Rabid road warrior, busy soccer mom or simply want anyone over 50 to think you're a few marbles short of a Chinese checkers? We rate the best Bluetooth headsets for business and leisure.
Jabra JX10 (Score: 85%, Very good)
A style-conscious, 10 g featherweight, Jabra's JX10 is one of the smallest and best designed headsets we've reviewed courtesy of its rubber-coated, bendable ear loop which lets users mold a personal fit so secure it's virtually impossible to shake the headset off. Unfortunately, its rubberized speaker negatively impacts comfort as it is simply too hard to allow for wearing the headset over longer periods of time.
With the exception of a barely noticeable high-frequency hiss, audio quality proved very good throughout testing, as did range and reception. Add hassle-free pairing, intuitive controls, USB charging and a talk time clocking in at 4 hours and 30 minutes (which is more than decent considering the size of the JX10), and the $120 USD / €100 EUR headset claims the number one spot in this round-up, albeit not without flaws.
Jabra BT500 (Score: 80%, Very good)
Double the weight and three times as large as the JX10, Jabra's BT500 at first glance appears solidly beat - but looks can be deceiving. Although its non-adjustable form factor may may prove incompatible with some ears, the crescent design makes for a superbly comfortable and very secure fit. Add Jabra's patented in-ear gel plug, and the BT500 quickly shapes up to be the choice for comfort-conscious users who wish to wear their headset over longer periods of time.
Unfortunately, its microphone doesn't perform as well as that of the JX10, and its range is only adequate, but overall audio quality nevertheless receives a good grade. The most impressive aspect of the BT500, however, is its talk time which ranges in excess of 6 hours - and its inclusion of USB charging doesn't hurt either, nor does its quality buttons and no-frills user interface. Available worldwide, the headset sells for $120 USD / €100 EUR.
Sony Ericsson HBH-610 (Score: 80%, Very good)
On par with the Jabra BT500 as far as weight is concerned, the HBH-610 from Sony Ericsson is a tad smaller and features an ear loop form factor not unsimilar to the JX10 - albeit unadjustable, less secure and also slightly less comfortable. Furthermore, and again similar to the JX10, the loudspeaker also here presents the most noticeable drawback as chafing from the hard plastic negates use for longer periods of time.
It's a shame, then, that these drawbacks get in the way of the superb audio quality of the headset, which is derived partly from its noise reduction and automatic volume adjustment capabilities and partly from its impressive range. Still, with ergonomic controls and adequate battery life, the HBH-610 would suffice very well indeed for shorter periods of use indoors. Selling in the $100 USD / €120 EUR range, the headset is available worldwide.
Jabra BT800 (Score: 75%, Very good)
The largest of the headsets on review here, Jabra's BT800 boasts a behemoth ear loop design weighing in at a considerable 28 g - yet is surprisingly comfortable to wear. Unfortunately, it flaps around like a seagull in a storm, and, with the exception of the clever jog rocker design of its volume control, its controls are neither as easily distinguishable nor as intuitive as those of other Jabra models.
Partly causing the above is the BT800's inclusion of an LCD screen, which - although an interesting gimmick - defeats much of the hands-off purpose of a headset. Its vibrating alert and the ability to select from several external ringtones are however immensely more useful functions, as is its USB charging support. For $120 USD / €100 EUR, it also delivers the best audio quality and range of all the headsets on review here.
Nextlink Bluespoon AX2 (Score: 70%, Good)
A rather unusual beast, Nextlink's minute Bluespoon AX2 avoids loops and crescents in favour of a 10 g design which more or less screws into ones ear canal courtesy of a soft rubber spring. Modestly comfortable despite being molded from hard plastic, it's not suited for all ears yet work well with most - and when properly affixed assumes a graft-like fit which is absolutely impossible to shake loose.
At in excess of 6 hours, the talk time of the Bluespoon AX2 is also astounding for a headset this size, but two major drawbacks make serious dents in its usability. First, its sensitivity for background and wind noise renders it difficult to use outdoors, and second, its buttons require users to press inwards - in the process forcing the hard plastic towards the sensitive ear canal. For $100 USD / €85 EUR, it's not a bad choice, however, as long as ones usage pattern fits the 'brief periods indoor' bill; lastly, USB charging is a nice bonus.
| Scoreboard |
Battery
life |
Ergonomics |
Audio
quality |
Interface |
Range |
| Jabra JX10 |
Good |
Very good |
Excellent |
Excellent |
Very good |
| Jabra BT500 |
Excellent |
Very good |
Very good |
Excellent |
Good |
| Sony Ericsson HBH-610 |
Good |
Good |
Excellent |
Excellent |
Very good |
| Jabra BT800 |
Very good |
Average |
Excellent |
Very good |
Excellent |
| Nextlink Bluespoon AX2 |
Excellent |
Good |
Good |
Good |
Good |
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