The Fisdemo L is a remarkable device. Not because it offers any revolutionary features, but because it looks a few years old. At the same time, it does offer some new features, such as streaming. This means you’re getting a new hearing aid for less than the fancier model, since it’s wrapped in old casing.
Is that a good thing? We’re going to find out in this review for the Fisdemo L. As always, I’ll show you the key features before discussing how it works in everyday life. Then, we’ll look at some downsides and some alternatives before I give you a final buying recommendation.
If you’re not much of a reader, I’ve got a visual overview of the pros and cons of the Fisdemo L at the bottom of this post.
Links in this article pointing to another website might be affiliate links. If you purchase something on those websites, I could receive a small commission. This doesn’t affect your price nor my review.
Key features
The most important features for the Fisdemo L are the features also found in other smart hearing aids. More specifically, this Fisdemo model offers self-fitting, streaming and Bluetooth control.
This means you set up the hearing aids with your smartphone to finetune it to your needs. From there on, you control the volume and sound settings from your smartphone, and you can listen to your phone’s audio straight from your hearing aids.
Other than that, the Fisdemo L has a bit of an outdated look. The charging base it uses is a few years old, and most newer models have switched to a rechargeable travel case instead. In size, the L also looks a little older.
This combination of older and newer technology probably makes the price possible, too. The last key feature is that the Fisdemo (now) costs less than $300. Not that remarkable in itself (there are other decent otc hearing aids for that price), but remarkable for these features.
Who is this hearing amplifier for?
The Fisdemo L is aimed at people who care more about having the latest features than having a hearing aid that looks like it has the latest features. The Fisdemo is not all that subtle, but comes with all the fancier features you find in new smart hearing aids. It’s just cheaper than most of those. If you’re looking for the highest quality hearing aid (even in its price range), the L isn’t for you. If you’re looking for a self-fitting, smart hearing aid for the lowest price, this is your best option.
How well does the Fisdemo L work?
The Fisdemo has all the usual bells and whistles, but perhaps less than we’re used to. The three hearing modes and four volume levels won’t give you too many options, to put it mildly. You can either use the buttons on the hearing aids themselves or use the mobile app to change your sound settings.
Recharging the batteries takes a little under two hours. This gives you fourteen hours of normal use or two hours of streaming time. After the streaming time turns off, you’ve got one hour of normal use left.
Sound quality is fine, with noise reduction technology built in, as you’d expect.
What’s not to like about the Fisdemo L?
There are some things about the Fisdemo L that I don’t like. I mentioned the battery life, which is simply below PAR, even for a streaming hearing aid. There are also fewer options than in many other devices when it comes to volume and sound settings.
On top of that, I’m not a fan of Fisdemo’s business model. The L isn’t really one of their own models. It’s a standard model that gets a sticker from Fisdemo. It’s called ‘white labeling’ and a common business practice; it’s where your cheaper peanut butter and shampoo comes from. But for hearing aids, you’d expect a little more investment from the company itself in designing it.
Alternatives for the Fisdemo L
Because the Fisdemo L is unique in the fact that it’s a BTE streaming hearing aid under $300, there are no direct competitors. Instead, we can find similar models that offer something different. The Linner Nova also offers a streaming hearing aid under $300, but it suffers from some of the same problems and doesn’t come as a BTE hearing aid.
Neither does the MDHearing NEO, which doesn’t have streaming, but is the best hearing aid in the same price range. For a higher price range, the Go Hearing Ultra delivers everything that the Fisdemo L promises, but meets expectations a lot better.
Should you buy the Fisdemo L?
Probably not. It looks like they were so busy getting you a great price for the Fisdemo L, that some other considerations were quickly thrown overboard. If you’re adamant about buying a BTE smart hearing aid for less than $300, this is your only option, but you’re better off sticking with a different hearing aid in the same price range, or leveling up and looking at the alternatives.
At the time of writing, the L is just under $300.
You can buy a dryer case and an elastic cord separately.