Costco Hearing Aids in 2024 - Models, Features, Prices, and Reviews

Costco’s hearing aid centers have been one of the biggest success stories in the hearing aid industry over the past decade. From 2011 to 2017, sales at Costco hearing centers grew at approximately 20% per year, and Costco has now emerged as the nation's leading hearing aid retailer, making up more than 15% of the US retail market in 2024. That suggests only the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) dispenses more hearing aids in the United States.

In addition to offering the convenience of buying your hearing aids and having them serviced at a store you visit frequently, Costco uses its volume buying and distribution clout to offer lower prices for hearing aids than many private hearing aid practices. But remember, you have to join as a regular Costco Wholesale warehouse club member to buy and get service from its hearing aid centers. Memberships start at $65 per year.

What’s Costco’s secret?

Costco's secret sauce is the combination of low, low prices for high-quality name-brand prescription hearing aids and consistently good service in its hearing centers. Costco stays ahead of the pack by performing sound verification on every hearing aid fitted (common at top-quality hearing clinics) and by offering competitive return policies and product warranties.

If you’re holding back from getting help due to hearing aid sticker shock, read on to determine if Costco is right for you. Costco is a great option for many, but there are some people who are not as well-suited to the sales model.

Prescription and OTC hearing aids

Costco offers a variety of prescription hearing aids from top brands like Jabra, Philips, and Rexton, delivering advanced technology at lower prices compared to traditional hearing clinics.

Costco also sells the Lexie B2 Powered by Bose, an over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aid. Priced at $980 and available online or in the store, the hearing aids are less expensive than the prescription options, but don't come with the professional support offered by the in-store Costco hearing centers. Customers instead depend on Lexie's do-it-yourself self-fitting app and online support from the manufacturer.

Lower prices may come with tradeoffs

Costco uses its volume buying and distribution clout to offer lower prices for hearing aids than most national chains and private hearing aid practices. It also has substantial advantages when it comes to not having to shoulder the same marketing and overhead costs as private practices or clinics—enabling Costco to discount hearing aids steeply. For example, Costco employs a shop-in-shop model, which minimizes overheads like rent vs. traditional brick-and-mortar clinics.

Apples-to-apples price comparisons can be difficult, but for many comparable quality hearing aids, you can easily save $1,000 or more buying from Costco instead of an independent provider. (In the Costco examples below, we've linked to pages that give average prices for comparable models sold by independent providers.)

At the same time, however, bear in mind that the lower prices come with some important tradeoffs:

• You have to join as a regular Costco Wholesale warehouse club member, starting at $65 per year, to buy and get service from its hearing aid centers.
• Costco doesn’t always carry the latest and greatest versions of name-brand hearing aids, because manufacturers usually provide them first to private audiology practices.
• While Costco generally gets decent grades for dependable service, it’s less likely you’ll have your hearing aids fitted by a doctor of audiology than by a state-licensed hearing aid dispenser with fewer years of schooling.
• Costco lists “starting-at” prices for the three brands of hearing aids it offers, it cautions that prices can vary by state.
• Prices also vary by the model you order and additional services you may require. A visit to your local Costco store will give you exact pricing for the models that interest you.

Two additional notes: 1) Costco dispensers generally don’t have as much time for patients or “skin in the game” as might a typical owner or partner in a private practice, and 2) the “Costco dispensing model” is geared more toward higher volume than comprehensive hearing care. People with more complex/severe hearing losses will benefit from the specialized diagnostics and individualized attention (i.e., numerous follow-up visits, assistive technologies, aural rehab, tinnitus treatments, etc.) offered by audiology practices.

In-store service

Despite the tradeoffs, loyal Costco customers appreciate a selling model geared toward customer convenience. You can make an appointment to schedule a free hearing test at one of Costco’s fully equipped hearing centers, typically staffed by a state-licensed hearing aid dispenser or (less commonly) an audiologist. Because your provider works on salary, not commission, you won't have to worry much about a high-pressure sales pitch.

