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LG's self-cleaning earbuds are here - and they're cheaper than AirPods

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LG's new self-cleaning wireless earbuds are now available. [The LG Tone Free earbuds, first announced last month, promise refined sound and six hours of playback time. But it is the HBS-FN6 model that stands out, thanks to its UVnano case, which uses ultraviolet light to clean the earphones while charging.

The Tone Free FN6 is available today (July 16) in matte black and gloss white versions from LG.com and authorized LG retailers. The wireless earbuds are priced at $149, $10 less than the price of the AirPods with charging case.

The UVnano case for the FN6 targets E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus that adhere to the earphones' silicone ear gels and inner mesh; LG says it worked with UL microbiology experts to use UV light that removes virtually all potential bacteria during charging The company says it has developed a case.

In addition to cleaning the earphones, the charging case extends playback time to 18 hours; if LG's claims are proven in our tests, a five-minute charge should provide an hour of music.

As for sound quality, the new Tone Free earphones offer sound support from Meridian Audio, including Meridian's Headphone Spatial Processing and Digital Signal Processing technologies. While you will have to try them out, you will experience a clear sound that is almost like an in-ear speaker. Customized EQ settings and four presets (Natural, Immersive, Bass Boost, and Treble Boost) are also available.

In our review of the LG Tone Free, we found that LG's new Buds offer impressive sound quality, strong noise isolation, and a nice ambient listening mode that can filter out the outside world. However, the touch controls were a bit finicky, and the UV cleaning feature was not always clearly visible.

The FN6 is a high-end version of the Tone Free earphones and comes with two other models that promise the same audio features and playback time; the $129 HBS-FN5W lacks the self-cleaning UVnano feature of the FN6, but a compatible charging pad can be used to charge these earbuds wirelessly. The cheapest HBS-FN4 does not support wireless charging, but its price is reduced to $99.