How We Research

I'm Margaret Chen — not an audiologist, not a hearing aid wearer, but someone who spent three years helping her mother Ruth navigate hearing healthcare from diagnosis to devices. That experience shaped everything about how this site works.

Ruth was diagnosed with moderate-to-severe age-related hearing loss in 2019. What followed was a multi-year education in a complicated system: audiologist consultations, insurance negotiations that went nowhere, a first prescription pair (Phonak Audeo, approximately $5,000, zero insurance coverage), a lost device and warranty replacement, and eventually the addition of OTC options after the FDA's 2022 rulemaking. I was present for every step — as her researcher, her appointment companion, and the person who decoded the audiogram reports. My professional background is healthcare communications: twenty-five years making complex medical information accessible to general audiences. I read the audiology trade press, follow the Hearing Tracker community, and know how to evaluate a clinical claim. I am not a clinician.

What this site can and cannot tell you

Better Hearing Hub provides buyer-side research guidance — the kind of information I wished had existed when I needed it most. That means comparing devices on technology type, amplification range, connectivity, trial terms, and warranty. It means explaining what an audiogram shows, what a speech-in-noise test measures, and what the difference between RIC and BTE actually means in practice. It does not mean diagnosing hearing loss, recommending specific devices for a specific audiogram, or replacing the judgment of a licensed hearing healthcare professional.

If you are experiencing hearing loss and are unsure whether OTC devices are appropriate for your situation, consult a licensed audiologist or hearing specialist before purchasing. OTC hearing aids are FDA-registered for adults with perceived mild-to-moderate hearing loss. Significant or sudden hearing loss, asymmetric loss, tinnitus, or ear pain warrants professional evaluation first.

How we source recommendations

Every device recommendation on this site is built from multiple sources: verified owner reviews across independent platforms (Hearing Tracker, Consumer Affairs, and retail review aggregates), audiological trade publications and professional guidance from ASHA, AAA, and BHI, published clinical studies where available, manufacturer specification documentation, and direct engagement with hearing aid user communities. Where a recommendation rests primarily on sourced research rather than hands-on evaluation, I say so. I do not claim personal product testing when the basis is community and documentary research.

OTC versus prescription: a clear distinction

This site covers both categories. FDA-registered OTC hearing aids are intended for adults who self-identify as having mild-to-moderate hearing loss; they do not require a prescription, audiologist fitting, or medical evaluation. Prescription hearing aids require fitting by a licensed professional, are programmed to a specific audiogram, and typically access features and amplification ranges unavailable in OTC devices. We aim to distinguish clearly which category any given device or article addresses. When a buying decision sits at the boundary — where OTC might serve your needs or might not — the right answer is an audiologist consultation, not a guess.

What we don't do

We don't accept free devices in exchange for coverage. We don't reduce hearing health decisions to affiliate-optimized star ratings. We don't recommend products I wouldn't be comfortable putting in front of my mother. When new devices launch, when specifications change, or when community consensus shifts our assessment, we update.

Affiliate links

Some links on this site are affiliate links. If you buy something through one, we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This never influences what we recommend — see our full affiliate disclosure.