On a percentage basis. Let’s force Phonak, Oticon, Starkey, ReSound, Signia, WS Audiology, etc., to produce 15% to 20% of hearing aids (in U.S) with disposable batteries. The remaining 80% to 85% of aid production can be geared for hearing aids with rechargeable batteries.
Any HA manufacturer who does not maintain a HA production level of at least 15% to 20% for aids with disposable batteries with either be fined heavily or prevented from selling HA’s in the U.S.
Should at some point rechargeable batteries be improved to the level they can stay fully charged for one week, the above aid/battery production guidelines can be eliminated.
I’m pretty sure at least 20% of hearing aids produced are battery already, and manufacturers will only produce what they think they can sell, so good luck with that, I’m not a youngster and I certainly don’t want to be faffing around changing batteries, I cant even get them out of the blooming packet without a chainsaw
What percentage of hearing aids on the market today are rechargeable? Does anyone have the breakdown? I am not opposed to the government playing a role where needed, but my gut tells me that there are lots of disposable battery aids on the market already. But maybe I’m wrong on that.
Absolutely! I hate the ‘rechargeable battery’ hearing aids. The only way one can be assured of constantly operating aids is with replaceable batteries. Rechargeable aids when using streaming music and heavy amplification (as my major hearing loss requires) go dead within 9 to 11 hours. I source aids with top notch features, am willing to pay what ever they must cost.
If I could give you FIVE thumbs-up here, I’d DO IT! I am so in agreement with you. Surveys tell us that “most folks use rechargeable aids now” but never ask, “Which would YOU rather have: battery or rechargeable?” in any survey. DOH.
I just returned from a 2+ week trip to see family and travel on the road. It was the usual BOONDOGGLE of trying to find an outlet for my BIG OL’ CLUNKY Phonak recharging base everywhere I went. I would SO love to camp, backpack and do stuff in nature for longer than a day or two, but I have few truly reliable options. Yes, I could lug battery packs and inverters for my charging base, but why not just slip a pack of orange-tab batteries in my pocket and get ON with it?
We are simply not getting the options we should be here. It’s like car makers only selling giant SUVs so they can make more money. Folks like smaller cars, too. And I would definitely have bought a battery-operated version of the Lumity Life (NOT waterproof, but excellent speech enhancer) aids if it was available.
We’re crying to the choir here, but hope always springs eternal. There HAS to be a resolution to rechargeable aids that (for me) last no more than 17 hrs with a charge and require a plug, adapter (if overseas) and yada yada to keep one’s ears functioning. I have zero margin for no aids being in. I have to wear whatever is on the market, even if it comes to aids that require a humongous battery in a wheelbarrow strapped to my waist to power the aids.
My experience too - and my rechargeables die quicker if I have them in any one program for a length of time. E.g., if I have them in “Speech in LOUD Noise” while flying on a plane, they will drain much faster than if I’d left them in the default, start-up program.
However, your mentioning that you get only 9-11 hrs of use reminds me: I had the SAME issue with my Phonak Lumity Life aids paired + connected to my Samsung Flip-4 cell phone. RIGHT HERE at this forum I got the timely tip that said all I needed to do was update the OS on my Android to 13 (from 12) and voila! I went from 11 hrs MAX to 17 hrs. Check the OS version on your cell phone!
Sadly, our audis have no clue about OS on cell phones and how to extend the rechargeable hours. Even tech support at Phonak et al won’t know what we’re talking about. We have to rely on each other here to find these things out. Phonak posted a note to that effect on their website, but never even sent emails to audis or CUSTOMERS (and I ask, why do they even have the serial numbers of our aids on file if they never use them to contact us with useful info??).
This survey data is out of date (2018-19) but even then, the die was cast for rechargeables. Seniors may say they prefer rechargeables to batteries due to dexterity issues, but PLENTY of us would rather have the flexibility and longevity of battery-operated aids over rechargeables that require plugging in every single night.
Are battery lovers okay with paying more for those aids then
with rechargeable aids?
Right now 80% of all aids sold are rechargeable. If manufacturers MUST make battery aids for the 20% (and shrinking every year) as well as make rechargeables then it will obviously cost more for the manufacturers to recoup costs and turn a profit with the battery aids so they should cost more, otherwise those of us that prefer rechargeables will be subsidizing battery users costs.
When I first was given rechargeable hearing aid I wasn’t that happy but now that I have been using them for about 4 years there is no way I would go back to disposable batteries.
