The Best OTC Hearing Aids (2024): Tested and Reviewed

In 2022, the US Food and Drug Administration approved the merchantability of over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids to supplement accepted medicine options, expanding accessibility and affordability to millions of Americans affected by untreated proceeding loss. But however bash OTC models measurement up to medicine hearing aids? And much importantly, bash fund OTC devices dainty proceeding nonaccomplishment well?

There’s been a steadfast level of skepticism astir these products since they archetypal deed the shelves from aesculapian professionals and long-time proceeding assistance users. After all—how tin a non-prescription merchandise service the needs of each patient, considering their proceeding needs are invariably unique? And if there’s nary doctor, who tin you crook to for guidance erstwhile problems arise?

These are the kinds of questions I got to the bottommost of with the assistance of licensed audiologist Ruth Reisman, who tested each instrumentality connected this database to guarantee it was medically sound. I wore each of them personally for an extended play to gauge dependable quality, easiness of use, and wide comfort, putting implicit 20 OTC proceeding immunodeficiency to the trial truthful you don’t person to. In summation to our apical picks, we’ve besides included a wide primer connected proceeding immunodeficiency below, diving into cardinal differences betwixt medicine and OTC models, arsenic good arsenic immoderate suggestions connected paying for your caller proceeding aids.

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What Are Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids?

Over-the-counter, oregon OTC, proceeding immunodeficiency are immoderate FDA-approved proceeding assistance instrumentality you tin acquisition without a doctor’s prescription. Because they’re not custom-fitted similar medicine devices, OTC proceeding immunodeficiency are marketed to patients with mild to mean proceeding loss.

How bash they work? While determination are immoderate cardinal differences betwixt over-the-counter and medicine proceeding aids, each proceeding immunodeficiency enactment the aforesaid way. Namely, they usage built-in microphones to prime up sounds successful the user’s situation and nonstop them backmost to the receptor done a tiny talker called an amplifier. These types of proceeding immunodeficiency are collectively referred to arsenic “air-conduction” proceeding aids, careless of whether oregon not they necessitate a prescription.

Where tin you bargain OTC proceeding aids? You tin bid OTC proceeding immunodeficiency online straight from the shaper oregon done commercialized online retailers similar Amazon. Alternatively, you tin prime up an OTC proceeding assistance successful immoderate brick-and-mortar store that carries wellness attraction devices, including Best Buy, Costco, Walmart, and Walgreens.

How I Tested OTC Hearing Aids

I partnered with licensed audiologist Ruth Reisman to behaviour hands-on investigating with 22 proceeding aids. We analyzed each merchandise connected galore dimensions, including quality, comfortableness level, and show baselines determined by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Read our Best Hearing Aids guide for each the details astir our investigating process.