Hearing Aids

Walmart Hearing Aids: Are They Any Good?

Years ago, people had to get a prescription to acquire a hearing aid. Today, there are over-the-counter hearing aids and devices sold online. Aside from being hugely accessible, over-the-counter hearing aids, like Walmart hearing aids, are greatly attractive because of their low price tags.

Question is – are Walmart hearing aids any good? Are they worth your money?

From an audiologist’s point of view, for a hearing aid’s benefits to be fully enjoyed, proper hearing evaluation and hearing aid fitting should be performed. Buying hearing aids from a shelf or from an online store will not guarantee the ideal hearing experience; think of it as a hit-or-miss purchase. It might work, it might not, or it might work a little bit but not provide the correct hearing amplification needed.

Are Walmart Hearing Aids Real Hearing Aids?

Yes, there are some Walmart hearing aids that can be considered real hearing aids. However, don’t expect their performance to be at par with hearing aids from an audiology clinic. In more ways than one, hearing aids prescribed, fitted, and programmed by an audiologist are far better than Walmart hearing aids – or any other over-the-counter hearing aid – because they are based on scientific and evidence-based hearing healthcare procedures.

Does Walmart carry over-the-counter hearing aids?

Most over-the-counter hearing aids at Walmart are marketed to be legitimate, FDA-registered hearing aids. However, there are also inexpensive sound amplifiers sold at Walmart, so make sure not to mix them up.

Best Selling Walmart Hearing Aids

MDHearingAid and Hearing Assist are two of the best-selling Walmart hearing aids. If you Google these two brands, you’ll see that they are quite popular among adults and seniors with hearing loss. Yet again, we have to remind you that a proper hearing evaluation is needed to ensure that you get the best hearing solution based on your hearing requirements.

Hearing Assist Reviews
Hearing Assist has been getting mixed reviews on many different consumer review platforms. While Hearing Assist has an A rating from the Better Business Bureau, most of the customers who rated Hearing Assist gave it a rating of 2 out of 5 stars.

MDHearingAid AIR Review
MDHearingAids are marketed as direct-to-consumer, affordable hearing aids. The devices are said to be registered with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The company offers a 90-day warranty but you must purchase a separate product protection package for longer coverage.

While there is a free online hearing test on the website of MDHearingAids, it’s not a replacement to address significant hearing issues that are much better checked in person by an audiologist.

As of July 2021, MDHearingAid has a rating of 3.1 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot. Reviews involved issues with a full refund and a lack of transparency with the company’s policies.

Walmart Hearing Aids: Low-cost option or waste of money?

Walmart hearing aids are affordable, yes, we’ll give them that. However, when it comes to hearing aids and other hearing healthcare solutions, you need to consider a lot more than the price tag.

Traditionally, hearing aids were only acquired through an audiologist or hearing healthcare professional. Walmart doesn’t have an on-site audiologist. If you’re planning to purchase Walmart hearing aids, you’re basically on your own when it comes to deciding if a certain hearing device is ideal for your hearing loss or not. Walmart offers a mix of hearing aids and hearing amplifiers and if you’re not that knowledgeable about their differences, you might end up buying the wrong device.

You can purchase Walmart hearing aids without a hearing test. This may seem like a perk for individuals who want a no-fuss purchasing process but for people with severe to profound hearing loss, purchasing a hearing aid without correlating it with a hearing test is highly discouraged.

Walmart Hearing Aids: Our Verdict

As hearing healthcare professionals, we are always on the consumers’ side and advocating for their welfare. While there is nothing wrong with Walmart hearing aids and other OTC hearing aids, we find the lack of proper hearing evaluation and hearing aid fitting to be an issue.

When you purchase hearing aids, it is ideal to go through the correct process of hearing testing/diagnostics, hearing aid fitting, programming, adjustments, cleaning, and maintenance. In terms of functionality and efficiency, prescribed hearing aids are still #1.

Consulting with an audiologist helps you make better hearing aid purchases. Your hearing health is too important to leave it to second-guessing. You need to be sure and you need someone reliable to help you make the right decision.

Are you ready to hear better?

Fort Bend Hearing provides comprehensive preventative, diagnostic and rehabilitation hearing services for pediatric and adult patients. Contact us today to schedule your appointment.

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Are you ready to hear better?

Fort Bend Hearing provides comprehensive preventative, diagnostic and rehabilitation hearing services for pediatric and adult patients. Contact us today to schedule your appointment.

Best Hearing Aids - Sugar Land, TX

Fort Bend Hearing stays relevant and current on the newest, cutting-edge technology and precisely fits hearing aids based on our patient’s hearing loss, unlike the over-the-counter alternatives.

Fort Bend Hearing provides comprehensive preventative, diagnostic, and rehabilitation hearing services for pediatric and adult patients. Our goal is to build long-term relationships and support the ongoing needs of our patients. Dr. Spencer, the head audiologist at Fort Bend Hearing, is a licensed audiologist with 20+ years of research and clinical experience in the hearing health care industry.

Call us today to schedule an appointment!