Looking from recommendations as I know from your existence on this board that many of you will have turned to rechargeable to cover all your remotes and gadgets.

Criteria is pretty simple.

-- aa and aaa (preferably can do both at the same time.)

-- My old one is dead and the batteries are so old that I don't mind investing in new batteries, so the type of batteries used with the new charger is not a concern. Previous was LSD NiHM

-- Fast recharging is not a big concern. I keep enough spares that there is not normally a panic.

-- I tried buying a cheap "Energizer", 4 battery model to replace my old. Batteries charged to full with it seem to die prematurely (a week instead of multiple months in my remotes) so I'm not happy with it.

-- Smart charging is important but discharge modes, refresh modes, test etc... all seem like really nice features but I got along without them for years with my first charger so I don't know how much value they add for the extra $$

Thanks all. Your advice is appreciated, as always.

I use a Sanyo Eneloop, batteries and charger. Nothing fancy but as you say, batteries in remotes last for months. Mine was from Costco; good deals on extra batteries from NCIX.
I figure Sanyo does batteries as well as anyone, better than most.

Murph, my life sometimes seems to revolve around AA rechargeables! I have two systems that I like:

As Joe mentioned, the Eneloop batteries are very popular. Their chemistry is a bit different than others (I don't remember what the exact difference is) and they have the ability to hold their charge in storage longer than the typical rechargeable. Note that the link's price is actually for eight batteries. I just bought 32 each of these. Their disadvantage is that they have a nominal 1900 mAh rating.

The other batteries I like are the Powerex batteries. They have a higher mAh rating of 2700, but they are best if you charge right before use.

Chargers are important also. I use one of these Powerex Chargers that I really like. It acts like an independant charger for each slot and does well when mixing batts of varying stages of charge. It also have a slow, gentle charge or a fast charge choice for the group as a whole, and a conditioning system.

I price-watch this La Crosse charger as it also has a very good reputation and being 4 slots instead of 8, would fit easier in a pocket of a camera bag. It bounces from $28 USD to $38 USD on the American Amazon site.

I use a PowerEx MH-C9000 charger. Each slot is independent and can do both AA and AAA. Very flexible device. 4 batteries at a time.

Thanks Mark & Arthur! That's exactly the feedback I was looking for as I've already read great reviews about both Powerex and La Crosse models so I just needed some reinforcement.

Both chargers mentioned are double the price on the .CA Amazon site. That makes zero sense, but I've come to expect it so I always check both and order from the US site when they pull that sh__. Batteries were 50% more expensive as well.

I'm going to order the La Crosse today with a bunch of new Eneloop batteries. Charging 8 at a time would be better, but would be rarely required for me for the extra $35.

Also, for anyone interested, here is a very easy to follow chart on what type of batteries are best for your specific needs. Battery Guide

P.S.
The other stupid Amazon .CA vs. .COM thing I found was that I could order 8 packs of AA and AAA Eneloop batteries on the American site (once again, the Canadian pricing was a rip off) but it told me that the 10 pack was not allowed to be shipped to me.

Fine Mark, keep my extra two batteries for yourself!!!

have you thought about rechargeable alkaline batteries?

Thanks for the input J.B.

I did a lot of research on battery types and the consistent consensus was a very resounding statement that alkaline are the worst rechargeable battery choice. In fact, some articles were hesitant to even call rechargeable alkaline "rechargeable" because they recharge so few times before they are rendered weak or useless.

From one of my Evernote clippings when I was researching.

Alkaline
Cons
- Short cycle life (can't be charged as many times as a real rechargeable like NiMH or NiZn)
- Tiny initial capacity in some brands
- Capacity (and sometimes voltage) is reduced on every cycle
- Doesn't work in high-drain devices
- Charges much slower
- Way more prone to leaking than any other kind of battery

Pros
long shelf life

I own this charger and have had no issues with it. I have used it to charge Eneloop batteries.

Aghhh! You invented a force lightning turret. I always knew you had joined the dark side!

He thought it was a DIY wine chiller.

I'm just trying to find Murph the best possible product for his needs...

Murph, I've had the PowerEx MH-C9000 for about a year and a half and I have been using Eneloop AA &AAA batteries. Performance on all fronts has been terrific. The quality & performance are well worth the $$$.

Seems like pretty much everyone has consensus here down to two brands and a single brand even for batteries. How often does that happen?? Makes me feel very confident I'm not wasting my money. Thanks all!

Now, on to picking out a force powered, wine chiller. The only thing I can't resist more than blue LEDs, is force lightning.