There are so many options for online hearing aids that it can be a struggle to find the best ones for you. Here’s our guide for some methods to thoroughly research before you buy, so you can find the best hearing aids online!
Become a Review Expert
One of the best ways to buy anything online, including medical devices like hearing aids, is to read the reviews for each product. This includes customer reviews and reviews from expert websites. Consumer Reports is a great resource for researching the best hearing aids online: They do surveys of thousands of customers and regularly update their hearing aid brand ratings.
When you’re shopping around at different brands, make sure to read the customer reviews as well—and not just on the company’s website. Type “[company name] hearing aid reviews” into a search engine (like Google) and browse around the different sites that come up. These are honest reviews from customers and will tell you the pros and cons of the device, not just what the seller wants to show!
Look Into Hearing Aid Companies
Because you’re interacting with hearing aid sellers over the internet, it can be hard to determine whether they are a quality and trustworthy business. Websites like the Better Business Bureau can tell you if a retailer can be trusted with your time and money. Simply search the company name and you can read customer experience reviews and see the BBB rating—if a company has a low rating, it’s best to find another hearing aid retailer!
Know What You Want in Your Hearing Aids
Before diving into the world of online hearing aid buying, do some research into the different types of hearing aids. Depending on what type of hearing loss you have, there could be multiple models of hearing aids that will work for you. There are five main types of hearing aid:
- Mini behind the ear (mBTE)
- Behind the ear (BTE)
- Completely in canal (CIC)
- In the canal (ITC)
- In the ear (ITE)
Look for images of these models so you can decide what kind of style you’d like best—it can help you narrow down the options! Then you can use search terms like “best CIC hearing aid” or “most popular BTE hearing aid” to get directly to hearing aids that you’ll love.
Understand What Hearing Aid Features You Need
When you’re looking for the best hearing aids online, it’s really helpful to know what you want and understand the terminology. Know the difference between hearing aids and hearing amplifiers—hearing aids are programmed, customized devices that fit your level of hearing loss. Hearing amplifiers make all sounds louder, which might not be helpful for you.
If you’re looking for hearing aids online rather than in person, you might need to take a hearing test. You can buy custom hearing aids without going to an audiologist’s office—some hearing aid retailers have online tests you can take from the comfort of your own home. Taking the test is very important because it allows the hearing aid retailer to customize your devices.
If you’re not sure what type of hearing loss you have, you can take our hearing test right now and find out which hearing aid is right for you: Take here.