Hearing Aid Buying Guide

A 'Before You Buy' Checklist

Before purchasing a hearing aid either through a dispenser or on-line, consider the following;

• What is the warranty and does it allow a 30 to 60 day trial period. If you are not fully satisfied after the trial period can you simply return them for a refund. If you choose to keep them, generally the warranty is for two years.
• Ask if your warranty continues or is transferable if you move.
• Be clear on the advantages and disadvantages of the different hearing aid styles (i.e. BTE, ITE, ITC and CIC). Try more than one aid in the trial period.
• What are all the costs of the hearing aids, including repairs?
• Understand the benefits of the telecoil option. It allows you to use the phone or listen to the TV or a CD player while wearing your hearing aid.
• Ask about direct audio Input when using assistive listening devices.
• Consider how easy the aid is to maintain. Is it easy to remove wax, change batteries, and remove moisture from the aid?
• If you do purchase the aid, be sure to go back to the vendor prior to the warranty expiring to have it thoroughly checked at no cost.