VoIP Headsets Buying Guide - Things To Consider

As remote work becomes a norm for many businesses, more employees are using their own wired or wireless headphones for calls. However, in order to maintain optimum audio quality for both staff and customers, investing in headsets dedicated to VoIP makes sense. Bluetooth headset or corded, over-ear or in-ear? Let’s dive into what to consider when buying VoIP headsets for your team, as well as taking a look at some of your top headset options and their pros and cons.

What are the advantages of VoIP headsets?

Every business wants to provide their customers with the best possible service; the first half of the battle is a business phone system with great features built in, and the other half comes down to the equipment your staff use to provide the customer service.

Many quality VoIP headsets come with additional features to improve call quality, as well as user comfort for prolonged use.

These include:

• Audio quality: High-end headsets will offer superior build quality and microphone technology, ensuring your voice is transmitted to the other side with crispness and clarity. This in turn leads to less miscommunications caused by poor audio quality.
• Hands-free use: Unlike deskphones, VoIP headsets allow users to keep both hands free, allowing them to take notes, search for information, and multitask.
• Improved posture: Using a headset at work can reduce physical strain when compared to traditional desk phone use. It eliminates the need to cradle a phone, which can lead to neck and shoulder pain. Wireless headset models allow agents to get up and walk around which can be particularly useful during long calls.
• Noise-cancellation: Many VoIP headsets will have built in noise-cancelling microphones and earcups which can filter out background noise, even in busy and crowded environments.
• Additional features: Additional features can be things such as busy lights to signal that an agent is on a call, and longer life for wireless headsets which contributes to a smoother workflow. Small enhancements like these can reduce disruptions, improving customer satisfaction and productivity amongst employees.

By investing in quality VoIP headsets, you can provide your team with all of the tools they need to deliver great customer experiences, whilst also improving their own comfort and productivity.

Different types of VoIP headsets

When looking to purchase VoIP headsets, it can feel daunting to consider the many options available to you. Consider these options, each with unique features and strengths:

Over-Ear Headsets vs. Earpiece-Style Headsets

Earpiece-Style Headsets

An earpiece-style headset is often lightweight, compact, and perfect if you are looking for something portable which is suitable for the office and remote work. They can feature either a single (mono) or dual earpiece, and a microphone which is sometimes detachable. They best suit professionals who are often on-the-go, for quick calls or those in quieter environments where full over-ear coverage or noise cancellation is not necessary. While they may lack in this area compared to other styles, their comfortable fit is often a popular choice for users who want to be able to move or travel around during calls.

Pro: Minimalist design, comfortable, and usually includes a small rubber arm for stability. This style suits quieter spaces or staff who want something unobtrusive.

Con: Less immersive and limited noise isolation compared to over-ear headsets, which might be a drawback in noisier environments.

Example: Jabra Talk 65 earpiece

Over-Ear Headsets

Over-ear headsets provide a comfortable fit, valuing sound quality. This makes them a great choice if you work in busy or noisy environments, Often they feature cushioned ear pieces that fully cover the ears, which delivers noise isolation. They can also include more advanced features, such as active noise cancellation and higher quality built-in microphones. While thu can often be slightly bulkier, over-ear headsets are durable and comfortable enough to be worn all day, which is great for extended use during meetings or longer calls.

Pro: Available as monaural (single-ear) or binaural (dual-ear), these headsets look like traditional headphones. Binaural models provide immersive sound for focusing, while monaural options allow for quick transitions between calls and in-office collaboration.

Con: Over-ear headsets may feel bulkier and less flexible for highly mobile employees.

Example: Yealink WH62 wireless headset

Wired vs. Wireless VoIP Headsets

Wired Headsets

Wired headsets offer reliable and often uninterrupted audio quality, which can make them the dependable choice. They often have a direct connection to your device through a jack or USB connection, which means you don't have to worry about battery life or issues with bluetooth headset connectivity. These corded headsets often come with plug-and-play functionality which makes them the simple, user-friendly option to set up and use. They are ideal for traditional deskside work where mobility isn’t top priority, and they can provide a consistent performance at an affordable price point.

