At Zoom Health we offer one of the widest ranges of earplugs that you can find in the UK today! We offer all three types of popular earplugs – foam earplugs, silicone earplugs and wax earplugs. Just click on one of the categories below to view the full range. We also offer Ear Defenders and Ear Muffs for adults. Don’t forget – You can also buy sample packs of our most popular earplugs, allowing you to find the perfect earplug for you without spending a fortune!
Table of Contents
Earplugs by Material
Broadly speaking earplugs are made from three types of materials – soft foam, silicone and wax.
Soft Foam Earplugs
Foam earplugs were invented in 1972 by Ross Gardner. Known as the E-A-R Classic, the original foam earplugs are still available today. They are made from either polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or polyurethane.
Silicone Earplugs
The first mouldable pure silicone ear plugs appeared in 1962, invented by Ray and Cecilia Benner. At the time, these earplugs were valued by swimmers, as well as those trying to avoid harmful noise, for their waterproof qualities.
Wax Earplugs
Wax Earplugs are seen by many as being the best earplugs around! Made from a mix of wax and cotton, these earplugs are ideal for sleeping, as well as for studying in mildly noisy environments.
Earplugs by Type
Believe it or not, earplugs come in all types and sorts. The variety is amazing and what you will want to choose and wear will be very much determined by the circumstances behind your need to wear earplugs. In general though, earplugs can be broken down into these main product groups.
Uncorded Earplugs
These are the simplest form of earplug that you can get. Two loose earplugs, supplied as a pair, with one fitting into each ear. Uncorded earplugs are made using all of the common materials and can be reusable or disposable.
Corded Earplugs
As well as our standard selection of earplugs that are loose, we also have others that are linked by cords. Earplugs with cords come in handy when the user has to remove and replace them often without misplacing them.
Banded Earplugs
Similar to corded earplugs, these pairs of earplugs are connected by a band, rather than a cord. The bands come in handy when it is important for the employee to keep a smart appearance. They are useful when managers have to go from the office to the factory floor on a frequent basis.
Earplug Sample Packs
Zoom Health offers a variety of assortment packs, which makes it easy for you to find the perfect size earplugs for your ears. Our bestselling earplugs are grouped into assortment packs. This allows you to try different earplug sizes so that you can find the perfect pair. With our popular assortment packs, we know you will find the ones that suit you best.
Earplugs by Category
The earplugs you choose should be best for the activity you are taking part in
Earplugs for Children
Protecting your child’s hearing is so important. Our range of earplugs for children has been specially chosen to help protect young ears from noise and water. Because children have smaller ear canals than adults, it’s important that you choose an earplug that has been designed to protect their little ears.
Earplugs for Flying
Should you wear earplugs on an aeroplane? Of course you should! As well as for protecting your ears, a good pair of plugs will also help make your journey just that little bit more comfortable. If you love to fly but find it hard to sleep or relax when on an aeroplane, you will certainly benefit from the investment. Some of our favourites in this category include Alpine FitFly We also like EarPlanes as they come in both adult and child sizes.
Earplugs for Industry
When you pick the proper decibel range, you are guaranteed that even in noisy environments, your employees will get the correct hearing protection for the short-term and long-term. You have the flexibility to provide noise reduction in situations where the employee still needs to hear instead of total noise cancelling. These are circumstances where it is important for the employee to communicate.
With our ear protection reminder signs, your employees will be fully aware that they need to wear ear plugs when entering very noisy areas. Earplugs are used in many different situations off-site, but it is essential that your employees practice good habits. We have a selection of disposable ear plugs that are individually packaged, which makes it easier for the employees to take with them everywhere.
Due to their small size, ear plugs eventually fall out or get lost. We have reduced this problem with our Yellow Neon Earplugs, brightly coloured earplugs that are easy to see and find if misplaced. This way they won’t get into machinery, products or become a slip hazard.
Howard Leight Fusion ear plugs have metal in them for easy detection. Some employers might find this to be a bit overkill, but it is very useful in the food industry and the labs are medical environments where it is a priority to minimize call void pollutants.
