Over the years, hearing aid batteries have gone through technological advancements, just like hearing aids have. The most common type of battery currently used in hearing aids is the zinc-air battery, which became popular after a ban on mercury-based batteries in 1996.
This type of battery offers the largest energy capacity in the smallest volume possible. Despite their small size, they can power something as complex as a hearing aid, so you can understand why they have become so popular in the hearing world.
The downside to zinc air batteries is that they don’t last very long. Depending on battery size and hearing aid features used, a zinc air battery lasts 3 to 14 days. Being disposable, they must be thrown out when the charge is used up. As you can imagine, this is not the ideal scenario for the user or for the environment.
Enter rechargeable batteries
Recent years have seen the introduction of rechargeable technology into the hearing world. With these hearing aid models, you simply replenish the battery with new energy through a charger at the end of the day.
Although they have gone through various iterations, the latest models of hearing aids use lithium-ion batteries, a marked improvement on previous innovations of rechargeable batteries. What are the advantages of this new rechargeable technology over disposable batteries?
1. Predictability
Most lithium-ion rechargeable hearing aids provide power for around 24 hours, so this makes them a natural candidate to be charged every night while you sleep, just like your phone. This means you can count on your hearing aids working all day without running low on power.
With disposable batteries, you don’t know when they are going to run out, increasing the chances that you’re going to be left stuck somewhere with no access to hearing aid batteries. You could be left without usage of your hearing aids if you do not carry backup batteries.
2. Convenience
It’s remarkably easy to recharge your hearing aids using rechargeable lithium power – just put them in the charger whenever you take them out. Some special chargers even dehumidify your hearing aids as you sleep. When you wake up, your hearing aids are ready to use. No low battery signals, no drug store trips, no replacement batteries.
3. Better for older adults
The purchasing and replacing of batteries can be difficult for older or mobility-limited users of hearing aids. They may not be able to buy batteries when needed, and those with limited motor skills could have difficulty opening the door to get to the batteries. As mentioned before, disposable batteries tend to be small, and they can be easily dropped or left on the ground, making them a safety hazard if there are young children or pets around.
You don’t have to worry about this with rechargeable hearing aids. Simply place them in the charger and forget about them until the next day.
4. Help save the environment
The average hearing aid user will go through about 350 disposable batteries over the lifespan of a hearing aid, and an estimated 1.6 billion hearing aid batteries are disposed of in landfills every year. Rechargeable hearing aids, which last multiple years with a single battery, help significantly to reduce this waste.
Kenwood Hearing Centers
Are you ready to experience the benefits of rechargeable power? If you’re looking to upgrade, visit us at Kenwood Hearing Centers for a risk-free Hearing Aid Test Drive™.