The Best Hearing Aids for Seniors
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Hearing loss can happen at any age—including birth—but it’s most common among older adults. Data shows that about a third of people 65 and older have age-related hearing loss, jumping to 50 percent after age 75. For these individuals, a hearing aid can significantly enhance their quality of life, allowing them to fully engage in social activities or talk freely on the phone.
Until 2022, when the US Food and Drug Administration green-lit over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids, seniors could only get hearing aids prescribed by a doctor. The FDA’s approval of OTC devices opened the door to increased access and lower costs, and today there are more styles available than ever. For many seniors, behind-the-ear (BTE) devices are popular, though in-the-ear (ITE) models are excellent choices for those who want a more discreet option and can maneuver them without dexterity challenges. Based on our testing, the Jabra Enhance Select 300 tops our list for its sound quality, high level of customer service, and ease of use. Here’s our full list of hearing aids for seniors, including over-the-counter and prescription devices, all expert-tested and approved.
Compare Price Point & Key Features
| Hearing Aid | Price | Battery Type | Max Battery Life | Weight | Style | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best Overall Hearing Aids for Seniors: Jabra Enhance Select 300 | From $1,695 | Rechargeable | 30 hours | 2.64 grams | BTE | OTC |
| Easiest to Use: Signia Pure Charge&Go IX | From $4,000 | Rechargeable | 26 hours | 2.80 grams | ITE | Prescription required |
| Best on a Budget: Lexie B2 Plus | From $999 | Rechargeable | 16 hours | 3.10 grams | BTE | OTC |
| If You Prefer an Earbud Look: Sony CRE-C10 | From $1,000 | Replaceable | 70 hours | 1.34 grams | ITE | OTC |
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How We Tested
The market is crowded with hearing aids claiming to be the best choice for seniors, and choosing one can be confusing. Which ones are “best” for you depends on your needs and tastes, but even that can feel vague and clichéd. To sort through the options, I partnered with licensed audiologist Ruth Reisman to conduct hands-on testing of 22 hearing aids. We analyzed each product on numerous dimensions, including quality, comfort level, and performance baselines determined by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Reisman analyzed each hearing aid in her lab and approved models that amplified sounds at safe levels. I also tested these hearing aids in numerous settings, including my home, outdoors, and noisy and quiet environments.
Together, we took a variety of considerations into account to turn down the noise on marketing. Read our Best Hearing Aids guide for additional details about our testing process.
- Photograph: Jabra Enhance
Best Overall Hearing Aids for Seniors
Jabra Enhance Select 300The Jabra Enhance Select 300 (9/10, WIRED Recommends) tops our list of best overall hearing aids for seniors. Frankly, this behind-the-ear (BTE) model is the best over-the-counter hearing aid available—period—if you can afford it. At around $1,695 a pair, the Enhance Select 300 is on the expensive end of the OTC market, though it’s more affordable than many prescription options. The sound quality alone makes it worth it, offering crisp, clear audio in various environments.
The devices are comfortable, even after hours of use, and easier than many aids to get into place thanks to a pinging noise called “Smart Start” which helps you fit the devices properly into your ear canal with minimal fumbling. Jabra’s smartphone app is easy to use, with intuitive volume control capabilities and four environmental programs that simplify customizing the experience. Batteries can last almost 30 hours on a single charge, and the case itself, while not small, carries approximately 72 hours of additional juice—so you can likely take a weeklong getaway without ever needing to plug in the case to recharge. If you can spare the extra cash, consider the Enhance Select 500 (9/10, WIRED Recommends), which are smaller and lighter.
OTC. Comes in five colors. Battery life of 24 to 30 hours.
- Photograph: Signia
Easiest to Use
Signia Pure Charge&Go IXSignia is a popular brand for older patients, as it’s a standby in the prescription side of the hearing aid world. The company is known for producing behind-the-ear (BTE) models that are easy to maneuver, like this one, the Signia IX Pure Charge & Go (6/10, WIRED Review). While the old-school design and silver color don’t earn style points, the aids’ functionality and ease of use may be favored by folks with dexterity issues.
The Signia IX Pure Charge requires a prescription, so prices may vary based on where you buy it. The perk of a prescription is that an audiologist will professionally fit the device and provide a custom exam, ensuring optimal comfort and settings for your specific hearing needs. This may be helpful for older patients who aren’t comfortable with the trial and error required by self-fitting aids and requesting changes within an app. A professional can also create several set programs for different environments, like live concerts or busy restaurants. However, to make life on the go simpler, Signia’s AI-driven assistant can make small adjustments on the fly. If your hearing professional has telehealth capabilities, you may be able to get your hearing aids fine-tuned from afar, which means less time spent driving and sitting in waiting rooms.
Prescription. Comes in 10 colors. Battery life of 36 hours.
