As a truck driver, I rely on my headset to make phone calls, receive route updates, and transmit messages. So I tested and ranked the best options on Amazon.
FYI, prices and ratings are accurate as of time of writing.
1. BlueParrott - Upgraded Design for Improved Comfort
Top-rated: 7,153 ratings
Credit: Amazon.com
Highlight: Blocks out 96% of background noise, so you can hear and be heard clearly wherever you are.
Helpful review: "You can stand next to a garbage truck and the other person will only hear your voice. I am not kidding. I've done that.
"Hey, can you hear the garbage truck that pulled up next to me?"
"No, I just hear your voice."
I have tried about 10 other highly-rated headphones including Aoeplex bone conducting headphones - which I love because of how lightweight they are. BUT they pick up too much background noise - especially with my best friend who has hearing aids directly connected to her phone. I even have the Aeoplex model with the boom mic. Background noise was still an issue. But not with these. Zero background noise!
PROS:
- It is loud enough to be heard in a noisy car.
- Great battery life.
- Understandable controls, but takes a bit of getting used to though.
- The voice feature is awesome.
- The noise canceling microphone works rather well. The other end can’t hear your road noise.
- The sound quality in the earpiece is also good.
CONS:
- This is a rounded edge rectangular ear cushion. Not over the ear. It is a bit uncomfortable because of it.
- The headband is rather tight and uncomfortable, but still manages to slip off your head when you look down.
Last week I was standing in the security line at the airport and someone wanted to talk to me. I told them I could listen and not talk much, because of where I was and how annoying that would be to other people around me. So I held a listening conversation for 10 minutes and (for kicks and to test out these headphones) I DID NOT HIT THE MUTE BUTTON and the other person could not hear ANY background noise. No crowd-murmur, no airport announcements, nothing. I was in a sea of agitated people! And no, they were not agitated at me, 'cause I stuck to my manners and did not annoy everyone. But I did have a goofy grin on my face cause it was hella fun to pull off that headphone feat.
MY NEIGHBOR’S REVIEW:
I drive a truck and have been looking for a headset with noise canceling since my Bose headphones after years decided to stop pairing. I wanted to get one without spending a bunch. I looked and tried earbuds that didn't do what was needed. When the fan kicks on in my truck it's loud. Certain operations can also be loud. I researched these and saw on a few video reviews and several websites recommending these so I bought them with hopes my problems would be solved. I got them Wednesday and so far they are wonderful. I took them outside and leaned over 3 inches from the a/c unit and called my wife to test before taking them to work the next day. She told me I was clear when I talked and my voice over powered the unit and I wasn't yelling to do it. Just talking normally. While in my truck she called and I could hear the joy because she didn't have to fight to hear me clearly. She could barely hear the truck and my voice came through clear. I asked her on a scale from 1 to 10 how she would rate noise cancelation. She said 8.5 to 9. It's lightweight and doesn't feel like they're there. And... it came fully charged and when I'm not using it for a long time like at home after work I power it off. I just checked the battery life and I haven't charged it since it came. It's on 70%. I used them at work Thursday and Friday totaling 23 hours. Not all of that was talking, but when I wasn't on it I left it on.
A FEW WORDS FROM A FRIEND:
I work in an office and I don't have a headset. I use these all the time and it's so nice! I swear the battery life on this is 2 days. I have only had it die on me once and that was because I forgot to charge it for a week. Only complaint I have is that I wish on my phone's Bluetooth screen or somewhere on the actual headset, it would show how much battery life is left in it. But other than that, I love it." — Lindsey Holsinger
Get it from Amazon now: $169.99 & FREE Returns
2. Jabra Evolve 65 - All-Day Battery
Top-rated: 10,539 ratings
Credit: Amazon.com
Highlight: Up to 14 hours of talk time.
Helpful review: "I didn't get this for X-Mas and Santa Claus did not deliver one to me. However, this is an amazing item that would be just as great as something I would imagine to be delivered directly by Santa Claus! It's expensive, but I feel like the build quality is there as long as I take care of it. I prefer the dual ear pads for business usage instead of those other models with just one ear pad. The weight of the entire headset is pretty light, maybe not as light as a single-sided ear pad headset, but it's not heavy compared to one of those serious music over-the-ear style headphones. I would not wear this to the gym to workout, because I feel these might not hold tight enough against the head while you jog on the treadmill.
