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The best hearing aids are adaptable, rechargeable, and customizable depending on the user’s needs. We review hearing aids from six brands, including Jabra Enhance, Starkey, and MDHearing.
Medical News Today chose hearing aids that fit the following criteria where possible:
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval: MNT only features hearing aids that have FDA approval.
Hearing aid styles: MNT selects hearing aids that are available in a range of styles, such as in-the-ear, in-the-canal, and behind-the-ear, to ensure our readers have a good selection to choose from.
Features: MNT chooses hearing aids with helpful features that offer them the best experience possible, including rechargeable batteries, noise cancelation, on-the-go adjustments, and smartphone connectivity.
Trials and warranty: Buying a hearing aid is often an expensive purchase, so we only feature hearing aid brands that offer trials and generous warranty periods.
Medical News Today follows a strict product selection and vetting process. Learn more.
which option provides the most useful features for their needs
the total cost of the hearing aid
whether there is a trial period
whether a company offers a warranty, how long that warranty lasts, and what it covers
whether the manufacturer will provide temporary replacement hearing aids if the originals need repairing
Features to look out for
A person may work with an audiologist to determine what features would benefit them in a hearing aid. A non-exhaustive list of available features people may look for include:
noise reduction capability
directional microphones
telecoil technology
rechargeable batteries
multichannel compression
How to look after hearing aids
It is important to care for hearing aids regularly to ensure they continue to work properly.
Each brand will offer care tips for its own products, but general tips to keep hearing aids working well include:
keeping them dry and away from extreme temperatures
avoiding dropping the hearing aids and keeping them in a case when they are not in use
cleaning them regularly with the appropriate equipment
taking care when changing or charging batteries
avoiding getting hair care or skin care products on the hearing aids
Hearing aids are small devices that people wear in or behind the ear. They magnify sound vibrations, which helps hair cells convert the vibrations into signals that pass to the brain and allow an individual to hear.
Hearing loss is very common, especially in older people, although hearing loss can happen at any age.
Modern hearing aids have digital signal processing that adapts to different listening environments. Common features include:
Multichannel compression: This allows people to adjust frequency bands to help with customized amplification.
Feedback suppression: This can improve sound quality by adjusting to different directions.
Noise reduction features: These reduce background noise often to make speech clearer.
Some more advanced hearing aids may offer automatic adaption of these features.
Several types of hearing aids are available. Some may be more or less suitable for a person depending on their level and type of hearing loss alongside personal preferences.
Behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids: These go behind a person’s ear. They connect to an earmold inside the outer ear and are suitable for all ages and mild to severe hearing loss.
Receiver-in-canal (RIC) hearing aids: These are similar to but smaller than BTE hearing aids. A thin wire connects to a receiver inside the ear canal, allowing for greater amplification without feedback. They are also called receiver-in-the-ear (RITE) or receiver-in-the-ear (RIE) hearing aids and are suitable for many types of hearing loss.
In-the-ear (ITE) hearing aids: These sit inside the outer ear and may include a telecoil feature. They are suitable for people with mild to severe hearing loss.
In-the-canal (ITC) hearing aids: These types fit into the ear canal, and companies make them to fit the size and shape of a person’s ear canal.
Completely-in-canal (CIC) hearing aids: These fit into the ear canal in the same way as ITC hearing aids but are less visible. They fit the size and shape of a person’s ear canal.
Invisible-in-canal (IIC) hearing aids: These are similar to CIC hearing aids but fit in the second bend of the ear canal, so they are usually invisible to other people.
The FDA regulates all hearing aids. OTC hearing aids are available without a prescription, and people can get them at a local store or online.
The FDA recommends these devices for people 18 years and older with mild to moderate hearing loss. OTC hearing aids may also come with customizations and wireless technology.
OTC hearing aids may not suit people with severe hearing loss. In this case, people will need to visit a healthcare professional to discuss other options. Prescription devices are only available through a medical consultation. Hearing doctors can program the devices depending on the individual’s needs.
Many health insurance providers do not cover hearing aids. A person can check with their provider whether they offer a separate plan to cover hearing aids and follow-up appointments.
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) notes that health insurance providers in certain U.S. states have to provide coverage for children’s hearing aids. ASHA claims that the following states cover hearing aids for people of all ages:
Arkansas
Connecticut
Illinois
New Hampshire
Rhode Island
If a person has had Medicare Part B outpatient coverage for over a year, they may also be able to get coverage for doctor-ordered hearing tests.
Medicaid also covers the cost of hearing aids for adults. However, the amount of coverage may vary.
If a person cannot get coverage, hearing aid brands sometimes offer trials and money-back guarantees so people can test out devices before they commit to a purchase.
The Jabra Enhance is the number one rated hearing aid, according to the u003ca href=u0022https://www.ncoa.org/adviser/hearing-aids/best-hearing-aids/u0022u003eNational Council on Aging (NCOA)u003c/au003e. It lists this hearing aid as the most popular, rating it 9.9 out of 10. The NCOA review specifically mentions the Jabra Enhance’s high quality, natural sound, Bluetooth streaming, choice of colors, and audiologist support. It also notes this hearing aid’s A+ rating on u003ca href=u0022https://www.bbb.org/us/ny/new-york/profile/hearing-assistive-devices/jabra-enhance-0121-185553u0022u003eBetter Business Bureau (BBB)u003c/au003e.
u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ernrnCostco is a very large brand, so it has the capacity to buy hearing aids directly from manufacturers in high quantities. This means it buys stock at a lower price and can pass this saving on to its customers.rnrnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ernrnu003ca href=u0022https://www.costco.com/hearing-aid-center.htmlu0022u003eCostcou003c/au003e also sells own-brand hearing aids, which may be less expensive than other options.rnrnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e
u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ernrnMore expensive hearing aids tend to have more features than less expensive options. These features may include directional microphones, protection from sudden noises, and better noise filters. They may also allow for a greater level of customization to the individual.rnrnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ernrnConversely, less expensive options may simply improve everything a person hears without being tailored to their individual level and type of hearing loss.rnrnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e
u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ernrnThe best hearing aid for clarity of speech may vary from person to person. Effective communication with others may be the most important reason for getting a hearing aid.rnrnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ernrnSome examples include Orka, which claims its AI DeNoise technology balances clarity of speech with noise reduction. The u003ca href=u0022https://www.ncoa.org/adviser/hearing-aids/best-hearing-aids/u0022u003eNCOAu003c/au003e also mentions Starkey when discussing hearing aids for clarifying speech. However, the best option will depend on individual needs and preferences.rnrnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e
The best hearing aids come from reputable brands such as Jabra Enhance, Starkey, and MDHearing. Popular hearing aids are often rechargeable, come in a range of styles and colors, and feature on-the-go adaptability, noise cancelation, and tailored settings depending on a person’s level of hearing loss.
Medical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and draws only from peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We avoid using tertiary references. We link primary sources — including studies, scientific references, and statistics — within each article and also list them in the resources section at the bottom of our articles. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.
