Get Your Wallet Ready Because Apple's AirPods Aren't Optional — They're Necessary

When Apple first announced the AirPods, I, like everyone else, was completely confused by them. Why did they look like Q-Tips? Why did they cost so much money? More importantly, Apple, how could you take away my headphone jack?! But after testing out a pair of AirPods for the past few weeks, I can see why they're worth it and why you might consider buying them for yourself.

Unlike several tech products out there, setting up AirPods is so easy. Open up the AirPod case near your iPhone and a pop-up screen should appear. Tap "Connect" and you're done. Once this step is done, just pop the AirPods into your ears. You'll hear a ding that lets you know it's connected to your iPhone. Press play on your music and you're set! I opened up Spotify on my first try and my iPhone already recognized my AirPods and started to play music through them, no additional setup required. Need to talk to someone or order your morning coffee? Take out one of the AirPods and the music automatically stops playing.

I'm someone who's barely on time for anything, which means I'm usually running to catch the bus to all sorts of events. The first time I ran, I clung onto my AirPods for dear life and probably looked like a complete weirdo running with my hands to my ears. I decided to test them the next day and didn't hold onto to them as I ran — and they stayed perfectly snug in my ear. If I ran with Apple's previous headphones or any other ones, they fell out or got tangled in my hair. Speaking of which . . .

As someone with a lot of piercings, long hair, bracelets, and complicated jackets, I've always had a struggle with regular headphones. They get tangled in my hair or get caught in a button, which then sends the headphones and, sometimes, my iPhone into the air. Or they end up in a tangled mess by themselves. But with the AirPods, that never happens, and it becomes one less thing to worry about. Sometimes, the AirPods do get caught in my hair when I'm putting them on, but that's more a messy-hair-day problem than the AirPods' fault.

OK, yes, the AirPods look like bizarre Q-Tips hanging from your ears, but they aren't the weirdest headphones out there. Personally, I hate the insanely large look of some over-ear headphones, and then there are trendy metallic headphones that will sometimes shine the sun into my eye on the bus. So really, earphones and headphones come in all shapes and sizes depending on your needs, so you shouldn't feel weird about the look of the AirPods. You get used to them, and if you have long hair, you can hide them.

I know that as a millennial, I'm supposed to despise talking on the phone. But sometimes, you can't avoid it (looking at you, Mom). And unlike Apple's EarPods with a microphone, I don't need to hold the AirPods mere inches from my mouth for anyone to hear me. The sound is clear and more personal; no need to shout on the phone so the other person on the line can hear me.

Apple currently advertises the AirPods as having five hours of battery life on a single charge. But, in reality, the AirPods hold out for much longer than that. Since I only use them when I'm commuting, they can last me as long as five days. And if you own an iPhone 7 or 7 Plus, you can charge your phone and listen to music without using the dongle. The one downside of the battery life is that you don't get much of a warning that the charging case needs a recharge, which has left me without earphones a few times.

As someone on a budget, I find it insanely hard to make investments on longer lasting products. Yes, I know this $6 pair of tights will get a run on the second day I wear them, but they are cheaper than a $30 better pair of tights. The same logic applies to my headphones; is it annoying to constantly shell out $30 to $40 every few months for new earphones because the cable is frayed or only one ear works? Yes, but it's a cheaper option to the "fancier," high-end earphones. With the AirPods, however, the investment feels worth it. There's no chance of the cable fraying or listening out of one ear for a while. And if you lose one, you can replace one for $69. A hefty price, but that might make make you extra careful not to lose them.

But not everything is absolutely awesome about the AirPods. Siri works nicely on the AirPods, but it's not really something I see anyone using all the time. I'd rather listen to "Closer" by the Chainsmokers 10 times in a row than to say "Hey Siri, next song" in public. That's not the only downfall of AirPods either — the Bluetooth connection can also randomly get disconnected. Sometimes, I put my iPhone in my back pocket, and the music goes in and out because the Bluetooth connection isn't strong enough. Or I'll take out my AirPod out to order something and the music will stop for a second before resuming. Not the most ideal situation, but also not totally uncommon with Bluetooth devices.

Is this another pricey Apple product? Yes. Is it one that's worth your money? Yes, absolutely. You can buy AirPods online through the Apple Store for $159 and other retailers.