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Embrace Hearing Review

4.7 Overall Rating

4.8 Stars
4.6 Stars
4.8 Stars
4.5 Stars

Bottom Line

Since 2011, USA-based Embrace Hearing has sold high-performance, state-of-the-art hearing aids online for about a third of the price local retailers charge. They buy high-performance hearing aids from leading manufacturers worldwide (Sonova and WS Audiology) and sell them directly to you. They emphasize product quality, outstanding customer service and exceptional value.

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About Embrace Hearing

Embrace Hearing offers two series of prescription hearing aids, each customizable. Each model comes with multiple performance levels. Embrace uses a hearing test, either taken on its website or uploaded to the company’s website, to customize hearing aids.

The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders reports that roughly 29 million adults in the U.S. could benefit from wearing hearing aids. However, of adults aged 70 and over diagnosed with hearing loss, fewer than 30% have ever worn hearing aids. Among adults aged 20 to 69 diagnosed with hearing loss, that number drops to 16%. Embrace Hearing seeks to improve hearing across all age groups, with its missing statement: “To hear better is to live better, and to embrace hearing is to embrace life.”

Pros

  • High performance, state-of-the-art technology
  • Custom programmed by audiologists
  • Bluetooth and Rechargeable models with smartphone streaming
  • Affordable prices
  • 45-day return policy with full refund
  • 3-year warranty

Cons

  • Customer service is only available over the phone or online

Embrace Hearing Aid Models

Since 2011, Embrace Hearing’s Audiologists have been customizing hearing aids for each customer using either a hearing test they provide or Embrace’s online hearing test. Embrace Hearing offers both behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids with receive-in-canal (RIC) and invisible-in-canal (IIC) options. They have Bluetooth, rechargeable options, come in multiple colors, and have lifetime support to meet your needs and budget. All Embrace Hearing aids come with a 3-year warranty.

NX-Series

The NX-Series is a receiver-in-canal (RIC) model with integrated Bluetooth and is suitable for mild to profound hearing loss. This series features advanced background noise reduction for noisy environments and feedback blocking, and can be directly paired with your smartphone (iPhone or Android) for 2-way, hands-free calls. It’s available with both disposable and rechargeable batteries and comes in four colors. There are 12–20 programmable bands depending on the model. Tinnitus programming is included on request. The NX-Series is available in 3 performance levels: the NX 360, NX 560 and the top-of-the-line NX-960. All NX-Series models have a 45-day trial, custom programming, and a 3-year warranty. Prices start at $899/ear.

C-Series

The C-Series is an “invisible-in-canal” model that is suitable for mild to severe hearing loss. This model fits entirely within your ear canal in an earbud-style design, making it almost invisible. The hearing aid volume control can be done through a free smartphone app or an optional remote. Tinnitus programming is included on request. The C-Series is available in three performance levels (C-540, C-940, and CX-950). The two lower-tier hearing devices use a size 10 battery, with the higher-tier model being rechargeable. The number of programmable bands, listening environments, and channels increase with tier. All C-Series models have a 45-day trial period, custom programming, and a 3-year warranty. Prices start at $899/ear.

Source: Embrace Hearing

Embrace Hearing’s premium hearing aids come standard with a variety of features and accessories, including live program optimization, which automatically adjusts hearing aids to the noise level of the current environment. Standard features and technology include:

  • Wind block
  • Directional microphones
  • Up to 20 programmable bands to increase clarity
  • Live program optimization
  • Batteries or rechargeable
  • Wax guards
  • Domes
  • Bluetooth streaming for hands-free calls
  • Tinnitus programming
  • 3-year warranty

Embrace Hearing Aid Accessories

There are no remotes required for either the NX-Series or the C-Series – both are ‘controlled’ with a free SmartPhone app. With the NX-Series, you get two-way 100% hands-free phone calls. For someone who prefers a traditional hands-free remote, these can be purchased for $199. They also offer a TV Streamer for the X-Series ($299) that lets you stream your TV’s audio directly to your hearing aids.


Embrace Hearing Aids Costs and Payment Plans

Embrace Hearing is one of our top hearing aid companies, as noted in our Best Hearing Aid Guide. In part because Embrace Hearing passes on significant savings to hearing aid users. They buy directly from a quality manufacturer and then sell directly to consumers. Prices range from $899 for a single entry-level aid to $1,999 for the the top-of-the-line single aid. The chart below breaks down costs by model and options; shipping is free on all purchases. There is no sales tax added to your order.