Was able to connect the headset to both my PC and iPhone, however, I initially had trouble finding a way to switch between the two devices. I contacted their support team by phone and was able to get a hold of a team member. He explained that the company is still working on the latest version of the software. He advised me to download version 1.0 from and install that instead. Once I installed it, I was able to navigate to the "Bluetooth" section to Disconnect or Connect the device depending on what I wanted. It's a decent workaround while they work on the existing latest version of the software for iOS Bluetooth and PC USB connectivity.
Battery life has been pretty fantastic so far, but I have used it only for a few days. Today was not too busy for me so I spoke using the headphones for a couple hours only. Left it uncharged all day (10+ hours) and when I pressed on the button to check battery life the digital voice said, "battery full". Not sure if this power status is true or not, but I guess I could leave it unplugged for a couple days to test? I'll leave it unplugged for another day or so and if it still does not drain any better than the digital voice status generated by the headset might be wrong.
The headset feels comfortable wearing it for several hours at a time. I do feel a little warm around the ears after two hours straight, but nothing major (expected). It's a work headphone so I have not tested music or games. I have Sony headphones for those other types of activities.
The mic is pretty awesome, it is clear and people have no issues hearing me. The background noise is held to a minimum. The boom mic is slick and swivels up and down, and you can wear it either side of the ear. It has a magnet that clamps to the top of the headset if you are not using it. SUPPOSEDLY you can mute the mic if you swivel the mic boom to the top....? I haven't tested it, but I don't care. It would be a bonus, but not important to me. I mute the mic by software or by pressing on the "down" volume button on the headset for a 1 or 2 seconds. The mute button on the headset works when you are on an active call, but it does not seem to mute if there is no active call going on.
The busy light signal on the side where the mic boom is located turns on occasionally? I thought it only worked with Bluetooth, but one time I saw it light up when I just completed a call from a PC USB connection to my VOIP system. Not sure why it was lit up, but I disabled it because it feels a bit gimmicky. I don't expect people to actually "know" that I'm on the call just by seeing the red circle light up. It's not bad though, I don't have any negative opinions about it.
The USB to Micro USB cable that comes with it is long enough for me to connect and use with my PC. It's not super lengthy (slightly under 5 feet, between 1.2 to 1.5 meters?), but good enough to be used while you are sitting close to your laptop. Just do not expect that you can walk around your desk with the USB cable attached.
One feature request would be to be able to view the battery charge percentage from Jabra Direct software? That would be nice if the headset's digital voice status is not accurate.
Overall, I believe this device is expensive but it does seem to be of high quality material. The sound quality is excellent as far as conversation goes. The ease of connectivity is fantastic. The mute is easy to activate compared to other generic headsets. Highly recommended!
UPDATE:
I am giving this product a 4 stars instead of 5, because I just found out that the headset was down to 5% battery this morning. The software popped up a notification, but when I pressed the button on the right side of the headset, the digital voice stated "battery full". I do not agree to be misled on this information, so minus one star of an otherwise great product. It is still a recommended product, but I hope the battery does not short out in the near future." — Joe McNulty
Get it from Amazon now: $134.99 & FREE Returns
3. Plantronics Voyager 5200 - Ideal for Work with Teams & Zoom
Top-rated: 7,148 ratings
Credit: Amazon.com
Highlight: You can roam up to 98 feet (30 meters).
Helpful review: "I first used my Apple AirPods. I have the new AirPods Pro as well as the 2nd generation "regular" AirPods. These work well and are super comfortable. But I personally don't love the noise canceling AirPods Pro for calls because I like to hear myself talking and the room around me when I'm at my desk (that's a different story in a coffee shop or on a plane, where the noise canceling comes in handy). And the AirPods are not without flaws. A few Zoom calls in a row will suck the battery life out of them, and I found myself constantly worrying about charging them. And the act of switching between phone and computer is frustratingly cumbersome. I love my AirPods, but for working at my desk, I need something a little more purpose built for work.