- Photograph: Lexie
Best on a Budget
Lexie B2 PlusAt a significantly lower price than the Jabra Enhance Select 300, the Bose-powered Lexie B2 Plus is a more accessible and affordable device for seniors with mild to moderate hearing loss. An app walks you through a step-by-step setup process that’s comprehensive and easy to follow for even the least tech-savvy wearer, starting with an in-app hearing test that optimizes the aids’ settings to your particular needs. Strong customer support is available to help you get up to speed, making these devices a good choice for those who prefer to speak to a live person in today’s digital-driven world.
Once you’re up and running, the app's intuitive user experience lets you amplify volume as needed, set preferences for treble and bass, and adjust the balance between left and right. Sound quality is solid, with clear amplification in a range of environments. Ten distinct environmental modes and support for directional sound amplification offer a range of sophisticated but uncomplex ways to customize your hearing experience.
OTC. Comes in one color. Battery life of 18 hours.
- Photograph: Sony
If You Prefer an Earbud Look
Sony CRE-E10 Hearing AidsWith its larger size and earbud-like appearance, the Sony CRE-E10 (7/10, WIRED Recommends) are a popular choice among older adults who want a more modern look like Bluetooth earbuds. The Sony app is simple to navigate, and what it lacks in bells and whistles it gains in ease of use. The built-in hearing test fine-tunes the devices, allowing for doctor-visit-free customization. The larger size may seem like a drawback, but this allows the aids to last longer on a single charge (26 hours without streaming) and is easier to manipulate.
Though the Sony CRE-E10's sound clarity isn’t quite as good as that of the Jabra Enhance Select 300, it is slightly less expensive and more convenient in daily use, especially if you frequently take your hearing aids on and off.
OTC. Comes in one color. Battery life of 26 hours.
Photograph: Getty ImagesCan I Get Senior Hearing Aids Through Medicare?
Hearing aids are still not covered by Medicare, so you will likely have to foot 100 percent of the bill for your devices and exams. Private insurance or add-on Medicare Advantage Plans (Part C) may include some hearing-related benefits. Consult with your existing health care provider to navigate your options. Outside of insurance, there may be other ways to soften the blow of the expense of hearing aids.
Like a car loan, financing is available from most hearing aid companies. You can open a line of credit with a hearing care professional and pay in installments—sometimes for up to three years. Good credit is required.
Some states require private health insurance companies to cover hearing aids, while other companies may offer hearing-focused plans for purchase. Shop around.
You may qualify for Medicaid, depending on your financial situation. Some states, such as California and Massachusetts, require these plans to provide hearing aid coverage.
FSA/HSA accounts (short for flexible spending accounts and health saving accounts) are available via employer-sponsored health plans. Some hearing aid brands will allow you to use these accounts to pay for devices.
Local and national nonprofits may help provide financial relief by covering some or all of the cost of hearing aids if you don’t have the means to pay for them yourself.
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Photograph: robertprzybysz/Getty ImagesHow do you buy and get started with hearing aids?
If you’ve seen signs advertising hearing aid shops while driving around town, you might be lulled into thinking these specialized storefronts are the only way to buy them. Not so. In 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration paved the way for hearing aids to be sold over the counter, which means consumers now have a wide variety of outlets from which they can purchase these devices.
If you do choose to visit a retail audiology center – whether it’s a small storefront in a strip mall or a more official medical office – you’ll begin the process with a medical examination wherein the audiology will physically check your ears and then test your hearing in a specialized room. This hearing test takes about 15 minutes and involves listening to pings played at different frequencies and volumes. Once complete, the audiologist uses this to create a map of your hearing called an audiogram, which in turn is used to program the prescription hearing aids that, ostensibly, the audiologist will subsequently sell to you. The audiologist can later adjust the hearing aids’ settings over time if you need additional support.
If you choose to forgo this process and purchase high-end hearing aids from a retail channel, you’ll miss out on the physical exam, but you will likely still have access to a hearing test, only one which is delivered either online or through an app. With these tests, you first purchase your selected hearing aids. Once you have them fitted in your ears, you run through a similar kind of testing to program them, with the pings delivered through the aids you’ve just bought. The resulting audiogram is often surprisingly accurate in comparison to one created by an audiologist. And like prescription aids, hearing aid companies often have an audiologist on staff that can tweak settings over time remotely.
Less expensive hearing aids – under the $300 price level or thereabouts – usually do not include hearing test technology like this. The user is left to their own devices to program them to their liking.
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Photograph: Kemal Yildirim/Getty ImagesWhat’s the difference between rechargeable hearing aids and hearing aids with a replaceable battery?
All hearing aids have a battery, but some can be recharged – like Bluetooth earbuds – while some require you to buy standalone batteries that are replaced as they expire.
