So today, in my inbox, I received an offer from a discount electronics vendor from whom I’ve purchased stuff before. The vendor is reputable, the products they sell are usually name-brand items with full warranties, and I’ve had a good experience with them overall.
Anyway, so I get this offer for a Bluetooth headset. These usually go anywhere from $25 for a low-end model to around $300 for the really good ones. I check out the reviews on this particular headset, and it initially retailed at $79. The reviews are a mixed bag. A lot of people complain about the ear-loop breaking in heavy usage, occasional problems with disconnects, and in rare cases voice quality problems. Overall, very middle-of-the-road.
The price? $9.88 cents per headset.
So here’s the issue: it’s a large-name manufacturer. I had planned on spending around $40-$60 on a headset. I’m a little bit concerned about the earloop breaking… but at that price, I could just buy 5-6 of the things and have a lifetime supply of earloops. The complaints about sound quality and disconnects are fairly typical for most Bluetooth headsets in this range.
Would you pick up several of these guys at the steeply discounted price, or steer clear and go for one higher-priced item? I mean, it retailed for $80 only two years ago, and currently retails for around $50 from discount sellers.
Tough calls when I know I’m getting into an item with a history of a few problems here and there…
What’s the connecting phone?
Matt, is the headset for a mobile or for stationary unit? I’ve had terrible results getting Bluetooth headsets for my Treo700p, regardless of the cost. Frankly, I wouldn’t let selling price sway your perception of value when it comes to electronics, unless there are noticeable distinctions in features.
Jawbone
Recently i bought a new headset. After doing some research and talking to some people in the office i decided on a Jawbone. A big larger than the others i have seen, but now that i have used it for about a month or so, the quality is well worth it. Here is a link that talk about the technology behind the headset. Basically it has a noise canceling capability – and from experience now it works really well. I am able to talk with the windows open in the car or even answer with the radio still playing and the caller does not hear what’s going on in the background. The head set was on the pricey side, but i think it has been worth it.
While you are out at the site, there is a nice Demo that will show the headset in action.
Small things
Don’t forget how easily a $150 dollar headset could get lost or broken, too. For ten bucks a pop, I’d say it’s well worth it to pick up a couple or a few. That way you even have insurance if your tech gets misplaced.