Jabra BT110

This new Jabra headset starts off with a brilliant idea-instead of a rechargeable battery, it uses a single, easy-to-replace AAA battery that can supply up to 15 hours of talk time, far more than any rechargeable battery Bluetooth headset. You'll get plenty of standby time, as the BT110 automatically powers down soon after a call is ended.

Even though it weighs almost a full ounce, the BT110 lies easily on the ear. The battery compartment hidden behind the ear leaves almost none of the headset visible from the front. But the single top-mounted volume button worked in a cycle; you have to go up before you can go down, and vice versa, which made finding the just-right volume difficult.

After the battery is inserted, the headset automatically pairs with your Bluetooth phone. Only removing and replacing the battery enables the pairing mode. The BT110 stays paired until the battery is replaced.

These design advantages, however, are all wasted. The headset sounds awful. In our tests, sound was crackly, scratchy, and hollow, with a lot of break-ups at both ends of the conversation. Think bad AM radio reception.

Jabra makes some pretty good Bluetooth headsets, including the BT250 and BT800. Unfortunately, the BT110's performance is as low as its price.