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The Best Bluetooth Headsets for 2026

A Bluetooth headset can provide clear audio for calls without weighing you down. Check out the top Bluetooth headsets we've tested across a variety of prices and designs.

 & Will Greenwald Principal Writer, Consumer Electronics

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

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The number and variety of Bluetooth headsets available on the market today is astounding. If you need a headset for work calls, finding the right one might be overwhelming. Whether you prefer a single-ear headset, over-the-ear cans, or in-ear true wireless buds, you need to factor in comfort, mic clarity, and battery life to find the right set. PCMag has been writing about and reviewing Bluetooth headsets for 20 years, so we're well-versed in what works and what doesn't for professionals who rely on their phones. Our top picks include the Jabra Evolve2 75 for those extra-long workdays and the Poly Voyager 5200 for its lightweight design and long-lasting battery. Read on for more of the best Bluetooth headsets we've tested, along with helpful tips to keep in mind while shopping.

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Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks

  • Jabra Evolve2 75
    Best Noise Cancellation

    Jabra Evolve2 75

    4.0 Excellent

    Pros & Cons

      • 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
      • Expensive
      • Default audio sculpting won't appeal to purists

    Why We Picked It

    The Jabra Evolve2 75 headset is an upgraded version of the excellent Evolve2 65 model, adding active noise cancellation. The new model looks sleeker but offers all the same features, including outstanding audio, an excellent microphone, and a comfortable fit for extended wear.

    Who It's For

    People who work in noisy offices: If you work in an environment full of distractions, whether it's an office full of chatters or a shared home office, the Evolve2 75 headset's active noise cancellation is worth the investment in what you'll gain in productivity.

    Those who wear headphones all day: Jabra has done an excellent job of making the Evolve2 75 headset comfortable enough for all-day wearing while preserving the passive noise-cancelling properties of its predecessor.

    Specs & Configurations

    Active Noise Cancellation
    Battery Life 36 hours (music), 24 hours (talk)
    Bluetooth
    Connection Type Bluetooth
    Frequency Range 20Hz to 20kHz (music), 100Hz to 8kHz (voice)
    True Wireless
    Type Supra-aural (on-ear)
    Wireless
    Get It Now
  • Poly Voyager 5200
    Best Lightweight Headset

    Poly Voyager 5200

    4.0 Excellent

    Pros & Cons

      • Long battery life. Won't fall off your ear. Long range. Built-in voice commands. Completely reversible. Solid noise cancellation.
      • Ear hook takes some finesse to fit perfectly over glasses. Not quite as comfortable as previous Voyagers.

    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

    People who are always on calls: This is a stealthy headset that's ideal if you constantly need to take calls away from your desk and want something you can easily pocket on those rare occasions when you get to hang up.

    Commuters: If you want to keep one ear on your surroundings, a mono earpiece like the Poly Voyager 5200 lets you do just that.

    Specs & Configurations

    Battery Life 7 hours (talk)
    Bluetooth
    Frequency Range 100Hz-20kHz (music), 100Hz-6.8kHz (voice)
    Get It Now
  • Jabra Evolve2 85
    Best for Avoiding Interruptions

    Jabra Evolve2 85

    4.0 Excellent

    Pros & Cons

      • Crisp boom microphone
      • Plush earcups
      • Full, clear audio
      • Several configurations available
      • Expensive
      • Noise cancellation isn't on par with top competitors
      • Desktop app requires adapter to work

    Why We Picked It

    Jabra has a full range of enterprise-focused wireless headsets, and the Evolve2 85 is one of its most adaptive models. This over-ear headset is just as adept at taking business calls as it is playing your favorite tunes. It sounds excellent, has a clear extendable boom mic, and includes a dedicated button for opening Microsoft Teams notifications.

    Who It's For

    Business users who can justify the expense: Enterprise headsets like this are pricey, and the Evolve2 85 is no exception. If you need to sit at your desk and take calls all day—and perhaps take a break to listen to music—the Evolve2 85 is worth the investment, thanks to its long-term comfort and crystal-clear sound.

    People who don't want to be disturbed: The headset features a red LED "busylight" on each earcup, serving as a visual indication to would-be disturbers that you're occupied.

    Specs & Configurations

    Battery Life Up to 37 hours
    Bluetooth
    Frequency Range 20Hz-20kHz (music), 100Hz-8kHz (voice)
    Get It Now
  • Shokz OpenMeet UC
    Best Bone Conduction Headset

    Shokz OpenMeet UC

    4.0 Excellent

    Pros & Cons

      • Good sound
      • Clear microphone
      • Lightweight and comfortable
      • Solid battery life
      • Pricey
      • Lackluster bass response
      • Not ideal for music

    Why We Picked It

    The Shokz OpenMeet UC Bluetooth headset features an open-ear design that keeps you aware of your surroundings while maintaining a connection. It’s lightweight, comfortable enough for all-day wear, and features an excellent microphone for clear calls.

