Are Costco hearing aids actually better than mid level ones from bigger names like the Widex 220?

Hearing Aids
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#1

My dad’s about to have an appointment to order the Widex Moment 220 in a few days. I’ve read that a lot of people have had good experiences with Costco and that they offer the best value for the money, but his insurance covers a good bit of the cost so we decided to go one step (arguably) above that with the Widex 220 from a local audiologist.

Someone on here told me the Rexton and Philips hearing aids from Costco are actually more advanced, that they’re comparable to the Widex 440 or 330, just with a few unnecessary tech features missing. They pointed out that the 220 is meant for people who mostly just have one on one conversations in quiet environments (which is true for my dad) but the Costco HAs, like the 330 and 440, have advanced features like filtering out background noise in noisy environments, and are simply better products than the 220 even if you ignore the cost.

Is that true? Is the Widex 220 actually a step down, even though it costs more? Or was he overexaggerating how good the Costco options are? No offense to that person who responded to me before if you see this, but that’s the first time I heard the Costco options are actually superior products.

#2

@user108: Suggests to me that you need to take “a few more trips around the block” (to become better-acquainted with the HA “neighbourhood”). The superiority of the Costco value proposition to the majority of other HA retailers is well-established.

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#3

Spuds right here, it was mentioned to you in another post, that they only sell premium models, they don’t sell any rebranded models from Widex
(a well established company in their own right, now with WS Audiology) however they have Rexton(same as Signia models)
So yes Widex 220 would be “a step down” compared with others from Costco.

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#4

[Yes … I’m aware already that I’m really, really anal about this, but : asking the same question multiple times in different threads in this Forum doesn’t increase the odds of your getting the answer you want to hear. Just sayin’ …]

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#5

Sorry if I’m being repetitive but can you please clarify what you mean by that?

Obviously Costco is by far the best option when it comes to providing the most value per dollar spent. But if you ignore the price completely, are the Rexton HAs at Costco actually a better quality product than the Widex 220? If both were at Costco for the same price, should people choose the Rexton? I know Costco doesn’t actually sell Widex.

I know that Costco is a great option and it’s hard to go wrong with them. There is no “answer I want to hear”. I’m just trying to find out if their products are actually -superior- to the name brand ones sold by audiologists, or if it’s a case of “they’re 95% as good for 30% of the price, it’s a way better value for the money”. And yes I am very new to all of this. Any information is appreciated.

#6

@user108: That being the case, I’ll refer you to the Search function (above).

Your question has been answered in different incarnations, many times before.

Also, to be clear - you aren’t asking for information. You’re asking for us to make an individual and personal value judgement on your behalf.

#7

All of Costco’s hearing aids are “premium level”. The only difference from the same aids when they are available through separate channels is that tinnitus treatment is not enabled. Sometime the same or very similar hardware from a major mfr is rebranded “Kirkland signature” and the last example was the KS10 which was functionally very much like Phonak audeo paradise p90r. Aids that are often sold north of $5k for $1499 or something like that. Do your homework. You’ll see it is true.

I get my hearing care from the VA, and I have no dog in the fight beyond helping you get the best.

More importantly, focus on the relationship with the HCP who will treat you. If they don’t listen, or explain well, then keep looking, regardless of Costco or private clinic etc.

WH

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#8

I have searched the forum for answers. There’s widespread support for choosing Costco, but it seems to always be about helping people save money and get the most value per dollar. I can see that they’re a great option for most people, especially when price is a concern.

But I haven’t been able to find out if they’re actually superior products compared to choices like the Widex Moment 220 or Oticon More 3 if you take the price out of the equation. If that’s true it would be a mistake to ever buy those HAs instead of going to Costco. Since I couldn’t find the answer to that specific question I thought it was OK to ask on here.

I’m not trying to be one of those people who shows up without reading anything and says “hey guys is Costco any good or not?” when a ton of information is available to answer that question. I have a more specific question that I couldn’t find an answer for.

I know that both Widex and the Costco products are good options and I’m probably worrying too much about an extremely minor difference. But if he’ll be using these for years I want to help him choose the better product in the under-$3000 price range. I am asking for information on the quality of the Costco products, not asking which one is more worth it for the price (which varies completely depending on the individual).