And if you’re worried that your test will be compromised by the din of shoppers in Costco’s large warehouse space, don’t be. Each hearing center has a sound-proofed booth designed to provide optimal conditions for hearing tests. Here's what to expect:

• The initial hearing evaluation takes about one-and-a-half hours. After filling out a four-page intake form describing your general health, your self-perceived hearing status, and your previous experience with hearing aids (if any), you’ll take a hearing test in the sound booth. Your provider will administer the test and recommend the hearing aids that best suit your hearing needs.
• The hearing test is free—you can take a copy of the test home with you—and you only pay when you place an order for new hearing aids. And if you need to be fitted with a custom earmold or in-the-ear style hearing aid, the provider will take molds of your ears using earmold impression material. These will be used to manufacture your hearing aids.
• When your hearing aids are ready, you’ll return for a fitting appointment, where your new hearing aids will be programmed to your personal hearing-loss profile using real-ear measurements. Costco offers extended free follow-up appointments for the lifetime of the hearing aids, free hearing-aid cleanings, free check-ups, and free programming adjustments.
• Costco hearing aids come with a 6-month trial period which, as far as we know, is the longest trial period available in hearing care.

The purchase price of all hearing aids includes standard three-year manufacturers' warranties covering any repairs that may be required, including replacement of your hearing aid if necessary. And Costco offers a two-year loss-and-damage warranty, with no deductible cost, to replace up to one hearing aid per ear during the warranty period.

A range of styles and prices

Costco hearing aids come in all form factors, including open-fit behind-the-ear (BTE), custom BTE, receiver-in-the-canal (RIC), and custom in-the-ear (ITE). They also come with a range of up-to-date features, including rechargeability, advanced directional noise suppression, and Bluetooth connectivity enabling wireless audio streaming.

Wireless accessories are also available, such as the popular audio transmitters that broadcast audio directly to your hearing aids for assistance hearing in background noise. Accessories cost extra, as do earmolds for custom in-the-ear styles.

Following are summaries of the products available from each brand.

Jabra hearing aids from Costco

Costco sells Jabra Enhance Pro 20 hearing aids starting at $1,599.99 a pair. The new hearing aids look a lot like the ReSound Nexia—the very latest flagship line from ReSound, a well-respected Danish hearing aid brand.

The Jabra Enhance Pro 20 RIE hearing aids were introduced at Costco in November 2023. Along with ReSound's latest hearing-enhancement technology, the Jabras also offer ReSound's unique Microphone & Receiver-In-Ear ("M&RIE") technology, which ReSound claims provides a more natural sound. Take a listen to the ReSound Nexia (recordings from HearAdvisor's acoustic lab) below:

The key technology behind these hearing aids is their 360 All-Around advanced sound processing, featuring directional microphones for a better understanding of speech in noise and automatic adjustments that optimize program settings when in dynamic sound environments. They also have impulse noise reduction for guarding against annoying sudden sounds and an advanced Music Mode.

Jabra Enhance Pro 20 rechargeable hearing aids contain built-in lithium-ion rechargeable batteries and come with a charger included in the purchase price. The big improvement over the Pro 10 line is that the Pro 20 micro-RIE is significantly smaller—in fact, it's the smallest RIE offered at Costco—and it also comes with Auracast, a new Bluetooth steaming and transmitting technology we think will ultimately revolutionize large-area communications. The micro RIE also has tap controls for answering the phone: simply tap on your ear twice to accept and receive a call.

There is also a slightly larger battery-powered Pro 20 model that does not feature tap controls but does have a telecoil, in addition to Auracast technology, for listening where induction loop systems are available.

These aids are expected to get a full day of battery life (about 24-30 hours) on a single 3-hour charge with the rechargeable models, and you can also opt for a Premium Charger case with 3 extra charges for on-the-go power without being connected to a power source. You'll get about 7-10 days of battery life with the battery-powered models.

