Sometimes when you’re listening to music through your smartphone or tablet, all that your hearing aids seem to pick up is static and buzz. But without them you may not be able to hear the music at all.
It sounds like a catch-22, but it’s not - there’s a very simple solution. If you were to invest in Bluetooth hearing aids, you can hook them up to iOS and Android devices, and even your TV.
And that’s not all. With Bluetooth hearing aids, the two hearing aids communicate. This means that if a sound is picked up by the hearing aid on one ear, it will send the sound to the other ear, so you can listen clearly with both ears.
We’ve been checking out some of the best Bluetooth hearing aids on the market. And after some thought, we were able to hand pick our top few favorites to review for you here today. That’s coming up shortly. We’ve tried to pick some for every level of budget.
But if you’ve never looked into buying them before, you may not be too sure what to look out for, which is why we’ve also put together a handy buying guide that will walk you through all the key points to consider before you buy. It makes for a handy checklist.
Then we’re going to top that off with another handy section where we answer some of your most frequently asked questions on the subject.
Let’s get straight to it!
EDITORS CHOICE
BEST VALUE
OUR TOP PICK
There was never any doubt that these hearing aids would make it onto our shortlist. And that’s because of how much we love the accompanying app, Lucid Hearing Engage.
This app does so much more than merely allow you to change the volume. Once you’ve set up your streaming media you can also adjust the bass, the mids, and the treble thanks to the Audio Equalizer.
The app has 4 engage programs, including mild, moderate, bass boost and max. When you get it you can have a play around with it to see which setting works best for you for understanding speech, then you can set that program as your default.
We also love how you can either control the left and right hearing aids together or independently, which is great if you’ve got one ear that’s better than the other as many people do.
They’re completely rechargeable, so you don’t have the hassle of having to keep buying new batteries. They will last for a whopping 20 hours on a full charge, and they only take two hours to charge up.
It comes complete with a special charging case that also doubles as a handy portable carry case.
There are two different versions of these hearing aids available, one that's compatible with iPhones, and one that works with Android devices.
And they’re available in different color options too. There’s beige and gray, like most generic hearing aids, or there’s a very nice sleek black option.
The only drawback to these hearing aids is the cost. These are one of the most expensive pairs we’ve seen. But despite their high price, they are still a bestseller with the leading online retailers.
Pros:
- Adjust bass, mids and treble
- Choice of 4 engage programs
- Lasts 20 hours on a full charge
- Work together or independently
- They’re made here in the USA
- Backed by a 2-year warranty
Cons:
- Premium product at a premium price
EDITORS CHOICE
What struck us about these hearing aids is just how customizable they are…
Once you’ve downloaded the app and connected your device, you can run a hearing check via the app to precision match the hearing aid settings to your exact hearing profile. And this allows you for example to have different volumes on each hearing aid. And you can fine tune the frequencies.
And this is great because without health insurance, a hearing test could cost as much as $250, and you’re supposed to have them regularly, so these hearing aids could save you money in the long term.
But that’s not all. The app allows you to select specific programs for different scenarios. For example, there’s the conversation program, the traffic program, an outdoor program, and a restaurant program. The idea behind this is to emphasize speech but not background noise.
Another great thing about these hearing aids is how you can take calls with it without having to pick up your phone to answer a call, thanks to the built in dual directional microphones. And you can adjust the volume via the buttons on the hearing aids themselves.
It offers excellent sound quality with no nasty whistling, static or buzz.
The Vivtone bluetooth hearing aids are compatible with both Android and iOS devices, since the accompanying app is available on both operating systems. The app is super intuitive and easy to use, anyone could use it.
And it has excellent battery life, able to last a whopping 20 hours or more on a full charge. It comes with it’s own charging port and cable, and can charge up within 3 hours.
They’re incredibly comfortable to wear and really lightweight at just 2 grams. You could forget you’re wearing them.
If you need different volumes for each hearing aid, you’ll have to ensure you put them in the right position to charge them so you don’t accidentally get them mixed up.
