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The traditional Bluetooth headset, once the only game in town, is now one option among many. The single-ear headsets of a decade ago have largely evolved into stereo Bluetooth headphones, almost all of which include at least decent microphones. If you just need something to make calls occasionally, head over to our list of the best wireless headphones and the best true wireless earbuds; we detail microphone quality in each of our reviews.
But if your work requires you to make calls all day, we’ve included the best headsets we’ve tested below. Picking the right headset might seem simple, but you need to consider everything from sound quality to battery life, and, most importantly, make sure whatever you choose feels comfortable for long periods.
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Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks
Jabra Evolve2 65
Best for Microsoft Teams
Why We Picked It
Jabra has a full range of enterprise-focused wireless headsets, and the Evolve2 65 is one of its core models. This on-ear headset comes in a variety of configurations, and the stereo version we tested even ships with a dedicated charging stand for your desk. It sounds excellent, has a clear boom mic, and you can even customize it with dedicated controls for Microsoft Teams.
Who It’s For
Enterprise headsets like this are pricey, but if you need to sit at your desk and take calls all day, the Evolve2 65 is worth the investment. It’s comfortable and reliable, which is what you need for work.
PROS
- Excellent mic clarity
- Powerful bass depth and clear treble for music
- Comfortable design
- Compatible with Microsoft Teams app, with dedicated onboard controls
CONS
- Can be annoying to properly dock headset for charging
- Audio playback between simultaneously paired computers and phones can get complicated
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SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless
Best Multipurpose Gaming Headset
Why We Picked It
Some headsets, like SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless, work just as well for gaming as productivity. It offers competent active noise cancellation and an excellent boom mic with strong noise isolation, plus bundles a handy base station and two batteries that help you maintain a constant charge. This headset also supports Bluetooth for your phone and multipoint connectivity (helpful if you have separate work and gaming computers).
Who It’s For
This SteelSeries model is for gamers who work from home and want the best audio they can get for either scenario. It doesn’t have any funky angles or RGB lighting, so you don’t need to worry about not looking professional on camera.
PROS
- Full, clear audio
- Good microphone
- Surprisingly strong noise cancellation
- Clever base station with hot-swappable batteries and two USB ports
- Powerful software with extensive audio adjustments and effective simulated surround
- Bluetooth
CONS
- Audio profile requires some tweaking with EQ to get the best experience
- No optical audio input for the base
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Jabra Evolve2 75
Best Headset/Headphones Combo
Why We Picked It
The Evolve2 75 headset is an upgraded version of the excellent Evolve2 65 model that adds active noise cancellation. The new model looks a bit sleeker but otherwise offers all of the same features.
Who It’s For
If the Evolve2 65 sounds like a good fit, but you deal with lots of distractions at your desk, the Evolve2 75 is a worthwhile upgrade. Just prepare to spend a lot more money on it.
PROS
- Excellent clarity from retractable boom mic
- Quality audio performance with rich bass and bright highs
- Good active noise cancellation
- Exceptionally comfortable
- App includes EQ and customization options
CONS
- Expensive
- Default audio sculpting won’t appeal to purists
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Poly Voyager 5200
Best Lightweight Headset
Why We Picked It
A stereo headset can feel bulky for commutes, but your average true wireless earphones can make you sound fuzzy and distant on calls. The Poly (formerly Plantronics) Voyager 5200 is a classic, simple mono earpiece you can pop in when you need to take calls and slip into your pocket when you’re out and about. Its microphone helps block outside noise on the street, and you can even use voice commands.
Who It’s For
This is a simple, stealthy headset that simply won’t get in the way. It’s ideal if you constantly need to be available for calls away from your desk.
PROS
- Long battery life.
- Won’t fall off your ear.
- Long range.
- Built-in voice commands.
- Completely reversible.
- Solid noise cancellation.
CONS
- Ear hook takes some finesse to fit perfectly over glasses.
- Not quite as comfortable as previous Voyagers.
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Antlion Audio ModMic Wireless
Best Modular Boom Mic
Why We Picked It
The Antlion Audio ModMic Wireless saves you the trouble of having to swap between headphones and a separate headset for calls. It’s a modular boom mic that attaches semi-permanently to your headphones and pairs with a USB adapter that you attach to your computer. The result is a big boost in sound quality over that of most headphones’ pinhole mics.
Who It’s For
If your favorite headphones don’t have a good built-in microphone and you need to make calls for work, this modular Antlion model is worth your money. The USB adapter means you can’t use it on the go, but its magnetic mount makes it easy to pop the microphone on and off at will.
PROS
- Excellent sound quality.
- Clever design.
CONS
- Limited to PC and PS4.
- Expensive.
- No onboard gain adjustment.
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BlueParrott B550-XT
Best Noise-Cancelling Mic
Why We Picked It
The BlueParrott B550-XT workplace headset has a noise-cancelling mic that keeps your voice clear on calls no matter what’s in the background. It also has an IP54 rating, which means it can handle rain and dust.
