First time buying hearing aids. Is Bluetooth worth it?

Yes, you need Bluetooth! It is worth it.!

@adarkdraconis said:

Because people with normal hearing do not have their calls, shows, etc. streamed directly into their ears unless they use a bluetooth device. I feel like that in and of itself makes it less of a natural hearing experience because you cannot hear everything else around you as clearly because of the direct input of the media. (Like if you are trying to have a conversation with someone and they are also speaking to someone on their bluetooth headset, the phone call in their ear is more prevalent than you or other outside noises.) It was not meant as an insult and there is no need to be so defensive, friend, or insult anyone’s gear, it is just my personal opinion. I still have one perfectly functional ear and so I know what ‘regular normal hearing’ sounds like to me.

I think you totally miss the point. YOU control the hearing aids, YOU set what you want to hear and what you don’t. The more advanced hearing aids have BlueTooth, why limit what you can get when it is not going to save you that much money? My FULL function Resound Preza from Costco cost $1,700 … for the pair. How much did you save getting inferior aids?

I use the BlueTooth every day. Especially for phone calls. And not just cell phone calls, but business calls on my multi-line desk phone. I use it in the car, I use it at home. I would never advise anyone to get less. Even if they do not decide to use the features, they are there should they realize they should have done so up front and have to kick themselves for not doing so as buying another pair is an outrageous additional expense. Definitely BlueTooth!

Yes, Neil, I control what I want to hear with my aids, as do we all, and I decided that bluetooth was not something I wanted. The price for my single aid is close to what you’d have spent on one, looking at your pair price, (and let’s not shame people for also buying less expensive gear if that is what they can afford or if that is what’s covered.) I did not get the “VW Scirroco” model of HAs, nor did I get the “Porsche 911”, I got something in between. I did not want to ‘just go cheap to cut out bluetooth’ as many would imply, you said yourself that you use yours several times a day so it works for you where I would not use it so I did not need it. It is like telling me I need heated seats in a car because without it I bought a cheaper car and it is horrible to do that just to save a buck… no I didn’t get heated seats because I am always hot and would never use them. Some people would never buy a car without them. Different feature options are there because everyone has different lifestyles and wants and needs.

I was just giving the OP my two cents in that not everyone finds bluetooth necessary (whereas if he/she didn’t feel that they would need it but everyone else was all
Yaaaaas you needs tha bluetooth or you are buying craaaaaaaap
then he/she may feel peer pressure into buying something just because they were told they needed it or that all products without it are garbage (which is not true, there is such a large range of products for everyone to find one that fits their needs.) This is a forum where different humans have different opinions on things, as in real life, and that is ok. I respect that you feel bluetooth is a necessity for you. I also ask that you recognize that it is not a necessity for everyone, and that is not something to look down on them for or try to insult them for. There are people on here without smart phones (or cell phones at all, for that matter!) I personally know several people who do not even have email.

Not everyone can afford the better aids. Some just don’t have the choices of aids as others do.
Maybe my experience without Bluetooth with hearing aids was before Bluetooth, getting old.
I do know if my hearing were better I could care less about Bluetooth devices connected to hearing aids. Just would not want or need them.

That’s what I’m saying, but must have worded it wrong as I appeared to have rubbed some nerves the wrong way. If it is there, and available, and it works so dang great … why not take advantage of it. The $1,800 I paid for 2 advanced hearing aids that came fully iPhone compatible was not expensive. Though at other than Costco it may cost twice as much, I don’t know, I stopped doing Hearx and private when Costco went so low cost on these. My iPhone, hearing aids, and my Subaru Crosstrek are all working with each other with no hassle and making life easier. True I am a techie, by hobby and trade. But getting all three in harmony was nothing, no hassle, all virtually automatic.

I love having Bluetooth. I see people walking around with Apple ear buds, and talking on the phone, I can just answer my phone with my HAs. I also like it when I’m getting directions from my phone while driving, especially if other people are in the car, I can hear the directions, they don’t have to listen to it. Using the TV connector works great if I want to watch TV and don’t want to bother anyone in the house. Also you can stream video or music from your phone. I’d definitely recommend it.