If you’re working from home, you need the proper equipment to be productive.
If you don’t need to take many calls but still want to minimize environmental noise, look for noise-cancelling headphones. They use outward-facing microphones to listen for distracting noises and generate waves that cancel them out before they hit your ear. Active noise cancellation (ANC) circuitry can be expensive, but it helps you stay focused by muffling noisy pets, kids, roommates, traffic, and construction. These headphones generally don’t have boom microphones, so they aren’t quite as good for phone calls.
For a job that requires you to take a lot of calls, consider a dedicated Bluetooth headset. These devices can be monoaural (for one ear) or stereo (for both ears), and typically feature powerful boom microphones with noise-cancelling circuitry that blocks out everything aside from your voice. The big appeal of these headsets is their microphones, though some also deliver high-quality sound.
If you want a boom mic and excellent sound for a reasonable price, buy a gaming headset. They are available in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Wired models tend to cost less and work well for taking calls on your computer, though Bluetooth entries offer more convenience.
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Depending on what you do, the right headphones or headset can make a major difference. These are the ones that work best for us.
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Best Noise-Cancelling Earbuds
Why We Picked It
If you want to get work done, tuning out distractions is a wise first step. And the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II currently offer the absolute best in-ear noise cancellation on the market. They also have clear mics and produce pleasing audio with a strong bass response.
Who It’s For
If you prefer using earphones and really need to concentrate, the QuietComfort Earbuds II are your best option. They effectively block out nearly all frequency ranges and can even intelligently lower loud noises in your environment while letting you hear everything else.
Best Noise-Cancelling Headphones
Why We Picked It
With each new model, Sony’s noise-cancelling headphones improve upon the previous formula, giving longtime industry leader Bose a run for its money. The Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones continue where the WH-1000XM4 left off, with top-notch ANC (active noise cancellation) and audio performance. Compared with the Bose QuietComfort 45 and the Apple AirPods Max (below), the 1000XM5 over-ear headphones offer comparable noise cancellation and arguably the best sound quality of the bunch.
Who It’s For
While there are still reasons to consider models from Apple and Bose, Sony’s WH-1000XM5 headphones are our top pick for audiophiles.
Best for Comfort and Affordability
Why We Picked It
You don’t need to spend a lot of money to get something functional. The Jabra Elite 45h headset, for example, offers reasonable audio quality with appealing features such as an adjustable EQ for just $99. It doesn’t have a boom mic, but the in-cup array still captures your voice cleanly. This model won’t block out much noise because of its on-ear design and lack of active noise cancellation circuitry, but, on the other hand, it allows you to stay aware of what’s going on around you at all times.
Who It’s For
This budget-friendly choice is comfortable and sounds good for the price. The mic conveys your voice competently, too. It’s a safe pick from a reliable brand that won’t break the bank.
Best Headphones for iPhone Users
Why We Picked It
The Apple AirPods Max are the most expensive entry on the list at $549. Although you pay a bit of an Apple tax, you get a very powerful set of headphones for your money. Aside from their excellent noise cancellation, they also feature an adaptive EQ and spatial audio features. And, if you’re an iPhone user, they have hands-free Siri access, too.
Who It’s For
The AirPods Max work best for people with an iPhone. Their striking design should also catch the eye of style-conscious users. If you prefer earphones, the AirPods Pro perform even better in the noise cancellation department with an innovative adaptive transparency mode.
Best for Enterprise Voice Features
Why We Picked It
On the other end of Jabra’s lineup are the far more powerful Evolve2 75 headphones. They cost almost four times as much as the Elite 45h set, but have better audio quality, a superior boom mic, effective active noise cancellation, and a more premium design. For serious work, they boast the Unified Communications (UC) certification and are available with either a UC- or Microsoft Teams-optimized USB transmitter for a rock-solid connection. And, whenever you aren’t at your desk, you can still fall back on Bluetooth.
Who It’s For
These headphones are for serious hybrid workers who want the best performance available, along with UC certification or Microsoft Teams optimization. They cost a lot, but also deliver a superlative experience.
Best Wireless Gaming Headset
Why We Picked It
Gaming headsets are essentially just headphones with boom mics and some gaming features. Some might look a bit outlandish for professional calls, but the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless headset is downright classy with its black-and-gunmetal design. More importantly, it offers tons of connectivity features, including 2.4GHz for a transmitter with volume controls and a helpful display, Bluetooth for phone connections, and even two interchangeable batteries for unplugged use. The headset also sounds excellent, includes a clear (and retractable) boom mic, and effectively cancels noise.
Who It’s For
This is a good all-around headset for your desk, whether you play video games or not. Sure, its abilities to concurrently connect with a console and a PC over USB, as well as simulate surround sound on Windows are more useful for gamers. But its comfortable design, high-quality audio output, and useful noise cancellation all add up to a comprehensive (if pricey) package for everyone else.
Best Budget Wireless Gaming Headset
Why We Picked It
Once again, a gaming headset can work well for your home office needs. The Razer Barracuda X doesn’t have nearly as many features as the Steelseries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless, but for less than $100, it offers both USB and Bluetooth wireless connectivity as well as excellent sound. It also features a fantastic mic (something Razer excels at), and, thankfully, a surprisingly understated design.
Who It’s For
If you want a headset with wireless audio and reliable voice quality at a budget-friendly price, this Razer model is a good choice. It doesn’t have any enterprise features, but it performs well and is just as usable on the go as at your desk.
Best Wireless Boom Mic Add-On
Why We Picked It
If you already have a favorite pair of headphones and don’t want to buy a separate headset, you could always just turn to Antlion Audio’s ModMic Wireless boom microphone. It is easy to mount on your headphones and connects wirelessly to your PC via a USB receiver. The mic sounds excellent and is simple to detach when you don’t need it.
Who It’s For
This is for people who prefer to use a single set of headphones for everything, but also need to conduct clear phone calls for work. Just be aware that it doesn’t support Bluetooth, so you can’t use it with your phone; it’s purely a desk mic.
Other Must-Have Devices for Your Home Office Setup
(Credit: Getty/Ivan Pantic)
You need more than just a pair of headphones to work from home successfully. Check out our coverage of all the essential tech for your home office setup.
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