The great advantage rechargeable batteries have is their capacity to save you an awful lot of money long-term, not to mention the practicality and dependability the good ones tend to offer. When it comes to 18650 batteries, you have to consider their impressive strength, one that rivals that of smartphones and similar other portable devices. In this respect, a battery charger has to be not only potent but reliable enough to fully charge such a battery without any of the issues that sometimes plague traditional battery chargers. To give you a good idea of what to look for, we compiled a list of the ten best 19650 battery chargers money can buy.
8. Nitecore i2 Intellicharge Charger
With the ability to recharge Lithium, NiCd and NiMH batteries, the Nitecore i2 Intellicharge Charger is an automatic charging device that detects any inserted battery. This charger comes equipped with 3 special LED lights that adjust to the behavior of each battery and monitors the charging status. Uniquely designed, it can simultaneously charge 2 batteries at the same time and automatically changes to i2 after charging. Depending on the status of the battery, this reliable charger automatically selects the proper voltage and the mode of charging.
7. The XTAR VC4 charger
Backed up by an input voltage level of DC 12V and an output level of 12V 1A, The XTAR VC4 charger can independently charge up to 4 batteries at the same time. This robust charging device comes equipped with a simple LCD display screen that shows the voltage level of each battery, the status of its charge and the current. It also has the ability to charge Li-ion and NiMH batteries simultaneously.
6. iEGrow 4-Bay Smart Battery Charger with LED Indicator
The iEGrow 4-Bay Smart Battery Charger with LED Indicator can charge all 3.7V Lithium batteries including 26650, 18650, 18500, 18350, 17670, 17500, 16340, 14500, and 10440 models. Thanks to its high-end technology, this charger automatically shuts off if there is any problem with the voltage input, if there are any damaged circuits found, or even if the batteries are not-rechargeable. With an input voltage of DC 5V 1.0A/2.0A and an output level of 4.2V 0.5A/1A DC, the amount of time taken to charge a battery is lessened.
5. DKMHA 2-Bay Speedy Universal Charger
Uniquely constructed from heavy-duty ABS materials that make it resistant to fire, the DKMHA 2-Bay Speedy Universal Charger comes equipped with metal sliders to ensure the charge does not damage while removing and inserting batteries. With the ability to charge up to two batteries at a time, this reliable charging device comes with an LED display with 3 lights that show the status and charging process of each battery. Each slot in this device works independently by monitoring individual batteries and keeping a check on its voltage, selecting the appropriate charge mode.
4. NiteCore-i2-V2014 Universal charger
The NiteCore-i2-V2014 Universal charger is a robust and durable charging device that comes equipped with two heavy-duty slots that individually monitor and charge up to two batteries at one time. This device also comes with optimized charging for IMR batteries. Featuring three charging modes to choose from, including Trickle charge, CV charge, and CC charge, this convenient device can automatically detect the status of each battery and charge it as per its voltage to ensure a longer lifespan.
3. SOONHUA 10400mAh LCD External Battery Power Bank
This premium quality charging device can charge differently sized batteries at once. Each slot is monitored individually to check the level of charge and the status of the battery while the device features LCD lights that indicate the amount of charge left and the charging process of each battery. Compatible with all Li-ion, NiMH and NiCd batteries, this device selects the amount of voltage and the appropriate charge mode automatically, depending on each battery and shuts off as soon as the charging process is complete.
2. EBL Smart Battery Charger for 18650
Equipped with the latest iQuick technology, the EBL Smart Battery Charger for 18650 models can provide a pretty decent charging speed for 500mA batteries. Designed to charge two batteries at a time, this charger is compatible with all Li-ion cylindrical, Ni-MH, Ni-CD, AA, AAA, and C batteries. Featuring a compact and portable size and construction, this charger can be carried around with ease and can also be utilized on the road thanks to its DC support. It also comes with a special MCU controlled technology that automatically shuts off the device when the battery is fully charged as well as special LED lights to indicate the status and progress of each battery charged.
