Simply put, how often you use the earplugs. If you take the place on vacation once a year, a set of earplugs might last you years. But if you use earplugs on a daily basis when sleeping, a set will last you 3 months on average.

Active hearing protection devices usually provide higher protection as they come with electrical or digital components attenuating the surrounding sounds, complete with independent volume controls. However, that doesn't necessarily make them a better option every time.

Aim for just enough noise reduction to bring your exposure down to 75-85 dBA. The Noise Reduction Rating on hearing protector packaging represents the amount of noise the hearing protector blocked when tested in a laboratory, but workers usually get much less noise reduction on the job.

Class A — used when noise exposure levels are between 95 dBA (Lex) and 105 dBA (Lex).