You have 45 days to try Embrace Hearing aids, and if they don’t work out, you can return them for a full refund. Unlike local clinics, there are no programming or re-stocking fees.

ModelNX-360NX-560NX-960C-540C-940CS-950
Price$899$1,499$1,999$899$1,399$1,749
3 Year WarrantyYesYesYesYesYesYes
BluetoothYesYesYesNoNoNo
Custom ProgrammedYesYesYesYesYesYes
Battery TypeDisposable or rechargeableDisposable or rechargeableDisposable or rechargeableSize 10 disposable batterySize 10 disposable batteryRechargeable
Embrace Hearing Premium Hearing Aid Prices

Occasionally, Embrace Hearing offers promotional sales and discounts. For example, its current deal is $250 off an NX series pair of hearing aids with the code EMBRACE.


Embrace Hearing Customer Support

Embrace Hearing offers customer support via a toll-free number, email, fax, or the website’s online contact form. Help is always available 24 hours a day, every day of the week. Embrace Hearing’s website has an excellent hearing aid resource library, which includes instructional videos, answers to common questions, service and repair information, a glossary and online accessory store.


How to Buy Embrace Hearing Aids

Embrace Hearing aids are available on their website or by phone by calling 855-929-9555. To place an order, you will need a hearing test so that the Embrace Audiologists can custom-program the hearing aids for your precise needs. Once you submit or complete the test, Embrace will send you a recommendation. From there, you can choose the hearing aids and accessories you want on the website, or speak to their hearing experts for a recommendation or to answer any questions. Embrace Hearing’s audiology team is always available to help you make the best hearing aid selection based on your preferences, budget and hearing test.

After you place an order, Embrace Hearing’s audiology team custom programs the hearing aids based on the hearing test results. Hearing aids are shipped to the consumer within 24-48 hours and received within a week. Once you receive them, the Audiologist who programmed them will contact you for follow-up and will provide assistance as needed going forward.

Embrace Hearing
Source: Embrace Hearing

Embrace Hearing Complaints

Embrace Hearing’s hearing aids rank first among 15 brands on ConsumerAffairs. Embrace Hearing is a ConsumerAffairs Accredited Brand. Positive customer reviews most often emphasize the exceptional, friendly customer support and the quality and affordability of Embrace Hearing aids.


Embrace Hearing FAQs

What is the difference between Embrace Hearing’s RIC and CIC hearing aids?

Embrace Hearing’s NX-Series is a behind-the-ear “RIC” (receiver-in-canal) hearing aid. With this style, the body of the hearing aid is behind your ear, and a thin, transparent wire runs over your ear and into your ear canal. Embrace Hearing’s C-Series are CIC — “completely-in-canal” — hearing aids fit entirely into your ear canal making them almost invisible. For more information each model is explained in our article about different types of hearing aids.

Will my Embrace Hearing aids be comfortable right out of the box?

Yes, your Embrace Hearing aids come with everything you need to use them as soon as you receive your order, but the Audiologist who programmed your aids will call you to help you with any issues.

Do Embrace Hearing aids work for all levels of hearing loss?

No one Embrace Hearing model addresses all hearing needs. However, you can find a solution in the company’s two hearing aid series, whether your hearing loss is mild, moderate, severe or profound. If you have advanced or profound hearing loss, you should consider the NX-Series (starting at $899/ear).

How does Embrace Hearing’s “Live Speech Focus” feature work?

Embrace’s NX-950 model has a specialized software called “live speech focus”. This enables the hearing aids to work together to determine who is the dominant speaker in your immediate vicinity and focus directly on them. This is very powerful in group situations, like a restaurant or meeting, anytime you are with more than one or two people.

Do Embrace Hearing hearing aids help with tinnitus?

Yes, tinnitus management is included in Embrace hearing aids upon request. You can also stream tinnitus apps from your phone to the NX series via Bluetooth.


Conclusion

Embrace Hearing sells high-quality, affordable hearing aids with several solutions to improve hearing. The hearing aid models are all built with state-of-the-art technology to deliver superior performance for hearing loss ranging from moderate hearing loss to profound. Embrace Hearing’s hearing aids are highly customizable, come ready to use out of the box, and are supported by lifetime customer service.


24 Embrace Hearing Reviews

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5 Stars

September 24 2021 6:33AM

Embrace has good service and I like their price. The hearing aids are good. I hear what I'm supposed to hear. Embrace ships fast and I could take the hearing aids back too within a fair amount of time. With Embrace, you'd save a lot of money and the product quality is good.