    Who It's For

    Those who need to hear their surroundings: If you need to stay connected throughout the day without the hassle of putting on and taking off a headset, the OpenMeet UC is a smart pick. It’s ideal for multitaskers who want to hear both their calls and the world around them.

    All-day users: The Shokz OpenMeet UC Bluetooth headset weighs just 2.75 ounces, and because it doesn't sit on your ears, it's comfortable enough to wear all day.

    Specs & Configurations

    Battery Life 15 hours
    Bluetooth
    Frequency Range 20Hz to 20kHz
    Get It Now
  • BlueParrott B550-XT
    Best Noise-Cancelling Mic

    BlueParrott B550-XT

    4.0 Excellent

    Pros & Cons

      • Excellent mic clarity with solid intelligibility even in loud situations. Comfortable. Can be controlled by voice using app.
      • Expensive. App could be more useful.

    Why We Picked It

    The BlueParrott B550-XT workplace headset features a noise-cancelling mic that keeps your voice clear on calls, regardless of the background noise. It also features an IP54 rating, indicating it can withstand dust and rain.

    Who It's For

    Those who work outdoors: If you work outside in noisy environments, the B550-XT is a worthy choice. It just might be a bit overkill for a typical desk job.

    People with their hands full: The headset supports voice controls for all of its functions, so you can keep your hands free.

    Specs & Configurations

    Battery Life Up to 24 hours (talk)
    Bluetooth
    Frequency Range 150Hz-6.8kHz (music and voice)
    Get It Now
  • Poly Voyager Free 60+
    Best Wireless Earbuds

    Poly Voyager Free 60+

    3.0 Average

    Pros & Cons

      • Excellent sound quality
      • Novel touch-screen charging case
      • Both AAC and AptX support
      • Mics don’t match the quality of a boom
      • Average noise cancellation
      • Finicky touch controls
      • Expensive

    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 pair that integrates a USB transmitter to connect with both a computer and a phone simultaneously. The earphones also include active noise cancellation and a unique charging case with a touch screen. They generally work well, but their mics don't offer nearly as clear a signal as one at the end of a boom.

    Who It's For

    Fans of discretion: The Voyager Free 60+ headset is ideal if you prefer not to contend with the bulk of a conventional model or the typical protruding microphone.

    People who switch between their computer and phone all day: This headset flawlessly switches between computer and phone connections, and has excellent sound quality, too.

    Specs & Configurations

    Active Noise Cancellation
    Battery Life 8 hours (music), 5.5 hours (talk)
    Bluetooth
    Connection Type Bluetooth
    Connection Type USB
    Connection Type USB-C
    Frequency Range 20Hz-20kHz (music), up to 7kHz (voice)
    True Wireless
    Type In-Canal
    Wireless
    Get It Now
  • SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite
    Best for Gamers

    SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite

    4.5 Outstanding

    Pros & Cons

      • Balanced, full sound with audiophile-pleasing clarity
      • Wireless 96Hz/24-bit hi-res audio support
      • Exceptionally clear microphone
      • Capable noise cancellation
      • Supports three wired devices, including PlayStation and Xbox
      • Hot-swappable batteries
      • Very expensive
      • Lacks head-rattling bass, if you're looking for that

    Why We Picked It

    Some headsets, such as the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite, work equally well for gaming as they do for productivity. These offer competent active noise cancellation and an excellent boom mic with strong noise isolation. They also bundle 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. We particularly like the swappable battery and support for high-resolution audio.

    Who It's For

    Gamers who work from home: This SteelSeries model is designed for those who need a headset during office hours and afterward, offering the best audio experience in both scenarios. It has no funky angles or RGB lighting, so you don't need to worry about appearing unprofessional on camera. Additionally, it works with both Windows PCs and consoles.

    Tinkerers: The base station features a display and the ability to switch between customizable audio presets, allowing you to adjust the volume of ambient sounds for first-person shooter games or toggle a more neutral EQ preset for music listening.

    Specs & Configurations

    Active Noise Cancellation
    Connection Type 2.4GHz
    Connection Type Bluetooth 5.3
    Connection Type USB-C
    Type Circumaural (over-ear)
    Type Gaming
    Wireless
    Get It Now
  • Jabra Evolve2 65 Flex
    Best for Jabra Fans on a Budget

    Jabra Evolve2 65 Flex

    3.5 Good

    Pros & Cons

      • Enjoyable sound signature
      • Retractable boom mic
      • Comfortable
      • Underwhelming noise cancellation
      • Desktop app requires an adapter

    Why We Picked It

    The Jabra Evolve2 65 Flex is an over-ear set of headphones with a retractable boom mic that's comfortable to wear for the entire workday. We like the fold-up design, plush earpads, reliable mic quality, and decent noise cancellation at this price.

    Who It's For

    The value-minded: If you like the features of the Evolve2 75 but want to spend significantly less, the Evolve2 65 Flex offers most of the features and performance of the pricier model.

