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People who wear hearing aids often struggle to hear audio from cell phones, televisions, computers, and other personal audio devices. Bluetooth hearing aids help solve that problem — they bring the traditional daily benefits of hearing aids along with clearer audio and greater sound control.
But what exactly is Bluetooth technology, and how do you choose the best Bluetooth hearing aids? We explore everything you need to know to decide if Bluetooth-enabled hearing aids are right for you, and review some of the best Bluetooth hearing aids available today.
You’re probably familiar with Bluetooth devices. Bluetooth technology is common in wireless headphones, speakers, smartphones, newer vehicles, computers, and televisions.
Bluetooth is a form of wireless technology in which devices use radio waves to communicate over a short distance. Bluetooth helps users connect their electronic devices wirelessly, enhancing the ease of use.
When you connect two Bluetooth-compatible devices — such as a smartphone with a set of Bluetooth headphones — it’s called “pairing the devices.” Once paired, you can take calls or listen to music without having to hold your phone up to your ear or deal with wires.
Bluetooth-enabled hearing aids facilitate wireless connectivity with Bluetooth-compatible devices, including your smartphone, music player, computer, and television. With Bluetooth, you can stream sound directly to your hearing aids.
Here are a few of the things you can do with Bluetooth digital hearing aids that you can’t with traditional hearing aids:
Our team of experts has spent more than 200 hours researching hearing aids to discover the best Bluetooth hearing aids for different needs. After we talked with audiologists, read customer reviews, and researched more than 30 models and styles of hearing aids, the following Bluetooth hearing aid models stood out.
Jabra Enhance is a leader in online Bluetooth hearing aids and produces some of the best OTC hearing aids on the market. Buyers can purchase Jabra Enhance Select hearing aids online with either basic or premium-level care and protection. The premium package, which tends to be about $200 more than the basic, includes three-year access to professional hearing care with the Jabra Enhance Audiology Team. They can custom-program your hearing aids after purchase and make remote adjustments through your Jabra Enhance Select app. Unfortunately, the basic package does not come with this custom service.
Jabra Enhance Select hearing aids are only available in a receiver-in-canal style with the choice of either conventional or rechargeable batteries. The rechargeable version boasts 30 hours of sound per charge, with the portable case holding three additional charges.
These hearing aids are nearly invisible when in-ear and come in seven colors designed to match your hair shade. Both versions allow for direct streaming from Apple devices, while the rechargeable model also supports streaming from select Android devices. You can purchase Jabra Enhance’s Android Phone Clip+ streamer that accommodates all Bluetooth-enabled Android devices for an added fee.
Hearing loss suitability: Mild to moderately severe hearing loss
Trial period: 100-day money-back guarantee
Warranty: One-year warranty and one-year loss and damage protection (basic package), or three-year warranty and three-year loss and damage protection (premium package)
Get Jabra Enhance at JabraEnhance.com
Audicus Spirit 2 Bluetooth hearing aids are directly compatible with both Apple and Android smartphones. Because the Spirit 2 works with most Bluetooth-enabled smartphones, you won’t need to carry around a streamer.
The Spirit 2 is available with a choice of disposable or rechargeable batteries and is a mid-range model from Audicus, in terms of pricing and features. Compared to Spirit 1, the Spirit 2 device also has two directional microphones and telecoil upon request. It also offers more memory, allows streaming on up to two Bluetooth devices at a time — with seamless switching between devices through tap-controls — has more channels (16) with Speech Finder technology, as well as more listening environments (six), and the ability to scan and auto adjust quicker to those listening environments. Plus, it is 10 percent smaller in size than the Spirit 1. We chose Spirit 2 compared to the Audicus Omni line because it comes with a lot of crossover features at a lower price point.
Audicus hearing aids come standard with unlimited programming adjustments and support; a short, 45-day trial; and a two-year warranty. Audicus charges extra for loss and repair coverage. However, if you purchase the rechargeable Spirit 2, you are eligible to enroll in the Audicus Premier membership program, which includes a one-time fee of $249 and a monthly fee of $99. Program benefits include new hearing aids every 18 months, loss and damage protection, and accessories. Note that Audicus Premier is only available when you purchase rechargeable Series 2 hearing aid models — it is not available for Spirit 1 and costs more ($149 per month) for the upgraded Omni 2 model.
Hearing loss suitability: Moderate to severe hearing loss
Trial period: 45-day money-back trial
Warranty: Two-year manufacturer’s warranty
Find Audicus Spirit 2 at Audicus.com.
Phonak is a well-known hearing aid brand, and its Audeo Paradise 90 Bluetooth hearing aids provide clear sound for people with all levels of hearing loss. With features including speech enhancement, noise cancellation, and ADP 2.0 — an algorithm that makes listening and understanding easier — the Phonak P90 hearing aids utilize cutting-edge technology to help people achieve better hearing.