That's why I purchased this Voyager 5200 UC headset. It solves my needs of having a long battery life and can easily and quickly switch between Zoom calls on my Mac and phone calls on my iPhone. The range is not as far as my beefy Savi W730, but I can't expect that with such a small transmitter (and definitely not over Bluetooth). I’ll run through a few of the features of this headset here, as these are some of the things that would have helped me make my purchasing decision, so hopefully they are helpful to you.
SOUND QUALITY:
Technically you can use this to listen to music, but it is not made for that. The speaker seems to be tuned to voice, and for that it excels. I can clearly hear others on calls. It will work for the basic web video while browsing, but don’t expect the full range of audio that you get from your normal music earbuds.
MICROPHONE:
The microphone on this headset is great. Any time you can get a microphone closer to your mouth, it is pretty much going to sound better than farther away. The noise cancelling works well too. I haven’t used this in a noisy environment, but it seems that it would do well to filter out background noise so it is not annoying to your callers. That would make this ideal for places like a coffee shop, according to other reviews. I have listened to my company’s Zoom recordings and I’d say I have the best audio of anyone due to this mic.
GET THE “UC” VERSION:
There are a couple of versions of this headset. The “UC” version just means that it comes with a little USB receiver/transmitter (BT600) that plugs into your computer. It is tiny and nearly identical to the size of the little USB receivers that come with many wireless keyboards and mice. In my opinion, this is totally worth the added cost. The little receiver will likely give you better reception and range than Bluetooth alone. And, it enables the use of the Plantronics Hub app (more on that below). The UC version also includes a charging case, which is super convenient to have on your desk or throw in your bag.
CONNECTIVITY:
I typically have this headset connected to my iMac Pro with the BT600 UC dongle and to my iPhone 11 Pro via Bluetooth. This enables me to pretty quickly end a Zoom call on the computer and immediately switch to my phone for a phone call. If I’m headed out with my laptop, I just grab the dongle to bring with me, immediately enabling the headset to work with another computer. I want to test having two dongles connected to two computers, but I have not had the time to do this yet.
BATTERY LIFE:
I have never run the battery dry on this headset, however a couple of times after 4-5 hours of straight video calls it has told me the battery is low. But a quick charge will typically give it enough juice to move forward.
CHARGING CASE:
The charging case makes it easy to keep the headset charged, much like I was used to with my Savi W730. When I finish a call, I typically take it off and pop it on the cradle to be quickly recharged. You can use the case two ways. One way lets you fold the headset and put it inside the case for travel (it also includes a place to hold the USB BT600 dongle). The other way lets you sit the case on a desk and charge the headset on the outside without the need to fold it. This is another benefit of the “UC” version because it speeds up the charging process. I’d rather not have cables laying around and having to fumble with little micro USB plugs all the time. The case itself has a battery inside, very similar to how Apple AirPods work. So if you are traveling, the case will charge the headset without it being plugged into anything. But when you are at a desk, you can keep the case plugged into a USB power cord and it will continue to charge the headset. This is super versatile. My only complaint with the case is that it sometimes takes a few tries to get the headset properly seated before it will begin charging. I’d like a more secure connection with magnets or something to make sure it always connects. But there are little blue charging status lights that help you know if it is connected properly.
BUTTONS AND CONTROLS:
Part of the beauty of Apple AirPods is that they don’t have buttons. But in a professional setting, oftentimes buttons are very helpful, and that’s the case with the Voyager 5200. The buttons on the device are in natural locations and are easy to find (much better than my beloved Savi W730, by the way). I can quickly find the volume up/down if there are loud or quiet talkers on a call. The answer button makes it super easy to answer or end phone calls. That button also works to invoke Siri on the iPhone. And best of all, there’s a physical mute button to mute your mic on conference calls!
PLANTRONICS HUB APP:
If you take my advice and get the “UC” version, you should also take the steps to install the Plantronics Hub App. The app has kind of a weird interface, but it does its job well. It will let you do things like see the battery status of your headset and install new firmware. And you can select from a variety of settings to apply to the headset, such as sound quality vs. battery life, the ringtone, how the sensors work, etc. But by far the best part (for me) is that the app enables the mute button to sync with the computer. This means that I can push the mute button on the headset and it will mute my Zoom app on my computer. And I can use buttons interchangeably, so the Mute software button in Zoom will mute the headset. Or the keyboard shortcut to mute Zoom will mute/unmute the headset. This integration is great because it means I can be muted at the computer, and if I am up and moving around and get asked a question, I can quickly unmute myself by pushing the button on the headset without having the sprint back to the computer.