Like I’ve said in my posts regarding Phonak and (possible death) of disposable batteries and now “Red Flag” to FDA to get on the stick and save HA that use disposable batteries. There are pros and con to both rechargeable and disposable batteries.
But many comments on HT are so “WEAK” regarding various reasons not to use disposable batteries.
Mr. Smithster feels it will cost HA manufacturers more to continue to make HA with disposable batteries, when from day one when HA’s came out in 1930’s/1940’s they used (guess what) disposable batteries. There is zero price difference in making aids for rechargeable or disposable battery. ZERO. But there is a huge price difference when buying faulty battery chargers and costly rechargeable batteries, over two/three year supply of disposable batteries.
Last I checked landfills were not overflowing with HA batteries. Hardly. Yet grocery stores still bag groceries with plastic bags that choke birds and turtles.
Power outages are increasing coast to coast (think Texas) and air travel has become a nightmare. So when you’re at the airport for X or XX amount of hours do you first recharge your phone or your HA batteries? See with disposable batteries you have peace of mind where with rechargeable you have “STRESS” since with ever click of the clock a rechargeable battery weakens. Quickly. But heck let’s force those with mid to profound hearing losses to use rechargeable batteries and increase their stress. As if folks with significant hearing loss don’t have enough stress in their life.
Then we have a few that claim your local drug store will run out of HA batteries before aspirin and hair shampoo. Gee - don’t think so.
I could go on and on but we should live in a world where someone buying an OTC aid for say $300, or a $2500 HA through dealer, has the god given right to buy an aid with disposable batteries or rechargeable. Not one or the other.
“Tell that to the Chevy Corvair victims that died due to lack of government intervention.”
Really? You’re comparing rechargeable batteries to dangerous cars? A bit hysterical, are we? Do you expect thousands of HA users to die from their rechargeable batteries bursting suddenly into flame?
Maybe get a grip. I’d like to force all car manufacturers to provide roll down windows to me and the six other people who like them. Force!! them. Ain’t gonna happen. As Mick Jagger sings, “you can’t always get what you want…but ya get what you need.”
As I’ve written, oh , forty five times, my rechargeable aids come with a power pack carrying case that weighs about three ounces, is half the size of a tennis ball, and holds three full charges equaling 6-7 days of use. Maybe look into this?
Great satire, thanks for the laugh! Seriously though, could you get him to improve his priorities? For example, whenever we try to log into this or that and it doesn’t work, the explanation is that either the username or password is incorrect. SOMEBODY knows which it is, and we should have the right to be told.
I have the charging base (and power cord to plug it in), but rarely take trips of just 2-3 days. Mine last 2+ weeks or even a few months. So I absolutely need the base, the power cord and a verrrrrry reliable, accessible source of power to plug that into.
Last fall I had problems with my aids lasting more than 11 hrs. I didn’t know if the prob was the aids or the charging base. Turns out it was the OS on my Android phone. But the whole game is more complex now. With just aids + battery, you can quickly test either one and get a definitive answer for what needs fixing or replacing. Dead battery? Change it. Aid not working? Send it in.
I ended up taking in the whole shebang of aids + charging base and getting the aids sent in to Phonak with a replacement charging base given to me “just in case that was the prob” as per the Phonak rep at my audi’s office.
With my hearing loss, I’m gonna drain a pair of charged-up aids MUCH faster than the ordinary Joe. Toss in some streaming TV at night or music while I’m cleaning house, and I’m gonna have to charge my aids up in way WAY less than 24 hrs. I can’t even go ONE single day without a chargeup.
I’ve lived in earthquake country, and now am in hurricane country. World is going to he!! in a handbasket, and so it niggles me that I will need to plug my charger in and charge up my aids before the day is out - no matter if Martians land. It has to be done. With batteries, I’d travel with a month’s supply, could camp for a week in the wilderness and no prob.
I guess that is the “old” normal that I miss. No going back to it unless rechargeables can give us MORE DAYS (not hours) of use.
We need better, longer life rechargeable batteries and they need to be EASILY replaceable when they die. Until then we need the option of going a week instead of a day! Right now that’s only available with disposable batteries.
Exactly - but it appears HA manufactures are going after “volume” as far as selling aids and telling those who like and prefer disposable batteries to join Dodo bird. That to me is one - insulting and two - in violation of basic code of ethics. From a medical hearing standpoint.
