In summer 2024, we asked you for your opinion on hörbert. To improve the readability of this article, we have refrained from using male, female and diverse language forms simultaneously. All personal designations naturally apply to all genders. Let’s go!

Question 1: Do you already own a hörbert?

survey_2024_hörbert_Ownership_piechart_hell

49,9 %  already own a hörbert

50,1 % do not own a hörbert, yet

Question 2: If you already own a hörbert, which model version do you have?

 

53.9 % had the new 2021 model. Note: there was no Butterfly firmware back then.

25.2 % of respondents had a hörbert 2011 with toggle switch.

14.5 % had a hörbert 2011 with Bluetooth module including sleep timer.

11.9 % had a hörbert 2011 with a separate sleep timer module.

4.8 % had built their own audio player from the hörbert 2011 kit.

3.5 % had built their own audio player from the hörbert 2021 kit.

Question 3: If you already have a hörbert, what were the five most important purchase arguments for you?

Our key findings from question 3:

The results clearly show why parents and environmentally conscious consumers choose this special product. Our customers value sustainability, durability in children’s toys, and ease of use.

Durability and repairability: 76.1%

In a time when many products are discarded after a short period of use, hörbert stands out as a refreshing exception. Made from robust materials and designed to be easily repairable when needed, hörbert gives parents the confidence that their children’s toy will last for years. This not only reduces waste but also conserves the Earth’s resources.

Sustainable wooden design: 65.5%

Close behind, with 65.5% of the votes, hörbert’s sustainability was cited as another key reason for purchase. Made of wood, a renewable raw material, hörbert makes a strong statement against plastic and for environmentally conscious consumption. Parents who value ecological materials and sustainable production find a reliable partner in hörbert.

User-friendliness: Intuitive operation for the little ones: 61%

hörbert is designed so that even the youngest children, from around the age of 2, can use it easily and safely.

Quality “Made in Germany”: 50%

With 50% of the votes, many buyers appreciate the “Made in Germany” quality label. It stands for the highest production standards, responsible manufacturing processes, and short transport routes. A product made in Germany also conveys a sense of safety and trust.

Independence and no follow-up costs: 48.1%

For 48.1% of buyers, the independence from licensing models and the lack of follow-up costs—thanks to the recording features—were decisive factors. hörbert works without relying on the cloud, offering privacy-friendly use without additional fees for playback figures or similar systems. This means not only financial savings but also greater control and flexibility for users.

Open-ended responses

The evaluation of the open-ended responses revealed the following other frequent reasons for purchasing hörbert:

  • hörbert is child-safe, with no small parts that could come loose

  • hörbert is robust

  • hörbert is suitable for people with disabilities

  • hörbert has a beautiful design

  • There is an electronics kit for creative projects

  • Playlists can be defined and controlled, allowing parents to influence what their children listen to

Question 4: How do you rate your hörbert purchase?

 

51.2%: Simply amazing! (165)
42.5%: Very good and recommendable (137)
4.3%: Satisfactory (14)
1.2%: Just okay (4)
0.3%: Slightly below my expectations (1)
0.3%: Not satisfied (1)

This means: 93.7% of all respondents find hörbert amazing or very good!
That’s a fantastic result we’re very proud of. To everyone who wasn’t fully satisfied, we warmly invite you to contact our customer service—we’re happy to help!
Perhaps hörbert now offers something that was missing back then.
See also the table in question 7.

Question 5: What is the age of the hörbert users?

The total number of users (children, teenagers/adults) from all responses was 826.

Question 6: Please describe how hörbert is used most often?

This was an open-ended question. In total, we received 735 individual use cases. The summary only includes responses that were mentioned at least 10 times.

  • hörbert is used all the time and everywhere; it’s a constant companion (82)

  • hörbert is great as a sleep aid and part of the bedtime routine (81)

  • hörbert is often used while traveling (67)

  • hörbert is used for playing, dancing, and singing (51)

  • hörbert is used for taking breaks and relaxing (27)

  • hörbert is often used to listen to internet radio (16)

  • hörbert is frequently used as a Bluetooth speaker (12)

Question 7: Please describe what the biggest difficulty is when using hörbert, or which functions you are missing?

We received a total of 357 individual responses. The answers that were mentioned at least 10 times are listed below in tabular form.
We have also included existing or future solutions to the difficulties in the table.

difficulty
Request
Solution

Saving new audio content is difficult

Web interface or app for recording

Firmware update to the ‘Butterfly’ firmware – available for hörbert model 2021 since November 2024.
This makes it possible to access a convenient web interface – the Browser Set Mode – with a mobile phone, tablet or computer, make all settings there and transfer or delete audio files. hörbert starts its own WLAN for this purpose, to which you first connect and then open the Browser Set Mode in the web browser. Here you can find a video explaining how to start the Browser Set Mode.

Owners of the older model with toggle switch: 

Bluetooth, Webradio and pause function wanted

Upgrade to new model version 2021 via HMC or as DIY Uprade Kit for hörbert 2011.
The upgraded hörbert will then have all the functions requested.

