In this article: We'll review our best wireless earpiece and headset picks on the market with quick reviews, photos, our opinion and price comparisons to help you save money on an earpiece or headset of your choice.
People who are on the go and need to be available to take calls should consider getting a Bluetooth headset. Wireless headsets are great for mobile use and when you’re in the field, as well as a great solution to hands free calls in the car. CarAudioNow has reviewed the latest and greatest Bluetooth earpieces on the market to simplify your search. Our list of the best reviewed hands free headphones will not only provide you with the freedom to multitask and grow professionally, they’ll also enable you to enjoy your favorite tunes!
One of the most popular uses for Bluetooth technology is in wireless headsets. Bluetooth uses radio waves, software, and tiny computer chips to transfer audio, video and other forms of media from one device to another without the need for cable. The two most common types of Bluetooth technology are the low energy functionality and the BR/EDR (bit rate/enhanced data rate). For headsets, the BR/EDR Bluetooth version is used in order to optimize the streaming of data and deliver clear and crisp audio. We have reviewed dozens of the best Bluetooth headsets in the market today – and compiled a list of the top 7 using factors such as battery life, price, range, user friendliness, call quality, noise cancellation, features, comfort, style, sound, and consumer feedback.
Quick Tips On Selecting the Ideal Bluetooth Headset
- Theoretically, Bluetooth technology has a maximum range of 33 feet, although if there are obstacles you can expect sound quality to drop after 20 feet.
- Most Bluetooth devices have mono (not stereo) sound.
- Quality headphones will normally have more than 1 microphone and offer higher noise cancellation performance
- If you do not like the hassle of charging your Bluetooth headset, opt for the larger units because they usually have longer battery life.
Finally, wireless earpieces generally has an expected life span of about 3 years with proper care. Draining the batteries will shorten the batteries’ life.
Best Wireless Bluetooth Earpiece & Headset List
1. Plantronics Voyager Legend
Key Features
- Noise cancellation
- Automatic call routing and answering
- Battery meter
- Rechargeable snap fit magnetic battery
- 7 hours talk time, 11 hours standby time
- 1 year limited warranty
Latest Prices
Plantronics Voyager Legend Quick Review
The Plantronics Voyager Legend is CarAudioNow’s best wireless Bluetooth headset. It’s tremendously popular and consistently receives positive feedback. This lightweight headset allows you to use voice commands and connect to more than one device at a time. Provided there are no walls, the range of this headset is about 15 meters. It’s perfect for Skype calls and is compatible with most laptops with Bluetooth connectivity.
Comfort-wise, it has silicon ear tips in three sizes with two foam ear tip covers that contours well to the ears. But on the downside, it can be a poor fit for some people who have smaller ears, cannot perform well when multiple apps are running. In addition, we’ve noted that the charger has been known to be problematic.
2. Jabra Stealth
Key Features
- Voice control with dedicated button
- Text message dictation
- Reject, answer, end calls
- Last number redial
- Battery meter
- 6 hours talk time, 10 days standby time, 2 hours charging time
Latest Prices
Jabra Stealth Quick Review
The Jabra Stealth headset offers many high quality voice control features including Siri and Google Now. Not exactly what you’d think of when you think stealth, with its stylish red ear buds and silver boom microphone, but it is one of the most comfortable in-ear headsets in the market today. Compared to other top of the line Bluetooth headsets, the quality is not on par but is still quite impressive meriting a vote from us as one of the best wireless earpiece under this price range. It scored an acceptable 75% in an independent noise reduction test. This means that in some cases, your caller may not hear you as clearly as you can hear them. But regardless, the Jabra Stealth is a high quality set that will bring great Bluetooth and hands-free calls!
3. Samsung Level U Pro
Key Features
- Built-in magnets
- Intuitively controls voice and music functions
- 3 Built-in microphones
- Noise and echo cancellation
- Interference reduction
- Sound Equalizer
- 8 hours chat time, 1 hour to recharge
Latest Prices
Samsung Level U Pro Quick Review
This Samsung headset has ergonomic soft ear gels for a comfortable fit although you can buy additional tips for a better fit. It is on our list because it comes with Sound Share that lets you share your audio with others, and a 2-way speaker unit for high quality sound. It also has 24-bit digital audio. In the box, th unit comes with three sets of ear gels, USB charging cable, and manual.
