatever that listing prints. Deep Sleeps says up to seven days a pair, cleaned with oil-free soap. The Hush five-pack says disposable and tells you not to clean, reuse, or separate the plugs. Reviews on that listing still describe reuse and splitting. Follow the listing you bought, not the habit in the reviews. Expecting a putty pair to last a year is a miss. A tip pair costs more per plug and is sold to be washed. Water claims are for surface use only.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
Foam has already felt sore, and you want flush putty for night noise. Hush Plugz, 42 skin-tone pairs, is the top pick at about £14.70. The star line is 4.8 from 95 reviews. The spec prints no decibel figure, and the file is thinner than the other Hush packs.
You want the lowest shelf price that still has a large review file, and you will replace pairs when they pick up dirt. Hush Plugz, 7 pairs, is the best value at about £4.59, with 4.5 from 837 reviews. The listing prints both 20–30 dB and 20 dB.
You want one washable pair and several tip sizes, and you want the only bullets in this set that state both an SNR and EN 352-2:2020. Quiets is about £15.95, with 4.5 from 33 reviews. The certificate is not in the file, so the standard line stays a listing claim.
The top pick is Hush Plugz, 42 skin-tone pairs, at about £14.70. It scores 96, the highest here, because 4.8 from 95 reviews is the highest star line. The spec has no decibel field, so that score is not a measured hearing protector, and 95 reviews is a thinner file than the other Hush packs. Best value is Hush Plugz, seven pairs, at about £4.59, with 4.5 from 837 reviews, the lowest shelf price in the set. That listing prints both 20–30 dB and 20 dB. Skip the 42-pair pack if you need a stated SNR. Quiets is the only row whose bullets state 23 dB SNR and EN 352-2:2020, and that remains a listing claim.
Hush Plugz, 42 skin-tone pairs
Highest score at 96: 4.8 from 95 reviews is the highest star line in this set. The spec prints no decibel figure.
Hush Plugz, 7 pairs
Lowest shelf price at about £4.59, with 4.5 from 837 reviews. The listing prints both 20–30 dB and 20 dB.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Public UK sources named below. amazon.co.uk prices, stars and review counts are from the twelve listings in this comparison. Page updated 21 October 2026.
Expert source (DIY & tools): Charlie White (Charlie DIYte) (external profile) – public expert commentary used as a research source, not as a contributor to our pages.
This page contains affiliate links to amazon.co.uk (tag pcuk26-21). If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices, stars and review counts are taken from those listings. We did not run a lab test.