The P90 Bluetooth hearing aids come with either standard or rechargeable batteries. For ease of use, the P90 has built-in tapping technology so you can pause or play audio streaming by tapping near your hearing aids.
Hearing loss suitability: Mild to profound hearing loss
Trial period: 45-day risk-free trial
Get Phonak Audio Paradise 90 at Yeshearing.com.
Hearing aids take time to process sounds and send them to your ear. The delay between when the sound occurs and when you hear it — caused by the processing time — creates an artificial sound. Widex utilizes PureSound technology to shorten the processing time, creating more real-life sound.
The Moment BTE 13 D hearing aids marry clear sound with Bluetooth connectivity. You may pair your Moment hearing aids to an iPhone or iOS device directly or use a COM-DEX streamer to connect to Android devices. This style is also our top pick for hearing aid wearers with tinnitus.
Hearing loss suitability: Mild to moderately severe hearing loss
Trial period: 45-day risk-free trial
Warranty: Three-year manufacturer’s warranty and three-year loss and damage warranty
Get Widex Moment at Widex.
Contralateral routing of signal (CROS) hearing aids assist people who have hearing loss in just one ear. The Signia CROS X line of hearing aids offers Bluetooth connectivity designed to enhance audio clarity for people with one-sided hearing loss. The CROS X hearing aids have rechargeable batteries.
Hearing loss suitability: Mild to moderate hearing loss
Warranty: Three-year manufacturer’s warranty and three-year loss and damage warranty
Get CROS 10 Signs at Yeshearing.com.
The Starkey Livio AI combines advanced sound technology with activity tracking for a hearing aid that supports overall wellness. You can think of the Livio AI as a Bluetooth hearing aid plus a fitness tracker all in one. Starkey’s Healthable technology tracks fitness goals and active listening for the optimal health and hearing experience.
The Thrive Hearing Control app also boasts some unique features. Using your hearing aids, you can find your phone by having it ring, and the app can transcribe your conversations.
Hearing loss suitability: Mild to profound hearing loss
Trial period: 45-day money-back guarantee
Warranty: Three-year manufacturer’s warranty and three-year loss and damage warranty
Get Starkey Livio AI at Yeshearing.com.
Hearing aids with Bluetooth capabilities provide new opportunities for people who use hearing aids, but this technology has both advantages and disadvantages. Find out what to expect so you can decide if Bluetooth hearing aids are a good fit for your needs.
Most people use a smartphone as their central connection point for Bluetooth devices. Because it is convenient to use a smartphone, Bluetooth connectivity is an important factor to consider when shopping for Bluetooth hearing aids. Most hearing aid manufacturers design Bluetooth-compatible hearing aids to connect with either Android or Apple iOS devices.
If you have an iPhone, look for Made for iPhone (MFi) hearing aids. For Android users, the best hearing aids have Audio Streaming for Hearing Aids (ASHA) technology. Universal Bluetooth hearing aids are compatible with both Apple and Android phones and other devices.
Consumers without a smartphone require a separate device called a streamer. A streamer acts as a central link for your Bluetooth-connected devices. Similarly, you may find that you need a streamer in the future if you buy a different smartphone or have some Apple and some Android devices.
Other factors to consider include:
To fully understand this category, our reviews team immersed themselves in the current published research on hearing loss and hearing aid devices, interviewed experts and hearing loss professionals, read thousands of reviews on trusted third-party sites, and deployed a survey of more than 600 hearing aid users to understand their customer experience.
We narrowed down which brands to review within this category by speaking with audiologists and looking at brand market share. We then considered cost, the degree of hearing loss each model could address, and special features offered — from directional microphones to digital background noise reduction to rechargeable batteries.
Once our reviews team makes their selections, an audiologist medically reviews our picks to vet each brand and model.
We determined our top picks for the best hearing aids based on the following criteria:
Learn more about our hearing aids review methodology.
Yes Hearing is a valuable tool for finding high-quality hearing aids with local service. Yes Hearing works with the most trusted hearing aid brands to bring customers the same products at an average of 30 percent savings. Locations are scattered across the United States, so you can work with a local doctor to help you select, fit, program, and service your hearing aids.
Here’s how Yes Hearing works:
Bluetooth hearing aids work just as well as traditional hearing aids for general daily use and provide better sound quality when using audio devices. Bluetooth hearing aids enhance audio clarity for people with hearing aids when paired with smartphones, computers, speakers, TVs, tablets, and music players.
The best Bluetooth hearing aids for you depend on whether you use an Android or Apple smartphone, how much you’re willing to spend, and what features you want. A healthcare provider can help you select the best pair.
Bluetooth hearing aids have a higher price point than similar hearing aids without Bluetooth connectivity. You can expect to spend a minimum of $700 per ear, with the highest-quality Bluetooth hearing aids costing as much as $5,000 per pair. Medicare Advantage plans may help cover hearing aid costs.
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