Best 10 headsets for working from home

Over the past few years, remote and hybrid work arrangements have rapidly grown in popularity. With more people working from home at least part of the time, having the right gear - especially a high-quality headset - has become increasingly important. The headset is essential for clear communications, comfortable long work days, and an overall productive home office setup.

However, with endless headset options on the market across a wide range of prices, it can be daunting to determine which one best fits your needs. Should you choose in-ear earbuds or over-ear headphones? Do you need active noise cancellation? What about wireless connectivity or a microphone for calls?

As a professional musician and audio technician for over 20 years, I've tested countless headsets across every use case imaginable. In this article, I cut through the confusion to provide my top 10 recommended headsets specifically for working from home. I'll overview the core headset types - over-ear, on-ear, open-back, and in-ear - and key features to consider like sound quality, comfort, and microphone pickup. Finally, you'll find 10 outstanding options across budget and functionality needs, along with specific insights into why I selected each headset and who they are ideal for.

Best

TREBLAB Z2

Best Headphones for Working from Home

35h play, 3h charge

Compatible with ALL devices

Active, T-Quiet™ ANC technology

IPX4 water resistant

Active noise cancellation

Our best wireless workout headphones come with Advanced Sound 2.0 Technology and aptX high-performance neodymium-backed 40mm speakers.

Ultra Premium Materials | Super Soft Ear Pads

They’re super-comfortable, made of high-end, ultra-soft materials that mold to the natural shape of your ear for a custom fit.

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Whether you're a remote call center representative, video editor, programmer, or anyone else working from home, this list has a high-quality, specialized headset recommendation for you. I pull from my extensive technical expertise but also real-world usage of these models on a daily basis. So rest assured you'll end up with the perfect headset for staying focused and maximizing your productivity, even in a home environment full of distractions.

Key Headset Types for the Home Office

Determining the right headset design for your needs and environment is critical - the wrong choice can lead to discomfort, poor sound, and frustration. Here I break down the four main headset types, their distinguishing features, pros, cons, and ideal use cases when working from home:

Over-Ear Headsets

Over-ear headsets completely surround your ears with large, cushioned earcups that seal tightly against the head. They are characterized by superior sound isolation and bass response thanks to the closed-back construction. I personally use over-ear headsets daily for music listening and video calls thanks to their combination of sound quality and comfort.

Circumaural headsets with large, padded earcups designed to fully enclose the ears in a private listening environment ideal for critical listening without external distractions.

Pros for Remote Work:

• Excellent passive noise isolation blocks out ambient sounds around your workspace
• Closed-back seals provide strong, punchy bass response
• Comfortable padded ear cushions perfect for multi-hour wear
• Available with premium sound components and connectivity

Cons for Remote Work:

• Bulkier than on/in-ear designs affects portability
• Pleather and foam pads can cause sweat buildup
• Audio leaks out slightly allowing those nearby to hear

Ideal For: 

Focus-driven tasks like coding, writing, analysis where ambient noise needs heavy reduction. Also great for voice/video meetings and media consumption.

On-Ear Headsets

On-ear headsets rest gently on the ears instead of surrounding them fully. The smaller fit lends itself better to portability but typically at the cost of some sound isolation. Many on-ears still utilize padding and a closed-back to block noise decently well.

Supra-aural headsets with smaller earcups designed to press against rather than enclose the ears completely, a middle ground between over-ears and earbuds.

Pros for Remote Work:

• Increased portability for mobile workers
• Less sweat buildup due to less contact area
• Ambient awareness possible if desired

Cons for Remote Work:

• Less noise blocking versus over-ears
• Comfort varies more based on ear size and shape

Ideal For: 

Portable use while working in cafe's or lounges. Good middle ground option with better sound than most earbuds.

Open-Back Headsets

Open-back headsets take a completely different approach - instead of closing off the ears in a tight seal, the rear side remains open to the environment via mesh or perforations.

Headphones with perforations and openings in the earcup back plates to allow external noise and air exchange.

Pros for Remote Work:

• Outstanding natural and spatial sound since soundwaves can move freely
• Open design prevents heat buildup
• Allows you to hear when someone calls for your attention

Cons for Remote Work:

• No noise isolation whatsoever
• Sound leaks out openly, which could disturb coworkers

Ideal For: 

Creative tasks like music production, game/animation design where natural sound is key. Also good if you need awareness of kids/pets while working.

