EmailBest Reviewed
Bluetooth Headsets
- Best Bluetooth headset Plantronics Voyager Pro *Est. $100
- Best budget Bluetooth headset BlueAnt V1 *Est. $75
- Cheap Bluetooth headset Plantronics Explorer 220 *Est. $30
- Bluetooth stereo headset Plantronics Voyager 855 *Est. $85
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Cheap Bluetooth headset
- Lightweight
- Long battery life
- Budget price
- Phone-dependent sound quality
- Possible discomfort
- No noise cancellation
Budget Bluetooth headsets that work well for most people are difficult to find. The Plantronics Explorer 220 is an entry-level model that could meet your hands-free driving needs, depending on the phone you use; some reviewers report great sound while others complain of static. There's no noise-canceling technology, so consider the more expensive BlueAnt V1 (*Est. $75) if you need to use your phone in noisy environments. Battery life is advertised as six hours, and a British consumer magazine managed to get eight hours. Though not consistent, several reviewers complain of discomfort after about an hour of wearing, despite the Voyager 220's light weight.
The only professional review we found for the Plantronics Explorer 220 comes from subscription-based U.K. consumer-testing publication, Which? magazine. Electronista.com provides helpful information, and there are a decent number of user reviews on Amazon.com.
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Our Sources
1. Which? magazineDetails/Subscribe
Which? magazine tests products in the manner of ConsumerReports.org. Their testing panel gives the Plantronics Explorer 220 Bluetooth headset a Best Buy award because incoming and outgoing sound is surprisingly clear, even in noisy environments. Editors admit that this model can get uncomfortable during long conversations.
Review: Plantronics Explorer 220
Reviewer Sandra Miller tests the Plantronics Explorer 220 Bluetooth headset with an iPhone. She finds that sound quality varies, depending on the background noise, and it's uncomfortable for extended wearing. However, battery life and range are impressive, and she recommends it as a decent entry-level Bluetooth headset.
Review: Plantronics Explorer 220 Bluetooth Headset, Sandra Miller, Sept. 18, 2008
3. Amazon.com
The Plantronics Explorer 220 gets a fair number of user reviews at Amazon. Sound quality reports vary from user to user and phone to phone. Some users also report discomfort after extended use. Most owners, though, give the Explorer 220 four or five stars for being a great value.
Review: Plantronics Explorer 220 Bluetooth Headset, Contributors to Amazon.com
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