I love rechargeable batteries and use them for everything I can. Traditionally, however, the big complaint on these batteries is they do not hold their charge as long as their disposable alkaline counterparts. While this used to be true, the newer hybrid nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) rechargeables make this a thing of the past.
From this article which covers the best rechargeable batteries and chargers of the past year, you can see these hybrid Ni-MH are readily available and boast pretty impressive stats:
Eneloop batteries are Ni-MH batteries made by Sanyo in Japan. Like the Hybrios, Eneloops come fully charged out-of-the-box, and have a slow self-discharging range. They can also be recharged in any Ni-MH charger. Sanyo says Eneloops can be recharged up to 1000 times, and they will retain their charged capacity even after 6 or 12 months of storage.
We use Eneloop batteries for our baby monitor and they last about a week or so under normal usage before needing to be recharged. Disposables (used in an emergency) last about the same.
Considering the price of rechargeables are pretty low, there is no comparison when you do a cost analysis against disposables as they will typically pay for themselves very quickly. Combine this with a solar charger (what I use), once you have the batteries, there is no cost to use them for years to come.
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Yes hybrid batteries are great and are the battery of the futture but the downside is their lower capacity than standard rechargeable batteries. For devices like baby monitors that are low drain the Hybrids are great but for high drain devices that are used regularly you are better off with the higher capacity batteries.
Rechargable batteries are slightly larger in diameter.
AA’s do not work well in Maglite flashlights as they have to be pushed into place and are hard to get out.
There are some companies who don’t recommend them because of a slightly lower voltage release.
Been using these Eneloop’s ever since they were accidentally discovered on a “Red Tag” sale isle. We use them in both digital cameras(Canon and Kodak) and they outlast normal AA’s due to their “near full voltage” up until the need to recharge. Excellent for LED flashlights as well.
JC
The Eneloops are great BUT have a very odd voltage release and WILL NOT work in Nikon Speedlights. Baby monitors and flashlights, great, sensitive camera gear, no go.
Have been using eneloops for about 2 years in film SLR camera battery grips, flash units and various accessories along with various digital cameras – perfect results. Eneloops release (nominally) 1.2v – same as most every other reghargable battery.
I have been using what I call no-memory batteries for years, both the AA and the AAA. I don’t even know what brands I use and would have to open something to tell you. Even if the charge only lasts a week, they are still cheaper then the old alkeline batteries. (Put “charge-batteries” on your calendar for one day of each week, if you need to. I just run them until they need to be recharged, but always have at least 12 waiting to be replaced-out.) My charger has 4 ports) I have never had nor discovered them to be larger then their old counterparts (if you can’t get them out of a mag-light, open both ends and push them through with the rubber end of a pencil, if shaking won’t do it), and even though (although I have not checked recently) the charge might be different from alkelines, I always use a meter and not a light to check on their voltages. I’ve never had a problem with them. Costco sells them both in packs of 20 and the AAA comes with a charger for both AAA and AA. Can’t say enough about how great these no-mems are! They also are available in 9vlt, C & D’s! OUTSTANDING!
I switched over to Sanyo eneloops from alkalines and I’d never go back. Between two Apple bluetooth keyboards, two Magic Mice, multiple Xbox controllers, and a few TV remotes, I go through batteries like crazy. I bought a bunch of eneloops so the initial investment was equivalent to 60 or so alkalines, but now it’s just as convenient to swap in a charged set as it was to put in new alkalines. As for capacity, I’m waiting to try out the new XX line to see if they last noticeably longer.