Momma's Choice

If you have a digital camera, or any other electronic device, I’m sure you have some rechargeable batteries. We have quite a collection of rechargeable batteries that recently seemed to be working for a shorter and shorter time, and some have completely gone on strike. Realizing that rechargeables don’t last forever, I started to price around to see who had the best deal.

My first discovery was the rechargeables in the camera department seem to cost more than the rechargeables by all the regular batteries. Then I noticed that there were different types of rechargeables and decided to go home and do a little research before I bought $40 worth of batteries (we use A LOT of batteries!).

Types of popular rechargeables:

NiCad (Nickel Cadmium)- Cheapest and if not properly maintained will ‘develop’ a memory drastically reducing their battery life. Not for use in high drain devices like cameras – unless you like to pack lots of batteries.

NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride) - Long life, middle cost, usually won’t develop a memory until later in their life. They do need a different charger than NiCads – smart or passive. Good for high drain devices, like video cameras.

Lion (Lithium Ion) – More specialized batteries that last a really long time, yet usually the most expensive. Good for high drain devices. Usually require smart chargers.

Then there’s the Hybrid batteries. At first I thought that Rayovac is the only company that produces these, but found that the new Sanyo Eneloop batteries, which advertise the same features, are of the same technological mother. You can use your NiMH charger for them, because they are NiMH batteries, only a special chemical process  makes their charge much more stable. What does that mean for you?

• -They hold their power longer than standard NiMH batteries ( 9-12 months vs 30-60 DAYS for standard NiMH).
• -These batteries also come precharged so you can use them straight out of the package, in case you need to grab a set away from home and don’t want to waste money on alkaline batteries.
• - Hybrids do not have any memory effect, so there is no need to be sure they are fully discharged before recharging.
• -They can tolerate overcharging 2-3x’s better than their NiMH counterpart
• -Depending on care and use, they can be re-charged 500-1000 times, over twice as many as other NiMH batteries.

OK, I hear you. I figured hybrid batteries would be more expensive, too. The Sanyo eneloop batteries were a few dollars more while several reviews reported that the Rayovac Hybrids lasted longer in side by side tests. I didn’t price the Rayovac Hybrid at Walmart,  but found they are actually cost less than other comparable rechargeable batteries on Amazon. No, I didn’t start this post to promote buying on Amazon. You know I always check Amazon’s price on everything like this because in TN we pay close to 10% sales tax compared to the zero% sales tax on Amazon (just make sure it’s sold BY Amazon). I just keep a running list on Amazon and once I hit the minimum of $25 for the free shipping deal, I checkout..

Best Deal Found :

In Tennessee, the best price I found at Walmart on regular NiMH batteries was $10.87 for four regular rechargeable batteries.You can get two(2) 4 packs of Rayovac’s Hybrid AA batteries on Amazon for $19.87 (less than $10/4pack). That link is eligible for the free shipping once you have $25 in your cart (unless you have Prime). No tax, no shipping. It’s also the best price I found (with the free shipping) on any NiMH 4-pack. If you find a better deal, please email me! (or comment below!)

A few more helpful hints to get the most out of your rechargeable batteries:

–Remove your batteries from your recharger as soon as they are finished charging to prevent overcharging. This significantly reduces their life. (this applies to your cell phone, too!) I’m pretty sure that this is why our batteries weren’t working as well, we tend to leave them in the charger until we need them…now we know.

–A ‘smart charger’ has a microprocessor that can tell when a battery is charged and will shut off power to that battery when finished to prevent overcharging and damaging your investments.

–Keep charged batteries in a cool place (40-80 degrees), but refrigeration is not recommended. I know Aunt Martha always told you to keep your batteries in the freezer. While cooler temps are a plus, the moisture cancels it out. Now, go get those batteries out of the freezer.

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