    Hybrid workers: The included case and folding design make it easy to ferry the headset to and from the office.

    Specs & Configurations

    Battery Life Up to 32 hours (music), 20 hours (talk)
    Bluetooth
    Frequency Range 20Hz-20kHz (music), 150Hz-6.8kHz (voice)
    Get It Now
The Best Bluetooth Headsets for 2026

Compare Specs

Select Up To 3Select Up To 2
Our Pick
Rating
4.0 Excellent
4.0 Excellent
4.0 Excellent
4.0 Excellent
4.0 Excellent
3.0 Average
4.5 Outstanding
3.5 Good
4.0 Excellent
4.0 Excellent
4.0 Excellent
Best For
Best Noise Cancellation
Best Lightweight Headset
Best for Avoiding Interruptions
Best Bone Conduction Headset
Best Noise-Cancelling Mic
Best Wireless Earbuds
Best for Gamers
Best for Jabra Fans on a Budget
Best Noise Cancellation
Best Lightweight Headset
Best for Avoiding Interruptions
Bluetooth
Frequency Range
20Hz to 20kHz (music), 100Hz to 8kHz (voice)100Hz-20kHz (music), 100Hz-6.8kHz (voice)20Hz-20kHz (music), 100Hz-8kHz (voice)20Hz to 20kHz150Hz-6.8kHz (music and voice)20Hz-20kHz (music), up to 7kHz (voice)20Hz-20kHz (music), 150Hz-6.8kHz (voice)20Hz to 20kHz (music), 100Hz to 8kHz (voice)100Hz-20kHz (music), 100Hz-6.8kHz (voice)20Hz-20kHz (music), 100Hz-8kHz (voice)
Battery Life
36 hours (music), 24 hours (talk)7 hours (talk)Up to 37 hours15 hoursUp to 24 hours (talk)8 hours (music), 5.5 hours (talk)Up to 32 hours (music), 20 hours (talk)36 hours (music), 24 hours (talk)7 hours (talk)Up to 37 hours

Buying Guide: The Best Bluetooth Headsets for 2026


What's the Difference Between Bluetooth Headsets and Headphones?

Stereo headphones aren't just for listening to music; they also make calls, often quite well. So, if you're thinking about some wireless headphones to rock out to, you might not need a separate Bluetooth headset. Remember that stereo headphones can sometimes be bulky and might not block distracting environmental noises competently.

Jabra Evolve2 75
(Credit: Jabra)

By contrast, the stereo headsets in this roundup 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 (DSP) 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 review. 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.


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 bigger batteries. 

Comfort is a highly subjective matter. The best in-ear headsets offer a range of fit styles, including several different sizes of eartips, as well as an option for an over-the-ear hook. If you absolutely can't bear to put something in your ear, go for over-the-ear stereo headphones.

Most Bluetooth headsets offer a range of about 30 feet before the signal starts to degrade or devolve into digital artifacts. Larger headsets with stronger antennas have a bit more range. BlueParrott's products, for instance, tend to have respectable 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 if you shop around, you can often find discounts that lower the price slightly. A quality 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 often find a decent (or even excellent) headset for under $50 because they tend to remain 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.

About Our Expert

Will Greenwald

Will Greenwald

Principal Writer, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I’m PCMag’s home theater and AR/VR expert, and your go-to source of information and recommendations for game consoles and accessories, smart displays, smart glasses, smart speakers, soundbars, TVs, and VR headsets. I’m an ISF-certified TV calibrator and THX-certified home theater technician, I've served as a CES Innovation Awards judge, and while Bandai hasn’t officially certified me, I’m also proficient at building Gundam plastic models up to MG-class. I also enjoy genre fiction writing, and my urban fantasy novel, Alex Norton, Paranormal Technical Support, is currently available on Amazon.

The Technology I Use

Where to start? I have a standard IT-issued Lenovo Thinkpad for writing and editing, supplemented with an iPad Air and an 8Bitdo Retro Keyboard when I want to write on the go. I also have a Lenovo Legion Go as a platform for running Portrait Displays’ Calman software and controlling the Klein K-10A colorimeter, Murideo SIX-G signal generator, and Leo Bodnar 4K Video Signal Lag Tester I use for testing TVs. 

For gaming, I use a Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X, and a GeForce 5080-equipped MSI gaming laptop. I like collecting retro games as well, and have an Analogue Pocket and a ton of classic consoles and portables. Photography is another interest, and I use a Sony A7 IV when I’m shooting products and events, and a Fujifilm X-Pro3 for my own attempts at visual creativity. And for reading and writing, I’ve become partial to the Kobo Sage for books and the ReMarkable 2 with Type Folio.

When it comes to phones and tablets, I’m pretty platform-agnostic. I use a Google Pixel 8 for my phone and an iPad Air for a tablet. Android, iOS, and iPadOS are all totally fine, but I need a Windows PC. MacOS just isn’t for me.

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