Review on Rayovac Rechargeable Hybrid Charger, 4-slot AA/AAA Battery Charger With 2 AA Hybrid Batteries by Jamie Simpson

This kit includes two new Rayovac 'Hybrid' AA NiMH rechargeable batteries and a basic charger. Like Sanyo's "eneloop", the hybrid is also advertised as having a low self-discharge, but not as low as the eneloop. Eneloop should hold an 85% charge for 12 months (when stored at 20°C), while Hybrid should hold an 80% charge for 6 months (temperature not specified). The hybrid is rated at 2100 mAh, which is slightly more than eneloop (2000 mAh). I have tested both brands and can confirm that both estimates are correct. In real applications, the difference in performance between hybrid and eneloop cells is likely to be negligible. So it all comes down to price. Unfortunately, this hybrid pack offered here just isn't well priced compared to similar eneloop packs. The supplied charger is a simple, timed charger. It forces you to charge the cells in pairs (either 2 or 4) and it doesn't know if the cells are fully charged. It only charges and turns off at 350mA for 8 hours (obviously it was designed for 2500-2700mah batteries since 350mA * 8 hours = 2800mah). In contrast, the chargers included in eneloop packs are "smart" in the sense that they charge cells individually and stop when each cell is full. enelup. [.] [Updated November 29, 2007] The price of this item has come down significantly since I first wrote the above review. Therefore, it should be considered much more profitable at the moment. [Updated June 16, 2010] Revain's product image now shows a 2-cell USB charger (RAYPS19), but the model number matches a 4-cell charger (PS32-2BC). Be careful when placing an order.