Choosing from among the best Bluetooth headsets.

Choosing from among the best Bluetooth headsets.

Choosing from among the best Bluetooth headsets.

There are two distinct categories here.

First, there are the Bluetooth headsets which are generally attached to one ear and are primarily used for making and receiving phone calls – although many can be used for listening to music as well.

Second, there are traditional headphones used for gaming and listening to music, but which use Bluetooth technology to avoid the hassle of a wired connection.

This guide will focus primarily on the first group.

Bluetooth headsets have been around for a while now. Your first encounter with them was probably seeing someone apparently talking to himself in a mall, at an airport or lining up for a movie.

With a Bluetooth headset you can keep your phone in your pocket or purse, and still make and receive calls through your headset.

For the people around you, it might just appear odd. For you it can be a major productivity boost, allowing you to make calls and listen to music hands-free.

There are a few factors to consider when choosing a Bluetooth headset.

1. Consider sound quality and noise-reduction.

Unless you want to struggle with hearing or being heard while on the phone, it’s important that you choose a headset with good audio quality. This is particularly true if you are going to be making calls in public places, or even outside on a windy day.

As an example, consider the Jawbone Prime. The Jawbone's Voice Activity Sensor (VAS) enables the headset to identify the sound of your voice, while filtering out all the other sounds around you. It’s pretty incredible technology and works really well.

Other headsets, like the Plantronics Discovery 975, have wind-noise resistance that make them particularly helpful with wind noise, and the Motorola HX1 claims to block out ambient sound altogether.

2. Design and comfort.

While you will want a headset that looks good, your first consideration should probably be to make sure it is comfortable. This is particularly true if you plan on wearing it for hours at a time.

There are two main design styles – with over-the-ear loop support and the earbud style.

While Bluetooth headsets which just push into your ear canal are usually lighter and less obtrusive, not everyone is comfortable having a foreign object stuck in their ear for long periods of time.

The alternative is to get a headset with an over-the-ear support. Much more secure, even if a little heavier and bulkier.

Also, when you consider the size of your headset, keep in mind that apart from those headsets which support voice commands, there are some buttons to push. The smaller the headset, the trickier it is to find the right button at the exact moment you need it.

3. Don’t forget the features and functionality.

If you want to use a single headset with more than one device, make sure the one you choose includes multipoint technology. And if you want to listen to music, either get yourself a stereo headset, or a mono headset that that is compatible with A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile), like the Jabra Stone.

If you want a headset that responds to speech commands, consider the BlueAnt Q1.

4. Price -- Pay for the quality and features you want.

As with most electronics, you pretty much get what you pay for. You can pick up a Bluetooth headset at your local pharmacy for as little at $30. But if you want quality, and some of the more advanced features available, be prepared to pay up somewhere between $75 and $100.