Cleaning your earbuds is no fun so Audio-Technica's ATH-TWX9 do it for you, although you'll still need to wipe the gunk off yourself.

The latest earbuds to come out of Japanese outfit Audio-Technica, the ATH-TWX9 use UV light to clean themselves whenever they're placed in their charging case. They use special mirrors to bounce that light around to ensure everything's nice and free of microogranisms and whatnot, although they won't deal with anything larger. That means you'll still need to clean your own ear fuzz off them, unfortunately. But at least you know they won't have miniature creepy crawlies on them.

The cleaning process only lasts for the first 70 seconds after they're put into that charging case, so Audio-Technica says that you can still expect up to 18.5 hours on a single charge. The earbuds themselves are good for around six hours before they need to return to their charging case.

As for other features, the ATH-TWX9 boast Bluetooth 5.2 for a solid connection as well as nosie-cancelling technology and an IPX4 water resistance rating. Sound is handled via 5.8mm drivers, with Audio-Technica promising an immersive soundstage - we'll reserve judgement for now, though.

None of this is going to come cheap, unfortunately. The ATH-TWX9 cost £279.99 / €319 / $324 and you can order a pair of your own right now direct from the brand.