Herbert G.
Waxhaw, NC
5 Stars

September 18 2021 11:21AM

This is my second set from Embrace. I had another one before from another company but it was pretty expensive and Embrace was much cheaper and much better. When I don't have the hearing aids in, I can hardly hear anything, but when I put it in, I'm hearing everything. So, it's perfect.

I now can converse with people. I wasn't participating in conversations before because I couldn't hear without the hearing aids. It makes life better. I can adjust the volume by my own cellphone.

There's also a Bluetooth feature. You have to pair your hearing aid with your phone, and once the call comes in, it goes straight to your hearing aid. Also, my experience with the persons who I spoke with was perfect.

Michael M.
Valley Stream, NY
4 Stars

September 17 2021 6:30AM

Conversation has always been a problem for me if there's background noise. If there's no background noise, I could hear almost well, but I have trouble hearing my grandson because he didn't pronounce really sharply. I probably didn't hear 50% of what people were saying.

I have tried at least four different hearing aid suppliers before Embrace. Then I had an Embrace hearing aid for a while and it was alright, but it wasn't great. Finally, they stopped working. I contacted Embrace and wanted to see what it would cost to get them fixed.

They told me they had a sale on and that the newer hearing aids were more improved than what I had. So, I decided to go with the best hearing aids Embrace had and see how they worked.

My hearing aids now are by far the best that I had. I can really tell a difference. There are still times where I have to ask a couple of times what was said, but I probably hear 70% of what's being said in general.

I can hear the TV much better even with background noise. I just feel like it's too loud and it can be tinny. They're not perfect but the improvement is worth what I paid for it. I paid $2,500 for these hearing aids.

Embrace's customer service reps have followed up with me. When I call about something, they have the right person get back to me.

Even when I had the first set, they were very good about service and trying to find solutions. They can also adjust my hearing aids online somehow. I don't have to send them back.

Jay H.
Mount Arlington, NJ
3 Stars

September 14 2021 12:25PM

I have trouble listening to the TV and my wife would complain because I would turn the TV way up. Then I had trouble understanding some words because I'll back the TV up and watch it again, and I'm trying to figure out what they said.

Then I had another hearing test done. A lady was asking me questions, and I had to ask her a few times over and over, "What did you say? What did you say?" I could hear but I couldn't understand it.

The Embrace hearing aids helped. I don't wear them all the time. I do wear them when I'm in meetings. They're pretty good. I wish the battery life was a little bit longer.

Richard H.
Orange Park, FL
5 Stars

September 14 2021 12:15PM

Embrace Hearing was a lot cheaper than regular in-office providers. I got a reference from a family friend and it was a doctor who also uses Embrace. We have toyed with going to Costco for their service, but they're difficult to access. They're not near my office.

I have been happy with the customer service I've been getting from Embrace. Embrace has helped me to be able to hear. It's opened up opportunities that I did not have before.

Aharon S.
Spring Valley, NY
4 Stars

September 13 2021 12:34PM

After checking Embrace's reviews after doing some research, I decided they would be the best way to go for what I needed. Overall, the hearing aids worked exactly the way I wanted them to. It's just that sometimes the streaming isn't what it seems like it should be.

Eric L.
Grand Lake, CO
5 Stars

June 23 2020 7:06AM

I have severe hearing loss. I had 15% in one year and about less than 50% in the other side. The hearing test came up with exactly what I needed, and Embrace has done that. My girls got ahold my hearing aids and chewed them up. I went back to Embrace because I liked the first product.

They are rechargeable, so that makes them even nicer. I don't have to buy batteries. In fact, I shipped all the batteries that I had to my brother. He's using the same stuff, so it worked out pretty well.

The only problem I have is I can't keep them in my ears. I constantly have to push him back in. I've tried various things. And I've talked to somebody about the leads, and they informed me that I had the longest leads in industry.
So, if that has changed, and there are some longer leads available, I'd certainly be interested in that. I like the product a lot. I would certainly send a friend who needs hearing aids to Embrace.

Rich N.
Eagle, ID
5 Stars

March 14 2020 11:54AM

I have a mild hearing loss and another family member has Embrace so I got a set too. I’ve got the app that controls them and I’ve got it split so that I can turn it up in one ear. I have talked to their staff about that. They said to give it a little bit more time and then if I still want it done, I can send it back and they will permanently set that one volume on that one.