In-Ear Headsets

In-ear headsets use compact earbuds that fit directly into the ear canal, blocking noise passively. High-end in-ears can reproduce spacious sound in a tiny form factor.

Headphones with earbuds that insert into ear canal rather than resting on ears externally. Rely on tight seal for noise isolation and bass.

Pros for Remote Work:

• Extremely portable and lightweight
• Can isolate noise passively very well
• More affordable quality options than over-ear

Cons for Remote Work:

• Comfort varies based on tips and ear anatomy
• Lower sound quality ceiling than premium over-ear

Ideal For: 

Portable use for mobile professionals on-the-go. Great affordable option for calls and meetings. Lack comfort for full workdays though.

Most Important Headset Features for Productivity

Beyond just wearing a headset so others can hear you, truly productive remote work requires gear with excellent sound, comfort, connectivity, and call quality. Before purchasing, keep this essential criteria in mind:

Sound Quality

Sound quality makes or breaks the listening experience and your ability to immerse in creative work. Ensure your headset reproduces audio accurately across the frequency range without distortion, muddiness or shrill tones:

• Bass/Lows - Impactful and tight bass without loose, booming sounds. Key for genres like hip-hop, EDM that thrive on sub-bass (below 80 Hz).
• Mids - Midrange frequencies around 500Hz - 2kHz are where vocals, guitars and most instruments lie. They should sound full-bodied and detailed, not recessed.
• Treble/Highs - Crucial for rendering crisp detail. But excessive highs over 10kHz create sharp, fatiguing listening. Avoid at all costs.
• Soundstage & Imaging - Quality headphones project an immersive "headstage" replicating speaker placement around you. Imaging helps your brain spatially distinguish and localize individual instruments.

Well-tuned over-ear headphones with large-aperture drivers typically outperform tiny in-ear models on sonic realism. But some innovative in-ear makers like 1MORE now rival over-ears given recent dual driver configurations in compact metal housings.

Comfort & Fit

A headset uncomfortable to wear defeats its own purpose. Whether over or on-ear, prioritize plush replaceable earpads, adjustable components, and lightweight materials:

• Breathability - Leather and pleather earpads trap heat and moisture during prolonged use. Consider mesh backings or other breathable fabrics if operating in warm environments.
• Secure But Forgiving Fit - Headbands shouldn't clamp with vice-like intensity. But also shouldn't shift constantly on your head - a sure annoyance!
• Size Flexibility - Our heads and ears come in all shapes and sizes. Look for horizontal and vertical cup adjustment to fine tune fit. Replaceable ear tips are a must for in-ears as well.

Wired vs. Wireless

Wireless Bluetooth headsets provide exceptional convenience and cleaner desk aesthetics by removing cable clutter. However, assess the following as well before ditching wires entirely:

• Battery Life - Inadequate capacity drains quickly, disrupting workflow. Plan to charge devices that tout under 15 hours max runtime. High bandwidth codecs like LDAC also drastically reduce battery performance.
• Latency - A noticeable audio/video delay is unacceptable on video calls and collaboration. AptX Low Latency support helps significantly.
• Connection Stability - Frequent dropouts disrupt music and meetings. Strong antennas and Class 1 Bluetooth aid here. Dongles further strengthen the link at a stationary desktop.

Thus for mission-critical voice and videoconferencing over Zoom, Teams etc, wired USB and 3.5mm analog headsets remain reliable options.

Microphone Quality

A high-quality microphone ensures your voice sounds clear to colleagues without intrusive ambient noise.

• Voice Reproduction - Microphones differ in frequency response profiles that affect tone and articulation. Finding one that complements your voice leads to more professional and fatigue-free conversations.
• Noise Cancellation - Effective directional mics isolate your speech by rejecting surrounding sounds in the background. Dual mic configurations further enhance the effect via advanced digital signal processing.
• Proximity Effect - Microphones boosted closest to the sound source. Thus boom mics directly in front of your mouth outperform tiny pinholes integrated into earbuds distant from your speech path.