Enhance Pro also offers ReSound’s popular made-for-iPhone (MFi) and Android ASHA wireless audio streaming technologies that let you use your hearing aids for stereo headphone streaming with compatible iOS^® and Android™ devices. This includes connection with a wide range of wireless accessories and hands-free calling with iPhones and iPads (iPhone 11 or later; see Costco's page for iPad compatibility).

Along with the push-button controls on the hearing aid, the Enhance Pro app allows you to control the hearing aids from your Samsung Galaxy phone, your iPhone, or even your Apple Watch. The app also offers two convenient ways to connect with your hearing care professional: 1) Live Assist gives you face-to-face video on your phone, similar to a FaceTime or Zoom conference, and 2) You can request adjustments to your hearing aids via remote fine-tuning.

Jabra Enhance Pro 20 is currently available only in the RIE style; however, other hearing aid styles, including custom in-ear aids, are available in the Pro 10 line.

In addition to its professionally dispensed Pro line at Costco, GN also offers its Jabra Enhance Select through its online retail website and the Jabra Enhance Select 50R OTC hearing aids in stores like Best Buy and Walmart. HearingTracker summarizes the company's complete offerings on the Jabra Enhance Hearing Aids brand page.

Philips hearing aids from Costco

When top-five hearing aid manufacturer Demant forged a partnership with Philips in the spring of 2019 to produce HearLink hearing aids under the Philips brand, people wondered how the global consumer electronics giant would distribute the high-end products. They quickly got their answer when Costco started to sell Philips HearLink hearing aids in its hearing aid centers, now priced starting at $1,499.99 per pair.

Demant is one of the world's top five hearing aid manufacturers, and its Oticon Intent, Oticon Real, Oticon More, and Oticon Own hearing aids are among the best in the world. The Philips HearLink hearing aids take advantage of Demant's advanced technologies and come in a range of styles and feature sets.

The HearLink 9050 miniRITE (HearLink 50) is Philip's latest flagship rechargeable Bluetooth Receiver-in-the-Ear (RITE, same as RIC) model, based on the technology found in Oticon Intent (one of the best hearing aids). As shown in the photo above, the HearLink 9040 (40) series has a slightly shorter but thicker redesigned exterior. Additionally, it has a new chip that employs enhanced artificial intelligence in addition to motion sensors that give it tap controls. The Philips HearLink 50's SoundMap 3 sound processing software uses Demant's AI Noise Reduction (AR-NR) and advanced directionality to remove noise and prioritize speech in noisy environments. Along with the motion sensors, this allows the hearing aids to recognize and adjust to different sound environments better, so speech is easier to understand—particularly in noisy environments.

Connectivity has also been reconfigured in HearLink 50 using Philips' SoundTie 3, which employs the latest Bluetooth LE Audio technology, making these devices Auracast-ready with a firmware update. Streaming music, phone calls, and other audio is facilitated by better links in the streaming pathway to Apple iOS, compatible Android devices, and Windows PCs. Hands-free calls can be made with both iOS and now Android phones with LE Audio. It also features a built-in telecoil and seven color options.

Costco's high-performance HearLink 9040 (40) hearing aids, based on Oticon Real technology, come in six colors and four different styles, including a rechargeable mini RITE and mini Behind-the-Ear (BTE) hearing aid or a version that uses a size 312 disposable battery.

With the SoundProtect feature, HearLink 9040 and 9050 aids are designed to automatically reduce unwanted sudden loud noises, as well as the impact of wind and handling noise—like when you put on or adjust the device, or have a cap or scarf rub against it.

HearLink models are Made for iPhone, providing wireless hands-free audio streaming from your iPhone, iPad, and iPod, and support direct Android audio streaming through Android ASHA (for Android, you hear the conversation through the hearing aids but must talk into the phone receiver to be heard by the other party). They also feature multichannel directional microphones and active noise management responding to changes in your listening environment.

