If you’re in sales, customer service, or tech support, odds are you’re on your headset all day long. A reliable headset is a must for your daily activities. You can’t have one that drops calls or makes it hard to communicate with the person on the other end. You need one that performs well, fits comfortably enough tat you’ll be able to wear it all day, and is dependable.
When it comes to finding the right headset there are a lot of variables to take into consideration. To make it easier for you, we’ve reviewed tons of headsets and have narrowed down the field to our eight-favorite based on category.
Whether you want a headset for work or play, our Ultimate Guide for the Best Bluetooth Headset is your one stop read for everything you need to know to make the best purchase for you.
Bluetooth Headsets: 2024 Buyer’s Guide
Before we dive into our top-eight list, we thought we should review some of the features and variables we looked at in order to compile our list.
Compatibility
Bluetooth means flexibility and freedom. Whether it’s your office phone, cellular phone, external speaker, or your automobile, you want a headset that has compatibility and pairing capabilities with multiple devices. You don’t want to purchase a headset just to discover, once you get it, that it won’t pair with your devices.
A handful of devices even allow for pairing with multiple devices at once. This is great for anyone who goes from their car to the office and back all day long as you can seamlessly switch from one to the other without impacting your call.
Many of the headsets on our list pair with Android and iOS smartphones and tablets, laptops, and cars. We even looked at headsets that pair well with UC applications and offer USB capabilities.
Since it’s rare these days for users to want a single-use headset option, compatibility was one of the main factors we took into consideration for our buyer’s guide.
BSound, Mic and Noise Cancellation
Clarity is a critical feature to explore for any Bluetooth headset. Noise cancellation, number of mics, and sound all contribute to clarity. When it comes to mics, some headsets have one and others have four microphones.
Typically, the more microphones it has the better the quality. Additionally, the closer the mic is to the mouth, the clearer the conversation.
Keep in mind though more microphones don’t always mean amazing clarity. You also need a noise cancellation component. If you’re going to be using your headset in a car or outdoors, for example, this is a must have feature. Without it, your caller will have a hard time hearing you and you’ll find yourself having to yell to be heard.
Some of our headsets even include voice recognition technology which allows them to pinpoint your voice and remove all other ambient sounds around you. These headsets offer the best in noise cancellation and overall call quality.
Volume range also plays an important role in sound and call quality. Those headsets with fairly low maximum volumes won’t do well in loud environments. Some of the headsets we reviewed have volume control, while others are preset and not changeable. If you’re looking for a headset that will work in loud environments, this is definitely a feature to pay close attention to when reading the buyer’s guide.
The final component to clarity is the sound. You’ll want your headset to have the latest in earpiece and speaker technology. If you have to struggle to hear your caller and have to ask them to repeat themselves multiple time, you might give the caller the impression you aren’t paying attention.
Battery Life
You’re on the go at work and out and about in your personal life, you’ll want a headset that can keep up with you. When it comes to better life, we looked at talk time, standby time, and recharge time.
The best Bluetooth headsets will have longer talk times and shorter recharge times. The average talk time for most of the headsets is about six to seven hours with a standby time of 10 days. You’ll find a couple of headsets on our list that vary slightly from this average.
Along with recharge time, we also looked at recharging options. Some headsets offer the ability to recharge on the go via USB, while others will only recharge on their designated stand or wall plugin. Depending on your lifestyle, this could be a very important feature to take note of.
Fit & Comfort
If you’re going to be wearing your headset all day, fit and comfort are hugely important. In fact, if it wasn’t comfortable, it didn’t even make our list…that’s how important we think comfort is.
We tested a variety of options for this category ensuring that the we found the most comfortable in each style type. We understand that some people like the traditional headphone style while others prefer the single-ear or neck-style. Whatever your style preference, you’ll find a recommendation on our list that fits your needs.
One thing we discovered during our test is that the weight had an impact on how comfortable the headsets was. The heavier the headset, the less comfortable the wear. Additionally, we found that those with ear gels helped to direct sound and provided more stability and support for those with in-ear loops and over-ear hooks.
How the headset rests, how it feels in or around your ear, if it works with glasses, and whether or not it bounces around while you use it are just a few of the variables we took into consideration for this category.
Voice Commands
While they aren’t always a must-have feature, voice commands can be a deciding factor. Phones that offer voice recognition with Siri or Google Now allow you to answer calls, hang-up, and check messages just by asking.
