Best for At-Home Sound Programming

LifeEar is a small hearing aid brand offering a single device, the LifeEar Core, which achieves LifeEar’s goal of providing a smart, modern device at a low price. LifeEar is an online retailer with no middlemen or storefronts to add to the cost of owning a hearing aid, and the Core retails at just $799 apiece. Though LifeEar does not provide sound profile customization, the LifeEar app offers users the power to adjust their own hearing aids at home using fine-tuning tools.

The LifeEar app provides a range of tools that allow users to adjust their hearing aids from the comfort of home without the need to visit a specialist or call customer support. LifeEar users can adjust the volume for both of their hearing aids separately and are given programming options for different sound environments, such as ‘Restaurant’, ‘Quiet’ and ‘Conversation’. More in-depth settings are also available, allowing users to adjust the high, medium and low-range sound amplification of their hearing aids using simple sliders.

Interested consumers may purchase the Core hearing aid directly from LifeEar on its website, or by visiting local retailers who may offer this Bluetooth enabled, low-cost device.

FeaturesThe LifeEar Core
Fit TypeBTE
Battery Size/Life312
Bluetooth (Wireless) EnabledYes
Directional MicrophoneYes
Noise ReductionYes
Feedback ReductionYes
Digital Sound ProcessingYes
Processing Channels4
TelecoilNo
Auto Adjusts to Changing EnvironmentsYes
Physical Volume ButtonYes
Pricing (Single Ear / Both Ears)$799 / $1,599

LifeEar’s Hearing Aid Models

LifeEar Core

The LifeEar Core is currently the brand’s sole offering, made for those with mild to moderately severe hearing loss. The Core is Bluetooth-enabled, has advanced background noise reduction, and helps the wearer hear loud as well as soft sounds in changing environments through LifeEar’s digital hearing technology. The Core’s ComfortTIP earpiece fits inside the ear without crowding the canal, allowing for more airflow and unamplified background noise to reach the eardrum than many other hearing aid models.

While the LifeEar app is not required for the hearing aid(s) to function, seniors who use the app will have a more individualized hearing experience and more control of their device, and the app is simplified so that almost anyone can use it easily. LifeEar does not pre-program their hearing aids using individual audiology test results, but the LifeEar app provides a high level of customization for users who can set up their hearing aid digitally for their best results. About 80 percent of hearing loss sufferers are likely to have basically the same type of hearing loss and may be happy with the Core straight out of the box. However, consumers who cannot use a smartphone to adjust the Core may want to consider other alternatives.

LifeEar Core comes with a carrying case, batteries, various sizes of tubes and tips, a cleaning tool, microfiber cloth and a 45-day, risk-free trial. Consumers who purchase a pair of hearing aids will receive a year’s worth of batteries and free warranty protection.

The Core provides four programmable channels, is waterproof and features a battery life of approximately four to six days. It currently retails directly from LifeEar at $799 per ear or $1,599 for a right- and left-side set.

Warranties on LifeEar Hearing Aids

LifeEar Core has a 90-day warranty that covers defects in materials, parts, and workmanship. Should the hearing aid(s) have a defect, LifeEar will repair or replace defective instruments at no cost. The 90-day warranty period begins when the customer receives their hearing aid(s).

LifeEar offers an MDShield Protection Plan at an additional cost for any type of accidental damage such as water damage, breakage, and battery corrosion. The only things the plan does not cover is lost hearing aid(s) or theft. Unauthorized repairs can void this warranty.

If LifeEar Core is purchased from a reseller, that reseller may offer its own additional warranty coverage. Wearers who buy a pair of hearing aids receive one year of MDShield Protection for free.

LifeEar’s Hearing Aid App

Users of this app can create sound profiles for each ear, and people who use two hearing aids can program each hearing aid with its own separate sound profile. Once each profile has been created, the user is able to view the battery status of the hearing aids, change programs, adjust the volume of one or both hearing aids, control frequencies, gain control of noise reduction and more. The app works on iPads, iPhones and Android devices.

Learn More on Hearing Aids