Although now superseded by the newer SoundMap 3 in the HearLink 9050, SoundMap 2 in Philips HearLink 9040 hearing aids also benefits from Demant’s “AI Sound” and “BrainHearing” technologies and is designed to improve your ability to understand speech in noisy settings. Philips claims that SoundMap 2 removes noise efficiently across 24 frequency bands to “create a superb sound quality.”

Custom in-ear products are available in the Philips HearLink 9030 line and include In-the-Ear (ITE), In-the-Canal (ITC), Completely-in-Canal (CIC), and Invisible-in-Canal (IIC) models. The HearLink 9030 is often compared to Demant’s Bernafon Alpha hearing aids; some have even speculated that the Alpha wasn’t released in the USA due to being rebranded as a Philips product—and Alpha was often compared to Oticon More. The bottom line is Philips hearing aids borrow heavily from world-class Oticon and Bernafon hearing technology.

The HearLink 2 app lets you use your smartphone to change listening programs, adjust volume, mute your hearing aids, activate streaming functions, and even locate your hearing aids when they are lost. It also enables remote fitting so you can receive programming adjustments outside the clinic.

HearLink rechargeable hearing aids now come with the Premium charger, which has an internal battery that provides 3 extra charges for use on the go. The aids also have a telecoil and are IP68 rated, which is the "gold standard" for hearing aid dust and moisture protection.

Costco Hearing Centers offer wireless accessories, including a Philips AudioClip that streams calls from your Bluetooth-enabled Android smartphone to your hearing aids; a Philips TV adapter that transmits wireless audio directly from the TV to your hearing aids; and a Philips Remote Control which can be used to control volume and program settings and is small enough to carry in your pocket or purse.

While Costco prices the Hearlink hearing aids starting at $1,499 a pair, the Oticon products available from independent providers cost more than $5,000 a pair, according to HearingTracker's latest product data.

Should you buy the Costco Jabra Enhance Pro 20, Philips HearLink 9050?

The competition is hot for the best Costco hearing aid of 2024. In the following two videos, HearingTracker audiologist Matthew Allsop gives you his perspectives on the pros and cons of the latest Jabra, Philips, and Rexton prescription hearing aids available at Costco.

Rexton hearing aids from Costco

In August 2024, Rexton introduced to Costco stores its Reach R-LI T, a rechargeable RIC hearing aid powered with Multi-Voice Focus technology designed to make every voice in a conversation clear and recognizable. Reach, like all of Rexton's products, boasts a reliable, durable design with an Ingress Protection (IP) rating of IP68—the highest possible moisture and debris resistance for a hearing aid—that guards against the splashes, dirt, and scratches of everyday life.

The new Reach hearing aid line builds on Rexton's BiCore technology—which splits speech into two separate processing tracks—to now feature four focus tracks or beams. Reach uses its the company's Multi-Voice Focus technology to scan the soundscape 1000 times per second, monitoring the changing positions of speakers and their voice volumes. It then boosts the prominence of those speaking—all without switching modes or processing delays.

Rexton is a major brand of the world's third-largest hearing aid manufacturing group, WS Audiology (WSA). Much of its technology is shared with that of its sister company, Signia, and the Reach R LI T RIC has a resemblance to the Signia Pure IX RIC. Reach hearing aids offer Bluetooth wireless connectivity to both Apple iOS and Android devices, and the new product line is also future-proof, needing only a straightforward firmware update to offer the new Auracast broadcasting technology.

The Reach R-Li T RIC has an impressive battery life of 39 hours per charge or 34 hours with 5 hours of streaming—the longest for a rechargeable RIC outside the Signia IX line.

Costco Hearing Centers also offer Rexton BiCore hearing aids, which resemble the Signia Pure AX. But while Signia models usually cost from $3,000 to more than $5,000+ per pair at other clinics and outlets, Rexton Reach and BiCore hearing aids at Costco start at around $1,499.99 a pair.