Change of batteries or accumulators is tedious

charging function with USB

barrier-free options available since November 2024:
hörbert with USB connection and battery charging function. The USB-C connection is already included with all our current accessible devices and hörbert for seniors. With hörbert for children, it can be added on request when ordering. This means that hörbert can be operated both stationary at the socket and mobile with 4 x AA rechargeable batteries. The batteries no longer need to be removed for charging. What does the whole thing look like and how does the USB connection with battery charging circuit work?

The USB-C connection with battery charging function can also be retrofitted by us or installed by yourself with our USB-C upgrade DIY kit.

Changing of SD cards is tedious

SD card slot from the outside

At the moment, there is no other option than to unscrew hörbert with a coin and change the SD card. We want to do without any more openings on hörbert. Around 50 hours of songs and stories fit on hörbert’s supplied 4 GB card. You can also use larger SD cards up to 512 GB. This will certainly provide the little ones with enough listening food for a long time to come.

Configuration of settings is too complex

Webinterface or app wanted

Firmware update to the ‘Butterfly’ firmware – available for hörbert model 2021 since November 2024.
This makes it possible to access hörbert’s memory card via the Browser Set Mode – a self-explanatory web interface – to make all settings and even transfer or delete individual new audio files.

Visualisation of contents

no remarks

You can open an overview of hörbert’s contents with the hörbert Software. Or you can save a Oder am Computer einen Screenshot der Playlist-Inhalte im Browser Set Mode anfertigen.

Unsere mitgelieferten Gratis-Inhalte findet man hier in der Übersicht: 

Inhalte für Kinder:

Inhalte für Erwachsene:

  • für hörbert mit 3 Playlists: S3
  • für hörbert mit 9 Playlists: S9

no Bluetooth headphones wanted

Port for plug in headphones

There is already a corresponding port A on the hörbert board (headphone). However, one of the next firmware updates will be necessary so that DIY enthusiasts can create their own solution to connect cable headphones via this port.

Question 8 to people who do not yet own hörbert: If you know hörbert or have already informed yourself, what do you like best?

This is an open question to which we received over 500 individual features that were liked. Only features that were mentioned at least 10 times are shown here:

  • sustainable and made of wood (106)
  • great design, the look (91)
  • Simple and intuitive operation (62)
  • Versatile functions such as Bluetooth, WiFi, recording options (59)
  • Independence from licence models or clouds/players (45)
  • Durable, repairable and robust (43)
  • larger SD cards can be used (36)
  • No follow-up costs (26)
  • Made in Germany / quality product (13)

Question 9 for people who do not yet have a hörbert. If you know hörbert or have already informed yourself: What don't you like about hörbert?

The summary only contains criteria that were mentioned at least 10 times:

  • nothing, everything is fine (99)
  • no experience/don’t know yet (52)
  • The purchase price (46)
  • A little too big/heavy (14)
  • Operation only via AA batteries / rechargeable batteries (11) -> Note: hörbert with USB connection has been available since 11/2024 and the USB upgrade DIY kit and upgrade by us since spring 2025.

Question 10 to people who do not yet own a hörbert: What do you miss about hörbert, what do you wish for?

Answers with at least three equal mentions:

  • more designs/material variations/more colours (8)
  • barrier-free model (5) -> Note: available in the shop since November 2024: Barrier-free models
  • integrated batteries with charging option (3) -> Note: hörbert with USB connection including battery charging function has been available since Nov. 2024. There is also an upgrade option through us or on your own with the USB-C upgrade DIY kit.
  • Spotify integration (3)
  • Even more playlists (3)
  • hörbert should be more rounded (3)

Conclusion

We are absolutely thrilled that 94% of hörbert buyers consider their purchase to be “simply amazing” or “very good and recommendable.”
To anyone who has encountered a difficulty with hörbert, we warmly invite you to contact our helpful and knowledgeable service team.

This feedback encourages us to continue offering a sustainable and climate-responsible product made of real wood—durable and repairable—for the future of our planet and our children.
Although hörbert is already incredibly versatile and offers a wide range of features that leave little to be desired, we are continuously working to improve our product and respond to our customers’ most frequent requests.

This commitment is reflected in our biggest hörbert firmware update ever: Firmware Butterfly!
Even existing customers can give their hörbert the update and install it at home.

With this new firmware, it is now possible to configure your hörbert using the so-called Browser Set Mode—a user-friendly web interface—and change all its settings.
In Browser Set Mode, there are also configuration options for some fantastic new features that our customers have been requesting over the past few years. For example:

  • A playlist can be played in random order

  • A playlist can resume from the last playback position when switched back to

  • hörbert can shut off automatically at the end of a playlist

  • The speech microphone can be set to a louder level

  • The volume can be adjusted to be even quieter or louder, depending on your needs

  • …and much more!

Thanks to Firmware Butterfly, you no longer need an SD card reader, hörbert software, or even a computer to configure your hörbert or to transfer audio files to the SD card.

We’d like to thank all participants of our product survey once again and hope you enjoyed reading the results of our evaluation.

Feel free to leave us a comment or sign our guestbook—we’d love to hear your feedback!

Warm regards,
Your hörbert Team

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