Jacuate M161

A makeup mirror in your earbud case is a fun party trick, but the M161 forgets to be good at the earbud part. Skip it and buy something from a brand that actually makes headphones.

The 11mm dynamic driver does a decent job for podcasts and calls, but music is where this thing falls flat. Our database puts it at the 51st percentile for sound, which is about as middle-of-the-pack as it gets. The bass boost claim of 58% sounds impressive on paper, but in practice, it's more of a muddy thump than a punchy kick. The AI-ENC mic is fine, nothing special, and the Bluetooth 6.0 connection is stable. Battery life is a bright spot: 6.5 hours on the buds and 40 total with the case is solid, though not class-leading. The real surprise is the build quality. At 91st percentile, it's one of the best-built cheap earbuds we've seen. The titanium clip feels sturdy, and the case doesn't feel like it'll crack if you look at it wrong.

The Soundcore P31i is the obvious alternative. It's cheaper, has better sound, and Anker actually stands behind their products. The EarFun Air Pro 4+ gives you real ANC and better comfort for not much more. If you want open-ear specifically, the JLab JBuds Pods ANC is a safer bet with actual customer support. The M161's only real edge is the build quality and the weird mirror case, and that's not enough to overcome the comfort and sound issues.

At $20 USD, this is a tough sell. You can get the Soundcore P31i or JLab JBuds Pods ANC for similar money with better sound and actual customer reviews. The M161 feels like a novelty item you'd buy as a gag gift, not a daily driver. If you're in India, the INR 5,392 price is even harder to justify when established brands are right there. Skip it unless you specifically want the mirror gimmick.

The Jacuate M161 is a weird one. It's a clip-on open-ear bud that also has a makeup mirror and fill light in the case. That's either genius or a gimmick, and honestly, it's mostly the latter. The core idea is solid: open-ear comfort for people who hate shoving things in their ear canals. But the execution is all over the place. You get a 3.3-star rating from just 11 reviews, which tells you the people who bought it aren't exactly raving. The build quality is surprisingly good for the price, but the sound is just okay, and the comfort ranking is a real problem for something marketed on all-day wear.

If you care about music quality, skip this. The sound is mediocre, and the bass boost is more marketing than reality. Go get the Soundcore P31i or EarFun Air Pro 4+ instead. If you want open-ear specifically, the JLab JBuds Pods ANC is a safer bet with actual reviews and support. The M161 is for people who want a conversation piece, not a daily driver.

Don't buy this. The Jacuate M161 is a solution looking for a problem. The open-ear clip design is fine in theory, but the comfort ranking is terrible, the sound is forgettable, and the makeup mirror is a gimmick that adds cost without adding value. If you want open-ear buds, get something from a brand with actual reviews and support. This one's a pass.