Pros:
- Determines your hearing profile
- Adjust it for different scenarios
- Excellent sound quality & volume
- Built-in microphones for calls
- Available on Android and iOS
- Very lightweight at just 2 grams
- Excellent battery life at 20 hours
Cons:
- Not designed with music streaming in mind
- Although this pair is hundreds of dollars cheaper than the Lucid Hearing Engage ones, it’s still relatively expensive
- There aren’t a whole lot of customer reviews around on the net for these hearing aids just yet, but customer feedback has been pretty positive so far
BEST VALUE
Here’s another great pair of Bluetooth hearing aids that you can customize to your specific hearing loss needs. All you have to do is download the app, connect your device, and run a hearing test. Then the settings will be matched exactly to your hearing profile.
And this means that instead of getting a generic boost across all frequencies, you can simply boost the frequencies that you need the most help to hear. There’s a 5-band equalizer on the accompanying app that will let you fine tune 5 different frequencies starting at 500 Hz and going up to 4000 Hz.
But that’s not all. The app also features different modes for different occasions and scenarios. There’s a generic all-around mode, an outdoor mode, a traffic mode, and a restaurant or background noise reduction mode. Pretty neat huh?
You can adjust the volume on the hearing aids either together or independently.
We were also very impressed with their battery life. The battery will last up to a staggering 30 hours on a full charge, so you need only charge them every other day. And if the battery should get damaged through overcharging it, you can get them replaced.
It comes complete with a magnetic charging dock and USB-C charging cable.
It also comes with two sizes of tube, a slim, barely there one, or a thicker one with a more powerful earhook.
The EarSpoke R100 hearing aids are compatible with both Android and iOS devices, since the accompanying app is available on both platforms.
We were also pleased to hear that in addition to the full years’ warranty, they’re also backed by a lengthy 45 day trial period. So you have 45 days to decide whether you’re happy with them, and if you’re not you can return them and get your money back. So you have nothing to lose by giving them a try.
Pros:
- Determines your hearing profile
- Adjust it for different scenarios
- Two different ear hook options
- Available on Android and iOS
- Amazing battery life at 30 hours
- Lengthy 45 day trial period
Cons:
- Not designed for streaming music
RUNNER UP
What we love about this hearing aid alternative is that it looks just like regular Bluetooth earplugs, which means no-one will be able to tell that you’re hard of hearing when they see them, which is great for the self-conscious.
You can use it to stream music (or other audio) from your smartphone or other devices, and you can also use it to take calls, thanks to the dual microphone directionality.
There are 3 built-in amplification presets to choose from and there are 3 different environmental settings to take advantage of. There’s the Everyday mode which you can customize. There’s a Restaurant mode which lowers background noise and focuses more on sound picked up in front of you. And there’s an Entertainment mode which increases low frequencies for a more balanced theatrical experience.
They're comfortable to wear. They come with ear tips of different sizes, and you simply wear the one which provides the most snug fit, and you can also adjust the battery tube for the perfect fit.
The battery life is pretty good, they typically run for 12 to 15 hours on a full charge. And it comes with a handy charging dock.
It’s compatible with iOS, Android, and Windows and Mac devices.
The manufacturer’s refund policy is quite remarkable. Not only will they give you your money back if you’re not 100% satisfied with the product, but they’ll even give you an extra 10% back on top. So it’s definitely worth a try.
Amazon occasionally has substantial deals on this particular product. Simply click on “Check Price” to see if there’s a deal now. But even at the full listing price, it’s significantly more affordable than several other hearing aids that made our shortlist. Excellent value for money.
Pros:
- You can use them to stream music
- Looks like regular Bluetooth earplugs
- Remarkable manufacturer refund policy
- Compatible across all major operating systems
- Relatively affordable & great value for money
Cons:
- We’d prefer a longer battery life
- This is a sound amplifier rather than a hearing aid and as such it doesn’t come pre-programmed for your individual hearing loss, but you can customize it
RUNNER UP
Now, these are easily the most affordable Bluetooth healing aids in our shortlist. And they look more like Bluetooth music earplugs rather than hearing aids, so no-one needs to know you’re hard of hearing when you’re wearing them.
