Do you want the best headset? 
When considering a new wireless headset for your office or home office, you do have a lot of models to choose from.
Some are worn over the head and cover one or two ears. Others are worn over the ear, with still others that can convert between an on ear wearing style to one that’s worn over the head.
Some models will give you longer wireless talk range. Others will provide more comfort and features. Still others will give you longer talk time because of a better or bigger battery. And it’s the issue of batteries that I’d like to talk about here in this blog.
Everyone has their list of things they want in a wireless headset. They might not write these things down, but we all have thoughts about what we want in an office wireless headset.
Things like:
- Long talk range
- A convertible model to wear it in different configurations
- Comfort features might be important to you
- Price is always a consideration
- The overall appearance of the product. Is it dated or fresh looking?
These are just a few of the things that might go into making a buying decision for a new office wireless headset or wireless computer headset. One thing that’s commonly left off a list of this type is this:
Is the battery able to be replaced by you the customer?
Let’s talk a little bit about this very important topic. I know, it doesn’t seem like such an important thing, right? As I raise some thoughts about this, I believe you’ll better appreciate how the subject of a replaceable battery can sway a buying decision.
But, before I begin, I did want to mention that I recorded a Youtube video on this exact subject. If you’d like to watch this video rather than reading this blog, I’ll include the video below for your convenience.
If you’re still reading this then join me as I give you some food for thought about wireless headset batteries.
To begin, the battery in a wireless headset is rechargeable, and it does have a useful life. In other words, it needs to be recharged regularly, and at some point it will need to be replaced. That’s where things get interesting.
When people are shopping for office wireless headsets, or wireless computer headsets, almost never does the question of the battery replacement come up in the conversation. Questions like:
- Can the battery in this headset be replaced by the customer?
- How long can I expect the battery to last?
- How much is the cost of a replacement battery?
- How much will it cost me once my headset battery no longer holds a charge (given it can’t be replaced).
Asking questions like these can go a long way towards you, the buyer, making a more informed buying decision. Consider these fundamental differences.
An office wireless headset, or wireless computer headset that DOES have a replaceable battery will cost you under $50.00 to replace it. The cost will likely be closer to $20-$30.
An office wireless headset, or wireless computer headset that DOES NOT have a replaceable battery, might cost $200.00 to replace. And, if you plan to keep your headset for a long period of time, you could face the cost of a replacement more than once. Basic math suggests that can add up quickly and completely change the cost analysis dramatically if this is factored in.
Here’s one typical example:
A headset with and without a replaceable battery over a 5-year period. This assumes that the battery/headset is replaced at the 2 and 4 year mark. Replacements could occur sooner, or a bit later, but every 2 years is a reasonable time period.
Headset WITH a replaceable battery
Cost of the headset - $250.00
Cost of battery replacement at 2 years - $25.00
Second battery replacement at 4 years - $25.00
Headset cost with battery replacements - $300.00
Headset WITHOUT a replaceable battery
Cost of headset - $209.00
Cost of headset replacement in 2 years - $150.00 ($150 could be more)
Second headset replacement in 4 years - $150.00
Headset Cost with headset/battery replacement - $509.00
Difference - $209.00 more or 59% higher over a 5 year period.
So much for the cheaper headset being your best deal, and the bad news gets worse the more headsets you buy.
1 headset = $209.00 more
10 headsets = $2,090.00 more
20 headsets = $4,180.00 more
50 headset = $10,450.00 more
As you can see, the economics of this seemingly small detail can add up in a hurry. This isn’t even mentioning those situations where people throw out their headset when the battery no longer holds a charge because they think the headset has gone bad. This only compounds the problem by adding to the already lopsided cost difference.
Morale of this story?
When buying a new or refurbished office wireless headset, or wireless computer headset, ask about the battery. It’s fine to know that it’s rechargeable. It’s fine to know that it will give you 8 full hours of talk time. But, make sure to ask if you, the customer, can replace the battery when it will no longer hold a charge. If you do this, you stand to:
- Save a lot of money in the long term
- Avoid making a purchase decision that looks attractive on the surface, but ends up being not so attractive once you take ownership.
I sincerely hope that you found some measure of value in this blog or my video. At Headset Advisor, we’ve been providing free headset advice and recommendations since 1994.
If you have questions, want to know if a headset is compatible with your phone or computer, or just need a tailored headset recommendation, don’t hesitate to reach out to us.
We’ll be very happy to help, and by the way, we’re located in Northern California and we’re nice people.
Thanks for reading!
