My first aid 20 years ago was an ITE aid and I bet I did not use 3 batteries before I ditched it.
The rule of thumb I read was if you have a 50% hearing loss the very best you can expect with aids is to wind up with a 25% hearing lost.
The helped me when I finally was forced to do something to hear over the phone. After talking with Beltone and a local ENT who fits Starkey aids it was clear they were not likely to stick with me on fine tuning to the level I would want. In fact I wanted control of the knobs and slides I saw on their screens.
When I found America Hears for about 35% of the price of the other options I visited could provide full featured aids and give me full control of their settings and 60 days to try them risk free I went that route this time. Thankful it worked out. No they are not perfect but I do think my loss has been cut in half per the rule of thumb.
Could I fine a better set of aids? That is unknowable since I have stopped looking. I will use hearing aids from this point forward and if find I have to replace my aids for any reason I will then make a new decision based on the new info I have when that time comes.
Some people never find a spouse because they seek that which can not be found. Well some find a great spouse but keep looking for one that is better and often loose the great spouse in the process.
Any day I am not happy with my America Hears settings I can change them again.
Since no one with much hearing loss is ever going to have GREAT hearing it makes getting happy with good aided hearing easier. If one does not have much hearing loss he or she will just place the best of aids in a drawer and forget about them.
Where you get happy with a compromise is a personal choice.