Hearing aids from a well known opticians

An ear trumpet would be cheaper.

Not sure how dextrous you are. Some of the tiny ones are very fiddly - especially if you wear glasses it seems to me.
I'd be very sure you are sure well within the 100 days as you may want to try something else.

I have only looked at hearing aids in order to try to help my mother-in-law so only have second-hand experience really.

However, if I was looking for privately bought aids for myself I'd go to a centre that sold lots of different brands.
When I phoned around I discovered some are simply better for some people than others.

Good luck.

I have NHS ones from Specsavers - small, fine, free, connects to an app on my phones, all the bells and whistles, all the follow up and batteries free. I am at a loss as to why anyone pays ...

Would you be eligible for NHS ones? My DH has some that fit into ear cleaning kit was supplied, they are battery ones , which are also supplied free of charge although I think you can upgrade the digital.
If anything goes wrong or you need help they can be contacted . Our Audiology dept is very helpful.

Luckygirl3

I have NHS ones from Specsavers - small, fine, free, connects to an app on my phones, all the bells and whistles, all the follow up and batteries free. I am at a loss as to why anyone pays ...

My DH had NHS ones at first, but his hearing loss was quite bad and he had to have ones that ‘filled up’ his ear, if you can see what I mean. In the hot weather, they got sweaty and uncomfortable.

So he decided to go for private ones, as they were more discreet. Obviously the type he needed wasn’t available on the NHS.

Luckygirl3

I have NHS ones from Specsavers - small, fine, free, connects to an app on my phones, all the bells and whistles, all the follow up and batteries free. I am at a loss as to why anyone pays ...

My DH has NHS hearing aids and as Luckygirl says they are brilliant. The NHS Hearing Centre is wonderful and supply free batteries - sent by post - plus any spares (cleaning pipes etc). We know several people who bought private aids then switched to NHS.

Good luck with whichever aids you plump for!

DH tried them then found that Boots did better ones . They are by no means cheep but he thinks they are worth it . NHS ones were useless .

DH (worn NHS aids for years) asked his NHA audiologist if it was worth trying the multi-thousands private aids from a famous chain optician. Would they be better?

She replied "No, they won't, you're already wearing the best possible aids for your hearing loss, (free on NHS) . Just be sure you get private ones on the three months free trial so you can get the cost refunded.

She was right. DH went for the most expensive , all bells and whistles private aids offered by the famous chain. and paid thousands for them. Less than three months later he requested, and got, the full cost refunded under the trial offer.

Luckygirl3

I have NHS ones from Specsavers - small, fine, free, connects to an app on my phones, all the bells and whistles, all the follow up and batteries free. I am at a loss as to why anyone pays ...

Where I live you can't go to Specsavers for NHS aids. Have to go to GP for referral and then wait for hospital appointment.

Yes they aren't available free where I live either through Specsavers.
It depends on your GPs postcode and also if a branch of Specsavers near you has an NHS contract

My husband had NHS hearing aids and struggled with them. This was mainly due to the little plastic tubes that became easily kinked and blocked. He was also put off by the size of the unit behind his ears.
He eventually decided to pay for new hearing aids, these are smaller and have a thin copper type wire instead of plastic tubes. He's much happier and says they are more comfortable.

I HATE my NHS hearing aids. They’re fiddly, get in the way of glasses and hats and combing hair.
All I want is to have a conversation with someone next to me with other noises around us. My aids are useless at this.
A friend has new £2000 aids which she says are much better.

I wonder what happens to the ones returned after the trial period?

I mentioned on another hearing aid thread that I'm totally lost what to do. I've been told by my audiologist that I need a new hearing test & new hearing aids. I'm on the waiting list 2½ - 3 years. I got my aids 2018 & should have been called back every 4yrs. I wasn't. Local Specsavers can't help as my GP haven't signed up to their scheme. My GP said they can't help so I'm left in limbo. What can I do?

If you should end up going private OP, please be warned DON'T try 'Hidden Hearing'. They offer to come to your home so that you can discuss things in comfort etc., however, before you know it, they've got the hearing aids in your ears, and tuned in to 'YOUR' needs, etc., and while you're told there is no obligation to buy, you end up feeling that because of all the time they've spent, that you really can't live without 'the best that money can buy', as in their words, 'you deserve it', 'it's your health, and surely that's worth paying for', etc. Then, once they've left, you begin to realise that while you haven't actually been conned, you've ended up spending £5k, when all you actually wanted was to know if you needed hearing aids, and if so, how much they would be likely to cost you. This happened to my DH, and yet we normally think we're pretty savvy when it comes to salespeople in our home, and have on occasion been known to throw out those that come with the hard sell, 'I'll have to speak to my manager, maybe I can squeeze a little bit of extra discount for you, blah, blah' type. My husband had asked if there was a 'cooling off period', but was told that 'you won't need that, as I can guarantee that you won't regret getting the best, blah, blah'. So the salesman didn't actually say no, but crafted his words to make you believe that you wouldn't need to even consider getting your money back, basically he said anything necessary to persuade us to buy there and then. Thankfully, once we'd come to our senses, I looked them up online, and found that they do actually offer a 60 day money back guarantee, so we were able to cancel the whole thing, but were really shocked at how easily we'd been sweet talked into spending £5k on something that we hadn't really done any real research on, which is not at all like us, and it's not even as if we're that old yet, as we're both only in our 60's. Give that salesman his due, I feel absolutely sure he could sell ice cubes to Eskimo's!

