Rechargeable AA Batteries – The bottom line

Rechargeable AA Batteries – The bottom line {keep it simple}

In today’s NJroute22.com VLOG – we chat about rechargeable AA batteries.

We wasted a lot of time “researching,” and will save you TONS of time if you’re the type to get hung up on this nonsense. Here are four helpful bullet-points:

• Never believe the “advertised” rating of a battery. 9/10 times they’re much lower than they claim. Note there are a hundred new Chinese brands flooding the market on Amazon. But generally, the higher the rated claim – they usually are longer lasting.
• Most batteries will never reach their number of recharges. Not even close. If they claim 1,000, 1,500 or even 2,100 charges – don’t believe the hype. You should be happy to get 200 or 300 charges MAX before they peter out. That still works out to less than ONE CENT PER USE! Amazing bargain no matter how you slice it.
• Brand-loyalty. Try not to get consumed by the “best brand.” Brands that were top of the class at one point can lose their position. Formerly respected brands (Eneloop, Duracell) have changed their production facilities to save money, and quality was sacrificed. NO BRAND seems to stay consistent these days. Also – even good brands can experience bad batches. The opposite can be true for less well-known brands as well! We’ve had surprising luck with some off-brands! It seems to be a impossible to predict crap-shoot at times. In other words – there are no guarantees!
• Two brands are notable, however. Fujitsu and Powerex are supposedly made in the best Japanese factory still to this day. Something to keep in mind.

The bottom line is – you can avoid total junk simply by checking reviews. But in general – rechargeable AA batteries are always better values that disposable ones. Find a set that fits your budget and run with it. Experience teaches a lot as well. No harm in giving just about anything a shot (especially with liberal return policies). But save yourself the trouble and use the time wasted trying to find the best – for more productive things!

Good luck!