Anker Soundcore Sleep A20 Earbuds Review

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As a light sleeper, achieving a full night of rest while traveling can feel impossible. Hotel hallway noises like slamming doors, a baby crying in the neighboring room, or loud traffic outside my window used to ruin my nights. However, thanks to such sleep saboteurs no longer bother me.

Earplugs don’t cut it for me (they don’t completely block out sound) and noise-canceling earphones are too uncomfortable to sleep in. However, a hybrid of earplugs and noise-canceling earbuds? That’s turned out to be my magic cure for sleeping anywhere. 

I’ve been testing out Anker’s new Soundcore Sleep A20 sleep earbuds, which are small earbuds designed to block out sound and lull the user to sleep. 

Soundcore Sleep A20 Overview

The Soundcore Sleep A20 is Anker’s newest version of its sleep earbuds. These small earbuds are designed to be softer than normal and lie flat within your ear—so they are comfortable to wear even if you’re sleeping on your side.

The Sleep A20s function as regular Bluetooth earbuds, but they can also be shifted into sleep mode, where they can play white noise for up to 14 hours. 

Within the Soundcore app, you can customize the white noise—choose from typical sleep-inducing background noise like rain showers or ocean waves, or opt for the more unconventional ones offered in the library, like teeth brushing or typing. You can blend sounds together to create your own custom white noise, and there are even options designed to block out specific noises, such as snoring. 

Depending on your preference, the sleep earbuds can be set to play noise-canceling music all night or shut off after a specific amount of time. 

Pros:

Great Noise Cancellation: I wake up less often and am less disturbed by noise when I use the sleep earbuds.

Personal Alarm: Setting an alarm on the Sleep A20 allows me to get up without waking up anyone else in the room.

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Comfortable in Any Sleeping Position: The Sleep earbuds are comfortable even if you sleep on your side, thanks to an ergonomic design and soft silicone material. 

Long Battery Life: The battery lasts 14 hours in sleep mode, and the charging case can last up to 80 hours on a single charge. 

Bluetooth-Enabled: If you prefer to stream music, an audiobook, or a podcast, you can use the sleep earbuds like regular Bluetooth headphones. 

Customizable Sleep Sounds: Mix multiple sounds together to find the most relaxing option. 

Small and lightweight case: The charging case is smaller than the size of my palm and very light. 

Cons:

Sleep Tracking Accuracy: The Sleep A20 earbuds boast a sleep tracking feature that uses a built-in sensor to measure how much you slept. The app shows you how much light and deep sleep you got each night and how often you woke up. The tracking is based on head movement, and I found it very inaccurate—reporting that I fell asleep immediately on nights that I was awake late or missing times that I woke up in the night. 

Charging Case: Properly placing the sleep earbuds in the charging case can be tricky. If they’re not positioned correctly, they won’t charge. Unfortunately, the charging indicator lights on the display don’t stay on during the charging process, making it difficult to know if the earbuds have received a full charge. When you depend on the sleep earbuds for a good night’s rest, it’s incredibly frustrating to find out they’re dead when you’re ready for bed.

Sometimes Uncomfortable: One of my ears is slightly smaller than the other, and even with the smallest ear tips, the Sleep A20 is sometimes uncomfortable when I sleep on the smaller side. I find the earbuds very comfortable when sleeping on the other side.

Who Should Buy This Product

• Light sleepers troubled by nighttime noise disruptions.
• Travelers seeking quiet sleep on airplanes or in unfamiliar environments.
• Anyone who sleeps next to a snorer

Final Review

The Sleep A20 earbuds have been a game-changer for my sleep. I’ll take these on every trip (and use them nightly at home) from now on.

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