Pro: Cost-effective and lightweight, with no need for battery charging. Corded headsets are a good choice for stationary setups and come in various models that include USB power options for easy use with desktop apps.

Con: Tethered connection limits mobility, which could be inconvenient for some users.

Example: Snom A330M corded headset

Wireless Headsets

On the flip-side, wireless headsets provide a much greater level of mobility and flexibility, as you can move around and away from devices whilst staying connected. Using bluetooth connectivity, bluetooth headsets deliver excellent range and high-quality audio for calls and meetings. If wired headphone cables are damaged, sometimes the connectivity can be affected, which is not a concern with a wireless or bluetooth headset option. Modern wireless headset options offer long battery life and fast charging, with built-in features such as noise cancellation. These are optimal for multi-tasking and hybrid work, and perfect if you value mobility and flexible work styles.

Pro: Wireless VoIP headsets allow users to move freely around the workspace, which is useful for multitasking. Higher-end wireless headsets often offer 8-10+ hours of battery life, ensuring they last through a full day of calls.

Con: Generally bluetooth and wireless headsets are more expensive than wired options, and they need to be recharged regularly.

Example: Poly Voyager 4320 headset

Choosing the Right VoIP Headset to Buy for Your Team

For high-call environments: Buy office headsets with active noise-cancelling microphones to maintain clear communication despite background noise.

For teams that multitask: Wireless headset models offer flexibility, letting employees move around while staying connected to calls.

For cost-effective bulk buys: Wired VoIP headsets are affordable, especially for call centres or sales teams where high volumes of reliable equipment are needed.

Popular Headset Brands For Office, Home and Contact Centre Working

Choosing the right VoIP headset for your business or contact centre comes down to understanding what works best for you, your team, and your working environment. Whether you value mobility, call quality, or cost-efficiency most, there are many headset brands out there that offer great options tailored specifically for professional communication use. Here are a few key names to look out for when buying:

Jabra are known for innovative features, such as active noise-cancelling microphones and Busylight indicators, which are ideal for busy work spaces but flexible enough that they can also be used remotely.

Poly (now owned by HP) specialise in reliable, comfortable headsets with a long lasting charge. They offer both wired and wireless models, both with high audio quality.

Yealink headsets are a strong and popular contender for businesses, as they deliver high-quality yet cost-efficient phone headsets to the market, which are compatible with most VoIP solutions.

You can be confident that all the brands above work well to offer optimum call quality, when combined with the Yay.com VoIP phone system and softphone apps.

Using a Headset With Your Computer or VoIP Phone

If your computer has bluetooth connectivity or a USB socket then you should be able to connect your wired or wireless headset or base station to it. Likewise if using a softphone app with your iPhone or Android phone, a bluetooth headset should be compatible.

Businesses that prefer using desktop VoIP phones needn't feel left out though. Both wired and wireless can be connected to VoIP phones, however you may require either something known as a bottom cable for wired headsets, or a wireless headset adapter for bluetooth headsets such as the EHS26 adapter offered by Yealink.

Bottom cables can connect to your VoIP phones in place of a handset and typically have an RJ9, RJ11 or 2.5mm jack connector. Do make sure that your chosen bottom cable has connectors compatible with both your VoIP phone and phone headset before purchase though.

So if using a softphone such as the Yay.com app, Zoiper or Bria with your desktop computer or smartphone, you should be able to use the majority of headsets. Combining your headset with your office VoIP phone might require an extra cable, but can be a great solution if hands-free calling is the preference.

Corded or Wireless? Get The Right Headset For Your Needs

Before making a final decision, it is worth looking into the various VoIP headsets available to you, and deciding which will work best for your staff.

In particular, busy and loud work environments would be well matched to headsets that feature noise-cancelling technology, to ensure caller experience is as smooth as possible.

If cost is a factor in your decision, lower-end wired VoIP headsets will be best suited for call centres, sales firms and other businesses that need to purchase headsets in bulk - this is due to their reliability at an affordable price.

By understanding what you would like the most out of a VoIP headset, you can then confidently choose a headset that will work best for you, from a brand you can trust. Hopefully this guide has armed you with all the information you need to find the perfect product for yourself or your team!

To learn more about how VoIP can improve your customers’ experiences with your business, click here.