And like Bluetooth music earplugs, you can listen to music with them too, through the Bluetooth connection to your smartphone. And you can switch between wireless streaming and hearing aid functions at whim, and you can take phone calls completely hands free.
There’s a highly advanced microprocessor, and this serves to reduce ambient background noise and make speech sounds stand out more clearly. You get premium sound quality. And it features adaptive frequency adjustment, so you can adapt what you hear regardless of whether you’re in a quiet or loud environment.
And you don’t need to remember where you left your smartphone to make any adjustments, because you can switch modes and adjust the volume by tapping the button on the hearing aid.
They come with their own charging case which doubles as a portable carry case.
They’re ergonomically designed and comfortable to wear. They come with different shape earplug tips, and you simply use the one which provides the best fit.
They’re also backed by a lengthy 45 day trial period. So you have 45 days to decide whether you’re happy with them, and if you’re not you can return them and get your money back. So you have nothing to lose by giving them a try.
Pros:
- Bargain affordable price point
- You can use it to stream music
- Adaptive frequency adjustment
- The batteries are rechargeable
- Portable charging case included
- Has a lengthy 45 day trial period
Cons:
- Not suitable for those with severe hearing loss, only mild to moderate hearing loss
- They have a relatively short battery life, coming in at 4.5 hours, and can only be charged 4 times before the batteries need to be replaced
Best Bluetooth Hearing Aids Buying Guide
As promised, here’s your buying guide. Here are the key points to consider before you buy.
Adjustable Settings
Whereas most hearing aids will allow you to adjust the volume of the sound in your surroundings, the best ones will also allow you to adjust other aspects of sound, such as the signal strength of different frequencies.
The best Bluetooth hearing aids and hearing amplifiers will also offer special modes for certain types of environments. For example, several of the products that made our shortlist feature a restaurant mode, and what this does is to actively lower unwanted background noise while making more immediate sounds noticeably more clearer.
Hearing Test Matched
Some Bluetooth hearing aids allow you to run a hearing test through the accompanying smartphone app. And then this will automatically adjust your settings so that they match your particular hearing needs.
Call Taking Functionality
Some Bluetooth hearing aids feature built-in microphones, and this allows you to take calls without necessarily having your smartphone to hand, just so long as you’re in the Bluetooth range.
Music Streaming
Some Bluetooth hearing aids come with music streaming capabilities and some don’t. So if this is important to you, check that your preferred hearing aids have this feature.
Battery Life
You’re probably going to want to keep your hearing aids in for most of the day, in which case you will need ones that make this possible, with a battery life of at least 15 hours.
Value for Money
If you haven’t looked into it before, you won’t believe how much Bluetooth hearing aids can vary in price. At one end of the scale you get ones that cost little over $100, but at the other end of the scale, you can get ones that cost as much as $1000. So it’s important that you check prices as you go along.
In our shortlist we tried to include some for every level of budget. The most affordable Bluetooth hearing aid that made our shortlist is our number 5 pick, the .
Frequently Asked Questions
Are hearing aids with Bluetooth worth it?
We would argue that bluetooth hearing aids could prove invaluable in many scenarios. But if you are concerned about the cost, you will find that you can get a decent pair for just over $100.
Bluetooth hearing aids offer incomparable sound clarity, and they’re really great for reducing background noise, so that what you do need to hear, you can hear more clearly.
What is the best hearing aid on the market in 2021?
This is a tricky question to answer because it depends very much on what you’re looking for in a hearing aid. But if you know you want a Bluetooth one, the best one around is our number one pick, the Lucid Hearing Engage - Hearing Aids.
But if you don’t have the budget for those, any of the others on our shortlist make great options.