What are the Best Hearing Aids?

If you’re looking for hearing aids, you will have noticed that there is a surprising amount of choice out there. The market, like most, is segmented into various sections, with a range of high-end premium hearing aids alongside more affordable alternatives. But what are the best hearing aids? Which variety of hearing aid should you choose?

The best hearing aid is ultimately the one that suits you. There is a range of different types of hearing aids on the market, all with a variety of features, any one of which could be the ideal choice.

Choose your hearing aid style

Hearing aids come in a variety of form factors. The form factor of the hearing aid is just the shape of the unit itself and how it interfaces with your body.

Choose behind-the-ear for features and affordability

Behind-the-ear hearing aids are those with a section that hangs behind the ear and another part that goes into the ear canal. These hearing aids tend to be cheaper to manufacture and so more affordable for people with hearing loss, and because they offer more internal space, they often have more onboard features.

Choose in-the-ear for discretion

In-the-ear hearing aids are those that fit in the ear canal and don’t have a part that sits behind the ear. They tend to be more discreet than behind-the-ear hearing aids with only a small section protruding from the ear canal to the outer ear.

Choose completely-in-the-ear for discretion and sports

Completely-in-the-ear hearing aids fit entirely within the ear canal and cannot be seen from the outside, making them perfect for people who want complete discretion. Because CIC hearing aids have no internal parts, they are also great for people who play contact sports and want to avoid damaging their hearing aids. CIC hearing aids tend to command higher prices, thanks to their smaller size.

Choose the additional features you need

Hearing aids come with a range of features: some will be essential for your lifestyle, while others will be irrelevant.

Noise cancellation

Noise cancellation is an excellent choice for people who spend a lot of time in loud rooms with many conversations going on at once. If you struggle to hear the person you’re talking to in noisy environments, noise cancellation can help.

Telecoils

Most hearing aids come with telecoils, a component which pumps sound from the telephone directly to the hearing aid speaker, bypassing the microphone. This feature is excellent for people who chat a lot on the phone.

Synchronization

Synchronization is a technology that links two hearing aids together, recreating the natural sound processing capabilities of the ears.

Wireless connectivity

Just like a telephone, you can hook up some compatible wireless devices so that they send audio signals directly to the speaker, bypassing the microphone.

Rechargeable batteries

Most hearing aids use alkaline batteries that cannot be recharged. Alkaline batteries have a high energy density, allowing manufacturers to make small hearing aids. Replacing batteries can be a hassle, though, so some models come with rechargeable batteries for convenience.