Have you ever had an electronic fail you at the absolute worst moment? Maybe your baby finally smiled and but your camera didn't have enough juice to capture it. Or you were just about to get to that game level you've been trying to reach for months and your console shut off.
Whether you use two-way radios or walkie-talkies, chances you use batteries. And nothing's worse than when your batteries run out and you don't have any more on hand.
One remedy to the battery problem is using rechargeable batteries. As long as you stay on top of recharging them, you'll never be without working batteries again! All you'll need is a charger and a set of batteries.
If you're going to invest in rechargeable battery chargers, you want to know you're getting a high-quality charger. But how do you know which one is best?
To help you in your decision, we've gone ahead and done some research for you. Keep reading for our list of the best rechargeable battery chargers available in 2021.
Benefits of Rechargeable Batteries
Before jumping into our list, lets first look at why you'd want to purchase a recharger for batteries.
First off, they'll save you some cash. Maybe a lot of cash, depending on how many batteries you use. While there is an up-front investment to use rechargeable batteries, it's more than worth it in the long run.
Second, as long as you keep an extra set on hand, you'll never run out of batteries! If you regularly keep those extra batteries charged, you'll never have to wait or run to the store when your current power supply runs out.
Third, rechargeable batteries reduce waste! Using fewer batteries means those batteries you aren't using won't end up in the dump.
Proper Care for Rechargeable Batteries
There are some important things to keep in mind when keeping rechargeable batteries. If you don't care for them properly they won't last you as long as they otherwise would.
Never store batteries in their charger. Batteries may end up overcharging. Many modern chargers provide protection against this though, so look for a charger with that feature.
If you do end up overcharging your batteries they may not hold as much of a charged later on.
Always make sure you charge batteries in the right kind of charger! Make sure your charger is built for the type of batteries you want to charge. You should also ensure you are charging each battery in the right kind of port.
The Best Rechargeable Battery Chargers of 2021
Alright, now that we understand a bit more about rechargeable batteries, let's get to the all-important chargers.
There are many types of battery chargers so we've chosen the best in a few different categories. Compare each set of benefits to find out which charger best meets your needs!
The Best Quick Battery Charger
Though recharging batteries is convenient, it usually takes a fair amount of time. Standard chargers may require six or seven hours to charge a set of batteries.
Luckily, there's a quicker option. Check out the Panasonic Advanced Eneloop Individual Battery 3 Hour Quick Charger. This charger charges batteries in only three hours. Or, have your batteries ready in 1.5 hours if you're only charging one or two of them!
With this charger, you can charge individual batteries instead of multiple all at once. Though, you can have four batteries charging if you want. But you won't have to worry about batteries with different charge levels like you would with some other chargers
This charger features an auto shut off, LED light bars that show the charge status of each battery individually, overheating protection, and a retractable AC adaptor. Its compact size makes it perfect for storing and taking with you.
Use Eneloop, Eneloop pro, or Panasonic Ni-MH rechargeable batteries with this charger.
The Best Advanced Battery Charger
If you're looking for something that provides more than just the basics, this is the best battery charger for you. The La Crosse Technology BC700-CBP Alpha Power Battery Charger provides advanced options but doesn't break the bank!
You can charge all NiCd and NiMH rechargeable AA and AAA batteries in this charger. Four different modes are available: test, refresh, charge, and discharge. Each battery is charged separately, so you can do whatever combination you need!
Test mode charges and discharges your battery to tell you its capacity before fully charging it again. Discharge mode discharges then recharges the battery. Refresh mode continues discharging and recharging up to 20 times to bring your battery back up to full capacity.
This battery charger detects overheating, shows the status of each battery separately, detects defective batteries, and charges with settings for optimal battery life.
A 1-year limited warranty is included, as well as an AC adaptor.
The Best Bulk Battery Charger
If you use a lot of batteries, you likely want something that can charge more than four batteries at a time. Don't write off rechargeable batteries because chargers only recharge four batteries at a time.
Why? Because there are plenty of chargers that can handle more than four batteries at once!
This charger gives you the ability to charge not four, not eight, but sixteen batteries all at once! And, to make it even more awesome, you don't even have to charge the same type of batteries.
Do you need three AA batteries and two AAA batteries? Awesome, throw them in that charger. You can charge any combination of NiCD/NiMH AA or AAA batteries at once.
And, you can charge each battery individually. Which means, when one is done, you don't have to wait to use it until the others have finished recharging.
For less than $40 you'll have the capability to charge batteries for toys, clocks, portable devices, and whatever else you need. And, this charger can refresh your batteries, which helps to extend their life and performance.
