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Jabra BT160 Bluetooth Headset review: Jabra BT160 Bluetooth Headset

Jabra BT160 Bluetooth Headset

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Nicole Lee Former Editor
Nicole Lee is a senior associate editor for CNET, covering cell phones, Bluetooth headsets, and all things mobile. She's also a fan of comic books, video games, and of course, shiny gadgets.
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Nicole Lee
2 min read

Most Bluetooth headsets look the same, so when we see one that's eye-catching and attractive, we tend to take notice. Jabra got our attention last year with the JX10's sleek, silver design, and the company has done it again with one of its more recent headsets, the BT160. While its shape may not be anything new (indeed, it's very close to the Jabra BT350's), the BT160 is the first Bluetooth headset that comes packaged with 33 covers, each with different colors and patterns. The Jabra BT160 retails for $59, but you can get it for $39 after online discounts.

7.6

Jabra BT160 Bluetooth Headset

The Good

The Jabra BT160 comes with 33 different design faceplates, plus you have the option of designing your own. It has a flexible ear hook, a comfortable fit, easy-to-press buttons, and solid audio quality.

The Bad

It takes a while to get the right fit with the Jabra BT160, and it doesn't sound great in noisy environments.

The Bottom Line

Besides offering decent audio quality and a comfortable fit, the Jabra BT160's multiple design faceplates set it apart from most other Bluetooth headsets.

From Tango to Argyle, the 33 covers come in a variety of patterns and colors, and you can even go to Jabra.com to design your own for an additional price. We like the fact that Jabra offers plain color designs as alternatives to the patterned ones, just in case you want more conservative options. To switch designs, you simply remove a plastic covering on top of the headset, insert a new design, and replace the covering.

The Jabra BT160 looks a lot like the Jabra BT350, as previously mentioned. It has the same oval form factor, dimensions and weight (2.48 by 1.02 by 0.47 inches; 0.56 ounce), omnidirectional microphone, flexible ear loop, and controls. As with the BT350, the earpiece rests against the ear, so it took us a while to get the right fit. A couple differences are that the BT160 has a black body instead of a silver one. Please read our review of the Jabra BT350 for a more detailed roundup of the design aspects that remain the same.

We tested the Jabra BT160 with the LG CG300, and the pairing process was painless. Calls sounded good as long as the headset was positioned correctly, which as mentioned can take a while. Callers heard us loud and clear, though we had some problems in noisier environments. Aside from answering and ending calls, the BT160 supports voice dialing, last-number redial, and placing a call on hold. The Jabra BT160 has a rated talk time of 8 hours and a rated standby time of four days.