1. Nitecore i2 Intellicharge Charger
The Nitecore i2 Intellicharge Charger is a high quality, perfectly optimized battery charger that comes equipped with 2 slots to charge not one but 2 batteries at once. Each slot comes with an independent detector that monitors the status of each battery, ensuring it is charged to its maximum. This charger is compatible with all Li-ion, NiMH and NiCd batteries, an absolute ‘must’ when it comes to modern battery chargers. Thanks to its special LCD display screen at the top of the device, you can keep an eye on the charging status and progress of each battery at any given time.
18650 Battery Charger Guide
Although they have several uses, a 18650 battery charger is generally used for vaping and cameras. Because the market is buzzing right now, there are lots of people bringing out sub-par products and the same can be said for battery chargers.
Fortunately, there are more than enough good ones to choose from but you need to know what to look for. Everything from charge time to battery life is discussed so to make sure you are never caught short, waiting on a low-quality charger to work, here is our 18650 battery charger guide.
What To Look For In a 18650 Battery Charger
Charge Time
This has to be high on your list of priorities as the last thing you want is a slow charger that prevents you from vaping when you want to. Some are crazy fast, taking a matter of minutes to reach full charge whilst others take a bit longer. anything under a few hours is reasonable but if you find something around the two-hour mark for a good price then this isn’t a terrible thing.
Chargers in this range mostly have a rating of 0.5V or 1.0V which is sufficient to give you a speedy charge.
No Overcharging
A lot of 18650 battery chargers will cut off instead of overcharging which will save you money on your bills so look out for those and this prevents the unit from overheating as well.
LED Display
Not all 18650 battery chargers will do this and it’s not as essential as other functions but it is always good to know how full the battery charge is. Some will tell you how much longer the batteries need before they are charged to the max whilst others will show how much each battery is charged.
Car Adapters
This isn’t something you often get so it shouldn’t be something you expect from every brand but the ability to charge on the go is always a good idea. Not only does this save money on electric bills, but it means you will always be able to vape between leaving your car and going into work.
Warranty
The more reputable brands will offer this and although it isn’t exactly rare, it’s not something you get from every 18650 Battery Charger. A warranty protects your purchase and when it comes to battery chargers, it is always good to know you are going to get a guaranteed amount of use.
Four Slot Battery Chargers
Although 2 slot chargers are enough for most people, there is sometimes a misconception that a 4 slot charger doesn’t work as fast. this isn’t true as it is all down to the power of the individual product. A quality 4-slot charger will charge batteries just as fast, it doesn’t matter if there are two or four on the go at the same time.
Portable
Because they are compact, 18650 battery chargers fit easily in the bottom of a bag so if you are away on business, you don’t have to worry about carrying extra batteries or running out of charge.
Battery Life
Depending on the brand, you can get 1,000’s of hours of battery life out of a rechargeable 18650 battery. This is one of the main benefits of being able to use such a product so make sure it is capable of lasting as long as the batteries.
Other Benefits From A 18650 Battery Charger
Multiple Battery Chargers
As their name suggests, these types of products can charge different types of batteries at the same time. This is great and it stops you from having to buy multiple chargers and is often compatible with batteries such as Li-on, IMR, Ni-Cd, and others.
More Life For Old Batteries
When batteries have been left idle for some time, they are often considered ‘dead’ and beyond repair. This isn’t always the case. A strong 18650 battery charger will be able to give old batteries a kick start to make them useable again. Some 18650 battery chargers have this ability built-in as a function that makes them stand out from the competition.
Why Is It Important To Buy A Quality 18650 Battery Charger?
Because there are fake products on the market, you must get your hands on a genuine, high-quality product. Otherwise, you could find yourself buying a product that reduces the longevity of the battery, causing lasting damage. Find a reputable brand, use the charger correctly, and you shouldn’t have any issues.