While batteries do not come included, you'll quickly recoup the price of purchasing so many batteries. The more you use them, the more you save.
Monitor the progress of your batteries with the handy LCD screen. Each battery's status is shown individually.
The Best Simple Battery Charger
If simplicity is what you're looking for, look no farther than the Panasonic BQ-CC17SBA Eneloop Advanced Individual Battery Charger. Though this charger looks about as simple as you can get, it gets the job done just fine while packing in the features.
Auto shut off, a retractable power cord, individual battery charging, and 4 LED indicator lights are only some of the features. You can charge both AA and AAA batteries, as long as they're Eneloop or Eneloop pro-ni-MH batteries.
While this charger doesn't come with any special abilities or accessories, it does cover the most important element. These include charging more than one battery type, auto shut off, a retractable power cord, and individual battery charging.
Thanks to its simplicity and great design, this charger comes in at less than $25, so it's great for budget-minded charger buyers.
The Best 9V Battery Charger
While this battery charger only chargers 9-volt batteries, we had to include it here. You probably don't only use AA and AAA batteries, so you may be in need of a 9-volt battery charger as well.
This charger is the ultimate in simplistic design, but it packs a punch for under $25. 9-volt batteries aren't cheap, so this charger will save you tons. Plus, it comes with four 600mAh Li-Ion rechargeable batteries!
The included batteries come pre-charged, so you can use them right out of the box. They're also made to last--they'll still hold 75% of their capacity after three years of not being used.
This charger charges two batteries at a time and indicates if batteries are charging or if they're fully charged.
Remember how you're supposed to regularly change the batteries in your smoke alarms? Just think of how many batteries you won't need to purchase or throw away if you have this charger on hand.
Users of audio and medical devices may also find this charger useful. Anything that uses a 9-volt battery will benefit from having rechargeable 9-volt batteries around.
The Best Universal Battery Charger
Wait, do you have to purchase multiple battery chargers in order to charge the batteries you need? Absolutely not!
If you don't want to purchase separate battery chargers, go for a universal battery charger! This one from Ansmann will definitely do the trick.
It doesn't just charge AA and AAA. From this one device, you can charge AA, AAA, C, D, and 9-volt batteries! Plus, use the USB hookups to charge phone batteries!
If your batteries are having issues, this charger will detect and refresh them to make them good as new. It will also shut off automatically to prevent any overcharging problems.
Using smart technology, this charger determines what current to use to give you the quickest charge. It will also detect which type of battery you're charging.
This charger uses a gentle process that gives you the best charging experience possible. Thanks to this charger, you'll be able to charge batteries up to 1000 times!
Each battery charges on its own and has its own monitor.
Batteries are not included, so you will need to purchase sets of whatever batteries you use often. Though this may cost you a decent chunk of change at first, you'll be glad you switched to rechargeable for all your battery needs!
The Best Portable Battery Charger
With this one, you get the best of the best. This NiteCore charger provides you the ultimate charging experience by providing a universal charging device, as well as portability! Many different batteries can be charged with this charger, including AA, AAA, C, and Lithium-Ion.
Charge four batteries at once and monitor and charge each one independently. It won't matter if your batteries have different amounts of charges in them when you begin, or if they finish at different times.
This charger includes a temperature monitoring system. This prevents overheating.
Though it offers many bells and whistles, this charger doesn't offer automatic battery type detection. You'll have to select which type of battery you're charging, as well as the correct charging parameters.
For super convenience, this charger comes with a car charger, giving you the ultimate in portability! You'll also receive an Eastshine EB182 Battery Box.
The Best Rechargeable Battery Chargers for You
Hopefully, this list has helped you open your mind to rechargeable batteries! Rechargeable battery chargers offer many benefits, only one of which is convenience.
Limit the amount of waste you're sending to the dump each year while increasing the hours of use you'll have for all your devices.
Consider the different types of chargers to determine what's best for you.
Do you travel a lot? Or do you tend to use more of your batteries at home?
What types of batteries do you use? If you only use AA or AAA batteries, you'll be fine purchasing a charger that only charges those types.
If you frequently use many types of batteries, consider purchasing a universal charger. Then you'll save yourself even more by recharging every kind of battery you use, not just one or two kinds!
It's true that switching to recharging batteries does take some upfront cash. While it may be hard to fork out all that money, it doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg. Some chargers are budget-friendly, so seek those ones out.
Plus, as you use and recharge your new batteries, you'll definitely end up saving in the long run. So what are you waiting for? Make the switch today!
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