anybody use this? It’s super cheap on Amazon right now and I just pulled the trigger. Usually I get opinions first but the supply is limited.
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For YEARS I used the Dry & Store model of HA dryer/UV sanitizer. I’ve gone from the huge, jewelry-box sized units 20-odd years ago to the portable Global. You’ve probably seen the reviews at Amazon - about 70% rank DryBoost 5-star. So it could be a good purchase for you.
Given that aids may cost from $2K to $7K per pair, you have to also weigh how much is it worth to ensure maximum protection from humidity, and does the unit also sterilize the aids?
I’ve got both portable and very high-end UV/sanitizer units. Like insurance, I just want the extra peace-of-mind that comes with the units I’ve purchased.
You’ll be the best judge. If your aids are flaky, it’s likely due to moisture. If they make your ears itch, it could be they need some UV sanitization. Keep us posted.
Are your hearing aids rechargeable?
Your recharger is a dryer. While charging, it warms up the battery inside the aids high enough to cause moisture to leave the aids themselves.
The one that needs the dryer is a disposable battery version.
Annoyingly, my Phonak Lumity Life charging base is NOT a UV/dryer unit. It’s just a charging base. Really stoopid. So that forces me to put my aids in a UV/dryer unit at day’s end, then drop them in the charging base in the morning. And that requires that I have TWO sets of aids that I wear on alternate days.
Back in the days of my battery-operated Marvel aids, I’d wear them for the day, put them in the UV/dryer at night with battery doors open. Next day, I’d close the battery doors and put them back in my ears. NO recharging necessary.
But now, battery aids are becoming rare as unicorns. Why? Cuz the BIG SUITS at companies making these aids - who don’t even wear them, and perhaps haven’t surveyed their GRANNIES and GRAMPS to see what they’d prefer have decided that rechargeable aids are the way to go, and forget about UV/drying for newer models.
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Mami, Yes I have rechargable aids.
This idea is new to me, and I have some comments/questions.
You do say that only the aids themselves get dried. But receivers and molds and tubing also need to be dried. Maybe even more so, since they’re exposed to moisture inside the ear.
The battery gets warm during charging, and heat transfers from there to the rest of the aid. This involves a temperature gradient – temperature goes down the further away you get from the battery. This is true even in a closed charger, and the gradient will be steeper in an open charger. How hot does the battery have to be, in order for outside parts of the aids (microphones, receiver in BTE aids) to get warm enough to be dried effectively during the time the aids are actively charging? Considering that rechargeable aids aren’t supposed to be dried in a regular dryer at 113°F to avoid damaging the batteries, presumably the battery doesn’t heat up all that much during charging. So I question whether the battery gets hot enough to warm the aid enough to dry it effectively.
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Update: I’ve had this unit now for about a week. It’s great! I got it a very good price on Amazon–that might have passed by now. the Dryboost seems to to everything the $300.00 dedicated Signia dryer/charger does, at a fraction of the cost.
At first I wasn’[t sure that the heater was working, it’s set so low. But I put in a thermometer/hygrometer, and yes, it does hit 85% with a fan–perfect for rechargeable batteries. Safe. The UV light only comes on for five minutes, which I also like–I don’t think I need a full on UV sterilization for 30 minutes, that might discolor the tubes on my aids.
A good deal! I can’t see any downsides yet for this unit versus the horribly overpriced Signia UV/dry/charge unit. The Dryboost does all of that.
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