For the most natural conversations free of mute/unmute dance routines, opt for a headset with an adjustable gooseneck boom mic. This allows you to position the mic optimally in your soundstage when seated. Noise-cancelling tech is advantageous for when working in louder shared spaces like open offices. USB headsets interface directly with your PC allowing for larger mic arrays and active tuning - but aren't compatible with mobile devices.

Best 10 headsets for working from home in 2024

1. TREBLAB Z2

★★★★★

The TREBLAB Z2 over-ear Bluetooth headphones lead our list as the best all-around option optimized for productivity and comfort across full workdays at home. I've used the Z2 headphones extensively over video calls, long typing sessions, focused analytical work, and media playback.

Featuring large, plush memory foam earcups that fully seal for noise isolation, aptX sound, and up to 35 hours of runtime per charge, the Z2s strike the ideal balance of performance, comfort, and value. The lightweight yet durable build can withstand the rigors of daily home office use while also enabling multi-hour wear without listener fatigue.

Standout Features

• T-Quiet ANC - While not up to par with Sony/Bose levels, the Z2 ANC does cut down ambient noise effectively for improved concentration.
• Multipoint Connectivity - The ability to pair with two devices is convenient for toggling between computer and phone audio seamlessly.

Why It's Ideal For Working From Home

With superb noise blocking, durable build quality, and marathon battery life packed into a sub $100 headset, the Z2s represent unmatched value tailored towards remote work use cases. The foldable, protective carrying case also enables safely stowing away the headphones between meetings and tasks. If seeking premium comfort for extended wear without breaking the bank, the Z2s belong on your shortlist.

2. Sony WH-CH710N

★★★★☆

With excellent active noise cancellation technology in a lightweight package, the Sony WH-CH710N makes concentrating on work a breeze while blocking out external distractions.

The WH-CH710N is an over-ear noise cancelling headset featuring large plush earcups, 30+ hour battery life, and USB-C quick charging. Sony built these headphones specifically for all-day wear across a variety of environments like the home office.

Standout Features

• Dual Noise Sensor Technology - By collecting ambient noise data from both feedforward and feedback mics, the WH-CH710N provides exceptional noise blocking capability exceeding expectations for the price point.

Why It's Ideal For Working From Home

With class-leading active noise cancellation allowing you to truly block out barking dogs, yard work, kitchen noise, and other disruptions, the WH-CH710N lets you hone in on getting work done. The plush synthetic leather along with a comfortable headband also accommodates long listening sessions. Overall, if seeking noise-free focus for maximum productivity, the Sonys deliver.

3. Jabra Evolve2 75

★★★★☆

Optimized specifically for intensive call and meeting-based workflows, the Jabra Evolve2 75 brings excellent wireless call quality and UC integration to home offices.

As a premium wireless variant of the renowned Evolve series built for enterprise use, the Evolve2 75 features a powerful adjustable boom microphone, seamless integration with leading UC platforms, and 37 hours of battery life. While extremely capable for media playback, the Evolve2 75 shines when it comes to voice.

Standout Features

• Jabra Active Noise Cancellation - Crystal clear conversations free of background noise allows you to communicate effectively from any environment.
• Native Microsoft Teams Certification - Certified directly optimized for Teams delivers a superb conferencing experience.

Why It's Ideal For Working From Home

With the Evolve2 75, recurrent meetings won't get in the way of your productivity. The powerful boom microphone eliminates tedious mic adjustments while the earcups provide noise isolation so you can focus. If collaboration and calls dominate your remote work, this Jabra series deserves your consideration.

4. Apple AirPods Max

★★★★☆

Offering premium design and features tailored specifically for Apple users, the AirPods Max make an excellent choice for Mac and iPhone owners working from home.

The AirPods Max represents Apple's take on premium over-ear noise cancelling headphones. Clad in machined aluminum and knit-mesh canopy headband, the Max offers 20+ hours of battery life, spatial audio support, and best-in-class ANC to silence external distractions.

Standout Features

• Spatial Audio With Dynamic Head Tracking - By applying directional audio filters adjust in real time, the AirPods Max deliver an incredibly immersive listening experience unmatched by competitors when playing or watching supported content.

