Editor Note: This review was written by our newest editor. Thanks Wes!
If, like me, you have a small child in your life who plays annoying Youtube videos at high volume, you are the key demographic for the iClever Kids Bluetooth Headphones (BTH22). And if this small child has left a trail of destroyed technology in their wake, you may be interested in iClever’s claim that the BTH22 are 50% more durable than regular headphones. I road-tested the BTH22 with a chronically online 9-year-old to see how the claims stood up.
First impressions
The packaging of the BTH22 is about what you’d expect for something retailing at $40, which is to say they were kind of just rattling around loose in a cardboard box. Mine were a very kid-friendly shade of pastel blue, and while they’re pleasant enough to look at, the all-plastic construction and artificial leather ear cups do look and feel cheap.
The headphones charge with USB-C, and a USB-A to C cord is supplied that will fit your other devices’ power adaptors. A 3.5mm audio cable is also provided.
Set up
There are two ways to connect these headphones; wired, using the supplied audio cable (which is probably easiest for little kids to figure out), or Bluetooth. The initial Bluetooth setup is pretty simple – when you first turn the BTH22 on, it automatically enters pairing mode.
Younger kids that swap between devices may find the Bluetooth setup a little fiddly and will probably need help. There is no Bluetooth pairing button – instead, you need to disconnect from your first device’s Bluetooth menu to kick the headphones back into pairing mode, or to make them available for other devices to connect to.
In Use
Our 9-year-old road tester spent a solid day with the BTH22 and informed me that “the sound is good”. Unfortunately that’s about as much detail as he was inclined to provide, so the rest are my own observations. Thankfully, the BTH22 adjustable sizing is able to cater to small boys and 40 year-old bald men alike.
The clam-shell faux-leather earphones of the BTH22 are quite comfortable for long listening sessions, with less of the pressure clamping you sometimes get with over-ear headphones, and while there are no noise-cancelling features, they do a serviceable job of blocking out ambient noise.
In terms of audio quality, the BTH22 has surprisingly decent bass that does a good job with hip hop and dance music, though it sounds a little hollow or flat in the midtones. These headphones would probably suit most kids pretty well for most uses (e.g. gaming, movies, etc), but music aficionados are likely to be disappointed.
Other features
The BTH22 have a volume-limiting function, where you can press the + and – buttons simultaneously to force a limit of 74 dB. If your kid seems intent on blasting out their eardrums, this could be an attractive feature.
Issues
The only thing really wrong with the BTH22 is the quite abysmal microphone. It’s essentially just a small hole on the side of the headset, not particularly facing the mouth area, that results in very muddy, quiet voice capture. This is probably okay for kids using their outdoor voice to berate their Fortnite team-mates, but is not going to work very well for phone calls or social video chats.
That said, the design decision of the mic makes a lot of sense in the context that the BTH22 prioritises durability over all else. For some purchasers, a mic that can’t be bent or broken off while these things are being sat on or stuffed in backpacks could make a lot of sense.
Conclusion
The iClever Kids Bluetooth Headphones are a totally sensible purchase for younger or highly accident-prone kids. They got the tick of approval from the 9 year-old tester, who is probably square in the target demographic. The audio and build quality is very decent for this price point, and if your priorities are durability and eardrum safety, they could be a great buy. Older kids or adults looking for something to listen to music on may find themselves wishing they’d gone for a more premium option.
The BTH22 are currently retailing on Amazon for $42.99 AUD.
DRN would like to thanks iClever for providing the hardware for this review.
Specifications
- 60 Hours Playtime
- Adjustable Headband
- Soft Protein Earmuffs
- Foldable Lightweight Design
- 110° Swivel Ear Cups
- Both Wireless and Wired Mode
- Form Factor: Over-ear
- Connection Type: Bluetooth v5.4
- Safe Volume Limited: 74/85dBA
- Battery Capacity: 500mAh
- Charging Time: 2h
- Battery Life: Light off 50h/Light on 15h
- Charging Port: Type-C
- Headphones Jack: 3.5mm Jack
- Material: Leather, Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene(ABS)
- Driver Diameter: 40mm
- Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20KHz
- Weight: 165g
