Marki Williams/NYT WirecutterBest for…These tiny, waterproof hearing aids sit fully inside the ears, so they’re nearly invisible and don’t interfere with glasses. They can’t stream calls or music, though.Each petite Eargo 8 hearing aid hovers in the ear canal without fully obstructing it. This unique design may be especially appealing to people who dislike the feel or look of a traditional hearing aid, which either seals the ear canal completely or has a three-piece design that hangs behind the ear (like the Jabra Enhance Select 300).This set generally costs around $2,700, so it’s in the upper price range of the ones we recommend. But for our panelists who preferred hidden hearing aids, this was the set they’d choose to purchase.The discreet, small design appealed to our testers. If you’ve tried behind-the-ear hearing aids before and hated how they amplified every swish of your hair or adjustment of your glasses, the Eargo 8 set is worth considering. Each hearing aid is about the size of a multivitamin, and it’s outfitted with soft, silicone “trumpet” tips that look like two layered rows of fan blades. These notched tips hold each earpiece in the center of the ear canal, as if it’s floating. Because the hearing aid is more recessed into the ear, the microphones are less prone to annoyingly amplified bumps or brushes.The Eargo 8 set lets in the natural sound of the world around you while boosting the necessary frequency ranges according to your hearing profile. This pair also allows for more airflow, which was a big deal for our testers who previously used hearing aids that sealed off the ear.All of our testers were initially concerned that the Eargo 8 hearing aids would come loose while they were going about their lives. However, whether they were walking through New York City, taking a Pilates class, or showering, this set stayed in place.Another benefit of the Eargo 8 design is that the hearing aids are less prone to feedback. Our panelists were able to hold their mobile phones (or landline handsets) up to their ears without experiencing squealing or whistling. They could also use the hearing aids simultaneously with over-ear headphones.The IP68 rating means the Eargo 8 hearing aids can handle water, sweat, and dust. This set can even survive up to 30 minutes under several meters of (fresh) water without damage.The Eargo 8 case charges via USB-C or on a (not included) wireless charging pad. Marki Williams/NYT WirecutterThe diminutive Eargo 8 is barely visible in the ear. Marki Williams/NYT WirecutterThe Eargo 8 case charges via USB-C or on a (not included) wireless charging pad. Marki Williams/NYT WirecutterThe setup process is straightforward, and the customer support is good. If you’ve already seen an audiologist, and you have an audiogram, you can upload that data to the Eargo app as a baseline. Or you can use the hearing aids to take a hearing test in conjunction with the app. Whichever method you choose, you have free access to Eargo’s audiologists, who will help you with setup, fit, and adjustments. They’ll also talk you through cleaning your ears and the device.Our tester Tom was impressed with the amount of education and support that the Eargo team provided to new owners: “The app was basic and easy to use, so I didn’t have a lot of questions. But whenever I did, there was usually a video tutorial on the site to walk me through it. Or I could just text, and someone was there to help.”Eargo offers unlimited lifetime access to its support team and unlimited adjustments by hearing professionals. Eargo says that “lifetime” isn’t capped at a set number of years; it’s true for as long as you are using the device.The Eargo 8 set comes with a 45-day return policy, which isn’t the longest we’ve seen. But most of the audiologists we interviewed said this amount of time should be sufficient to get a grasp on whether a hearing aid will work for you.The Eargo 8 includes a two-year warranty, and the warranty page details repair costs for any out-of-warranty repairs. In addition to the warranty against manufacturing defects, Eargo includes a one-year limited warranty against loss and user damage: Essentially, if the damage is from misuse, or you completely lose your hearing aids, Eargo will replace the devices one time within the one-year warranty period for a deductible of $395 per ear or per charger. That’s not exactly inexpensive, but it’s far better than paying full price.The Eargo 8 is the company’s best-sounding hearing aid to date. This set comes preloaded with four situational sound profiles that you can customize in the app. And unlike previous Eargo models (which we also recommended), this latest version can automatically adjust to your environment to improve sound clarity.Kathy (who tested the older but similarly designed Eargo 6 set) was pleased with the way the Eargo’s limiters reduced wind noise in Chicago. A lot of the cheaper personal sound amplification devices (PSAPs) that Kathy tested were overwhelmed by even a light breeze, blasting her with gusty noise the moment she stepped outside. But Kathy said the Eargo pair “cut wind noise quickly.” She also found that the situational sound profiles allowed her to hear speech clearly, without too much disruption, when she attended family gatherings or when her grandkids put on music.When testing the Eargo 8, Rachel found that the situational sound profiles, in an effort to remove background noise, could cause the hearing aids to sound more tinny than the Jabra Enhance Select 300 pair did.The Eargo 8 hearing aids use rechargeable batteries, with a battery life of around 16 hours. Volume level and other factors can create some variability. All of our panelists were able to wear the Eargo 8 pair for a full day with no issues.The charging case is slender and oval-shaped, with a circumference that should easily allow it to fit in most jeans pockets. Eargo says that the case, with consistent unplugged use, provides around 14 full charges of the hearing aids, or about two weeks of use. When it’s time to recharge the case, it can be plugged in using a USB-C cable or placed on a wireless charging mat.Flaws but not dealbreakersThis set requires the use of a mobile device for setup and adjustments. Eargo says you can use the Eargo 8 hearing aids right out of the box, without the app. Yet doing so means you’d miss out on many of the features that allow you to customize this set to your needs.For people on a budget or those who are anti-smartphone, we recommend the less-app-dependent Tweak Enhance.The Eargo 8’s Bluetooth connectivity is limited. This pair connects to your phone via Bluetooth, providing access to the app, but it cannot stream music or make calls. If you want to do those things, you’ll have to rely on headphones or your device’s built-in speakers, or choose the Jabra Enhance Select 300 instead.The Eargo app doesn’t display the hearing aids’ current volume setting. You can adjust the volume using the app, but there isn’t an indicator of where the hearing aids are currently set on a scale from low to high. As a result, you have no way of knowing whether the volume is set at minimum, maximum, or in between.Plus, a visual indicator would make it easier to track how the volume setting changes over time. For example, if you started out at a volume setting of 6 but a year later are regularly at a volume setting of 9, it could be an indicator that it’s time to get a checkup.If you’re sensitive to having objects in your ears, this set may not be for you. Our panelist Megan found having these hearing aids seated fully inside her ear canals to be an unnerving feeling. She said she preferred the Jabra set’s behind-the-ear style.Rachel, who has small ear canals, felt similarly, and she found that even the smallest of the included silicone trumpet tips were too large for her. The Eargo audio professional Rachel spoke with said the tips could be trimmed, removing one of the two rows of fans. As Rachel noted, however, doing so feels a bit final, especially if you are still deciding whether the Eargo hearing aids are right for you.Lastly, this pair lacks telecoil and Auracast capabilities.
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