Earplugs for Motorcycling
Motorcycle users need to wear earplugs. The noise caused by wind, the engine of the bike and from other traffic means that sound levels always exceeds safe levels.
Earplugs for Motor Sports and Formula One
The roar of Formula One engines sounds fantastic and gives you goose pimples. However, the deafening noise can also be so loud as to damage your ears. It only takes one exposure to cause permanent damage.
Earplugs for Music
Protecting your ears from loud music is important if you want to protect your ears from long term damage. Regardless of whether you are a professional musicians or just a weekend raver, you should be wearing hearing protection
Earplugs for Shooting
Earplugs that are designed for use at the shooting range or in other loud environments.
Earplugs for Sleeping
If you can’t get to sleep because of external noise. Or if your partner snores and it keeps you awake, you could benefit from using earplugs at night to aid restful sleep.
Earplugs for Studying
Comfortable, noise reducing ear plugs for studying are great for helping block out loud neighbours, barking dogs and other noise that disrupts reading, meditation, and studying.
Earplugs for Work
Offices can be noisy. Home offices even more so. Our range of earplugs for work will allow you to regain concentration and get deep work done.
Swimming Earplugs for Adults
Our Swimming & Water Sport Ear Plugs are ideal if you are spending time in the water for sport or fun. Earplugs can help prevent swimmers ear – a painful inflammation of the ear canal than can affect both adults and children. They are also perfect if you simply don’t like getting water in your ears!
Swimming Earplugs for Children
A range of swimming earplugs, designed to appeal to children and sized to fit smaller ear canals.
Earplugs by Brand
At Zoom Health we pride ourselves on the wide range of earplugs that we offer. We represent all the major brands of earplugs manufacturer. As well as UK and European earplugs we also go out of our way to try and source earplugs from the United States of America. Many of the earplugs we bring in from the USA are only available in Europe from Zoom Health!
Alpine Earplugs
Alpine have developed earplugs that contribute to a more healthy sleep pattern, more fun in the water and more relaxation during ones travels. All Alpine products were invented, designed and manufactured in the Netherlands.
Cirrus Earplugs
Cirrus manufacture a range of innovative and affordable products for travelling and personal use. Cirrus’ flagship product EarPlanes was developed by Cirrus’ president and founder Drew O’Connell.
DownBeats
Get the killer concert experience you want without killing your ears.Original DownBeats high-fidelity sound filters deliver a pristine, balanced sonic experience without the painful highs and lows, distracting background noise or sonic hangover later. And they’re good to go in a durable anodized aluminum case.
Flents
When it comes to keeping your family safe and healthy, the last thing you need is to be overwhelmed by technical terms and confusing instructions. Flents delivers simple, no frill health and wellness products so you can be confident in providing the right care.
Haspro Earplugs
Haspro is concerned first and foremost with the safety and comfort of your hearing, supported by years of industry experience. Since 2007, the company has worked tirelessly to achieve their goal of providing the best earplugs and hearing protection on the market. With Haspro, your ears are always in safe hands!
Howard Leight Earplugs
Howard Leight earplugs provide the right fit for every user in every environment. At Zoom Health we offer the full range of Howard Leight earplugs, in small and large volumes. This means that you can choose the exact earplug you want, in the exact quantity you need.
Hush Plugz
Hush Plugz are an innovative range of earplugs, manufactured by one of the UK’s leading suppliers of health care products.
Mack’s Earplugs
Since 1962, Mack’s has been committed to supplying the highest quality, innovative hearing protection, sleep aids, and swimmer’s ear prevention products at the best possible value. Today they offer a full range of earplug styles for sleeping, swimming, bathing, snoring, music, shooting, traveling, loud noise, and flying discomfort.
Mighty Plugs
Made in Oregon, USA since 1996; Mighty Plugs have been continually improving on what they promote as the finest mouldable earplug in the world.
Moldex Earplugs
Moldex offers a wide range of disposable Earplugs. Their disposable Earplugs are made from soft PU-foam which makes them extremely comfortable and easy to insert.
Ohropax Earplugs
Ohropax earplugs are produced in Germany and are some of the best earplugs that you will find on the market today. As well as the famous Classic Earplug from Ohropax, the range now includes an impressive array of silicone and foam earplugs.
