Why I Finally Invested in Bluetooth Hearing Protection

I will be honest: I ignored hearing protection for way too long. My router, planer, and table saw are all louder than they should be, and I spent years just… dealing with the ringing afterward. Smart, right?

Then my wife pointed out I was asking what constantly. And my doctor mentioned early signs of hearing damage at my last physical. That finally got through my thick skull.

The Problem With Regular Earmuffs

I tried regular earmuffs first. The passive kind you just slap on. They worked fine for noise reduction, but here is what drove me crazy:

Every time my phone rang, I had to stop the machine, take off the muffs, find my phone buried under sawdust, and answer it. By which point the person had hung up. Then I would put the muffs back on and get back to work. Rinse and repeat eight times a day.

Also – and this might sound dumb – long shop sessions got boring without music or podcasts. Standing at the lathe for two hours in complete silence (other than the motor noise) felt isolating. Yeah, I could use earbuds under the muffs, but that is uncomfortable and they would fall out constantly.

What Bluetooth Hearing Protection Actually Is

These are just earmuffs with speakers and a Bluetooth chip built in. You pair them with your phone, same as any other Bluetooth device. Music plays inside the ear cups while the muffs still block outside noise. Phone calls come through too, and there is a mic so you can talk hands-free.

Is it complicated? Not really. I was skeptical about too many features but the good ones are actually pretty simple. Power button, volume buttons, done. The pairing was easier than my truck’s Bluetooth honestly.

The Noise Rating Thing

All hearing protection has an NRR (Noise Reduction Rating). My router hits about 100 decibels, which can damage hearing in under 15 minutes of exposure. You want earmuffs rated at least 22-25 NRR to bring that down to safe levels.

Some of the Bluetooth models sacrifice noise reduction for features – I saw one rated at only 18 NRR, which is basically useless for serious power tool work. The set I ended up with (3M WorkTunes, if you are curious) is rated at 24 NRR. Not the highest available, but solid for woodworking.

What I Actually Use Them For

Podcasts while hand planing: This is maybe my favorite use. Hand planing is repetitive, meditative work. Having a podcast going makes a two-hour session fly by.

Phone calls during projects: My brother calls constantly. Now I just tap the button, talk for a minute, and get back to work. No stopping, no taking anything off.

Music on the lathe: Turning is another one where background music helps. The lathe is not as loud as the table saw, but it is still enough to want protection.

Listening to the Woodworking YouTube guys: Is it weird to listen to Paul Sellers while I work? Probably. But I learn stuff.

The Battery Situation

This was my big worry. What happens when the battery dies mid-project?

Turns out, the hearing protection still works even with a dead battery. You just lose the Bluetooth features. The muffs themselves are passive protection – no electronics needed for that part. So worst case, you are back to the boring silence situation but your ears are still protected.

My set gets about 30 hours on a charge, which lasts me a good two weeks of normal shop time. I just charge them while I am eating lunch when they get low.

Comfort Over Long Sessions

Some earmuffs clamp onto your head like a vice. After an hour, you have got a headache. The padded ones are way better. Look for adjustable bands and cushioned ear cups – seems obvious but cheaper sets skip these.

Mine are comfortable for four-hour sessions, which is about as long as I typically spend in the shop at a stretch. Anything longer and I am taking breaks anyway because I am old and my back hurts.

Things I Do Not Love

The mic pickup on phone calls is not great. If I am running a machine, the other person hears the machine too. I usually step away from whatever I am doing before taking a call.

Also, the Bluetooth connection occasionally drops if my phone is at the other end of the shop. Minor annoyance but it happens.

And honestly? I look kind of ridiculous. Big orange earmuffs make you look like you are directing aircraft. But vanity versus hearing loss is an easy trade.

Worth the Money?

I paid about 60 bucks for mine. Cheaper ones exist (around 35-40) and fancier ones go up to 100+. The mid-range has worked fine for my needs.

Compare that to hearing aids, which run into the thousands. Or compare it to the frustration of constantly asking people to repeat themselves. Or missing your grandkid’s voice because you blew out your hearing standing at a table saw without protection.

Yeah. Worth it.

The Unexpected Benefit

Here is something I did not expect: I actually spend more time in the shop now. Before, the noise fatigue would drive me out after a couple hours. My ears would be tired and ringing, and I would just want quiet. Now I can work longer, more comfortably, with entertainment. The shop is actually more enjoyable.

My hearing has stabilized too, according to my last checkup. No more progression. Should have done this 20 years ago but at least I am doing it now.