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Eargo Hearing aids
- Thread starter Whitedog
- Start date
- Joined
- Jan 11, 2006
- Messages
- 1,839
No one is responding, so I will take a shot. I have 15 years of experience helping my wife find usable hearing aids. No experience with Eargo hearing aids, but I've read their material and some reviews of their product line. I will tell you what I think based on what I've learned, and perhaps that will encourage others to come forward.
First, they aren't cheap. Their summer sale prices are $1,850 to $2,500. That is the lower end of what used to be called "prescription" hearing aids, before 2016 when the FDA waived its requirement for examination by an MD called an otolaryngologist — an ear, nose and throat doctor. Nowadays you see an audiologist, who refers you to an MD if you appear to have an underlying problem like infection which requires medical treatment.
Second, you are fitted online by an audiologist who applies one from a range of canned programs which appears to fit your hearing loss best. That is not the real deal! For Eargo's price, you should get fully adjustable instruments and one or two hours in-person with an audiologist for fitting, with returns for adjustment included in the contract.
Third, and this is not a deal breaker, but I don't like rechargeable hearing aids. Hearing aid batteries are cheap, they're tiny, you can easily carry eight in your wallet. They're even reliable once you learn where to buy them which is not Amazon. You probably own a rechargeable cell phone with a battery you're not supposed to remove. Wouldn't you rather have a phone that could run all day on two AAAs?
The best deal I've found on hearing aids is Costco. They start at $1,400 for their house brand hearing aids which are made by Sonova. They are worth buying a Costco membership, and the hearing aid contract and warranty are good if you drop membership. They will let you demo hearing aids, at least their Kirkland brand. Make an appointment, they'll give you a quick fitting and let you wear a demo pair walking around the store. If you pick a busy time, that's a pretty good test of what they can do for you.
Costco's audiologists are contractors, not regular Costco employees. The down side is that quality varies. If you get one you're not comfortable working with, ask for another. If the dud was the boss, try another store. The upside? If there's the slightest chance you might need medical attention, they will definitely make you see an MD first. It's their liability insurance, not Costco's.