Checking open-box earbuds in the first ten minutes
The five checks that matter on arrival — pairing, both channels, mic, case charging and battery drain — and what to do if one fails.
6 min readDifficulty: EasyUpdated 2026-09-25
Everything we list is tested before it ships, but you should still run your own checks the day it arrives — partly because transit is rough, and partly because our replacement window runs from delivery.
These five take ten minutes and catch essentially everything that can be wrong with a pair of TWS buds.
What you’ll need
- The earbuds and their case
- A phone with Bluetooth
- The charging cable
- Ten quiet minutes
Step by step
- 1
Charge the case to full first
Do this before judging anything. A case that has sat in a warehouse arrives low, and almost every "the buds keep cutting out" report is a flat case.
- 2
Pair, then check BOTH channels
Play something with obvious stereo separation. A dead right bud is the single most common TWS fault and is silent on a mono podcast.
- 3
Test the microphone on a real call
Voice notes flatter the mic. Call someone and ask them directly — mic faults are the ones people notice a month later, after the window closes.
- 4
Check the case actually charges the buds
Seat both buds, close the lid, wait ten minutes, then check their level rose. Contacts that look fine can still be dirty; isopropyl alcohol on the pins fixes most of it.
- 5
Leave them idle overnight in the case
Put them away at full charge and check in the morning. A bud that drains overnight has a seating or battery fault, and this is the only check that reveals it.
Common questions
- One bud is quieter than the other. Is that a fault?
- Usually it is wax in the mesh, not the driver. Clean it first. If it persists after cleaning, report it — that is a genuine fault.
- How long should the battery last on an open-box pair?
- Essentially as long as new. These have not been through charge cycles; if playtime is far below the rated figure, tell us.
- Something failed a check. What now?
- Report it within 48 hours of delivery and we replace or refund it. Do not attempt a repair first — that ends the cover.