Voice commands can be invaluable if you find yourself in traffic or carrying something and simply don’t have a hand available to reach up and push your headset to the answer position.
Additional Features to Consider
Some Bluetooth headsets offer the ability to listen to music or will dictate text messages. Others are designed specifically for users who wear glasses, work outside and are water resistant. We were impressed with the additional features available on some of our top-eight candidates, and we think you will be too!
So, let’s jump into the details around our top-eight Bluetooth headsets.
Our List of the Best Bluetooth Headsets for 2024
We spent hours researching and testing a variety of Bluetooth headsets. Below is our list of the top-eight headsets, along with a detailed review and buying information on each, to help you find the option that’s best for you.
Plantronics Voyager 5200 – Best Around-the-Ear Bluetooth Headset
Category: Best Around-the-Ear Bluetooth Headset |
Battery Life: 6 hours of talk time / 8 days standby
This device has a lot going for it despite its small size. The Voyager 5200 comes out of the gate with four microphones (the most on our list) and proprietary technology to mute background sounds, giving it unparallel call quality and noise cancellation.
It has voice recognition and command capabilities and will even read text messages to you. However, it won’t announce or read incoming caller ID information to you.
It has a shorter over-the-ear hook, which is super comfortable and sits a little lower and closer to the mouth. The earpiece is also fully reversible, allowing you to wear it on either ear, which is pretty sweet feature. While it offers flexibility for either ear, you cannot adjust the height of the earpiece.
The headset volume is one of the loudest in our guide at 98 decibels capability. The device has volume controls, voice button, call button, pairs with multiple devices via NFC or Bluetooth, and a micro USB charging cable input. The multi-device pairing is great if you need to go from car to office.
It’s also small enough to fit in your pocket, which is a great feature when you need to stow it on the go. If you’ve never purchased an over-the-ear headset before, the comfort, price, and features on Plantronics Voyager 5200 is a great one to start out with. You won’t be disappointed!
Jabra Stealth – Best Multitasking Bluetooth Headset
Category: Best Multitasking Bluetooth Headset
Battery Life: 6 hours of talk time / 10 days standby
This tiny headset fits really well and looks incredibly slick! The overall design is well balanced and stays in place. It’s one of the lightest options in our guide weighing in at 2.7 ounces. It’s tiny enough to fit in your pocket, but comfortable enough that you’ll probably just wear it all day.
The Noise Blackout dual-microphone provides considerable noise reduction and an overall clearer call quality. The volume level is about 84 decibels which is great, except that you cannot adjust the volume.
It offers a variety of options for wear and fit, so you’re likely to find the perfect fit for you. You can choose from six earpieces size options and two different ear hook options.
You can charge it via the micro USB cable input which comes with it. However, it doesn’t include a wall adapter or car charger, so you’ll need to purchase those separately if you want to use those options.
Like to listen to music all day long? Then pair this headset with your smartphone and rock out to your own personal soundtrack everywhere you go!
Are you someone who loses things easily? Then you’ll love the extra feature this phone offer. Via the Jabra Assist app, you can find your Jabra device using GPS.
Motorola Boom2+ Headset – Best Inexpensive Bluetooth Headset
Category: Best Inexpensive Bluetooth Headset | Price: $45 – 65
Battery Life: 7 hours talk time / 8 days on standby
The Motorola Boom2+ is our favorite in the low-price category. This is also a great first Bluetooth headset option. It’s incredibly light weight at just .02 pounds and has an incredibly long range of 300 feet.
The silicon earpiece makes it comfortable to wear all day. And with only two buttons, learning to operate this device is super easy.
You’ll get up to seven hours of talk time on one charge and it will sit on standby for up to 8 days. It offers a USB charging cable which means you can recharge it in your car or at the office via your laptop.
Of all the devices on our list, this is the quietest one with a max volume of 68 decibels. If you’re always going to be inside or will rarely be in a loud environment, you’ll find this maximum low volume level to be just fine.
While it does have noise cancellation, it won’t block out all ambient noises. Sounds such as wind or excessive automobile sounds can be heard, so keep that in mind if you decide to go for a walk or take a drive with the windows down while talking on the phone.
Samsung Level U Pro – Best Ergonomic Bluetooth Headset
Category: Best Ergonomic Bluetooth Headset
Battery Life: 9 hours talk time / 10 days on standby
This is the most ergonomic of our devices and is the only around the neck option on our buyer’s guide list. When not in use, it simply rests on your shoulders. When a call comes in, it will vibrate to alert you, allowing you time to place the earbuds in your ears and answer the call.