Oregon
Oregon is a world leader in saw chain, guide bars, sprockets and forestry accessories,and leading manufacturer and supplier of lawn mower blades and other outdoor equipment parts. They also supply high quality earplugs which we offer here as part of our comprehensive range of ear protection.
Quies Earplugs
In 1918, a French pharmacist invents a noise-reducing cotton-and-wax earplug for one of his customers. He then started a company called Quies, a Latin word meaning “quiet”, “calm”, or “rest”. Zoom Health offers the full range of Quies Earplugs, all kept in stock in our UK warehouse for quick distribution to wherever you are in the world!
Speedo
Speedo remains the go-to brand for elite swimmers, so if you are looking for swimming earplugs then you should definitely consider Speedo earplugs! We currently stock Speedo’s two best selling aquatic earplugs – Biofuse and Ergo.
SwedSafe
Using SwedSafe’s earplugs is the easiest way to protect your ears from hazardous noise, annoying and irritating sounds, water or pressure changes. They protect effectively and are comfortable to wear. The earplugs are practically invisible once you have placed them in your ears therefore are suitable in most situations. They are small and close to weightless, so it is easy to always carry them with you.
Uvex Earplugs
Scandinavian designed earplugs from Uvex of high levels of sound absorption levels and comfort. The earplug of choice for many!
Zoggs Earplugs
Born in Australia, the home of swimming, Zoggs offers everything from swimwear to swim equipment with designs to suit both casual and competitive swimmers. At Zoom Health, we offer Zoggs swimming earplugs as we believe that they are ideal for use in the water, whatever your sport may be!
Earplugs FAQ
Our Earplug FAQ offers answers to all of your common questions about Earplugs, Ear Defenders and Ear Protection.
Q: What Types of Earplugs Are There?
- Foam Earplugs – These earplugs are manufactured from expandable slow-recovery foam. They often offer the best mix of protection and comfort for most people. After fitting inside the ear, foam ear plugs expand to offer a snug and secure custom fit. Foam earplugs are the most widely available earplugs on the market.
- Silicone Earplugs are ideal if you a re looking for a custom fit and supreme comfort. Choose form our wide range of silicone earplugs to find one that suits you best.
- Wax Earplugs – Earplugs have been made with wax and cotton for more than 2,000 years. Some people still prefer these types with poplar choices being wax earplugs made by Quies or Ohropax.
Q: Can You Still Hear Sound Whilst Wearing Earplugs?
Yes! No matter how high of a rating a product has, you may still hear some sound. The effectiveness of earplugs is determined by a Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) normally ranging from 15-35 decibels. The greater the rating, the higher the protection provided.
Q: How Much Noise Do Earplugs Block?
Assuming you don’t have hearing damage, your ears are surprisingly sensitive, making it all but impossible to completely block out noise with earplugs. Earplugs are designed, not to block noise entirely, but to bring noise levels down to safer levels. Currently, the highest Noise Reduction Rating for earplugs is about 39dB.
Q: Are All Earplugs the Same?
Every person’s ears are unique, and earplugs are not one size fits all. It may take a few tries to find the best earplug for your. That’s why most earplugs are available in sample packs.
The earplugs that work for best for you today may not work as well a year or two down the road. This is because your ears continue to grow and change over time. In fact, according to this article, plastic surgery on the ears is becoming more common!
Q: What Do I Need to Consider When Choosing Earplugs?
A lot depends on what you plan to use them for. Your needs will be different depending on whether you’re going to a concert, you work somewhere that is often very loud, if you want to block out distractions, or if you’re going swimming and want to keep out the water. The most important factor, however, is how much noise you need to block out. For this, you’ll need to look at the NRR.
Q: Can Earplugs Help Me Block Out My Partner’s Snoring?
Yes – but sometimes a lifestyle change that is what is really needed.
There are a lot of people who are upset that their partner’s seem to be unable to understand the impact their snoring is having on their relationships. In fact, more than a few relationships has been destroyed by snoring. If you’re a snorer, it’s not your light sleeping partner’s fault, you’re the noisy one. Changing your lifestyle might help, and could make your partner’s life much more bearable. Maintaining a healthy weight, quitting smoking, and quitting drinking or drinking in moderation can all reduce, and in some cases eliminate snoring.
