The unfortunate COVID-19 situation has literally forced the world to go remote. Most companies across the globe have resorted to remote working to protect employees and ensure their families also remain safe. While the decision was not easy, the deadly virus did not leave a choice. However, remote working for such a long period is not easy; you need a dedicated workspace and the best headphones for remote work to take important calls.
We tested over 50 headphones that we thought were suitable for remote working and have compiled the results of our research and analysis to help you make an informed choice. We found these headphones highly suitable for working from home.
Quick roundup of the Best Headphones for Remote Work
| Best Overall Headphones for Remote Working | Bose Noise-Canceling Wireless 700 |
| Best Wireless Headphones for Making Calls | Jabra Elite 85H |
| Most Comfortable Headphones for Remote Working | Plantronics Voyager Focus UC Stereo |
| Best Office Headphones With Microphone | Logitech Zone Wireless |
| Remote Working Headphones With Best Sound Quality | Sennheiser Momentum 3 |
In this guide, we’ll discuss different factors that should be considered while purchasing headphones for remote working. We’ll also list the top 5 headphones for work from home in 2023, review them one-by-one, and list their pros and cons.
Factors You Should Consider While Looking for the Best Work Headset or Headphones for Remote Work
If you are all set to purchase a new set of headphones for remote working, here are a few factors you need to keep in mind:
1. They should be wireless so that you can carry them around.
2. They should have an excellent battery-life, i.e., around 8 hours.
3. They should be closed-back (noise-isolation is fine, you don’t necessarily need noise-canceling headphones for remote working).
4. Their sound quality should be decent.
5. They should be comfortable to wear during long calls, conferences, webinars, and so on.
5 Best Headphones for Voice and Video Calls
Out of the 50 headphones we tested, we found these 5 to be value for money, comfortable and good quality. Let’s now look at the detailed reviews, and the pros and cons of each:
1. Bose Noise Canceling Wireless Headphones 700
Best Overall Headphones for Remote Working
- Eye-catching design; no visible screws or joints
- Designed to last; durable and sturdy
- Ear cups can easily be adjusted by sliding them up and down
- Extraordinary voice speaking system – Comprises 8 microphones (6 for noise-cancellation and 2 for your voice)
- Noise-cancellation levels can be set manually
- No distortion on playing music
- Use Google, Alexa or Siri per your choice
- Excellent battery life
- Excellent sound quality
- Comfortable and highly suitable for remote working
- A little heavy as compared to the other headphones on the list
- Expensive than most headphones on our list
The Bose Noise Canceling Wireless Bluetooth Headphones 700 offer not just great comfort but also excellent call and sound quality. In fact, they sound much better than their predecessor, the Quiet Comfort II. Therefore, they are one of the best headphones for remote work. Even though they are more expensive than most of the headphones on our list, they are worth every dollar you spend.
The headphones are loaded with a plethora of interesting features, such as Bose AR and hands-free Alexa. One of the most intricate design upgrades is the headband. The Bose 700 headphones comprise a headband made of stainless steel, which is durable and sturdy, just like some of the most durable headphones on the market. It is covered with a soft, plush material that enhances the comfort-level of the headphones. However, the stainless-steel headband does not allow you to fold the headphones.
The headphones’ voice communication features make them highly suitable for remote working (especially for making calls). The upgraded microphones are crafted in a way that they pick your choice clearly and block noises around you. We made some calls on the noisy streets of Los Angeles and people on the other side could hear us clearly. Moreover, it was a group call, so you imagine the level of clarity provided by these headphones.
The Bose 700 headphones also comprise a sidestone feature that allows you track your voice while you are on calls and ensure you are not sounding too loud. Another incredible feature of these headphones is their battery life. We bet you won’t believe us; the Bose 700 Headphones have a battery life of up to 20 hours.
We couldn’t really find anything wrong with these headphones except the price that could have been a little more affordable.
View on Amazon: Bose Noise Canceling Wireless Headphones 700
2. Jabra Elite 85H
Best Wireless Headphones for Making Calls
- Great call and sound quality
- Budget-friendly headphones
- Comfortable for making calls
- Lightweight and durable
- Available in 3 classic colors
- Jabra software is easier to use than Bose
- No complicated set up or button programming
- Can be turned on/off by simply swiveling the ear cups
- Work perfectly with smartphone and laptop
- Come with Bluetooth 5.0
- Automatic noise cancellation (ANC) does not work during calls
- Short charging cable
The Jabra Elite 85H headphones are one of the best headphones for work from home, especially for making calls. They are comfortable and lightweight, provide great sound quality and come with an excellent battery life. So, if the Bose Noise-Canceling Wireless Headphones 700 are out of your budget, you can buy Jabra Elite 85H instead. The features are almost similar.
Even though it was initially announced that the headphones would be equipped with hands-free voice assistance control, the feature was not incorporated in the final product.
Design-wise, the headphones come with well-padded ear cups, and are comfortable for long calls when you are working remotely. You can easily fold the headphones when not using them; thanks to the dual hinges. They also come with a flat carrying case.
The Jabra Elite 85H headphones comprise 8 microphones and are equipped with the Jabra SmartSound (noise-canceling) technology.
