What is the best Hearing Aid?

We are regularly asked “What is the best hearing aid?” This, however, is the wrong question to research as there is no such thing, it’s like asking what’s the best car, the best washing machine or the best anything! The answer you receive is either going to be biased towards a manufacturer, if they are answering the question based on their own product range or skewed to a particular collection if it’s a tied agent promoting their own portfolio.

There are only five main manufacturers of modern digital hearing aids (known as the “Big 5”):

Demant

Sonovo

ReSound

Signia

Starkey

Each of these manufacturers produces a wide choice of different styles and technology levels, some of them have a premier brand and then a secondary or even a third named product range. For example, Demant’s premier product range is marketed under the Oticon trademark but they have a number of subsidiary labels including amongst others the Bernafon collection. Sonovo produce the Phonak range as well as the Unitron brand.
All told, there are easily over a thousand configurations of hearing devices available, to say anyone of these excels above all others is impossible. All of these manufacturers produce instruments of extremely high quality. Hearing aids are classed as medical devices and are therefore governed by a raft of regulations and quality standards. Whilst there are certainly different levels of technology available within any manufacturers range, there is no such thing as a bad hearing instrument but there can be poor choices made in the selection.

The right question to ask is “Where can I get the best advice?”

Did you know that many of the High Street chains are actually owned by some of the manufacturers and that your choice of hearing aid will be limited to either one brand or one manufacturer’s own range? Independent Hearing Aid Audiologists on the other hand are neither owned, managed or controlled by one of the “Big 5” and are therefore free to recommend solutions from any and all of them. Whilst the main manufacturers as already mentioned, all produce high quality instruments, there are some very particular differences in the way that these companies design and implement their solutions. This is where an Independent advisor has freedom of choice in recommending the most appropriate solution to best suit your needs.

So, don’t try to find the elusive answer to the question of “what is the best hearing aid”. Instead, do your research into where can you find a trusted Independent, who is motivated in providing you with the best results, without any concerns about meeting company targets or trying to squeeze “a square peg into a round hole” because they are constrained by limited choice. Independents are inspired to provide quality information to build and retain long-term customer relationships as each satisfied client is also crucial to their own success.

At The Hearing Consultancy we are proud of our Independent Status and have many satisfied customers to prove it. Our impartial advice is entirely without charge and without any obligation so please feel free to contact us if you are looking for guidance. Call Today on Freephone 1800 804322 or email info@thehearingconsultancy.ie

The Hearing Consultancy – Because Hearing Matters