What brands of hearing aids outperform Costco's?

I’ve had a set of Costco Resound hearing aids for about three years, and in spite of taking them in for cleanings and adjustment, their performance is steadily declining. I now live several hundred miles from the next Costco, and need help. There seems to be a jungle of brands out there. and where do I start? If price is not a factor, what brands are more durable and reliable?

There are six major brands: Phonak, Oticon, Resound, Signia, Widex and Starkey. They all make good hearing aids. Phonak and Oticon are the most popular. You start by finding a hearing aid provider that you have confidence in. He or she will make more difference than the brand of hearing aid.

Thank you so much. That helps a lot.

Consumer Reports rated hearing aid brands based on about 16,000 CR user surveys. Here are the top 6. Note that the Costco Kirkland brand is made by Signia.

Although as @Sierra noted in a previous discussion, the actual reader survey was done in the spring of 2018, which means that reader opinion was probably based on HA’s purchased and used back through 2017, 2016, and maybe even earlier. Many OEM’s have offered newer models since then.

The title chose for the thread is a bit misleading. Since Costco doesn’t offer tinnitus suppression or remote assistance (adjusting the HA’s over the Internet), on that basis virtually every premium HA can outperform the top-of-the-line Costco brand. And if you look over all the posts on this forum, what makes one user happy doesn’t always make some other user happy. And providers especially have said on this forum that no matter what the HA, getting a good provider who can fit the device really well is one of the most important things. So maybe your first problem is really not deciding on what HA’s is the best but who are the best providers for the distance you’re willing to travel and what brands do they offer - then go from there.

Your points are good. I don’t get tinnitus; however, remote assistance on the Internet sounds like a plus. I’m in a remote corner of my state, and can only find 3 audiologists to choose from within 100 miles. Not daunted, however, I plan to talk with each one and to ask what brands they carry. Thanks.

I agree, but I think it would be fair to say that all the brands are likely to have improved a roughly equivalent amount from the vintage that the ratings were based on.

The Signia (and I suspect Rexton) line offers a Remote Hearing Care option. See the last feature in this list of the Signia Detailed Features document. Other brands may offer the same or similar. Unfortunately like the tinnitus, the remote care is not offered on the Kirkland Signature model to my knowledge, or at least Costco does not seem to advertise the service.

Thanks, Sierra. I’m staying away from Costco this time. I’ll ask my three local audiologists if they carry Signia and Rexton. If you don’t mind: What in your opinion are some important questions to ask an audiologist about his/her procedures and policies?

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Price is a big issue of course, unless you have a very generous insurance policy. Next I would ask if they do Real Ear Measurement (REM). Estimates vary, but as many as 2/3 of retailers don’t do it. This is simply measuring the actual output of the hearing aid in the ear and comparing it to the theoretical prescription required to optimize hearing. The second step is to adjust gain to match the target. Some measure (to meet insurance obligations) but do not adjust. Then of course ask about costs for adjustments. HA’s typically require a few to get optimized.

What is really important is what you find to be the best for your hearing loss and what sounds best to you.

What is really helping me now is getting encouraging messages from people like you. Thanks CV!

I produce a ton of ear wax and despite changing wax guards frequently need a lot of cleanings. I have a local shop and this helps tremendously. In the end having a provider that’s closer by is certainly a concern for upkeep reasons. In your case, a difference of fifty miles or a hundred might be a problem. But a provider who’s willing to work with you during the initial fitting and adjustments is crucial. Having an pricey HA that isn’t adjusted correctly is like having a cheap aid.

Thanks, Jeffrey. I’m a waxy one as well. I’ll remember what you say.

The exact shape and design of domes or molds can make a difference, too. With ReSound domes, perhaps because the dome could be more easily deformed on pushing it into my ear, I often found some wax in the receiver openings (but, AFAIK, it never made it through the wax guards as the receiver screens always looked as clean as could be on changing wax guards). Upon getting molds that are pretty rigid silicone with the receiver openings positioned on the upper end of the overall OVAL 0 end shape, there is almost always no wax at all in the receiver openings on the inside of the mold and the receiver itself is recessed some distance (~4 mm) down the bore in the mold - so even if wax got into the opening in the mold (very rare), it’s almost never gotten to the receiver itself. So one might be able to control a wax problem or not depending on the shape and size of the mold and the relative position of the receiver openings on the inside of the mold. In my limited experiences, domes are more of a problem in keeping receivers free from wax - but then they are inexpensive compared to a custom mold - but if my experience can be generalized and you have to travel a lot to get your HA’s professionally cleaned or refurbished, molds might pay for themselves if they help to keep your receivers clear from wax as well as improving the listening (and in my case, comfort experience).

Whoa! There’s too much here I don’t know. At Costco my tech never mentioned “wax guards” for my Resounds. I noticed the dome tube ends sometimes looking clogged and I futilely brushed them with a tiny brush he supplied. And twice I took them in and he cleaned them by a procedure I did not see. This cleaning did improve the HA’s. But he never mentioned wax guards . I asked him if I might dip the tube ends in hydrogen peroxide, and he said “No, just bring them to me.” I have no idea about wax getting into the receiver; I don’t know how to check for that. Now that I’m 100 miles from the nearest Costco, I’ll be seeking a local audiologist and a a better brand of HA’s. It seems I better ask any new audiologist I get about “wax guards.” Can you give me more information?

Costco just gave me a few wax guard “sticks” with some instruction on how to replace them. Here is a video. They also gave me a card of the click dome/sleeve things and said to come back for more any time I needed them.

Wax Guard Removal and Replacement

Thank for that, Sierra.

Sierra, you mentioned to ask the audiologist if he/she “adjusts the gain to match the target.” You say, “Some measure (to meet insurance obligations) but do not adjust.” Does this mean to adjust something in the receiver once it’s in my ear, to match a goal from the manufacturer? I don’t understand.

Richard,this is the thing I found about new hearing aids…there’s a lot more to them than I thought. With my first single aid I just stuck it in my ear and thought I was done. My new aids perform much better but it took a good amount of adjustments (and cleaning!) to reach that level of improvement. Oh, and I had a music program set up for them too which helps me immeasurably while playing music–both my own and while listening. All of this was new to me and required visits to my provider to dial in. This is why a provider being near-ish by is very helpful. But others’ experience could be different!