Who It’s For
If you work outside in noisy environments, the B550-XT is a good choice. It just might be a bit overkill for a typical desk job.
PROS
- Excellent mic clarity with solid intelligibility even in loud situations.
- Comfortable.
- Can be controlled by voice using app.
CONS
- Expensive.
- App could be more useful.
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BlueParrott C300-XT
Most Rugged Headset
Why We Picked It
The BlueParrott C300-XT is one of the smallest and sturdiest headsets on this list. It features a mic that cancels outside noise fairly effectively, as well as an excellent IP65 rating.
Who It’s For
This is the small earpiece to take to any jobsite where you might get dirty or wet. You can tuck it into a pocket when you don’t need it and confidently rinse off any dirt or mud that accumulates when you get home.
PROS
- Wideband audio allows for strong voice clarity.
- Effective noise-canceling mic.
- Excellent range.
- Rugged build.
CONS
- Cumbersome customization and firmware update process.
- App doesn’t always recognize paired earpiece.
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Poly Voyager Free 60+
The Best Enterprise True Wireless Earphones
Why We Picked It
Conventional headsets offer excellent voice quality with their boom microphones, but true wireless earphones have become extremely popular for their portability and convenience. The Poly Voyager Free 60+ is an enterprise-focused set of true wireless earphones with their own USB transmitter for using them with a computer and a phone at the same time, active noise cancellation, and most uniquely a charging case with a touch screen. They generally work well, but their mics won’t offer nearly as clear a signal as one at the end of a boom.
Who It’s For
The Voyager Free 60+ are a good headset for anyone who doesn’t want a bulky, conventional headset clamped over their head when they’re on calls. They work flawlessly, juggling both computer and phone connections, have excellent sound quality, and include a unique and useful touch-screen case. It’s a shame the mics aren’t slightly better.
PROS
- Excellent sound quality
- Novel touch-screen charging case
- Both AAC and AptX support
CONS
- Mics don’t match the quality of a boom
- Average noise cancellation
- Finicky touch controls
- Expensive
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Buying Guide: The Best Bluetooth Headsets for 2023
What’s the Difference Between Bluetooth Headsets and Headphones?
Stereo headsets aren’t just for listening to music. They also make calls, often quite well. So, if you’re thinking about a pair of wireless headphones to rock out to, you might not need a separate mono Bluetooth headset. That said, stereo headsets are usually bigger and heavier. Their mics also might not block distracting environmental noises competently.
Poly Voyager Focus UC (Credit: Poly)
The stereo headsets in this roundup, by contrast, are lighter and often have boom mics that easily isolate your voice. We compare the two options more decisively in our roundup of the best headsets and headphones for your home office.
Call Quality and Noise Cancellation
Call quality is an issue in both directions; a headset might sound full and crisp in the earpiece, but then transmit a thin, robotic version of your voice to the person on the other end. Make sure that the headset you choose has good (or at least acceptable) outgoing call quality.
How well the other person can hear you when you’re in a speeding car with the windows down or in your office on a VoIP call can quickly separate the good performers from the bad. Headsets with two or three mics usually perform the best because at least one of those detects and cancels ambient noise with adaptive digital signal processing algorithms.
You definitely pay a premium for advanced noise cancellation, but depending on your needs, that feature might be worth it. We test noise-cancelling performance in every one of our reviews. For more on noise cancellation, head over to our roundups of the best noise-cancelling headphones and the best noise-cancelling true wireless earbuds, as well as our article on how we test noise cancellation.
BlueParrott C300-XT (Credit: BlueParrott)
Battery Life, Comfort, and Range
A guiding principle with mono headsets: If you don’t want to charge, go large. Bigger headsets mean more room for big batteries.
Comfort is a very personal matter. The best in-ear headsets have a range of fit styles—for instance, several different sizes of eartips, plus an option for an over-the-ear hook. If you absolutely can’t bear to put something in your ear, go for an over-the-ear stereo headphone pair.
Recommended by Our Editors
Most Bluetooth headsets offer about 30 feet of range before the signal starts popping badly or devolving into digital artifacts. Larger headsets with stronger antennas have a bit more range. BlueParrott’s products, for instance, tend to have good battery life and range, but at the cost of size and weight.
How Much Should You Spend on a Bluetooth Headset?
The sweet spot for a mono Bluetooth headset is around $100 and you can often find discounts that bring the price down a bit if you shop around. A good stereo headset generally runs between $150 and $300. The headsets in this roundup are on the high end of that price range because we focused on the absolute best-performing devices for people who rely on their headsets all day.
You can still find a decent headset for under $50 and sometimes even a really good one because headsets tend to stay available in retail channels for a long time after the manufacturer discontinues them. Cheaper Jabra, Motorola, and Poly headsets work fine; they just aren’t up to the performance standards of the more expensive category leaders. Typically, they are a bit clunkier and don’t offer as effective noise cancellation, but, then again, you aren’t paying a premium for them.
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