My only thing is the batteries die every week and I have to replace them. Other than that with Embrace, I can hear better. I don’t have to ask people to repeat things as much. It’s a good product and a good company.

David K.
Shakopee, MN
5 Stars

June 24 2019 11:19AM

I had significant hearing loss and I needed to replace the hearing aids that I was using so I decided to try Embrace. I needed to get hearing aids that were behind-the-ear type. I selected the color that I needed, I viewed them on my iPad and I picked a color that turned out to be wrong. It didn't work at all.

They allowed me to change color and I really appreciated that. I noticed there are some sounds that I do hear better. I have three settings. I complained about how that first setting worked because I couldn't tell which way first was coming from behind me. The second tier works the same way. But I've discovered that setting 3 works for me. So, I decided not to complain about setting 1. I think Embrace Hearing works for me because I have experience with hearing aids.

I chose different domes for my ears than what they originally sent me and that works okay. I would recommend it as far as the treatment that I've gotten. But I would be careful to recommend it to somebody that had never worn hearing aids before. I am completely satisfied with my Embrace. They're the last things I take off when I go to bed and almost the first things that I put on in the morning.

Herbert B.
Sun City, AZ
5 Stars

May 30 2019 9:32AM

I had moderate hearing loss. The price of Embrace hearing aids seemed to fit the quality of the item that I was looking for. Their people were very friendly and helpful. I got the one with the 12-channel feature and I generally hear a lot better. It’s a good balance. I know there are hearing aids out there with more channels, but I'm not sure that they would have made a difference, or I would have noticed a significant difference. I'm just very happy with what I've got. I'm hearing things I'm not used to hearing. I wear it first thing in the morning 'cause it's part of my routine, but I go exercise in the afternoon, and I take them off. And then, I can go the rest of the day without them and then I go, "Oh, hey, I forgot them." The other thing that would happen is I'm ready to step in the shower and go, "Oh, yeah, I forgot to take them out." That's basically my problem.

Rolland M.
Terre Haute, IN
5 Stars

May 29 2019 2:31AM

I had a perforated eardrum. I had surgery about 20 years ago and then, my hearing improved. The right ear has been a gradual loss. And then, what happened over time, after the surgery, which is common with that surgery, a bone in my ear collapsed almost completely and I had surgery last November to correct that. And I was hoping it would improve the hearing, but it did not. My doctor was quoting me for hearing aids but those were too expensive.

I started to research on the internet and on Facebook actually came across Embrace Hearing. And I just liked what I was reading about the hearing aids. And when I called Embrace, their customer service is wonderful, and I was impressed with that. And they were actually calling me to see how it's going once I received the hearing aids. I have zero complaints about any of their service. And the hearing aids are wonderful. They're very natural. The h-700 is not tinny and squealy. I'm not missing anything unlike before and I have recommended them to a couple of friends already and family members as well.

Josephine G.
Indio, CA
5 Stars

April 21 2019 9:09AM

I had a lot of questions for Tim, and he was excellent in answering all of the questions. I was impressed. After all my conversations with him, it made me finally decide to go with Embrace Hearing. The sound is a lot crisper. I highly recommend them.

Kirk B.
Burlington, WI
5 Stars

March 25 2019 9:19AM

I was told I had 30% hearing loss and I saw Embrace advertised on the internet. I read a little bit about them and decided to try one. I got the behind-the-ear type. I chose that because I didn’t like the one in the ear. It seems to work. It does most everything I want it to. I get, once in a while, a little wind sound in there, whistling in the ear. But other than that, seems to work fine. The biggest difference I noticed was when I’m watching TV, the volume was about half of what it used to be and people could hear what I was watching two rooms away and now, it’s down to normal.

Randy G.
Jefferson, WI
5 Stars

December 10 2018 8:04PM

I had seven-year-old hearing aids that was out-of-date technology, and I missed a lot of what was going on but with having Embrace hearing aids, it’s been better. It can pick up on a whole lot of what I was missing. And also, they were priced a little bit less than what I could get the high-end hearing aids anywhere in Little Rock, Arkansas so, I appreciated it. Everybody at Embrace was very nice and very timely in doing things. At first I had where you had full volume adjustment on each ear. When I got home, I decided that I would rather have one ear where it did the programs and then the other ear where I can lower the volume if I needed to, in case something was too loud. Since I've gotten that done, I've never changed anything. My unit has four different settings but I haven't used the other two controls.

John M.
United States