Luckygirl3

I have NHS ones from Specsavers - small, fine, free, connects to an app on my phones, all the bells and whistles, all the follow up and batteries free. I am at a loss as to why anyone pays ...

NHS aids are excellent if you have a mild to moderate sensoneurinal hearing loss, which is the loss that affects the vast majority of older people. I have a mixed hearing loss (conductive and sensoneurinal) in both ears and quite a large loss, especially in my left ear. To put this into context, when I take my hearing aids out at night I have a sudden wall of silence. This is most noticeable when I am running a bath in our en suite bathroom as, when I take out my hearing aids, I cannot hear the water running. I am also a professional classical musician and my NHS aids did not work very well for music. My hearing has deteriorated significantly since I was fitted with the NHS aids and it was almost as bad as not wearing any. There is also a very long wait for NHS hearing aids in my area. I went to an audiologist in a small chain of private hearing aid providers and have top-of-the-range models. Best of all, they have an excellent music programme, which allows me to hear in stereo, which I can't remember hearing since I was a child. I finally have a programme that works for hearing speech in a noisy environment. Yes, they cost an eye-watering amount of money but this also includes superb aftercare. They have been absolutely lifechanging for me and enable me to live a fulfilling life. This is why I have these expensive private hearing aids instead of NHS aids.

Had aids for a few years that were light & manageable. Then new ones a few years ago that were bigger & uncomfortable. Now another new set that are slightly less weighty & a bit smaller but the pipes are uncomfortable & because I have very narrow ears they hurt after a couple of hours. Do not think there will be any use going back to Specsavers as my aids now are linked to my phone so that I can sort any problems myself! That is ok if I do not have arthritis in arms & hands & AMD in my eyes that make using the app a bit awkward! Still can only have a few years life left, if that long! So will plod on & put up with only using them when I am with other people to have a conversation with. TV & music can turn up a bit & shout at my cat as he seems deaf too! 😹

No NHS where I live but my mother had good service from her hospital audiology department. I opted for basic level Specsavers for my one deaf ear and have two identical ones for same ear taking advantage of 'buy one get one free' deal of year back. I later tried a fancier model with rechargeable batteries and App connection with Bluetooth so could use h aid like an earpod to listen to music/podcasts or take calls. I used it for trial period but returned it as my phone was not compatable with their app and I was happier with battery set up I was used to. I hated idea of another 'thing' to plug in every night and anxiety over travel and leaving it in a hotel. My batteries last a good while, over a week if every day use, and so small, easy to have spare in bag. I was very happy with Specavers service overall with free batteries and wax filters and check up whenever I felt the need,

My sister had to start wearing hearing aids last year after a sudden total hearing loss in one ear. She went down the NHS route as they were investigating the cause. Her free NHS hearing aid is practically invisible it's a tiny thing and even with her very short hair it's not really noticeable, and the bit outside her ear is so small it doesn't get in the way of her glasses. Well worth checking out NHS ones before committing to pay out exhorbitant amounts for privare ones.

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As a long-term Aid wearer (meningitis in 1992 aged 22) I think that I'm well qualified to offer advice on this subject.

But really I would just offer this .......

ADVICE -

An efficient and professional Hearing Test can ONLY take place in an soundproof room or booth.
Most High Street offerers DO NOT have these.
Ask the question.
If it isn't affirmative then walk away.

HISTORY -

I had Meningitis in 1992 at age 22 which caused a considerable deterioration in my hearing.

I have had private Aids - Siemens £1,500 each in 1992! Private Audiologist. Lost one and couldn't afford a replacement (neglected to itemise on my Home Insurance). Totally in ear type which causes a build up of earwax that needed a trip to my Health Centre twice a year to syringe (not available on the NHS now; private dewaxing anything from £60-£100).

Saw my GP and explained the situation
referred to local hospital Audiology Department. Had tests promptly and within 3-weeks had the new NHS Aids - Phonek.

The NHS ones are far superior and more comfortable and no build up of wax *. Plus I save (c) £60 a year on batteries as I no longer have to buy them privately. The receptionist at my Doctor's Surgery keeps them in her desk drawer. I just ask for them and she hands them over.

CONCLUSION -

See your GP and request a referral.

* Wax is important to lubricate your ear drum and inner ear. Excess just evaporates normally. This can't happen with solid Aids that are moulded to entirely fill your ear. Over-the-ear and with just the soft cone in it is more efficient and allows for some evaporation and doesn't compact/harden the wax and block the ear. Just grow your hair over your ears and it can't be seen (skin-tone or silver options.
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Didnt they tell you, they are free at specsavers on the nhs with free batteries for life, I have a pair, they are super, dont be conned

Specsavers supply free hearing aids on the nhs with free batteries for life, I wear them, dont be conned into buying some

I have Specsavers hearing aids, the second cheapest kind, and am quite happy with them. The waiting list here for NHS is very long and I was fortunate enough to be able to pay for them. The service, I have found, is very good and friendly, and although I don't need to wear the aids every day, they are a great help if I am in among people.

I have read all about how hearing aids are made.
And surprisingly, they are very cheap to make.

The hundreds of thousands of pounds we are charged goes mainly to the shops and suppliers who sell them on.

We, the public are being used for vast profits.
It’s a racket. Unfortunately, most of us can’t do without them so have little choice.

I’m due an appointment with Audiology soon, but shall take on all advice given here.
Very interesting.