In the last few years, the market for over the counter hearing aids has grown considerably. The Lucid Hearing company is one of the newer companies in the space. What’s special about Lucid Hearing is that it doesn’t just sell hearing aids: it has all sorts of hearing products, including supplements to help your hearing. I don’t know enough about supplements to say anything about them, but luckily I can help you find out of their hearing aids are any good.
In this review, we’ll take a look at the Lucid Hearing fio (all lower case for the model name). The fio is a completely in canal model, which looks like a futuristic gadget. It reminds me of the Eargo hearing aids, which have been great, but rather expensive. The Lucid fio costs just under $1,000, which is significantly cheaper than those Eargos.
But is it worth the money? How does the Lucid Hearing fio stack up against other hearing aids? We’ll find out. Below, I’ll discuss this model’s key features, its regular performance, and possible downsides. Before I give you a buying recommendation, I’ll compare the fio with some other models.
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Key features
The most distinctive feature for the fio hearing aid is the configuration. These hearing aids look like high-tech kidney beans. You slip them in your ear canal, where they’re only visible for someone paying very close attention.
These hearing aids come in a travel case, which recharges them. You charge the case, which gives the battery in the case enough power to provide 16 hours of use four times over. Charging the case takes 2.5 hours, and charging the hearing aids themselves takes four hours for a full charge.
Because the fio is so small, it’s good that you can control the sound with your smartphone. This is the only smart function it offers.
Who is this hearing aid for?
The Lucid fio is for anyone with mild to moderate hearing loss. You don’t need a prescription, and you can do a hearing test on their website or at Sam’s Club, where they also sell the Lucid Hearing. A lot of people prefer inconspicuous hearing aids, and the fio fulfills that wish. Finally, this model looks like an affordable alternative for the Eargo 6, which is great news for anyone who’s been hoping that would come around.
How well does the Lucid Hearing fio work?
As I’ve mentioned, you control sound with the smartphone app. This doesn’t just apply to volume, but it also allows you to pick one of the four listening modes. You can adjust each hearing aid individually if needed.
Support is good. Lucid Hearing doesn’t just have an online store where it sells its hearing aids, but offers free hearing tests at around 500 locations in the USA – usually inside a Sam’s Club. That means you’re not just dealing with a nameless company. All of the company’s products come with a 60-day return period and a one-year warranty.
As a bonus, the Lucid fio is made in the USA.
What’s not to like about the Lucid Hearing fio?
In all fairness, there’s nothing wrong with the fio. Like most other models that completely disappear in your ear canal, it can’t offer the same range of features that BTE models offer. It doesn’t have self-fitting properties where an initial test adjusts the hearing aids to your specific needs. It also doesn’t offer streaming capabilities. And unlike the Eargo 6, it can’t be dunked under water (which is a $1,500 feature, it seems).
Alternatives for the Lucid Hearing fio
There aren’t many alternatives for the Lucid Hearing fio. While there are plenty of other models with a similar setup (where the whole thing disappears in your ear canal), you can’t really compare the Lucid fio with the MDHearing NEO, for example. In fact, I think the best comparison is with the Eargo 7, one of the most advanced over the counter hearing aids. While the Eargo 6 is more advanced in almost every aspect, it also costs about 2.5x as much as the fio.
If you’re not hung up on the CIC model type, the Lexie B2 Bose might be a good alternative. The B2 Bose is the best hearing aid in 2023, offers most of the fio’s features, and then some. It has self-fitting technology and the best customer support in the business.
Should you buy the Lucid Hearing fio?
Yes, definitely. If you’re looking for a CIC hearing aid that is decked with a good amount of features and built well, I think the Lucid Hearing fio is the best possible option. Yes, there are better models, but they’re in a whole different price range. Only if you’re looking for more features than the fio offers, would I consider another option.
The fio itself costs $999 (without taxes). You can also buy loss and damage coverage for $199.
Yes, with a $499 payment up front, you pay $41.67 a month. This is simply paying half in terms, and not a hearing aid subscription plan.
Aside from the loss and damage coverage, you can buy a hearing aid UV sanitizer for $59. The box comes with cleaning supplies and extra domes.