Q: Why Should You Use Wax Earplugs?
Most wax earplugs are made of a wax blended with cotton fibres, which are included to help hold the wax together, but need to be removed before inserting the earplugs. Wax earplugs are second only to silicone in comfort. Like silicone, wax earplugs are used to seal the outside of the ear, rather than going into the ear canal. Wax earplugs are easily moulded, so they will fit nearly any ear, regardless of shape or size. Your body heat softens the wax, so the longer you wear them, the softer they get and the more they conform to your ear.
Wax earplugs fit so comfortably that they have become popular for sleeping. Not only do they not stick out of the ear, they become softer while you sleep, so you barely even notice them. This makes them extra comfortable for sleeping, especially if you sleep on your side.
Wax earplugs are excellent for blocking out noise while studying, working, or relaxing, or to protect your hearing in moderately noisy backgrounds. Wax earplugs can be used in the water, but silicone earplugs tend to work better for swimming and other water activities.
It is important to be aware that wax earplugs don’t block quite as much noise as foam bullet or barrel earplugs. So if you need serious noise protection, wax may not be the best option. But if you need to reduce noise levels while still being able to hear someone talking to you, your child’s call, the phone, or your alarm clock in the morning, wax earplugs reduce background noise enough to reduce distractions and help you sleep, while still allowing you to hear what you need to hear. Wax earplugs are especially effective at blocking nighttime background noise so you can sleep soundly and wake refreshed.
Q: Why Should You Use Silicone Earplugs?
Silicone earplugs can be moulded into the perfect fit for your ear, which makes them comfortable and easy to use. If you prefer not to use cotton wool, silicone is a great alternative to wax. They can be molded as easily as putty, so they fit the shape of your ears and may well be among the most comfortable earplugs available. Silicone earplugs are intended to be used in the outer part of the ear, rather than inside the ear canal like foam earplugs.
Silicone earplugs are reusable, but need to be replaced if they get dirty or if you start to notice when rolling them that they are not as sticky.
Silicone earplugs are great for many uses, not just damping sound. They can be used while swimming or to block distractions while studying or working. They can also seal out water while you’re swimming, bathing, showering, or doing water exercise to keep the water out of your ears and prevent swimmer’s ear.
If you have noisy neighbours, live near a busy highway, or your spouse is a snorer, silicone earplugs are a great choice for blocking the noise so you can sleep. Because they don’t stick out of your ear or too far into your ear, they are quite comfortable, even if you sleep on your side. While they effectively dull loud noise, they don’t prevent you from hearing your kids or your alarm clock. With silicone earplugs, you can get a restful night’s sleep, and not be late for work.
No matter what you’re doing while using them, silicone earplugs are an excellent all around choice, whether you want them for noise reduction, studying, swimming, travelling, sleeping, or anything else. Mouldable silicone earplugs are the best solution for many earplug wearers.
Q: How Often Should I Replace My Earplugs?
Foam earplugs need to be replaced when they get dirty or when you notice that they don’t return to their normal shape after removal from the ear canal.
Silicone earplugs should be replaced when they get dirty or no longer stick to to your ear.
Wax earplugs need to be replaced when they get dirty, if you start noticing they aren’t blocking noise adequately, or if they no longer hold together.
Q: How Can I Lower Risk of Ear Infection from Earplugs
In order to eliminate the risk of ear infections, reusable ear plugs should only be given to individual employees and should never be shared. We have a line of ear plugs that are different colours so that passing an ear infection from one ear to another is reduced.
To further eliminate the risk of an ear infection, disposable ear plugs are a better option. They’re made of environmentally friendly materials.
Q: Which are better, Ear Muffs or Earplugs?
Even though ear muffs offer maximum protection, earplugs are handy when you don’t want your noise protection to be seen. Earplugs are useful when you need quick noise reduction protection and you don’t have to carry anything bulky with you. Whatever your noise reduction protection needs are, we are sure you will find something suitable in our selection.