Handsfree Headset for Landline

February 27, 2006 6:45 PM

Help me find a wireless headset for use with a landline telephone by a new parent.

My wife and I are about to have our first baby. When the baby arrives, my wife would like to be able to talk on the phone handsfree, while wearing her bathrobe or pajamas. She'd like to be able to do this with our landline, and (for bonus points) with her cell phone.

Ideally she should be able to answer and hang up the phone from her headset. For dialing, it's fine for her to go to a base unit.

I've found lots of headsets that plug into a cell phone, or into the handset of a cordless telephone. But those only work if you have some way to strap the cell phone or handset onto your body, i.e. not when you're in your p.j.'s or bathrobe.

Oh, one last detail: my wife has had ear surgery, so anything with an ear bud is out.

I've found a few items that look like they might work for this, but the descriptions have been obscure enough that it wasn't clear. The units were also pretty expensive ($200-$300).

posted by alms to Technology (7 answers total)

There are tons of these out there that are cordless phones with the controls on a belt-clip pack and a headset, but none of them will operate with a cellphone; you'd have getting a different headset for that. A belt-clip pack would work with my PJs or bathrobe, but YMMV.

Amazon has a bunch; here's a search for cordless headset phones in which the first half-dozen are the kind of thing I'm talking about.

If the beltpack isn't suitable, I found this one at Hammacher Schlemmer, which uses an over-the-ear clip, and has all the controls on the headset.
posted by mendel at 7:11 PM on February 27, 2006

Response by poster: We're hoping to get something that doesn't involve a belt-clip pack or anything else strapped to the body (other than the headset). That definitely makes the search harder. This one looks like it fits the bill pretty well, but the the reviews indicate some problems.
posted by alms at 7:47 PM on February 27, 2006

If you're serious about getting her a good headset, you need to check out Hello Direct.
posted by intermod at 8:08 PM on February 27, 2006

Response by poster: If anyone has experience with a particular model of phone, I'd appreciate the info.
posted by alms at 6:31 AM on February 28, 2006

Plantronics makes something exactly like this. I know for sure that they have a bluetooth headset/docking station combo that works with both cell phones and home phones. (although since the bluetooth headset part is like a normal bluetooth headset, it has a small 'ear nub' part that holds the headset in the ear) (see the Plantronics site)
posted by reverendX at 8:05 AM on February 28, 2006

Would a speakerphone meet your/her needs? I've seen cordless phones where the handset could act as a speakerphone (not just the base).
posted by olecranon at 9:43 AM on February 28, 2006

I am using the Plantronics device at work. It is exactly what you are looking for (except for the use with cellphone part). With the lifter, she can answer and hang up remotely (there is a beep to advise you of an incoming call if you can't otherwise hear the ring - yes - it can work from quite a distance). The headset goes over the ear, not in it, and the sound quality is great. I need to do quite a lot of teleconferences lately, and the headset is very comfortable, and lets me use both hands. I didn't have to pay for it at work (employer paid) so I can't quite comment on value, but I am very satisfied with it.
posted by birdsquared at 7:44 PM on February 28, 2006