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Stuff any stocking with this AirPods alternative — on sale for $16

Rick Broida
·Executive commerce editor, tech
·6-min read

We may receive commission from purchases made via links on this page. Pricing and availability are subject to change.

The Votomy SoloPods S1 have a charging case that doubles as power bank, and its LED display shows exactly how much power is remaining.
I don't know how these earbuds are just $16, especially given the charging case that doubles as a power bank, but they're just $16 (with code and coupon). (Photo: Votomy)

Need an affordable gift for your Secret Santa party? Your teen's Christmas stocking? How about your mail carrier? (They're allowed to accept anything valued at $20 or less — and they definitely deserve a tip this year!) Whatever the gift-giving occasion, it's hard to beat a pair of wireless earbuds.

Amazon is home to, at last count, several kajillion of them. Allow me to help you narrow down the options: I tried a set that's incredibly affordable and has a pretty cool trick up its sleeve. Let's start with the affordable part: For a limited time, and while supplies last, the Votomy SoloPods S1 true wireless earbuds drop to just $16 (from $40) when you clip the 10-percent-off coupon and then apply promo code CI6VJFCW at checkout.

(Pro tip: You can enjoy free shipping on this item and nearly everything else you buy if you have Amazon Prime. Not yet a member? No problem: Sign up for a free 30-day Prime trial here.)

$16 with coupon and promo code CI6VJFCW (was $40) at Amazon

How good could $16 earbuds possibly be? They're not AirPods-good, obviously, but I'd file them under "surprisingly decent." They're suitable for things like working out, walking the dog, weeding the garden and so on — situations where perfect fidelity isn't mandatory. And they're definitely fine for the likes of podcasts and audiobooks.

Oh, and the "trick" I mentioned? You'll notice that the SoloPods charging case is a bit larger than average (though still perfectly pocketable). The 2,000-mAh battery that's inside can provide you with up to 100 hours' worth of listening, according to Votomy, but the case doubles as a mobile charger: Plug your phone or any other device into its Type-A USB port and presto, instant backup power.

The case also has a digital readout showing how exactly much juice is left, a nice little perk. With most earbuds, you're lucky to get a single LED (cough, AirPods, cough).

I found the 'buds themselves extremely comfortable, though fit and comfort definitely vary from one user to another. Votomy supplies an impressive six sets of ear tips (in different sizes) so you can experiment to find the best fit. I like the little fins that help the earbuds seat more securely in your ears.

There's no active noise-canceling here, however, just the noise-isolation that comes from creating a tight seal with those ear tips. You don't get fancy features like in-ear detection, either, though the 'buds do have touch controls.

If you're looking for the aforementioned fancy features and premium sound quality as well, be sure to check my roundup of the best AirPods Pro alternatives for under $100.

For just $16, though? These are an undeniably great deal.

$16 with coupon and promo code CI6VJFCW (was $40) at Amazon

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