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#9

Costco sells hearing aids all over the world in their stores and they buy in bulk and the hearing aids are at a premium level, there are some negligible little things that they don’t have. Like the tinnitus treatment, the ks10 did not have a charger with a slot for a desiccant tablet. Also, compared to the Phonak Audio Paradise, the ks10 does not support active vent receivers and some other minor differences. Note: The KS10 is no longer sold because Phonak has stopped making hearing aids for them. Philips hearing aids are similar to Oticon hearing aids, more like Oticon Opn and less like More. Rexton hearing aids are most similar to Signia hearing aids because they are made by the same manufacturer. Widex does not have the most similar variant at Costco although Ws audiology now owns Signia and Widex. I have heard that the sounds of Signia hearing aids are the most similar to Phonak. I’m telling you this because when you change hearing aid brands, you have to get used to different sounds, some people find it hard to do that, they don’t like change. Your father should try the hearing aids to see if the sounds suit him. Because every brand has its own way of working, its own sounds. …

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#10

The answer has already been said from WhiteHat.

#11

@user108: It’s definitely okay to ask here, but it may not be the right question. There’s no such unicorn as “the superior aid”: all of the Big 6 makers produce good devices, but are built around different design parameters, and sound different to individual users.

I love Oticon’s OpenSound/BrainHearing concept, because I don’t want directional, beam-forming devices. Your father might hate it. People like @jim_lewis - an erudite and technically-savvy user - use Resound with good results. Many Members favour Phonak. But you must grasp the fact that you cannot act as your father’s proxy to determine the best hearing aid for him. That choice is his, and his alone, and there are no absolutes…

Private audiologists who are able and willing to offer the range of trial devices that Costco does are few and far between. Until you become knowledgeable enough about HAs to be able to better articulate your father’s preferences, Costco will offer you the best portal to the world of digital hearing devices, IMO.

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#12

I think the important thing here is actually the degree of your dad’s loss and his requirements. If he does not live a really active lifestyle, does not frequent establishments with loud noise, just spends the majority of time watching TV and maybe visits family occasionally then the Widex 220 should be more than sufficient for his loss.

A recent independent scientific study in fact showed, when comparing mid range aids to premium aids, that in terms of it’s main function i.e. audibility and comprehension, there is actually no difference in the performance. And even then the Widex 220 would not be characterised as a mid range aid, it is just a lower tech level.

So I would personally not get too hung up about the comparison of Costco offerings and the Widex 220 from a local audiologist. Programmed well, with REM, the Widex should offer exceptional clarity.

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#13

@glucas: I’m wondering about your basis for this statement, in the absence of an audiogram.

#14

It’s just because of the reputation of the company. They’ve been around for years and are known to be idiosyncratic in the way they operate - taking their time and because they claim users who do have a successful fit often stay with them. Admittedly, I have never worn their aids but I have had recommendations from audiologists.

There is a synopsis from Geoffery Cooling:

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#15

That depends immensely on the care and skill of the hearing professional prescribing and properly adjusting aids for the loss. Not everyone needs the highest technology level.

I have been a Costco hearing customer for 8 years. One other advantage of Costco is you can get service at any location. I have now chosen a more expensive route because , based on my last test and medical evaluation, I expect this very careful hearing professional at a major university to meet my hearing needs.

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#16

Fair enough, @glucas . Thanks for the link.

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#17

Actually yeah, don’t take my word for it. I think @tinkyp uses Widex and endorses them. I would seriously consider them but I have yet to find a lower cost provider here in the UK, so I would have to shell out 3K, which is a bit difficult at the moment.

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#18

@glucas: Your word is usually perfectly fine … I just prefer that there be some factual basis for a prognosis. Sure. I’m anal. I know it. But the challenge is not advanced in a mean-spirited way.

(I know that I would be instantly gutted like a trout, were I to say “You’ll be well-served by genuine Oticon brand More HAs”.)

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#19

We all have our biases and opinions based on our experiences. Currently, were I to get new aids,

I would tend to avoid Rexton and associated brands, mainly due to their lack of updated firmware to support iPhones released a year after I got my aids. I have had 2 bad experiences with Phonak but I know that at least part of that was provider issues. My GN KS6 aids were pretty decent for their time. I recently had a bad trial of Resound One 9 but that was based on my worst hearing test experience in 20 years and only relied on the default programming.

#20

“Superior products” is strictly in the eye of the beholder. Costco aids have more “advanced” features, but that doesn’t make them better. I could have taken my Mom to Costco, but she liked the audiolgogist she went to and getting her to multiple appointments was an issue and she didn’t like going out so there were lots of things to consider. If your Dad likes getting out and going to medical appointments, there’s no harm in going to Costco. If it’s a pain and he likes the audiologist your going to and finances are not a problem, sticking with Widex seems like a fine plan.

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