Both Rexton BiCore and M-Core hearing aids feature rechargeability and wireless technology, including Made-for-iPhone connectivity, direct Bluetooth streaming to ASHA-enabled Android phones, and wireless accessories. These hearing aids—which were among the first to use onboard motion sensors for detecting your movements in real-time—automatically recognize and adapt to different hearing situations.

Rexton hearing aids at Costco are available in multiple form factors, including rechargeable or battery-powered receiver-in-canal (RIC) and traditional behind-the-ear (BTE) models, as well as a small instant-fit completely-in-canal (CIC) model. (Although several hearing-related websites report that Costco offers Rexton's slim-line RIC model, which is similar to the Signia Styletto, this is not the case.)

Costco's previous flagship Rexton product, BiCore R-Li, is equipped with Rexton’s Speech Preservation Technology, ultra-fast synchronization (BiCore), an optional telecoil (T), and a analog-to-digital converter that supports audio input of up to 117 dB, meaning it can handle loud sounds without distortion.

Rexton hearing aids can also connect to TVs and other Bluetooth-enabled devices via accessories. The Rexton Smart Transmitter 2.4 streams TV wirelessly to both hearing aids, the Rexton Smart Mic provides hands-free streaming of phone calls and media, and the Rexton Smart Key is a small remote control that can be carried in your pocket.

The Rexton App lets you use your smartphone as a remote controller to adjust hearing aid volume and program settings, and to manage connections with Bluetooth devices.

Are Costco's prescription hearing aids locked?

Prior to 2022, Costco hearing aids were "locked," meaning no other hearing care provider outside of Costco Hearing Centers could reprogram or adjust them—other hearing providers were locked out from helping. This is no longer the case. As long as a provider has the hearing aid fitting software for that particular brand, they should be able to make adjustments and service the devices (Note: If they agree to this, they will charge you for their time and services). As a side note, the Lucid hearing aids offered by Sam's Club—Costco Hearing Centers' primary big-box competitor—are locked and can be adjusted only by a Lucid-certified provider (i.e., usually only at Sam's Clubs).

Lexie B2 Plus OTC hearing aids from Costco

Lexie B2 Plus Powered by Bose hearing aids are currently the only OTC hearing aids offered by Costco. Lexie hearing aids are advertised on Costco's website for $980, which is a $20 discount compared to the Lexie website. Unlike the prescription hearing aids sold in its hearing centers, Costco does not offer in-store support for the OTC hearing aids, but Lexie offers extensive online tele-health support from its own staff of hearing health professionals.

The above panel shows HearAdvisor's independent lab assessment of the Lexie B2 Plus hearing aid (currently being updated to include hands-free). B2 Plus hearing aids are self-fitting and self-tuning, with an app that includes a hearing test and customization so you can hear better in a variety of settings. They are rechargeable, providing up to 18 hours of use per charge, and multiple sizes of eartips are included. HearAdvisor ranks them as one of the top-3 OTC hearing aids, earning the B2 Plus the lab's Expert Choice Award.

Lexie B2 Plus wearers can use their aids to conduct phone calls with Apple iOS and compatible Android phones; however, hands-free calling is only available with iPhones. In other words, users will be able to receive voice audio from their Android phones, but they'll still need to speak into the receiver to be heard by the person on the line. You can stream music, video sound, etc., from an iOS device, but not Android.

The B2 Plus offers good sound quality, on-device volume control, directional microphones, noise reduction, and smartphone app control to customize the device for individual users.

