Many people who need hearing aids think they can’t afford them.
That’s tragic, because not getting the hearing correction you need can have profound negative effects on your life. Hearing loss can make it impossible to hear an ambulance siren or a fire alarm. It can rob you of your ability to enjoy going to the movies or spending an evening with your friends. The cumulative effects of hearing loss can lead to depression and dementia.
We won’t tell you that effective hearing aids are cheap, but we can help you find hearing aids you can afford. There are dozens of hearing aids on the market, but these eight illustrate some special attributes of the best hearing aids on the market in 2021. Each of the brands that make our 10 best hearing aids also have similar models for your individual needs and budget.
A Hearing Aid You Lease for $49 a Month
The Lexie Lumen is a cutting-edge hearing aid with adaptive noise controls and on-demand remote care. It comes with an intensive training program that encourages users to wear their hearing aids regularly (monitored with the previously mentioned remote controls) and learn more about their devices with reward points that lower monthly payments. And it is available on a lease-to-own plan at $49 a month for 24 months ($1176 total) or $799 cash up front. The Lexie Lumen in Bluetooth-compatible and comes with a directional microphone.
Not everyone with hearing loss benefits most from this model. And if you count up the total of 24 monthly payments, you may also be able to find a less expensive hearing aid.
A Hearing Aid That Gives You Natural Sound
Most hearing aids are digital. They work something like a CD or your HD TV. They convert sound into numbers and then transform the numbers back into sound in your ear. Analog hearing aids work on the same principle as a megaphone or a microphone. They don’t deconstruct and reconstruct sound. They amplify it.
One of the few analog hearing aids still on the market is the MDHearingAid Pro. It doesn’t have a directional microphone, but it does have noise reduction, and it gives the sensation of natural sound. There is a behind-the-ear model of the Pro that costs just $200.
A Hearing Aid Subscription Club for $100 Plus $39 a Month
Audicus takes a one-of-a-kind approach to marketing its hearing aids. For $100 plus $39 a month, you get all the supplies you need shipped directly to your door, plus new hearing aids every 18 months. You can cancel your membership at any time by returning your hearing aids, and your hearing aids are insured against loss or damage.
Audicus avoids the one-size-fits-all philosophy. You can upload your audiogram from Harbor Audiology to their website, and their audiologists will customize your hearing aids for your best hearing experience. Even the least expensive Audicus hearing aids are fully digital, directional, and Bluetooth enabled for streaming sound.
Hearing Aids With Artificial Intelligence
Starkey hearing aids use artificial intelligence to process sound, so the hearing aid learns what the wearer needs to hear. One wearer will be unusually sensitive to car noise, so the hearing aids can develop a program to cancel out car noise. Another wearer will have trouble remembering conversations, so these hearing aids will send a transcription of conversations to the user’s smartphone. Users can stream movies, television, and music through their hearing aids.
Designed for the elderly, hearing aids in the Starkey line include connectivity to Alexa, fall detection, and light-based hearing technology. These hearing aids are also designed to be compatible with telehealth, adjustable by your audiologist with having to come in for an appointment.
The Best Hearing Aid for Teachers
It’s not easy to find a good hearing aid for teachers, especially elementary school teachers. It’s not easy to find the right hearing aid if you enjoy big, boisterous gatherings with families and friends. And which hearing aid should you wear if you still want to sing in a choir?
Phonak has been making hearing aids in Switzerland since 1947. They specialize in hearing amplification for people who need to keep up with multiple conversations at once. Their Lyric model is completely invisible, and can be worn for months before its batteries wear out.
An iPhone-Compatible Hearing Aid Customer Love
Lively operates from a single brick-and-mortar location in New York City. It keeps its overhead low so it can keep prices low (relatively speaking). Lively’s assistive hearing devices are all compatible with iOS devices and can be adjusted by your audiologist remotely when you need to use them in a new setting or there are changes in your hearing status. Lively hearing aids are available for as little as $69 per month.
The Best Hearing Aid for The Fashion Conscious
Signia is a uniquely fashion-forward brand of hearing aids for people with mild to profound hearing loss. Their programming delivers multiple features that achieve extraordinary sound quality and noise management. Their designers provide their hearing aids with beautiful housings that include brushed metal finished and a wide selection of colors. Signia devices cost $1,349 to $1,800 per ear, but the company also has stylish offerings in another product line.
The Best Hearing Aid for Getting the Settings Just Right
It can take a lot of adjustments to get your hearing aids exactly the way you want them. You don’t want to have to be coming in to Harbor Audiology for every little adjustment — but you still want to work with a hearing professional. The ReSound GN has a functionality that allows any adjustment your audiologist could make in the office to be made remotely, so you don’t have to spend time traveling to and from our offices and you have a lot more flexibility with your schedule.
How Do You Get Started Choosing a Hearing Aid That Gives You the Best Experience of Sound Possible?
The first step is getting your hearing tested at Harbor Audiology. Sure, you could take an online hearing test, but you will get a lot more useful information from an in-person hearing exam with a qualified Harbor audiologist.
Then, think beyond how much your hearing aids will cost. The hearing aid that works best for you in the places where you will use it and the ways it will keep you connected with the life you love may not be the rock bottom cheapest hearing aid on the market. Your audiologist at Harbor Audiology can help you choose from these and many other devices.
We’ll also help you make your selections of remote controls, streaming accessories, and microphones. And we’ll prepare you for costs that aren’t necessarily mentioned in advertising for your hearing aid.
The hearing specialists at Harbor Audiology can help you choose the right hearing aids. We can help you with payment options. Request your appointment online today!