Why It's Ideal For Working From Home

For Apple users toggling between Mac, iPhone, iPad when working, the AirPods Max integrate seamlessly via iCloud pairing. The noise cancellation also eliminates unwanted disturbances to keep you focused. Just be prepared to pay a premium for the convenience and luxury.

5. Microsoft Surface Headphones 2

★★★★☆

Microsoft enters the premium ANC headset arena with the Surface Headphones 2 - an elegant over-ear variant featuring intuitive dial controls and multi-device pairing ideal for working across Windows and mobile devices.

With a sleek and minimalist design language perfectly complementing Surface PCs, the Surface Headphones 2 stands out through unique rotating dial controls for volume and noise cancellation adjustment. The dials coupled with intuitive touch gestures make these headphones a pleasure to operate.

Standout Features

• Intuitive Dial Controls - Rather than difficult to locate buttons, rotating knobs on each ear cup allow easily controlling volume and noise cancellation levels.

Why It's Ideal For Working From Home

The Surface Headphones 2 shines when used to toggle between desktop and mobile within the Microsoft ecosystem. The dial controls are perfect for quick volume adjustments and noise cancellation changes when shifting tasks and locations at home. Just expect to pay a premium for the Microsoft badge.

6. Bose QuietComfort 35 II

★★★★☆

The Bose QC35 II sets the bar for premium noise cancelling headphones, making them an excellent choice for uninterrupted focus while working from home.

The QC35 II is the wireless successor to Bose's renowned QuietComfort series. Retaining the classic around-ear design and plush padding, the QC35 II adds 20+ hours of battery life, augmented active noise cancellation, and integrated Google/Alexa support.

Standout Features

• Augmented Active Noise Cancellation: Uses microphones inside and outside each earcup for continuous adaptive noise blocking without compromising audio fidelity

Why It's Ideal For Working From Home

With the ability to truly eliminate external noise like few rivals, the Bose QC35 II allows you to focus on work without constant interruptions. And you can comfortably wear them for back-to-back-to-back video meetings thanks to the plush memory foam. If in the market for ANC to boost productivity, this Bose set remains a top choice years since launch.

7. Logitech Zone Wireless

★★★★☆

Designed for collaboration, the Logitech Zone Wireless brings excellent call quality, long battery life, and seamless integration with popular video conferencing platforms perfect for calls and meetings.

Certified and optimized to play nicely with leading software like Microsoft Teams and Zoom, the Zone Wireless stands out through its plug-and-play simplicity, flip-to-mute mic, noise cancellation, and ability to connect multiple devices at once.

Standout Features

• Flip-to-Mute Microphone - Quickly mute your microphone by flipping up the boom rather than fumbling for buttons.

Why It's Ideal For Working From Home

If you spend the majority of your remote work hours in meetings, the seamless conferencing platform integration and excellent microphone quality of the Zone Wireless helps conversations flow freely. The great battery life also accommodates back-to-back calls throughout the workday.

8. Sennheiser HD 599

★★★★☆

Featuring open-back architecture granting an incredibly natural and spacious sound, the Sennheiser HD 599 allows you to keep situational awareness while delivering high-fidelity audio for focused sessions.

The HD 599 utilizes a vented backplate and angled drivers to produce one of the most realistically immersive listening experiences under $200. The sound stage and imaging abilities compete with far pricier audiophile cans. With a lightweight yet durable build, the 599 works wonderfully as personal office headphones.

Standout Features

• Ergonomic Acoustic Refinement - Specifically calibrated and angled drivers deliver incredibly realistic sound imaging and intimacy - almost like having speakers within the room.

Why It's Ideal For Working From Home

The Sennheiser HD 599 brings reference-level audio fidelity to focused listening sessions while also allowing you to remain aware of phone calls or the doorbell thanks to its unique open back architecture. Just be wary of audio leakage bothering nearby family members!

9. Jabra Talk 45

★★★★☆

Boasting robust construction and excellent wireless call quality perfect for UC platforms, the Jabra Talk 45 makes taking meetings and calls from anywhere at home a breeze.

Optimized specifically for voice-based communication, the lightweight Jabra Talk 45 features a discreet in-ear wearing style, intuitive physical controls, noise cancellation, and integration with leading solutions.

Standout Features

• Ultra-noise Cancelling Microphone - Advanced noise cancelling technology ensures your voice remains clear to other parties regardless of background happenings on your end.