Things to consider when you shop for Costco hearing aids

Buying hearing aids can be very confusing, especially if you’ve never worn them before. There will be plenty of options to consider, even after you’ve chosen a brand and general feature set that you’re comfortable with. Your overall costs will vary depending on which models, features, and accessories you buy. Here are a few things to ask about at Costco:

• Price: The Costco website lists “starting at” prices for most of its prescription hearing aids, but pay close attention to the fine print. Most price listings have notes at the bottom of the page that say “Prices may vary by state.” And different model versions with varying optional features, such as rechargeable batteries, may also carry different prices. For instance, a custom hearing aid model requiring an ear mold impression usually costs about $100 more than the same hearing aid with an open-fit design. You will also pay extra for accessories.
• Warranties: The purchase price of all Costco prescription hearing aids includes a standard three-year warranty covering any repairs that may be required, including replacement of your hearing aid if necessary. They also come with a two-year loss-and-damage warranty, with no deductible cost, to replace up to one hearing aid per ear during the warranty period. Those warranties are as good as those offered by most name-brand hearing aid makers, if not better. Costco says the warranties are one of the benefits you get from your Costco Wholesale membership.
• Batteries: Disposable hearing aid batteries can cost a hundred dollars a year or more. Costco will send you home with new batteries in your hearing aids, but no extras. However, you can buy a 40-pack of Varta zinc-air disposable hearing aid batteries at Costco for $8.29, which is a great deal compared with what you pay for batteries at CVS or Walgreens.
• Accessories: Remote microphones, TV audio streamers, remote controllers and other accessories are available with most of the hearing aids Costco offers. Prices for the accessories can vary, so be sure to find out the total cost of your purchase including any options you may want.
• Smartphone apps: Most hearing aids now come with dedicated smartphone apps that can be downloaded for free from the manufacturers’ website or from an app store. The apps can be used to change volume, switch program settings, manage accessory connections, and control the hearing aids in other ways. And if your hearing aids are Bluetooth-compatible, the apps will help you pair your hearing aids with compatible devices.

What’s the net when considering Costco for your hearing aids? Even with costs for extras, you can expect to pay less than at a private audiology practice. You can also expect to get ongoing service and support from licensed hearing aid professionals. And you can expect a good selection of high-performance products with plenty of accessories and connectivity options.

But if you’re in the market for the latest and greatest premium models from the top hearing aid brands, or if you want personal attention from a doctor of audiology, an independent provider may be better suited to your needs.

What do Costco's customers say?

At the HearingTracker Hearing Aid Forum, an online community for new and experienced users of hearing aids, there are literally hundreds of posts on the Costco experience. For example, in February 2023, members of our HearingTracker Forum community were among the first to report that the new Philips HearLink 9040 hearing aids will soon be available in Costco hearing centers.

No matter what kinds of hearing aids you are considering, it's worth spending time on our Forum. You will get up close and personal with hundreds of other hearing aid users' experiences, both pro and con. And if you have thoughts to add, it's easy to sign up and start contributing your own comments to the community.

(Editor's note: At the time Dr. Cliff did the above review, Costco “locked” its hearing aids, making them programmable only at the point of purchase and preventing you from taking them to a private audiologist for programming updates. But in 2022, Costco’s US Operations team told HearingTracker that all new Costco hearing aids would be unlocked, enabling you to have them programmed by an independent audiologist if you want.)

Hearing healthcare is extremely important and has been linked to cognitive and physical health, economic status, social engagement and depression, and more. The FDA classifies hearing aids as medical devices for a reason. Justifiably, some people may feel uncomfortable treating a serious healthcare issue in the same place where they buy their toilet paper and groceries.

As with much of healthcare, the quality of your care will depend on the provider's skill, their adherence to best practices, and the time they have to attend to your needs. So, "Is Costco a good place to buy hearing aids?" Audiologist Sheri Gostomelsky, AuD, writes:

"It is important to understand that a hearing aid is only part of the solution in treating a hearing loss.  Most studies show that the care you receive has a significant impact on your success. Where you choose to do business should be your choice. Are you comfortable with Costco? Does the provider know what is important to you? Will the provider be there for you when you need help? Does the provider use best practices and make evidence-based decisions? Are your hearing needs needs being met? Remember that any device is only as good as the professional that handles it.”

