• EBL 3.7V Li-ion Rechargeable Batteries — 3000 mAh
• Kiminors 3.7V 18650 Rechargeable Battery — 3200 mAh

Our recommended 18650 battery charger: XTAR VC2

About 18650 Batteries

What are the advantages of 18650 batteries? They are 3.7-volt lithium-ion batteries that can be recharged and are compatible with a wide range of electronics, including laptops, digital cameras, flashlights, and even electric car batteries.

Panasonic, Sanyo, Samsung, and LG are the top level 18650 cell manufacturers, making long lasting cells in a standard size (18 mm by 65 mm) that fits all 18650 compatible devices. Chinese knockoffs are available for cheaper but are prone to shorter lifespans and aren’t always uniform in size. As a rule, be wary of “protected” 18650 batteries, which have small circuit boards at the bottom that do not fit some electronics, such as flashlights.

High-drain batteries are safer and designed for high current devices, such as vaporizers. They are also less wasteful, meaning they have a longer life cycle and can last for more recharges.

18650 Battery Chargers

The best part about 18650 batteries is that they can be recharged. That means you will need a reliable charger to keep them energized and in working order. I like the XTAR VC2 charger because it has an informative LCD screen display.

The LCD screen tells you the real mAh capacity of your batteries, so you can make sure they are getting the advertised amount of fill or identify when they are losing efficiency.

The post The Best 18650 Batteries appeared first on Reactual.

Yes, they are finally available. However, only a few Chinese companies manufacture them. These batteries are AA and AAA rechargeable lithium polymer batteries that output 1.5 volts.

• Tenavolt Lithium-Ion AA Batteries (2775 mWh)
• Deeleepow Lithium-Ion AA Batteries (3400mWh)

Lithium-ion batteries normally operate at 3.7V per cell. The circuitry inside the cells reduces the voltage to 1.5 volts. The batteries have a capacity of 3400mWh, which matches Eneloop Pro (NiMH batteries with the highest capacity). Additionally, lithium-ion cells are lighter than NiMH cells.

Other Lithium-Ion Rechargeables

There are also some lithium-ion rechargeable batteries made for high-performance flashlights and cameras in these sizes: 18650 and CR123.

A single 18650 battery can replace two CR123A batteries, although at a lower voltage (but much higher amperage). However, the 18650 is a wider cell and will not fit into a flashlight designed strictly for the narrower CR123As. Most modern tactical LED lights are designed to use a single 18650 or two CR123As, but it’s best to check before buying. See our article on The Best 18650 Batteries for more information.

There are also numerous other types of lithium-ion batteries made for specific laptops and other electronic gadgets. There is currently no standard size for these lithium-ion cells.

The post Do Rechargeable Lithium-Ion AA Batteries Exist? appeared first on Reactual.

• ZTS MBT-1 can test more than 30 different battery types and gives meaningful, accurate readings.
• The ZTS Mini is an affordable and portable alternative. It tests 15 battery types.

The Details

Musicians, professional photographers, hobbyists, parents, and anyone else who is a frequent battery user should invest in a quality professional-grade battery tester. Be cautious of the slew of cheap Chinese battery testers available for sale on the internet. These products do not give an accurate reading, and instead will do little more than tell you whether or not your battery is dead.

Consider the Amprobe, the best selling battery tester on Amazon. It is available for $7, which sounds too good to be true because it is. As expected, it is flimsily constructed and gives iffy reports on rechargeable batteries. As many reviewers noted, it is only good at identifying dead batteries. Worse, it gives inaccurate battery readings and gives artificially high “good” readings on batteries that are on the precipice of death. That can cause unfortunate mix ups, like taking a battery “good” on charge to an important photo-shoot, only for the flash to die after a few snaps.

Luckily, ZTS makes a quality tester that gives a dependable reading. This battery tester is manufactured here in the United States and gives an accurate measurement in a very short period of time. Just place the battery on the nickel-plated brass contact and wait for the bar at the top to show what percentage charge the battery holds.

