What are the best hearing aids? What defines the best hearing aid to the consumer? Just like any other product, consumers want the best value for their dollar. The best performance, the most reliable and durable product, and the lowest cost. It’s what we all want in the household products we purchase. As you begin to research the options available you can quickly get overwhelmed with the myriad of types, manufacturers, cost and just understanding it all!
So which one is the best? It’s not a straightforward answer. Obviously, there are definitely low end products that you want to steer away from. To determine what is most appropriate for you work with your audiologist or hearing aid professional of choice. There are many considerations to determine what’s best for you.
Considerations:
- Severity of hearing loss
- Style and feature preferences
- Your lifestyle – active, inactive, etc.
- Personal budget – how much can you afford?
- Typical listening environments – noisy, conference room meetings, one-on-one, etc.
What type or style do you prefer?
- Behind the ear open fit
- Behind the ear with earmold
- Completely in the canal
- In the canal
- In the ear
The style selection available to each individual depends on the severity of your hearing loss and the features you would like. Although the smaller, in the canal hearing aids are less visible they also have less room for some of the features you might like. The smaller hearing aids also come at a higher cost.
So what are the best hearing aids? It really comes down to what is best for you. Work with your audiologist or hearing aid professional to determine what works for you based on your needs and preferences.