Stereo headphones aren't just for listening to music; they also make calls, often quite well. So, if you're thinking about some wireless headphones to rock out to, you might not need a separate Bluetooth headset. Remember that stereo headphones can sometimes be bulky and might not block distracting environmental noises competently.

By contrast, the stereo headsets in this roundup are lighter and often have boom mics that easily isolate your voice. We compare the two options more decisively in our roundup of the best headsets and headphones for your home office.

The sweet spot for a mono Bluetooth headset is around $100, and if you shop around, you can often find discounts that lower the price slightly. A quality stereo headset generally runs between $150 and $300. The headsets in this roundup are on the high end of that price range because we focused on the absolute best-performing devices for people who rely on their headsets all day.

You can often find a decent (or even excellent) headset for under $50 because they tend to remain in retail channels for a long time after the manufacturer discontinues them. Cheaper Jabra, Motorola, and Poly headsets work fine; they just aren't up to the performance standards of the more expensive category leaders. Typically, they are a bit clunkier and don't offer as effective noise cancellation, but then again, you aren't paying a premium for them.

Noise canceling is great for blocking out consistent sounds, so the microphones have time to detect the sound and cancel it out. Loud, sudden noises are too quick to be properly canceled out, so you’ll still hear these unless you have really good passive isolation.