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Prices checked on Monday 19 October 2026. Prices and promotions change often, so check the retailer page before you buy.
On work calls, how you sound matters more than how your music sounds. Barking dogs, a neighbour’s generator and a noisy household all reach your colleagues through your microphone. We’ve picked three headsets for working from home with microphone quality as the priority: a wired USB headset with a boom mic, a mid-range noise-cancelling headphone that doubles for music, and a professional wireless headset with a boom mic and ANC.
Quick picks
| Tier | Model | Type | Microphone | ANC | Price (19 Oct 2026) | Where |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Logitech H390 USB Computer Headset | Wired USB-A, on-ear | Boom mic, noise-cancelling | No | R419 | Takealot |
| Better | Sony WH-CH720N | Bluetooth, over-ear | Built-in mics | Yes | R1,699 | Takealot |
| Best | Jabra Evolve2 65 Flex | Bluetooth + USB dongle, on-ear | 6 mics plus hide-away boom arm | Hybrid ANC | R3,999 (Amazon.co.za) · R4,599 (Takealot) | Amazon.co.za · Takealot |
Specs come from each Takealot listing and the brands’ descriptions.
Good: Logitech H390 USB Computer Headset
Best for: anyone who mainly takes calls at a desk and wants a reliable, plug-and-play mic for little money.
The H390 is a basic wired USB headset. It has a boom microphone that Logitech says cancels background noise, plus in-line volume and mute controls. It plugs into a USB-A port with no software needed, per Logitech. Takealot sells it itself at R419 (list price R499), and it has 367 reviews averaging 4.5 stars.
Pros – An adjustable boom mic sits close to your mouth, which generally helps call clarity. [Judgement] – Plug-and-play USB-A with Windows, macOS and ChromeOS, per Logitech. – In-line mute and volume controls. 1.9 m cable. – 24-month warranty, per the listing. Light: 197 g.
Cons – Wired, so you’re tied to the desk. – No active noise cancelling for your own listening. – USB-A only. Newer laptops with only USB-C ports will need an adaptor. – Mic frequency response of 100 Hz–10 kHz, per Logitech, which is a narrower range than its 20 Hz–20 kHz speakers. [Spec context; we haven’t heard it]
Key specs (per listing): USB-A · bi-directional noise-cancelling boom mic (100 Hz–10 kHz) · 20 Hz–20 kHz speakers · in-line controls · 1.9 m cable · 197 g · 24-month warranty.
View on Takealot (no affiliate programme)
Better: Sony WH-CH720N
Best for: people who want one pair for work calls, music and commuting, with noise cancelling to help them focus.
The WH-CH720N is Sony’s lightweight mid-range noise-cancelling headphone. It has Sony’s Dual Noise Sensor technology and Integrated Processor V1, and Sony says it’s designed for “clear hands-free calling”. Battery life is a strong point: up to 35 hours with ANC on. Takealot sells it at R1,699 in black, blue, pink or white (list price R2,499), and it has 446 reviews averaging 4.7 stars.
Pros – ANC with Dual Noise Sensor technology, plus an ambient sound mode, per Sony. – Up to 35 hours of battery with ANC on (50 hours with it off), per the listing. – Comes with a cable for wired listening when the battery runs flat. – Comfortable for long sessions, per Sony. [Not verified]
Cons – No boom mic. Built-in headphone mics are usually further from your mouth, so they may pick up more room noise than a boom mic. [Judgement] – The listing doesn’t state the number of microphones or whether it supports multipoint. [Unverified] – 12-month warranty.
Key specs (per listing): closed over-ear · 30 mm drivers · Bluetooth · ANC · up to 35 h with ANC on / 50 h with it off · charges in about 3.5 h · 12-month warranty.
View on Takealot (no affiliate programme)
Best: Jabra Evolve2 65 Flex
Best for: people on calls for hours a day, especially in a shared or noisy home, who need to sound professional.
The Evolve2 65 Flex is a business headset. It has six microphones with Jabra’s ClearVoice technology, a short boom arm that folds away when you’re not on a call, and hybrid ANC. A USB Bluetooth adapter (Jabra Link 380) is included for a stable connection to your computer with up to 30 m of range, and it can also connect to your phone at the same time. It’s certified for the major meeting platforms (Teams, Zoom and Google Meet), per Jabra. The price is R3,999 on Amazon.co.za, against R4,599 on Takealot (list price R5,999). Both listings come from the same marketplace seller, Razorbill Goods. It has only three reviews so far.