The Samsung Level U Pro will connect to any Bluetooth-compatible device and, as a bonus, it’s great for listening to music on as well! Don’t worry, you can still answer calls while listening to music. The device will alert you and then, after your call, will return you to your music.
The buttons are located on the right side of the sweat resistant, leather neckband. You can answer calls, pause, play and skip music, and adjust the volume easily.
You’ll be able to enjoy nine hours of talk time or music playback. The device recharges via a micro USB cable which you can use in your car or in the office.
The 13mm speakers deliver a 24-bit digital audio experience. The noise reduction and echo cancellation feature provide a clear listening and call experience. The package comes with three sets of ear gels (S, M, L) so you can find the one that works best for you.
Plantronics Voyager Focus UC – Best Noise Cancelling Bluetooth Headset
Category: Best Noise Cancelling Bluetooth Headset |
Battery Life: 12-hour talk time
While the design isn’t super flashy, the capabilities of this device definitely are! Offering the best in noise cancellation of all the devices on our buyer’s guide list, it’s also one of the pricier options.
This device is built for UC applications, offers USB connectivity, and is completely Bluetooth compatible. The smart sensor will answer calls whenever you are wearing the super comfortable, leather, over-ear padded headset.
The headset offers enhanced voice alerts that announce who is calling via caller ID. It will also alert you when you try and talk when you are on mute.
The boom triple-mic extends and swivels, allowing you to place it in the perfect location when talking and move it out of the way when not in use. The high-quality stereo sound provides hi-fi sound and stunning audio experience.
This headset has the longest battery life with a talk time of 12 hours. If you’re on the go all day and need a reliable headset that can do it all, this is your headset!
Jabra Steel – Best Rugged Bluetooth Headset
Category: Best Noise Cancelling Bluetooth Headset |
Battery Life: 6-hours of talk time / 10-days standby
If your office is outdoors or you’re just looking for something that will stand up to extensive wear and tear, then you want this Bluetooth headset option! This is our most rugged device on our list.
You won’t sacrifice comfort or quality with this device. It comes with ergonomic ear hooks and multiple earpieces, so you can choose the ones that fit you the best. It also has HD voice and dual-microphones with noise cancellation for amazingly clear call quality.
The voice functionality on this device works with Siri and Google Now and allows for a truly hands-free calling experience.
If you drop it, don’t worry because this headset is incredibly durable! It has extra-large buttons and is dust, water, and shock resistant. It also comes with a 5-year warranty (the longest warranty option of all the devices on our list).
Sennheiser Presence-UC – Best Overall Bluetooth Headset
Category: Best Overall Bluetooth Headset |
Battery Life: 8-10 hours talk time
When we say best overall, we mean it! This headset has everything rolled into one. With three microphones and noise cancellation technology, the call clarity is superb. The proprietary HD Voice Clarity Technology offers truly superior sound.
The headset weighs 8.3 ounces, so it has some weight to it, but with several attachment options, it’s easy to fit and comfortable to wear for long periods of time.
This headset comes with a car charger, USB charging cable, and USB dongle. All of the charging options fit in the handy carrying case, so you’re prepared for virtually any situation.
The device offers multi-pairing, so you can connect to two phones or a phone and laptop and seamlessly transition between devices without impacting your call.
Huawei TalkBand B5 – Best Multipurpose Bluetooth
Category: Best Multipurpose Bluetooth |
Battery Life: 6-hours talk time / 3-days working time
For the last device on our list, we bring you the Huawei TalkBand B5. It’s a headset that sits on your wrist making communication super easy and super cool!
It offers a 1.13-inch Amoled touch color screen which supports sliding and clicking. Built-in storage is 512KB RAM, 1 MB Flash with 16MB Flash (external) available storage expansion.
The large display allows you to screen calls, tell time, and even monitor your steps. Even cooler, it supports nine languages: Simplified Chinese, American English, European Spanish, European Portuguese, French, German, Russian, Italian, and British English.
The earpiece is snug, durable, and very comfortable. It comes in three sizes to make sure you have a perfect fit. The earpiece conveniently attaches to the wrist band making it easy to carry with you, prevents loss, and gives it a super James Bond design feel.
The Bluetooth is compatibly with Android and iOS products and comes with a USB cable for charging. While it touts itself as being waterproof and dustproof, it’s not advisable to wear the device in the shower or swimming, per the enclosed pack information.