Deal | Still-excellent Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones are a whopping 43% off in this refurb deal

If you’ve been eyeing Sony's WH-1000XM5 headphones but don’t want to drop $400 on a new pair, this might be a great chance to snag them for a lot less. For a limited time, Woot is offering Sony’s still-excellent ANC over-ears in Grade-A refurbished condition for just $228.

You’re getting a pair that’s been “inspected and guaranteed to have minimal cosmetic damage” and offers “like-new functionality,” according to Woot’s listing. That also means there’s no original Sony warranty. However, Woot includes a one-year limited warranty handled by eReplacements, which should give you some peace of mind. 

For context, a brand-new pair of the WH-1000XM5 typically retails for $399.99, though we’ve seen them occasionally drop to around $300 at Amazon and Best Buy, and $278 during last year’s Black Friday. At $228, you’re still saving a substantial $172 off the list price, and getting one of the best noise-canceling headphones money can buy today.

Even with the newer WH-1000XM6 now out, the XM5 remains a strong pick, as the latest model only delivers marginal improvement in ANC performance and sound. Sony’s fifth-generation over-ears offer a lighter, sleeker, and more refined package than the beloved XM4. It features two dedicated processors (the Integrated Processor V1 and QN1) that work together to manage eight microphones, drastically reducing chatter, traffic, and the low hum of airplane cabins. The 30 mm carbon-fiber composite drivers deliver balanced, spacious sound, and Sony’s LDAC codec enables high-resolution music streaming on compatible Android devices via Apple Music and Spotify.

Rtings notes that the XM5’s noise cancellation still ranks among the best in the business, excelling in mid and treble frequencies where voices and office noise usually cut through. And while the new XM6 improves on the XM5 by offering a sturdier hinge, flatter headband, and even stronger noise attenuation in the mids, they also make trade-offs: their softer pads can break the seal more easily if you wear glasses, and at $399, they’re not exactly cheap. Unless you absolutely need the absolute best ANC, the XM5 at nearly half the price is the smarter buy.

With up to 30 hours of battery life, multipoint pairing, touch controls, and class-leading ANC, Sony’s WH-1000XM5 are still an easy recommendation, especially at $228.