The short answer is there is no such thing as ‘the best’ hearing aid.
While it would make our job much easier if we recommended one hearing aid to everyone it would mean we were not offering patient centered care which is something we value. To get the best outcomes for all our clients we get to know them as individuals and work with them to choose the hearing aid that best suits them and their needs. It takes more time and effort for both the clinician and the client, but it means we end up with the best outcomes.
There are many different styles of hearing aids, in- the-ear custom, in- the-ear instant fit, invisible in the ear, receiver in the ear, behind the ear with slim tubes or with custom moulds just to name a few. (See examples here.)
There are also many different hearing aid manufacturers, and they each have a large range of styles, technology and price points. Importantly all of the manufacturers has a different philosophy on how they approach the processing of sound. For example, some place a high importance on improving signal to noise ratio while others place more importance on maintaining a natural clean sound. Most processes the signal in the frequency domain while one uses the time domain. All hearing aids have the option of a bluetooth connection, the type of bluetooth they uses varies across manufacturers so we need to ensure that the hearing aid you try will work with your existing technology. These are just some of the things we cover with you when making a recommendation as to what we think will the ‘best’ option for you.