Do you want the best headset? 
With the pandemic of 2020, a lot of people found themselves faced with the fact that they’d no longer be able to work in their office, but instead, they’d be working from home.
Working from home poses unique challenges that you typically don’t face while working from an office. For example, in an office setting you don’t have dogs barking, children crying, weed eaters and leaf blowers to name a few. Then of course there’s the regular doorbell rings of your favorite Amazon, UPS or FedEx delivery person.
How do you project a professional image to your customers and clients when you have world war III going on in the background?
The answer is clear, you either pony up the money for a tailor made panic room or find the nearest bat cave. If neither of these options make sense for you, then you’ll be happy to know that there is a simple solution that’s readily available and affordable.
Get yourself a good quality, comfortable and great sounding dual ear headset. If you get a good one, you can ignore the chaos going on around you with the peace of mind knowing that your valued customers are only hearing you loud and clear.
With so many makes and models, which one should you get? A great question.
In order to help filter out some of the confusion, this blog will provide you with 5 great options for you to consider.
These 5 models will be ranked #5 up to #1 and will include links to a video that shows the products as well as provide you with microphone sound quality tests.
Once you read over this blog and view the video, you should feel comfortable in making a buying decision that’s right for you.
So sit back, relax and let us cut through the noise and make your buying experience simple and easy.
Before we dive into the various products, it should be mentioned that there are several key areas you should consider when looking to buy a new headset. Among them include:
- Comfort
- Sound Quality
- Price
- Features
- Warranty
#5 Jabra Evolve 40
This is a high quality, professional grade headset that’s worthy of being on our top 5 list. Like with any product, there’s good and there’s, well, some not so good. First, let’s cover the good stuff
High quality build. This headset is built well. You won’t find cheap materials on it. It’s sturdy and rugged enough to pass the test of time.
USB connectivity AND 3.5mm. The Jabra Evolve wired headset comes with two connectivity variants. You can plug it into a USB port on your computer, but you can also plug it into a 3.5mm port too. It comes with both connections. This isn’t overly common with USB headsets overall, so it’s a nice feature because it gives you additional use options.
2-year warranty. Some headsets offer a 90 day or 1-year warranty. The Jabra Evolve 40 comes with a 2-year warranty. The longer the warranty, the better. Who doesn’t like longer peace of mind, rightr?
Professional sound. Though the Jabra Evolve 40 doesn’t come with a noise canceling microphone to remove unwanted background noise, it does sound good. Just make sure there’s not a lot of background noise when you’re on that important call.
A couple of things to be aware of on the Jabra Evolve 40 include:
Non-noise canceling microphone. If you have noise going on around you, the Evolve 40 will not remove or eliminate any of that noise. Be aware that what you hear going on around you is exactly what your callers will hear. In our view, we feel this is a relatively major downside of this office wired headset model.
Ear cushions. When it comes to wearing a headset for a full day, the notion of comfort plays a key role. The Jabra Evolve 40, in our view, comes up a pinch short. The ear cushions are a bit small and lack sufficient padding. And, when you combine this with the angle of the earpieces, there’s a fair amount of pressure being exerted on your ears. Given the lack of padding, combined with this pressure makes for a somewhat uncomfortable wearing experience.
Magnetic Boom dock. This is a feature that allows the microphone boom to be stored out of the way when it’s not needed (listening to music for example). This is a great concept, but in our tests, the magnet isn’t strong enough to hold the boom. It commonly
pops off and disconnects from where it stores. Great idea, just needs a stronger magnet.
#4 Poly Blackwire 8225
Though this is likely the best overall headset on our top 5 list, we have it placed at number 4 simply due to the price. At over $200.00 for a wired headset, we feel that this will make purchasing this model for the masses, prohibitive. That aside, this is a great headset.
Design. The Poly 8225 has a nice, elegant design that’s visually appealing. But, it’s more than a pretty face.
ANC. Active Noise Cancellation is a meaningful feature. It electronically helps to remove unwanted background noise. By pressing a button on the side of the headset, noise vanishes like the last piece of that chocolate cake. ANC is not a feature you commonly find on most headsets, but the Poly 8225 has it. If you work in a noisy environment, this feature will help you to focus and avoid being distracted by what’s going on around you.
Thick connector cable. One of the leading causes of headset failures is fractures in the connector cable. It's the piece that takes the majority of the wear and tear from daily use. Having a robust cable translates to longevity and avoidance of static and cutting in and cutting out. The Poly 8225 cable is stout and is about twice as thick as other Poly cables. This means that you should expect to have longer use of the headset before experiencing a cable failure.
2-year warranty. Like the Jabra Evolve, the Poly 8225 comes with a 2-year warranty. This is better than a 90 day or 1-year warranty, so you can expect a solid, 2-year peace of mind
#3 Discover D712U
Unlike the other brands on our top 5 list, the Discover products carry a longer warranty and offer the best overall value. The specifics of the Discover D712U are as follows:
Noise Canceling microphone. When working from home, you have to contend with unexpected noise and interruptions. The Discover D712U has a noise canceling microphone that will filter out most of the noise. This gives you a better communication experience while maintaining a professional image.