BT600 DONGLE:
As I said above, the “UC” version of this headset includes a little USB dongle that plugs into your computer. It is an extra step over just using Bluetooth, but I think this is better than Bluetooth because it enables a lot of the features that I mentioned above. The USB dongle is about the same size as the one you might have for your wireless mouse or keyboard, so it is small and unobtrusive. It has an LED light ring around it that shows the status. This is super helpful to know, for example, if your headset is on (solid blue light) or muted during a call (solid red light). It also makes swapping between computers quick and easy.
COMFORT AND FIT:
This is probably a personal opinion, but I prefer the over-the-ear style of headsets when I’m wearing it all day. It does not hurt or make my ear sore like some others because this headset is light. What little weight there is sits behind your ear, rather than on top of it, so there is less pressure. And the speaker sits just in front of your ear canal, rather than shoving an earbud into it. I can wear AirPods for a long time, but this is just more comfortable to me. And combine that with the battery life, and this is a perfect fit! The headset comes with different in-ear covers that are different sizes. You need to test each one and see how it fits for you. It is great having these options.
OVERALL:
I think this headset is easily the best conference call earpiece on the market right now. I recommend it all the time to my colleagues who ask me what they should get. For people looking for a cheaper wired earbuds set, I recommend the Beats Urbeats3, and for wireless or all day use I recommend this Plantronics Voyager 5200 UC. I hope this review has been helpful in making your decision!" — Chris P. O'Keefe
Get it from Amazon now: $103.25 & FREE Returns
4. Leitner - 2-in-1 Wireless Headset with Mic
Top-rated: 3,240 ratings
Credit: Amazon.com
Highlight: 5-year unlimited warranty.
Helpful review: "As a professional whose role requires me to spend nearly 90% of my time on the phone, I have found myself wearing headsets for close to 20 years. I also find myself replacing headsets every 1.5 to 2 years, this is why I found myself on Amazon a couple of weeks ago. When it comes to headsets, My preferred option list included wireless, single ear headset connected by USB to computer, (I use Jabber or MS Teams to place and receive calls). And I was initially drawn to Leitner headsets based on the 5 year product warranty I spotted while shopping on Amazon. Generally I am skeptical, but in this case I considered the reputation that a company must uphold to provide a 5 year warranty on a product I have yet to see hit its 3rd year in my possession. With these preferences in mind I ordered the LH270. Let the challenge begin!!!
SET UP:
Being familiar with headsets, I found the setup to be standard and easy. For those who may find it challenging, there is a personal invitation included with your headset to call their tech support team for a guided walk through the setup process. There are also numerous videos on YouTube.
IN USE:
I have loved this feather-light headset from the moment I put it on. I now find my glasses more of a nuisance than my headset! This headset is amazing!!! Even the adjustable microphone can be set to minimize its place in my peripheral vision. The range of this headset is unbelievable. While on the phone with tech support, (who suggested this test) I was able to leave my 2nd floor home office, walk through the first floor of my home, walk out onto the back patio, then out the front door and down my driveway without losing connectivity. AWESOME range of coverage when you work from home and may need to get up and roam around.
Add all of these product pluses to the level of customer service and what you in return is unreal!!! I received an unsolicited call from their tech support team to ensure my headset was set up working as expected(within a couple days of delivery). We confirmed my outgoing audio was on point and was shown some tips and tricks of the headset, making my life easier.
SUMMARY:
On a scale of 1-10 I give the Leitner LH270 a 12. My headset would have received a 15 if I had gone with my original instinct to get the set that could also answer my mobile (work) phone. A simple press of a button on the headset base and I would have the option to answer a call coming through a desk phone, computer app or mobile device. This will be a must on my preferences next time around!