View on Amazon: Jabra Elite 85H Headphones
3. Plantronics Voyager Focus UC Stereo
Most Comfortable Headphones for Remote Working
- Extremely comfortable and lightweight
- Excellent mic quality
- Can be used with more than one device at once
- Headphones alert you when you are talking while you are on mute and inform you that others are unable hear your voice
- Mute button is easily accessible on the mic
- Music automatically gets paused when you get a call
- Smart mic automatically adjusts your voice to ensure everyone on the call can hear you clearly
- Value for money; affordable
- The quality of plastic used in the construction of the headphones is not good
- Mic can sound a little muffled sometimes
The Plantronics Voyager Focus UC Stereo Headphones are one of the premium-end headphones by the brand.
The headphones are wireless and provide users with connectivity up to 98 feet. So, you can walk as much as you want while you are on a call. No cord, no wires, no chances of tripping and falling.
One of the most compelling features of these headphones is the multi-connectivity option. You can connect the headphones to two devices at one time and switch between both. As soon as you remove the headphones from one device, the Smart Sensor technology automatically mutes your voice and resumes it when you plug in the headphones in the other device.
Now, let’s talk about the comfort provided by these headphones. After all, we’ve chosen them as the most comfortable headphones for remote working for a reason. Both the headband and ear cups are covered with high-quality memory foam. The headbands fit comfortably around heads of all sizes. However, the quality of plastic used in the remaining parts is not that great. Overall, the Plantronics Voyager Focus UC Stereo headphones are good-quality Bluetooth headphones for work from home.
View on Amazon: Plantronics Voyager Focus UC Stereo
4. Logitech Zone Wireless
Best Office Headphones With Microphone
- Can pair with multiple devices at once
- ANC can easily turned on/off using the ANC button
- Comfortable and lightweight
- Mic is automatically muted when you swing up the boom mic
- Great sound quality for calls
- Great battery life
- Dongle comes with an indicator light that turns red when mic is mute and whie when it is on
- Easily foldable
- Can be charged wirelessly using the Qi charging pad
- Can feel somewhat flimsy
- Nylon case did not feel sturdy
- Voice prompts are too loud
- No option to use headphones with cable, if required
- Instruction manual was not included
The Logitech Zone Wireless Headphones are ANC headphones with the microphone attached to a boom. The best thing about these headphones is that you can place them on a Qi wireless charging pad for a complete charge of up to 15 hours. You can also charge the headphones using Micro-USB. Therefore, it is also one of the best USB headset for work from home.
The headphones are comfortable, provide great call and sound quality and can be a great choice if you are working out of an open office with lots of external disturbances around you. The sidetone feature allows you to adjust the volume of your voice. The only thing we did not like about the headphones is that they don’t sound great while listening to music. Therefore, if you are an audiophile, we suggest you don’t buy these headphones. However, if you are only buying headphones for remote working, then the Logitech Zone Wireless Headphones can be a good buy.
View on Amazon: Logitech Zone Wireless Headphones
5. Sennheiser Momentum 3
Remote Working Headphones With Best Sound Quality
- Made of premium-quality materials
- Comfortable and durable
- Can be connected to multiple devices at once
- Great ANC; levels can be changed easily
- Bigger ear cups can accommodate ears of all sizes
- Headphones bass is organic and powerful
- ANC works on wired mode
- Phenomenal sound quality
- Perfect for remote working; especially if you are working out of a noisy environment
- Call quality did not feel as good as Bose
- Soundstage could be wider
- No auto turn off feature
- Does not fold flat
Yet another expensive deal, the Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless Headphones can also be a great choice for remote working. Honestly, the sound quality of these headphones is the best when compared to the other headphones on our list.
The headphones are made of genuine leather and stainless steel. However, we wish Sennheiser had added more foam on the headband to make the headphones more comfortable than they are right now. Even though we did not feel any discomfort, a little extra never hurts. Another thing that is not-so-cool about the headphones’ design is the set of large buttons on the back side of the right ear cup.
Like many other headphones for remote working on our list, Momentum 3 also comes with the ANC feature. If you want to completely cut off during a call or webinar, you can use the “Max” setting. Another interesting feature of the headphones is the 3 transparency hearing mode, which allows you to blend the music playing in your background with your ongoing call. When compared to Bose 700, the call quality is not that great.
View on Amazon: Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless Headphones
Final Thoughts
Who said working from home is easy during the lockdown period? Well, it’s absolutely not when you have all your family around you; kids crying out loud, grandparents demanding your attention, paying arguing with one another and what not. However, with the right pair of headphones, you can sail smoothly through these rough waters.
Per our personal experience, we found Bose Noise-Canceling Wireless Headphones 700 the best out of the lot. While we agree that the headphones are expensive, there’s a reason why their price is high compared to all the other headphones for remote working on our list. However, if you are on a shoestring budget and looking for something more affordable, we suggest going with Plantronics Voyager Focus UC Stereo. They are comfortable and their sound quality is also good.
We hope you found our post on the best headphones for remote work useful. If you think we’ve not covered all the headphones for working from home, feel free to add your choice in the comment section below and rest assured that we’ll add the product to our list. Also, if you have any questions, share them with us and we’ll get your answers!
