Rechargeable Batteries - Review

I'm hoping over the last month or so, you might have noticed a slight improvement in some of the photos on my blog. I decided to treat myself to a new camera, as my old one was heading rapidly towards both obsolescence and the point of no-repair.  I love my new camera and all its flashy settings, but for one thing. My old camera had a single solid rechargeable battery, similar to the ones in mobile phones.  The new one takes AA batteries, and seemingly eats them at much the same speed I eat chocolate digestives.  So when Rechargeable Batteries got in touch, offering me the chance to review some of their rechargeable batteries, it was like Christmas had come early.

I received a charger with 4 batteries included, a second set of 4 batteries, both sets designed for high-use items like cameras, and sneakily a little bit of chocolate.  They definitely know the way to make me smile.  Guess which I opened first!

Once I finished tucking in to the Dairy Milk, I opened up the packages.  Cleverly both sets of batteries come already charged, so you can just pop them in to your camera & away you go.  I was quite impressed to notice the difference in battery life between the rechargeable batteries and the standard alkaline batteries I'd been using before.  They seem to last about twice as long, though it can be hard to tell when I'm taking random snaps around town.  And unlike the rechargeable batteries I remember from my childhood, the power doesn't diminish in time, with over 85% power still available after a year's use.

The charger comes with both a standard UK plug, and a car charger, so there's no risk of running out of batteries on a big adventure.  A simple idea, but so effective.  How many more items should come with a car charger as standard?  Rechargeable batteries may look expensive in the initial outlay, but think about how many packs of batteries you'd get through otherwise.  In our house the simple answer is LOADS.  Even at discount store prices, you'd make your money back within half a dozen battery changes, beyond that, you're in profit.  Plus, rechargeable batteries aren't contributing to landfill or environmental damage.  I know that shops that sell batteries now have to provide recycling facilities, but how often do people really remember to take the batteries from the tv remote back to the supermarket?

I like the way the Rechargeable Batteries website is laid out - you can easily search for the items you're looking for, by type, by brand, or what you want to use them for.  The prices are clear, and there's no hidden extras.  Unless you count the chocolate!

Disclosure: I was provided with the batteries and charger detailed above free of charge for the purposes of this review. I was not told what to write and all opinions are my own.  Links are provided for your convenience, I am not a member of any affiliate scheme and will not receive reward for their use.