Editorial Guidelines & Review Standards

Last updated: September 2026

Who Writes HearLifeRestored

HearLifeRestored is written and run by Keath D., a daily hearing aid wearer of more than 13 years. I got my first pair at age 36 — a roughly $10,000 set of Phonak Naída aids that my state's vocational rehabilitation program helped me pay for — and I still wear those same aids today. That's the lens behind everything here: I'm not reviewing hearing aids from the outside. I live with them every day, and I remember exactly how overwhelming and expensive the first purchase felt.

To be equally clear about what I'm not: I am not an audiologist, physician, or licensed hearing professional. This site shares personal experience and independent research to help you become a more informed buyer — it does not replace a professional hearing evaluation. You can read my full background on my story page.

Editorial Independence

Recommendations on this site are earned, not bought. No manufacturer or retailer pays to be featured, ranked higher, or reviewed favorably, and no company gets approval over what I write about their product. When a device is the right call, I say so; when it isn't — or when a brand I used to recommend runs into trouble — I say that too, even if it costs me an affiliate commission.

The site earns money through affiliate links (see Affiliate Relationships below), but that revenue never determines a verdict or a ranking. If the honest answer for a reader is a $98 device instead of a $2,000 one, the honest answer wins.

How We Evaluate Hearing Aids

Every review and "best of" ranking on this site is built from the same inputs, weighted toward what actually helps a real buyer:

• Independent lab data. Where objective performance testing exists — for example, the lab grades published by independent testers like HearAdvisor — I lean on it rather than manufacturer claims. Marketing specs are a starting point, not evidence.
• The long-term wearer's lens. Thirteen years of wearing aids every day shapes how I judge things like fit, battery reality, app quality, repair costs, and how a device holds up over months — not just how it looks out of the box.
• Price and real-world value. I weigh what a device costs against what it actually delivers, and against the honest alternatives — including buying nothing yet, or seeing a professional first.
• Honest trade-offs. Every device has them. A review that lists only positives isn't a review; it's an ad. I try to tell you who a product is right for and who should skip it.
• Knowing the limits of OTC. Over-the-counter hearing aids are designed for adults with perceived mild-to-moderate hearing loss. When someone's needs likely exceed that, the responsible recommendation is professional care — and I point there instead of pushing a product that won't help.

How We Use AI

I want to be transparent about this, because more sites use AI than admit it. Some of my research and drafting is done with the help of AI tools. Here is exactly what that means — and what it does not:

• What AI helps with: gathering and organizing research, drafting and tightening copy, formatting, and checking technical details like structured data. It helps me publish faster and more thoroughly than I could alone.
• What AI does not do: decide what I recommend. Every product verdict and ranking reflects my own judgment as a long-term wearer and the independent data and sources cited on the page — not whatever a model would say on its own.
• A human is accountable. I review content before it's published and I stand behind it. Mistakes are mine, and I fix them (see Corrections).
• The personal parts are genuinely mine. The 13 years of wearing hearing aids, the vocational-rehab story, the day-to-day detail — that's lived experience, not generated.

Medical Accuracy & Health Content

Hearing is health, so I treat health claims carefully. Content here is informational and is not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Where I describe how hearing loss, devices, or conditions work, I aim to reflect established, published information and to defer to qualified professionals on anything clinical.

Before buying any hearing device, I encourage every reader to have their hearing professionally evaluated, and to treat sudden hearing loss, pain, or drainage as reasons to see a doctor promptly. The full terms are on our Medical Disclaimer.

Physician review. Some health-focused articles on this site are reviewed for medical accuracy by a licensed physician, who is credited by name on the specific pages they have read. Our reviewer is Jennifer O’Neal, MD, a practicing family physician. Review covers general health claims only — device-specific and audiology questions remain outside that scope, and reviewers are unpaid and have no financial stake in the site. Where an article carries no reviewer credit, none has been given, and we do not apply a reviewer’s name to a page they have not read.

Sourcing & Citations

When a claim depends on data, I try to trace it to a credible primary source and link it so you can check it yourself. That includes government and regulatory sources (such as the FDA on OTC hearing aids, and the VA and state agencies on coverage), independent industry data and testing (such as HearingTracker and HearAdvisor), and professional bodies where relevant. I favor primary sources over aggregators, and I flag when something is my opinion or personal experience rather than an established fact.

Prices, specifications, and program rules change often. I note when figures are current as of publication and tell readers to confirm the latest details directly with the manufacturer, retailer, or agency before relying on them.

Affiliate Relationships

HearLifeRestored is reader-supported. When you buy through some of the links here, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you — as an Amazon Associate and through other affiliate programs. This is how the site pays for itself.

• Affiliate links are marked up as rel="nofollow sponsored" and open in a new tab.
• Every page that contains affiliate links carries a visible disclosure.
• Commissions never influence rankings, ratings, or verdicts — see Editorial Independence.

Full details are on our Affiliate Disclosure page.

Keeping Content Current & Corrections

The hearing aid market moves fast, and a review that's right today can be wrong in six months. I update content when the facts change — and I'm willing to pull a recommendation entirely when a product or company no longer deserves it. Recent examples: when Lexie, Eargo, and Lucid each ran into wind-downs, closures, or supply problems, I removed them as live recommendations and pointed readers to alternatives that were actually available, rather than leaving stale "buy this" advice in place.

What We Don't Do

• We don't invent credentials or claim professional review that hasn't happened.
• We don't accept payment to feature, rank, or praise a product, and we don't run undisclosed sponsored content.
• We don't publish fabricated reviews, fake testimonials, or star ratings that aren't grounded in real assessment.
• We don't let AI publish health or product claims unchecked — a human reviews and is accountable.
• We don't recommend a device we believe is wrong for a reader just because it pays better.

Contact & Corrections

Questions about these guidelines, a correction, or how something on the site was reported? Email hello@hearliferestored.com. For related policies, see our Affiliate Disclosure, Medical Disclaimer, Privacy Policy, and Terms of Service.