(checked 2026-10-10)Small sample: 979 ratings. The listing is titled 'Kid Safe Noise Cancelling Wireless Headphones', and its page also mentions MZX4410 and MZX4300 model numbers, so the ratings may pool several Altec Lansing kids' models.
Wirecutter's budget Bluetooth pick for ages 5 to 12. In its tests it stayed under 85 dBA both wireless and wired, and a third-party cable can't bypass the limit. But the ANC is very mild, the sound is coarse, and 21% of Amazon ratings are 1 or 2 stars, citing broken headbands and high-pitched noises.
Top complaints
- Headband and arm breakage
Amazon's summary says some owners find their pair completely defective and report the headband breaking and the plastic extension arm failing after two months of use. 15% of Amazon ratings are 1-star.
- Weak ANC that may fade
Wirecutter measured only about 7 dB of reduction in the airplane range. Amazon's summary says the noise cancellation works well for the price but stops working over time for some owners.
- Coarse sound, clicky buttons and a distorting mic
Wirecutter calls the sound coarse next to Puro's. It says the buttons click and make the headband ring softly, the mic distorts when kids speak loudly, and the mic doesn't work in wired mode. Amazon owners report high-pitched noises and beeping.
What owners love
- Lowest measured volume of Wirecutter's picks, and hard to bypass
Wirecutter measured 83.2 dBA over Bluetooth and 82.2 dBA wired. Because the limiter seems to be in the headphones rather than the cable, kids can't get around it with a third-party cable. Wirecutter still urges caution with powerful amps like home theater receivers.
- Cushy and glasses-friendly
Wirecutter says the super-soft pads don't crinkle or creak and sit on the ears in a glasses-friendly way, and the buttons are large and easy to use.
- Cheap, with lots of colors
Wirecutter lists it at $25 in about a dozen color combinations, with a detachable cable and 15-hour battery life. Amazon owners say Bluetooth pairing with iPads is easy.
- You need real noise cancelling for flights
- Your child is sensitive to clicky buttons
- You need the mic to work in wired mode
- Budget buyers who want a reliable volume cap
- Kids 5 to 12 who want a grown-up look
- Glasses wearers
Scores (tap for why)
What experts say
- Wirecutter (NYT): Best budget Bluetooth headphones for kindergartners to tweens (updated 2026-09-30), at $25. The flaws: very mild ANC (about 7 dB), clicky buttons that ring the headband, coarse sound, and a mic that doesn't work in wired mode.