However please note that the Level U Pro headset is equipped with Ultra High Quality Audio technology (UHQA), which means it is not compatible with some phones and appliances.
4. Jabra Supreme
Key Features
- Phone book access
- Volume control, Mute buttons
- Battery meter
- Active Noise Cancellation
- Wind noise reduction
- 6 hours talk time, 360 hours standby time
Latest Prices
Jabra Supreme Quick Review
The voice-activated Jabra Supreme has been in the market since 2011 and won the Red Dot Design Award in 2012. This headset has phone book access and support, easy pairing, auto power switch and auto audio adjustment. It recognizes 10 languages and alerts you about available connections. It comes with a boom arm and HD Voice.
You can charge the device through USB cable or car charger and it can be used on two Bluetooth-enabled gadgets simultaneously, stream music, enable GPS directions, and receive podcasts aside from taking and making calls.
Unfortunately, the ear cushion comes only in large and all accessories except for the car charger and Jabra Connect app are optional and charged separately. However, there are several optional accessories are the headband, comfort kit, Jabra link, and USB charger. On the downside, there have been a few comments across the web of ‘lemon batteries,’ incompatibility issues with certain phones, and an unresponsive customer service. But there have been notes of improved battery life which leads us to believe a fix has been made.
5. Jaybird BBX1MB Blue Buds X Sport
Key Features
- Volume control
- White noise elimination
- Battery alert
- Sweat protection warranty
- 8 hours chat time
Latest Prices
Jaybird BBX1MB Blue Buds X Sport Quick Review
The Jaybird BB1MB Blue Buds is another excellent choice and worthy of being added to the list of best Bluetooth headsets. Although there is a later model, the Jaybird X2 Sports Wireless, we chose the BB1MB because it is much cheaper and offers the same quality performance. And though the company no longer makes this model, there are still available units online.
The BB1MB has excellent sound quality, weighs only 8 ounces, and is highly recommended for sports and fitness use because of its secure fit. If you use it for just an hour for the entire week, you won’t have to charge it for a week.
Additional features that this headset offers includes skip free music, over or under-ear options and voice prompt. It can easily handle a range of 20 feet, and even comes with a lifetime warranty against sweat.
Unfortunately, we’ve noted that it isn’t as comfortable as our other choices for wireless earpieces, but you can buy foam tips to improve the fit. This model is also not meant to be used during high impact workouts or activity.
6. Sennheiser Momentum
Key Features
- Chunky but lightweight and collapsible over-the-ear headset
- Active noise cancellation
- Dual microphones
- Voice prompts
- Compatible with Android, iOS and Windows phones
- Battery alert
- Range of 33 feet
Latest Prices
Sennheiser Momentum Quick Review
The Sennheiser Momentum headset won Best Portable On-Ear product in 2013 because of its beautiful design, balanced sound, and comfort and continues to be among the best Bluetooth headsets in the market. Amazon buyers have called it “an emotionally moving experience” if used to play music and extremely comfortable if you want to use it to make and receive calls. This model has wired and wireless models (Momentum 2.0).
It comes with its own case and two detachable cables (one is plain and the other has a metallic inline microphone design). The first Momentum headset came out in 2012 and was very expensive. Today, the price has gone down tremendously, which makes this unit a great bargain.
7. Alpatronix HX250
Key Features
- Universal, hands-free
- Noise cancellation
- Built-in microphone
- Volume and playback control
- Stereo sound
- Range of 30 feet
- 5 hours chat time, standby time of 100 hours
Latest Prices
Alpatronix HX250 Quick Review
This Alpatronix was once almost $130 originally, but is now on sale for a fraction of its original price. It is compatible with most phones and devices, including the Smart TV. It’s a great headset for work and working out so you can go from your laptop or desktop straight to the gym and not have to worry about missing any calls. However, the headset is not a good choice for use with high impact activities because it does not have sweat protection. The best range for taking calls is about 20 feet and 30 feet for listening to music. Two of the great features of this headset are the flexible band and the design of its multiple control buttons which makes it very user friendly.
It is also covered by a 1-year limited warranty provided you buy the unit from an accredited vendor. Excessive moisture, however, is known to damage the unit and is not covered by the warranty. It takes about 2 hours to charge the battery, which can be done using a micro USB.
Looking for other accessories for your car? Check out these lists!
