TOZO T6 review

Looking for a cheap and simple pair of wireless earbuds? The TOZO T6 is just that. With no mobile app or and no extra features like active noise canceling, the TOZO T6 is a set barebones true wireless earbuds.

We spent a week with the TOZO T6 to see if it’s worth the low admission price.

Editor’s note: this review was updated on September 6, 2023, to update charts, add the TOZO T12 as an alternative, and answer FAQ.

What’s it like to use TOZO T6?

The TOZO T6 looks a lot like many other average earbuds, with a round ear tip on a rounded earbud. It doesn’t have any stabilizing fins or wings for keeping the earbuds in your ear, so getting a good fit is important with it. Out of the box, the TOZO T6 comes with six different ear tip sizes, so getting a secure fit with the earbuds should be fairly easy.

The ear tips have slightly different feels to them, where the ones with red in the center feel a bit stiffer and thicker, and the all-black ones are thinner. The shape of some of the all-black ones makes them look wider than they would fit in your ear, so there are two ear tips measuring 10mm and two measuring 11mm, but each will fit differently inside your ear. The earbuds also don’t have vents to alleviate pressure from the ear tips sealing, so you may have to adjust the earbuds a bit to get rid of the pressure.

The case is fairly compact, and it fits easily into any moderately sized pocket. It has a secure enough lid that it doesn’t open on its own at the bottom of a tote bag, and the earbuds stay secure with magnets inside too. On the bottom of the case is a plastic flap covering the charging port, which is rather stiff and difficult to move, but likely serves to keep water and dust from getting in. Both the case and the earbuds are IPX8 water-resistant, meaning they can handle submersion in deeper than one meter of water for 30 minutes.

One significant issue with these earbuds is that whenever I connect them to any device, the volume turns all the way up. Because of this, I recommend checking your volume level before playing anything to avoid any dangerously loud audio. This is really not ideal, since one would normally hope their earbuds aren’t trying to give them hearing damage.

How do you control the TOZO T6?

Each earbud has a touch panel for playback and call controls. The controls are intuitive and similar to other earbuds, so they should be easy enough to remember. There’s no app for the earbuds, so you’re stuck with the default controls. I haven’t experienced any misfires with the touch controls, which is a nice surprise for such cheap earbuds.

How does the TOZO T6 connect?

The TOZO T6 uses Bluetooth 5.3, and connects using the SBC and AAC Bluetooth codecs. There are no other special connectivity features like Bluetooth multipoint or quick pairing.

How long does the TOZO T6 battery last?

TOZO’s claims about the battery life vary depending if you’re reading the user manual, the TOZO website, or the Amazon listing, but TOZO claims somewhere between 6 and 8 hours of battery life from the T6. We found the 8-hour figure very accurate — in our testing playing constant music peaking at 75dB(SPL), the TOZO T6 lasted 8 hours, 8 minutes. The case charges using microUSB or wireless Qi charging.

If you care a lot about the environment, it’s important to be aware that batteries lose capacity over time with more charging cycles. These batteries will create e-waste, which isn’t sustainable. If you care about creating less e-waste, it’s best to either purchase products with a longer battery life, or use wired headphones and earbuds instead, which last much longer on average.

How well does the TOZO T6 block out noise?

Isolation from the TOZO T6 is pretty good, successfully blocking out some noise around me. I can still hear my washing machine and dishwasher loud and clear, but sounds like my cat scratching the couch or a pen falling on the floor are much quieter. It’s nothing compared to active noise canceling (ANC), but that’s very rare in earbuds in this price bracket.

The key to getting good isolation from earbuds is finding the right fit for your ears. Without a proper fit, you run the risk of turning up the volume too high and risking noise-induced hearing loss. The TOZO T6 comes with many different ear tip sizes, so you should be able to find something that fits you well.

How does the TOZO T6 sound?

The TOZO T6 has some emphasis in the bass frequencies below 200Hz, which is immediately noticeable immediately upon first listen. There’s also some deviation from our headphone preference curve in the upper mids, but generally, it follows our target curve pretty closely. This frequency response is a bit too bassy for it to be good for everyone, but if you like some extra bass, it might suit your fancy.

Lows, mids, highs

Anti-Hero by Taylor Swift sounds good through these earbuds. The oscillating synthesizer in the mids sounds great behind the drum machine and vocals, though the bass synth throughout is a little bit too loud through this pair of earbuds.

Listening to Online Songs by Blink-182 also sounds pleasant through the TOZO T6, though the bass can be a bit loud throughout the song due to the bass boost from the earbuds. The drums, vocals, and guitar sound great, with no notable issues.

Can you use the TOZO T6 for phone calls?

The microphone on the TOZO T6 is great for phone calls in quiet places. Voices sound clear and audible through the microphone in ideal conditions. In windy conditions or out on the street, the noise suppression isn’t the greatest, but you’ll still be somewhat audible most of the time. If you want the best audio quality possible from the TOZO T6, take your calls in a quiet, indoor environment.

TOZO T6 microphone demo (Ideal conditions):

TOZO T6 microphone demo (Street conditions):

TOZO T6 microphone demo (Windy conditions):

Should you buy the TOZO T6?

If you’re in the market for cheap true wireless earbuds with a bassy sound profile, the TOZO T6 is worth considering, but don’t overlook the fact that these earbuds immediately max out volume when reconnecting to a device. This is a pretty big annoyance and something that could pain sensitive ears. Also the lack of fast charging and the older microUSB charger can result in some inconvenient moments where you’re caught with a drained battery, or getting caught with only one cable in your bag and it’s not a microUSB.

For a basic pair of true wireless earbuds without noise canceling or software features, the TOZO T6 will suit those on a budget. Volume problem aside, you do get a comfortable set of earbuds with lots of ear tip options, a very standard battery life and microphone, and IPX8 water resistance for just $30 USD, which is great, but you have alternatives to think about too.

What should you get instead of the TOZO T6?

The JLab GO Air POP is an excellent alternative to the TOZO T6, with IPX4 sweat resistance, great isolation, and a good sound profile with additional EQ options, though the frequency response underemphasizes bass. It also has double the battery life at 11 hours, 4 minutes. The GO Air POP sell for only $24 at Amazon, so it’s a great value for what you get.

A slightly more expensive option, though still very affordable, is the Skullcandy Mod XT. These earbuds have good isolation, IP55 water and added dust resistance, Bluetooth multipoint, and an app with EQ options, firmware updates, Tile integration, and more. The sound profile is pretty bassy, but you can change that if you aren’t a fan. For $48 at Amazon, it’s a great deal.

If you want aptX support from an affordable pair of earbuds, the Jabra Elite 3 has that and more. It has IP55 water and dust resistance, a good (though bassy) sound profile, and solid almost 7-hour battery life. You can normally find it for $59 at Amazon, but it can go on sale too.

Lastly, if you want to keep the budget low, but would like additional active noise cancellation the TOZO NC2 sells for only $39 at Amazon. Sporting improved isolation and surprisingly great ANC, it’s a great choice for affordable noise cancellation. Its sound isn’t far off the TOZO T6’s tuning, but it pairs quickly, and feels comfortable. Like the T6, the TOZO NC2 has some quirks, but none as dangerous as maxing out your volume each time you connect.

Another addition to the TOZO camp, the T12 offers more bass for fans of bass-laden audio and the IPX8 rating. These buds have impressive isolation performance, considering they don’t have ANC onboard. Like the T6, the TOZO T12 is inexpensive, costing $34 at Amazon.

Frequently asked questions