MY NEIGHBOR’S REVIEW:
Well before the pandemic, I had already switched to virtual working and quickly went through a series of unsatisfactory laptop microphones, webcam microphones and then some headsets so of which really gave me the teleconferencing experience I was looking for. After 4 years of everyday use I can definitively confirm that they are value for money. What do I like about these? Before I had these folks I interacted with in teleconferences sometimes had trouble hearing me but with these the outbound audio quality is exceptional. The range is also pretty good, I can wander into the next room to get a coffee while staying connected wirelessly to my computer. Initially, I enjoyed being able to toggle back and forth between my landline and the USB connection to my computer. Lately, I've dumped the landline and use them exclusively with the computer. The headset is extremely lightweight which makes it comfortable to use for long periods. After 4 years of use the battery life is still good and the design makes it really easy to put the headset back in the cradle where it charges. Due to heavy use I have actually now broken the ear pads but I wrote a message to customer support and they got back to me within a couple of hours to tell me that they were shipping replacement parts. I knew the replacement ear pads are simply plastic and foam and thus cheap to replace, but I had no reason to doubt that if something electronic had broken, that Leitner would honor their five-year guarantee. I pulled up the original order number from Amazon and they already knew the mailing address to ship me the replacement parts. They obviously keep good records and have highly responsive customer service.
A FEW WORDS FROM A FRIEND:
Overall, this is a very good headset. I have it connected to a Cisco IP phone, and a PC. On the phone, sound quality is better than the regular handset or speaker. On the PC, it's clear that this is a telephone headset - DECT gives you telephone quality audio, which means you aren't going to want to listen to music. That's not a problem, just something to be aware of. It's comfortable enough for all-day wear. My main complaint is that they didn't provide much information in the package. Basically, they give a phone number to call for answers that should be obvious or in the documentation. For example there is a mystery switch on the bottom of the charge base that must be set for your specific phone/configuration. The instructions basically just say, "set it correctly," without actually saying what the correct settings should be or even how to find the correct setting yourself. If you call them they will help you and the support is excellent, but it's a phone headset - I don't think you should need to call anyone to get it working." — Mark Leney
Get it from Amazon now: $289.00 & FREE Returns
5. EKSA H1 - AI-Powered ENC Headphones
Top-rated: 2,350 ratings
Credit: Amazon.com
Highlight: Can be paired with 2 devices simultaneously.
Helpful review: "I've been on a surge to find a comfortable headset for trucking that eliminates the background noise and doesn't cost a million dollars for years now. This is the one. You can't find this out until you buy it, but I can be driving, see a call coming in, get the headset on my head, push the power button, it comes on in one second and in the very next second says that it's connected and answers the call at the same time!
And then no matter what kind of noise is in the truck, if I'm in wind or rain, and I have a relatively noisy truck, everyone I've talked to reports the sound being crystal clear, like I'm sitting in a quiet room. If that's what you're looking for, this is the one. Even if you're just looking for an easy to use Bluetooth headset with a nice microphone, this is the one. Been using it for a week now and the battery is still reading as full. Amazing!
UPDATE:
I'm not the type of person who usually takes the time to write a review. I have been using these for a little bit over a week now. I promise that during this week, I have not charged it once… not even once. Today they finally started to say "low battery" while I was on a call, and I got scared because I still have a few hours left to work. I simply plugged them for literally 5 minutes, and they continued to work just fine. Long story short, the battery lasts forever.
A FEW WORDS FROM A NEIGHBOR:
I love this headset! I recently purchased this as a gift for my fiancé who is a truck driver and this headset is life changing. With him being on the road so much it’s important for him and I to stay connected without all the noise in his background. I read the reviews on this one and glad I made the purchase. I do not hear anything in his background and he also loves the fact that he doesn’t have to repeat himself when we’re on the phone as he did previously. The battery life is also great, we talk sometimes 3-4 hours and he never says anything about recharging it. In fact he said he only charges it every couple days. Overall, I give this headset an A+++!
MY FRIEND’S REVIEW:
So, I drive a truck for a living. I’ve tried different things to call home and to hear / be heard. Sadly, all the good headsets are really expensive. That is, until I found this one. I ordered this because of a top ten list I found and I’m here to say I was driving down the interstate in my rig, talking to my wife, and as an experiment I put my window down, she never even noticed! She couldn’t hear the wind or the truck. Had them on for 15 hours, was actually talking to someone for 5 of those hours non consecutive, and they still have a charge! And for the price, they are unbeatable." — Levi Jacobs
Get it from Amazon now: $79.99 & FREE Returns