Competition from low-cost OTC hearing aids

The Costco hearing aid juggernaut doesn't show signs of slowing down any time soon. HearingTracker estimates Costco dispenses around 620,000 hearing aids per year, accounting for nearly 15% of all units sold in the U.S. retail market during 2023. That means Costco is the second-largest distributor of hearing aids in the United States behind only the Department of Veterans Affairs.

But competition from affordable over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids is coming. When the FDA approved the online sale of low-cost OTC hearing aids in 2022, it paved the way for dozens of new companies marketing high-quality non-prescription hearing aids at prices even lower than Costco's. "Self-fitting" OTC hearing aids allow you to program them to fit your own hearing loss. By cutting out programming assistance from hearing professionals, they can charge substantially lower prices than Costco or private audiologist practices.

The Lexie B2 hearing aids that Costco is now stocking were among the first OTC hearing aids to hit the market in early 2023 and were followed soon after by the B2 Plus. It's too early to know if the lower-priced Lexie hearing aids—or the many additional OTC hearing aids available through other channels like Walmart and Best Buy—will impact sales of the prescription hearing aids sold in Costco hearing centers.

If you're considering Costco as a way to pay less for a pair of quality hearing aids, be sure to continue checking back in at HearingTracker. You will find updates and comparisons on how the new OTC hearing aids may compete on price and performance with Costco's and other providers' prescription hearing aids.

Competition from Sam's Club

Sam's Club hearing aids are provided through Lucid Hearing Centers in an estimated 450 Sam's Club stores throughout the United States. These centers are staffed by licensed hearing care professionals employed by Lucid Hearing who will custom-fit prescription hearing aids for about $1,300 to $5,000.

Overall, you may be able to get hearing aids at Sam's Club for about the same or even less than Costco, but this comes with some tradeoffs. Their selection is restricted to one company (Lucid) and—although Lucid generally makes good-quality devices—they may not have all the bells and whistles found in the global hearing aid brands (e.g., AI, motion sensors, a range of rechargeability and accessories options, etc). Additionally, Sam's Club hearing aids, unlike Costco's, are locked, meaning you cannot get them reprogrammed or serviced by a hearing care professional outside of the Sam's Club or Lucid Hearing Centers network.

We think Sam's Club is a good option if don’t know whether to choose OTC or prescription hearing aids. Lucid makes a good selection of OTC hearing aids, like Engage, priced between $200 to $800. Sam's provides the added option of allowing you to get professional programming of these devices for $198—essentially transforming them into prescription hearing aids. Additionally, if you wish to return your OTC hearing aids within the trial period, you can choose to upgrade to prescription hearing aids instead.

Kirkland Signature 10.0 (KS10) - What happened to the popular Costco house brand?

HearingTracker reported on October 5, 2022 that Costco hit the pause button on sales of the KS10 hearing aid, making this model unavailable. The KS10, which was made by the world's largest hearing aid manufacturer Sonova, appeared to have experienced an increase in problems related to recharging, although people close to the situation contend the incidence of these problems did not rise substantially above industry norms for lithium-ion rechargeable hearing aids.

Then, on November 21, 2022, HearingTracker  broke the news that Sonova had decided to discontinue sales of all products to Costco, citing “the decision to focus the distribution of our Phonak brand with strategic channels and eliminate our offering in certain large retail chains.”

That means, at this writing, you cannot purchase the Costco KS10 or the Phonak Brio 4 and Brio 5 models also previously sold by Costco. If you've been fitted with the KS10 or Brio products, you will still be able to receive all services and support associated with the hearing aids from Costco hearing care professionals.

The fact that Costco is the largest hearing aid retailer in the United States makes it likely that Sonova will someday return to Costco Hearing Centers either with the Sonova or some other brand (but probably not with their Phonak brand). Currently, when considering the 'Big 5' global hearing aid manufacturers, only Sonova and Starkey do not supply products to Costco.

Will a new Kirkland Signature hearing aid brand (KS11) be rekindled? Your guess on this is as good as ours, as well as who would make it. In the meantime, Costco has three exceptional product lines from which to choose that have nearly unbeatable prices.