Why It's Ideal For Working From Home

Skip the over-ear bulk with the Jabra Talk 45 optimized specifically for those spending their whole workday in meetings and calls. The incredible mic clarity coupled with wearing flexibility makes collaborating from anywhere at home frustration-free.

10. Plantronics Voyager Legend

★★★★☆

Offering premium materials and call quality in a versatile form factor, the Plantronics Voyager Legend allows taking calls and meetings on-the-go from any room in the house.

This on-ear-style Bluetooth headset combines multiple mics with noise cancelling technology to isolate voices from ambient sounds. The Voyager Legend offers intuitive controls, a comfortable fit, and connectivity with multiple devices simultaneously.

Standout Features

• Triple-mic Active Digital Signal Processing - Using four finely tuned microphones together enables clearer voice transmission by reducing distracting ambient noise around you.

Why It's Ideal For Working From Home

The Voyager Legend allows taking critical calls on-the-go whether from your kitchen, porch, garage, or yard without compromise. The sweatproof wearing style and intuitive controls also make it perfect for quick breaks doing household chores during hectic work-from-home days.

Finding Your Perfect Work Headphones

With so many headset options on the market meeting a wide range of preferences and budgets, it can feel daunting to decide which model best enables your productivity. While the 10 headphones highlighted excel for home office use, consider the following factors when selecting noise-blocking headphones tailored to your unique remote work needs:

Noise Levels

Think about your regular ambient noise levels and if you require active noise cancellation technology or can rely on passive isolation. For example, open-back headphones won't cut it when your kids are shrieking downstairs or construction rages outside. Over-ear designs also tend to isolate external noises better than most earbuds as well.

Also consider potential noise leakage bothering family members or colleagues if you'll be on frequent calls. Open-back headphones in particular allow plenty of sound to escape outwards. Try to find a balance between environmental isolation and potential audio distractions for those around you.

Comfort

If you're on marathon video calls daily or conduct hours of heads-down analytical work, prioritize plush padding with a lightweight, adjustable design avoiding pinch points. Rotating earcups help get the best fit against your head shape. Materials like memory foam mold comfortably around ears over extended periods.

But if you prefer portability for quickly wearing headphones between collaborative tasks, compact on-ear or even in-ear earbud designs may better suit quickly donning on and off. Just ensure earbuds come with plenty of tip size options for the best sealed in-canal fit.

Budget

Set realistic expectations between price and performance. There exists a class of premium noise-cancelling over-ear models from Bose, Sony and Apple costing over $300. At that range, expect pristine audio reproduction, durable metals and silky synthetic leather.

However excellent headphones enabling noise isolation and great sound exist at far lower prices like the sub $100 TREBLAB Z2s if cost-conscious. Just allocate budget appropriately towards features most integral towards productivity like active noise cancellation.

Usage Balance

Determine whether you'll use your headphones more often for meetings and calls versus general music/video media consumption. Certain models optimize better towards voice while others focus solely on stereo audio immersion.

For example, the Surface Headphones 2 offers decent noise cancellation and audio but truly shines when used for Microsoft Teams meetings or toggling between Windows/mobile devices. Similarly, dedicated over-ear call headsets better optimize microphone pickup quality over musicality.

Evaluating these kinds of personal preferences and home office setup considerations will guide you towards picking the best work headphones for boosting daily productivity. And an ideal pair for one remote worker may differ wildly from another based on their unique needs. But the models recommended offer tailored options meeting many environments and use cases.

Conclusion

When working from home, few gear investments provide better value towards comfort and productivity than a high-quality headset. The best headphones blend premium sound, durability, and noise isolation to enable distraction-free focus across back-to-back calls along with heads-down independent tasks.

But not all work headsets optimize equally across flexibility needs, budgets and use cases spanning calls, creative projects, analytical work and more. By determining preferences like noise cancellation needs, comfort demands, and device connectivity, professionals can discover their personal best match. Models like the marathon-battery TREBLAB Z2s accommodate nearly all-day wear with the materials and sound fidelity to match.

Equipping your home office with headphones purpose-built to eliminate noise and enable clear communications empowers doing your best work while remote. So leave behind janky old pairs and step up to next-level production wherever you get down to business.