Batteries are an integral part of all hearing aids. As a matter of fact, all hearing aids have the same basic, but necessary components: a microphone, amplifier, receiver, and battery. A hearing aid battery is an important component, as it acts as the power source for the hearing aid, and ensures it performs as intended.
In the past, hearing aid batteries came in one style: disposable. Over the past several years, rechargeable batteries for hearing aids has become an option. Below we will compare disposable to rechargeable hearing aid batteries.
Disposable Batteries
You can get disposable hearing aid batteries in four different sizes, and each size is color-coded. These batteries begin working when a color coded tab is removed and oxygen enters. Only remove and discard the color coated tab when you are actually ready to use the battery. The best action is to remove the tab and let the battery sit out for approximately one minute before putting it into the hearing aid.
Key Considerations
- Portability: Disposable hearing aid batteries allow you to travel with just the hearing aid and batteries; no need to carry a charger.
- Battery Life: Many factors affect battery life - although the typical life of disposable batteries are 5-7 days. The life of the battery, however, depends on the user’s needs, battery size, complexity of listening environments, stream time, wear time, and more factors.
- Accessibility: You will need to change a battery once it loses power. Keeping spare batteries is recommended and a good practice. However, you can buy these batteries online or at most grocery, convenience, and drug stores.
Rechargeable batteries
Most of today’s hearing aids can be used with rechargeable batteries.
At the beginning of this month, we introduced our BTE rechargeable hearing aids to our product family. With this latest addition, Starkey offers most rechargeable hearing aid styles available on the market today, including the world’s first wireless custom rechargeable hearing aids. Now, there is a rechargeable hearing aid for every need!
If you’re ready to go rechargeable, contact a local hearing professional today.
Key Considerations
- No battery changing: The best thing about rechargeable hearing aids is that you don’t have to change batteries any longer. This is a great solution for individuals with dexterity concerns, since changing the small disposable batteries can be a tough and tedious task.
- Economical: The overall cost of batteries will save you money since you don’t have to purchase new ones over and over.
- Continuous use: The most recent technology proves that hearing aids can last all day on a single charge. Actually, you can get up to 24 hours of power on a single charge!
- Ease of charging: Just put the hearing aid(s) in the charger at night while you sleep (an overnight charge is recommended). We also offer an even more convenient charging solution: Mini Turbo Charger. This pocket-size lithium-ion charging option provides added grab-and-go charging capabilities that will fully charge your hearing aids in under three hours!
- Speed of charging: Your hearing aids will be completely charged just in 3.5 hours - so you can get back to hearing your best as quickly as possible.
- Friendly to the environment: Two regular hearing aids will use over 300 disposable hearing aid batteries over a period of three years. The same time frame would require only two rechargeable batteries.
If you have questions about hearing aids, hearing aid batteries, or would like to find hearing aids for your unique needs, contact a hearing aid professional near you by clicking here.