Our hearing aid testing & review methodology

All of the hearing aids we review are carefully tested and evaluated by product testers and a board of licensed audiologists.

Our hearing aid product testers and Board of Audiologists evaluate products on six important testing criteria:

Cost

We evaluate the price point, the financing options available, insurance coverage, and the product’s warranty options to give you insight into the product’s affordability.
Battery life

When a product has a rechargeable battery, it helps save you both time and money, which plays into how we rank the product. A product with a rechargeable battery will rank higher than a product that does not include rechargeable batteries.
Bluetooth compatibility

If a hearing aid or listening device is Bluetooth enabled, it makes for a much easier customer experience. We factor this, along with the ability to self-adjust using smartphone apps, into our product ranking.

Customer service

When it comes to hearing aids, you want to make sure you have a robust customer service team available to assist you. We evaluate the ease with which you can contact customer service as well as customer service reviews when we rank a product.
Customization options available

Hearing aids that can be customized and fitted specifically for the patient have a higher chance of success. We look at the customization options available and use that as part of our ranking system.
Expert insights

We present each over-the-counter and prescription hearing aid we review to our audiologists so they can offer their professional opinion on the product’s durability, features, and other aspects of the device. Then, we input their numerical rating and personal commentary into our reviews.

Our Scoring System for Hearing Aid Reviews

Raw score	Star rating
25-30	5 stars
20-24	4 stars
15-19	3 stars
10-14	2 stars
Any score below 10	1 star

The highest-rated hearing aid devices earn a place on our lists of the best hearing aids available on the market. Each report and product roundup features devices which have been tested, investigated, researched, and approved by our board of credentialed audiologists. It is important that we aggregate knowledge and insights directly from audiologists to our readers so that the process of buying hearing aids online instills better consumer confidence and clarity.

We are committed to providing readers access to the knowledge base and perspective of audiologists, so along with the product scoring system for each device we test, readers will also find quotes and input from audiologists for devices featured as well as a pros and cons list for each device. No device is perfect, but there is a perfect device for you!

Every article undergoes a robust editorial process including multiple revisions by health-focused writers and editors followed by a medical review from a member of our Board of Audiologists led by Dr. Ruth Reisman.