rechargeable hearing aids

Hearing aid batteries are the most important accessory of a Hearing aid. A dead or a weak battery means no working Hearing aid.

Today’s hearing aids include a wide range of features that were unthinkable even a decade ago. Wireless connectivity for streaming TV, music, and phone calls, binaural processing, and remote tuning are just some of the things modern hearing aids can offer. But all these cutting-edge features require more power consumption to work, putting greater demand on hearing aid batteries. Rechargeable hearing aids help in this regard.

Rechargeable Hearing Aids have started to grow in popularity, especially now that Lithium Ion hearing aid battery technology has entered the market. However, rechargeable isn’t the right choice for some people based on a variety of factors. You need to make sure you consider the Pros and Cons of Rechargeable Batteries vs. Disposable Batteries before deciding.

Rechargeable Hearing Aids

rechar4gable hearing aids

While rechargeable hearing aids have been on the market for years, they weren’t popular in early years because of their low power output. Despite their early hurdles, there is a reason why rechargeable hearing aids are now becoming so popular. In 2016, a new rechargeable hearing aid technology arrived on the market, Lithium-Ion. These rechargeable batteries have several advantages over disposable batteries.

Pros of Rechargeable Hearing Aids

rechargeable hearing aids
  • No need to fiddle with tiny batteries for frequent battery changes.
  • Most models reach a full charge in less than five hours.
  • Charging is easy – just place the hearing aid in the charging case.
  • They do not require frequent battery changes.
  • Most models provide a full 24-hour lifespan, including up to five hours of streaming audio.
  • A single rechargeable battery essentially replaces 100 single-use batteries, saving a tremendous amount of waste from contaminating the environment.

Cons of Rechargeable Hearing Aids

  • Lithium-ion batteries must be sealed inside their device, so when they reach the end of their lifespan, the battery must be replaced by the manufacturer.
  • Because lithium-ion batteries are sealed, they cannot be swapped for a disposable battery.

Disposable Hearing Aid Batteries

disposable hearing aid batteries

There is a wide variety of factors that can impact the longevity of your hearing aids, and one of the main ones is the degree of hearing loss. This dictates just how hard the battery must work in order to amplify sound and allow you to hear clearly.  Zinc-air batteries come with a factory-sealed sticker which essentially allows them to remain dormant until the sticker is removed. Once the sticker is removed, oxygen interacts with the zinc, activating the battery for use.

Pros of Disposable Hearing Aid Batteries

  • The most common disposable battery size (size 312) has a life expectancy of between three to 10 days.
  • Individual battery costs are very low.

Cons of Disposable Hearing Aid Batteries

  • The wearer must be constantly aware of how much power remains in the battery.
  • Battery life can change dramatically based on humidity, degree of hearing loss, and other factors outside of the wearer’s control.
  • Changing disposable batteries can be tricky, as the batteries are very small, and the packages are tightly sealed.
  • The wearer must frequently purchase replacement batteries. On average, hearing aid wearers change 100 hearing aid batteries each year.
  • Disposable batteries are not environment friendly as they are not recyclable.

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