Although remote work existed before the pandemic, it was not nearly as common as it is today. Most people are now working from home, an environment that can be prone to noise and distractions that make it difficult to concentrate and maintain productivity.
More and more people who work from home are turning to headphones and headsets to help them shut out noise and focus on work.
To that end, our Fillion experts have decided to present the headphone and headset models they consider best for working from home, and explain the features and functions that make a pair of headphones perfect for daily professional use.
The best headphones for remote work: evaluation criteria
To make their selections, our experts used several evaluation criteria that reflect the needs of people who work from home.
Sound quality
When working from home, you need to be able to hear what your colleagues are saying during video calls and meetings. For optimal comprehension, you need headphones that produce clear, powerful sound.
The headset you choose should also have a high-quality microphone built in so that you can speak with clarity even in noisy places.
Finally, if you like to listen to music while you work, headphones with good sound quality will improve your auditory experience.
Comfort
Remember, you may need to wear your headphones for hours at a time as part of your job. That's why you should look for an ergonomic design that will stay securely in place without causing you discomfort.
Over-ear headphones tend to provide a comfortable fit because they can be adjusted to fit your head. That being said, people who aren’t used to them can find them heavy.
Earphones, on the other hand, are very light but have a tendency to slip out of the ear if the tips chosen aren’t the right size for the user’s auricle and ear canal.
Wired or wireless
When purchasing a headset or headphones for working from home, you will need to consider whether or not to get a wireless model.
Wireless headphones offer more comfort and mobility, but wired models will never have low battery or connectivity issues.
Active noise cancellation
There are headphones and headsets that can cancel out a certain amount of ambient noise. With built-in microphones, these devices pick up unwanted sounds, then analyze them and modify the signal that gets sent to your ears in real time to cancel them out (by producing an opposing frequency). That’s why they’re called “active” noise cancelling headphones, as opposed to passive ones that rely on physically blocking sounds.
If you work in a noisy environment or need to be isolated in order to concentrate properly, noise cancelling headphones can be very useful. However, it’s important to note that every manufacturer has their own ambient noise cancelling system, and some are more effective than others.
Battery life
If you’re thinking of buying wireless headphones, battery life is a key feature to consider.
Some wireless headphones can be used while plugged in, meaning that you can continue using them even when the battery is dead, but that’s not possible with true wireless headphones.
Work-from-home headphones: our favourite models
If you’ve started researching which headphone models might work for you, you’ve probably realized that there is a lot of variety currently available.
To help you narrow it down, we’ve compiled a short list of the best models based on a few important criteria.
The best headphones for working from home: Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700
The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 model, the long-awaited successor to the QuietComfort 35 II, has just about everything you could want from professional headphones.
It has arguably the most effective active noise cancellation system ever created. You can even adjust the noise cancellation level. The sound quality is well above average, which is perfect for music lovers. Even phone calls will sound great with these headphones!
These Bose headphones have a convenient Bluetooth connection, making them easy to connect to most devices you might use for work (smartphone, tablet, laptop, etc.). In wireless mode, they have a battery life of up to 20 hours.
The model has an elegant design and can be worn for hours at a time without causing pain or discomfort.
This was a difficult choice to make, because there are other excellent options in this category, such as the Sennheiser Momentum Wireless and Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones.
The best earphones for working from home
The Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 earbuds might be the ultimate earphones for working from home. With these, you can stay connected to your colleagues without feeling like you’re wearing any audio equipment at all.
These are true wireless earphones, meaning that they work without any wires at all, even between the two buds. They have excellent active noise cancellation that works well whether you're on a call or just listening to music. They also have built-in, customizable touchpad technology that lets you control volume, music and calls with the touch of a finger.
The distinguishing feature of these earphones are their unparalleled sound, which can properly showcase any musical genre. You can even personalize your listening experience thanks to their built-in equalizers.
According to Sennheiser, these earphones have a battery life of approximately 7 hours, meaning you can use them for almost the whole work day without needing to charge them in their charging and storage case, which is included.
Like the previous category, this choice was a difficult one, with the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds coming in a close second.
Find more great products and expert advice at fillion.ca
As you have undoubtedly noticed, most of the models presented in this article are wireless, because we believe that using wireless headphones for work can me more comfortable and less cumbersome. However, there are also wired models that are great for working from home.
If you would like an expert opinion on the other models we offer in our online store, contact us! Our Fillion experts will be able to suggest the products that best suit your needs. With their advice, you’ll find working from home more productive than ever!