Padded headband. As a comfort feature, and yes, comfort is important, the Discover D712U has a cushion on the top of the headband that’s designed to pad the headband as it rests on the top of your head. This lowers headset fatigue when using your headset for long periods of time.
Foam and Leatherette ear cushions. The Discover D712U comes with foam ear cushions as well as leatherette. You can try both to see which you like best, and you’ll have spare cushions on hand to tie you over when replacing them.
3-year warranty. Unlike the Jabra and Poly headsets that come with a 2-year warranty, the Discover D712U comes with a full 3-year warranty. This means that you get a full extra year of coverage and more importantly, peace of mind.
Excellent price point. The Discover D712U is priced right at just $79.99. This makes a double ear headset with great sound, comfort and reliability affordable for anyone. Overall, this office wired headset is an excellent value when you consider the features and price.
#2 Poly Blackwire 5220
It’s a safe statement to say that Poly makes solid products, and the 5220 is no exception. Below are a few points to consider if this might be on your short list of office headsets, or your go to work from home headset solution.
Look and feel. The Poly 5220 quite simply looks nice, and it’s built very well. I know, I know, a headset is a headset, right? To some degree that might be true. But, among all headsets there are some that stand out for their overall appearance. The Poly 5220 is one of those. Quite simply it looks nice.
Noise canceling microphone. As with any professional grade office headset, you really need a noise canceling microphone. This is the component that removes unwanted background noise so your calls stay professional sounding. Without this feature you’re at the mercy of any of that distracting noise going on around you. And that noise doesn’t allow you to maintain a professional appearance.
USB AND 3.5 mm connector. Like the Jabra Evolve 40, the Poly 5220 allows you to connect to a computer via USB, but it also allows you to connect via 3.5mm. This gives you more options and flexibility. If your device doesn’t have a USB port, but has a 3.5mm connection, you can use your Poly 5220. Or, if it has a USB port, but not a 3.5mm port, you can use it this way as well. More connectivity flexibility.
Padded headband cushion. The Poly 5220 has a metal headband, but it also has a suspended padded cushion that acts like a shock absorber. When you put on the headset your head will rest in the correct position, and the pad will move so it positions itself in that same spot. The end result is that you have a secure and comfortable fit. And, as we all know, when it comes to office headsets, comfort matters.
Price point. When you consider what the Poly 5220 gives you compared to the cost, it represents a great value which makes it a product well worth your consideration.
2-year warranty. Though one year less than a Discover headset warranty, the Poly 5220 warranty at 2-years, is solid. When shopping for a professional grade office wired
headset, you should expect no less than a 2-year warranty. Anything less suggests that the product you’re looking at isn’t professional grade.
And finally, (drum roll please), coming in at number 1 on our top 5 list is...
#1 Discover D722U
What qualifies this headset to receive the number 1 ranking? Consider these points:
Oversized ear cups and cushions. Remember, this is a work from home blog, so many who work from home have to deal with a lot of unexpected noise. The Discover D722U features oversized ear cups that fully encircle the ears. Combined with these oversized ear cups are oversized padded ear cushions. The result? The unwanted room noise is significantly reduced so you can avoid being distracted, while maintaining your focus and concentration. No other headset model on our top 5 list has this feature.
Flexible microphone boom arm. When it comes to having excellent headset sound quality, microphone positioning is important. Having the microphone too far away results in your callers not able to hear you. Having your microphone too close to your mouth can result in compromised sound quality. The proper position for a headset microphone is approximately two fingers width from the corner of your mouth.
The Discover D722U has a microphone boom arm that’s made of material that allows you to move it anywhere. Once you’ve made your adjustment, the microphone stays put. It’s made from the best materials available.
Noise canceling microphone. The Discover D722U has a noise canceling microphone that eliminates the majority of unwanted room noise. The oversized ear cups noted earlier are designed to allow YOU to hear better, where this noise canceling microphone removes room noise so your callers can hear you better. If you have a job that requires you to have conversations or video calls with clients, having a noise canceling microphone is a need, and not a want.
Cushioned headband. As noted several times in this blog, comfort matters. The Discover D722U has a cushioned headband for an added touch of comfort. Anyone who
wears an office headset all day long knows that these little touches can make big differences.
Longer cable length. Other brands offer cable length of around 7 feet. The Discover D722U has a cable that’s 8 feet in length. This gives you more room to move around your work area without the risk of having your headset pulled off while you’re in the middle of an important phone call. Having a longer cable for an office wired headset is always better, and the Discover D722U has the longest.
Deep and rich tones for an immersive experience. The Discover D722U is more than just functional. It brings to life those deep bass tones, mid-range and high notes from your favorite tunes. Whether you’re on a live call, video meeting or just listening to your favorite music, the Discover D722U will deliver on a superb audio experience.
Best value. Based on the features and the price, the Discover D722U represents, in our view, the best overall value. You get comfort, sound reducing features, a longer warranty all at a price that’s extremely affordable.
As noted in the video, no matter which of these five headsets you select, you can’t really go wrong. They’re all solid headsets with excellent track records. They do vary in price and to some extent, features. No matter which you get, you should make the noise canceling microphone high on your list of must haves.