Pros – Six mics plus a boom arm designed for calls in noisy spaces, per Jabra. – Hybrid ANC. – Raise the boom arm to mute, lower it to unmute. A 360° busylight shows when you’re on a call. – Dual Bluetooth connection (computer and phone), USB adapter included. – Up to 20 hours of battery, and a 24-month warranty, per the listing. Folds for travel.
Cons – The dearest pick, and less suited to music than consumer headphones. [Judgement] – On-ear design. Some people find over-ear more comfortable for long periods. [Judgement] – Sold by a marketplace seller, with very few SA reviews. – 20 hours of battery is less than the Sony’s 35 hours.
Key specs (per listing): on-ear · 6 mics + hide-away boom · hybrid ANC · Jabra Link 380 USB Bluetooth adapter · up to 30 m range · dual connectivity · up to 20 h battery · 28 mm speakers · 24-month warranty.
View on Amazon.co.za (no affiliate link; R3,999, marketplace seller) · View on Takealot (no affiliate programme; R4,599)
Also worth a look
- Premium ANC for music and work: Sony WH-1000XM6. Sony lists 12 ANC microphones, a 6-mic AI beamforming system for calls, multipoint and up to 30 hours of battery with ANC on. It’s R7,899 on Takealot in four colours (list price R10,999), sold by Takealot, and has 4.8 stars from 33 reviews. It has no boom mic.
How to choose headphones for working from home
Microphone first
- A boom mic sits close to your mouth, so your voice is louder than the background noise. That’s why call-centre and business headsets use them. [Judgement]
- Multiple mics with beamforming (as on the Jabra and premium Sonys) try to focus on your voice electronically.
- Test your mic with a quick recording or a call to a colleague before an important meeting.
Noise cancelling (ANC)
ANC helps you hear, not your colleagues hearing you. It reduces steady background noise in your ears, such as an air-conditioner, traffic or a generator. Microphone noise reduction is a separate feature.
Wired, USB or Bluetooth?
- Wired USB: no charging, and you’re always connected. Ideal for a fixed desk.
- Bluetooth: freedom to move, but battery life and Bluetooth connection quality matter.
- USB dongle (like the Jabra Link 380): usually more stable than a laptop’s built-in Bluetooth. [Judgement]
Comfort and battery
For all-day wear, check the weight and cushioning, and whether it’s on-ear or over-ear. For wireless models, look for at least a full working day of battery with ANC on.
Outages
A wireless headset with a long battery life keeps working during an outage, if your internet stays up. See our router UPS guide to keep the Wi-Fi on.
FAQ
Are earbuds or headphones better for work calls? For long calls, headsets with a boom mic usually capture voice best. Earbuds are more discreet but put the mic further from your mouth. [Judgement]
Do I need a headset certified for Microsoft Teams? No, most headsets work with Teams. Certified models (such as the Jabra) add extras like a dedicated Teams button and tested call quality.
Is the Logitech H390 compatible with Mac? Logitech lists Windows, macOS and ChromeOS. You’ll need a USB-C adaptor for Macs with only USB-C ports.
Can I use the Sony WH-CH720N for calls? Yes. Sony describes “clear hands-free calling”. It doesn’t have a boom mic, so in very noisy rooms a boom headset is the safer choice.
Why is the Jabra so much more expensive? It’s a business headset, with six mics and a boom, hybrid ANC, a USB adapter, a busylight and platform certification. If you’re on calls all day, those features matter. If not, the Sony is the better value. [Judgement]
How we choose
These picks are research-based. We have not tested these headsets, including their microphones, ourselves yet. We compared specifications from live Takealot listings and brand descriptions, checked prices on 19 October 2026 (including each colour version), and used Takealot customer ratings and review counts as a guide to buyer satisfaction, not as our own verdict. Where a listing leaves out a spec, we say so. When we test a product hands-on, including recorded mic samples, we’ll say so clearly on this page and describe what we measured. Prices, stock and promotions change often; we re-check them each time we update this guide.