Rechargeable hearing aids offer the user the convenience of being able to simply drop the aids into a special case which tops up the battery whenever the aids are not in use. A typical rechargeable aid will get anywhere from 8 to 30 hours of operational time from a single charge. The hearing aids’ case will also usually carry a charge of its own that will provide another 3 to 5 additional charges. With a fully charged case, most users should be able to go for up to a week before having to recharge the case – though it’s easier if the case is simply left plugged in and always topped up.
Hearing aids with a replaceable battery represent older technology – though it’s not a technology without some advantages. Foremost, replaceable hearing aid batteries last a lot longer than rechargeable batteries – up to eight times the lifespan in some cases. With a replaceable battery-powered hearing aid, a user may be able to use their aids for a full week without having to change the battery. That may be more convenient for some users who don’t want to have to carry a charging case with them. (Some recharging cases can be quite large.) The catch is that eventually the battery will die and it will need to be replaced. This isn’t always the easiest process, as these batteries are quite tiny and prone to being easily dropped and lost, particularly if you have dexterity challenges. Also, if you have pets or grandchildren around the house, swallowed batteries pose a huge health risk. And of course, while you won’t need to carry a case with you, you will need to carry spare batteries for when you run out of juice.
Which is best? The decision is up to you, but since the market is headed full-bore toward rechargeable hearing aids, you probably won’t have a choice for long.
Photograph: Halfdark/Getty ImagesTypes of Hearing Aids
Know the TermsHearing aids aren’t one-size-fits-all. Most seniors will gravitate to behind-the-ear (BTE) devices, as many are likely to find in-the-ear (ITE) aids difficult to work with. Here’s a look at both categories.
Behind-the-ear (BTE) aids have the traditional design you probably think of when you envision hearing aids. As the name implies, they sit behind the ear. Most of today’s BTE hearing aids are technically known as receiver-in-the-ear (RITE), due to a small component that sits in the ear canal instead of the case. Though smaller than predecessors from even a half-decade ago, they remain visible to observers. Still, what they lack in style they make up for in audio quality. Note that BTE devices can often be challenging to position just right in the ear canal—especially if you wear glasses.
In-the-ear (ITE) hearing aids, also called in-the-canal (ITC) aids, often look like wireless earbuds and can be even smaller, disappearing nearly entirely into the ear canal. If you don’t want a noticeable hearing aid, these are much more discreet than BTE devices, and they can be easier to work with too, since they lack the wire that wraps around your ear. If you pop your hearing aids in and out frequently during the day, ITE aids will save you a mountain of time. One drawback to these devices is that their small size usually means less battery power (and the need to charge more frequently). Due to their smaller size, they can be challenging to manipulate if you have dexterity issues.
Photograph: Jabra EnhanceWhat to Consider When Choosing a Hearing Aid
Today’s hearing aids have a bevy of features ranging from Bluetooth streaming connectivity to multiple modes that allow you to adjust the device to changing surroundings. Here’s what senior users need to keep an eye out for.
- Style: BTE or ITE? If you don’t mind a highly visible hunk of plastic hanging from your ear all day, BTE aids will be fine. Those who don’t want to telegraph their hearing loss will find ITE models much more discreet.
- Ease of use: Hearing aids are tiny things even steady hands can have trouble with. Are the devices easy to put on and take off? Are in-app support options and the manual intuitive? The more likely you are to remove and replace your hearing aids throughout the day, the more important ease of use will be.
- Remote doctor support: Prescription hearing aids require a doctor visit, but OTC aids have a huge range of medical backup, ranging from a full telehealth experience to none at all. If you’re serious about improving your hearing you’ll want access to the former. If your hearing just needs a little boost, this will be less important.
- Battery technology: Most hearing aids today use lithium-ion batteries that recharge by dropping them into a case (which itself carries extra charges). But aids with replaceable batteries still exist—and some are pretty good. Replaceable batteries last much longer but you’ll have to keep buying extras and keep them on hand. They’re also easy to lose (and for pets to swallow).
- Cost: Even “cheap” hearing aids can be expensive, and most insurance plans don’t cover them. Make sure your chosen brand is within your budget—look for companies that offer easy returns and a 100 percent money-back guarantee.
Photograph: AmazonAvoid These Hearing Aids
Save Your MoneyWe test a lot of hearing aids, and some aren't worth your time and money. Here are a few you should skip.
The MDHearing Air’s under-$600 price tag may seem attractive. However, they failed to pass the audiologist’s testing and were deemed unsafe, with maximum output that exceeded our standards for potentially dangerous, uncomfortable volume.
The Sennheiser All-Day Clear hearing aids were also ineffective—sometimes worsening our hearing mainly due to significant background hiss. The devices are also bulky and challenging to get into the ears, something seniors may find particularly problematic if they have dexterity problems.
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