It tests almost every battery type, including NiMH, Lithium-Ion, Alkaline Lithium, Coin Cells, CR1620 Cells. It has a row of six LED testers that gives percentage reading of how much life the battery has left.

This is not a portable tester — it weighs over a pound and is 8 inches tall.

A Portable Option

If you want a professional quality battery tester that can fit in a purse or glove box, ZTS has the MINIMBT. The Mini is exactly half the MBT: half the size, it can test half the number of batteries (15), and is half the price.

The Mini tests 1.5v alkaline (AA, AAA, C, D, N), 1.2v NiMH/NiCd, 3v photo lithium, and 9v alkaline batteries.

The post The Best Battery Tester appeared first on Reactual.

Currently, the best rechargeable C-size battery is the ELB 5000 Battery. A pack of 6 costs $24.

About C-Size Batteries

Although they are no longer as popular as they used to be, C-size batteries are one of the most common alkaline batteries today. They have kept the same dimensions (50 millimeters by 26.2 millimeters) since 1926 and are used in medium-drain electronics such as toys and instruments. Disposable 1.5V alkaline dominated the C battery market for years due to its high capacity and long shelf life.

Rechargeable C-size batteries are rapidly gaining marketshare over their throw-away counterparts, thanks to crucial technological advances within the past decade. Instead of alkaline, they are using 1.2V Nickel-Metal Hydride Chemistry (NiMH) that allows for greater capacity that doesn’t atrophy after long stretches of inactivity. Whereas in the past rechargeable batteries would drain by themselves via discharge even when they weren’t in use, they now retain up to 85% of their charge capacity for months at a time. No more pulling out a rarely used flashlight the night before a camping trip only to find that the charge has evaporated in your garage.

Of all the rechargeable batteries on the market, ELB offers the best C-size battery. The 1.2V NiMH cells have a 5000mAh capacity, almost as much as the standard 8000mAh of disposable alkaline batteries and much higher than other NiMH cells, and close to the capacity of a lithium cell.

For a charger, I recommend the Maha PowerEx MH-C808M. This smart device can charge 9 C-size batteries at a time.

The post The Best Rechargeable C-Size Batteries appeared first on Reactual.

• The Best Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker: Ultimate Ears UE Boom 2
• The Best Bluetooth Speaker for Sound Quality: FUGOO
• The Best Indoor Bluetooth Speaker: Bose SoundLink Color

The Details

The Best Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker: Ultimate Ears UE Boom 2

Pros: Waterproof, rugged, great battery life, impressive sound, lightweight

Cons: playback controls occasionally unresponsive

A favorite pick of top tech magazines, the UE Boom 2 is a remake of the popular, original UE Boom.  Although just over 1 lb., the compact, cylindrical speaker projects a loud, clear sound with deep bass in all directions.  Unlike many delicate tech gadgets, these speakers were meant to be taken outside – the outer shell is resilient, rugged and made to withstand dings and dents.  It’s not just water-resistant – it’s waterproof – and can be submerged in over three feet of water for up to 30 minutes.  The rechargeable battery lasts an impressive 15 hours, perfect for a weekend camping trip with a group of friends.  The UE Boom 2 also offers a variety of other features, including the ability to sync with a second UE speaker for even more sound, intuitive app features, and a variety of color options to suit any style.

The UE Boom 2 is available at Amazon for around $200.

The Best Bluetooth Speaker for Sound Quality: FUGOO

Pros: Powerful sound, excellent battery life, durable design, customizable “jackets”

Cons:  Does not give visual cues on volume or battery life, changing jackets requires some dis-assembly

According to TechRadar, the FUGOO Bluetooth speaker is one of the industry’s best-kept secrets.  Although some high-end Bluetooth speakers from well-known brands, such as Bowers & Wilkins, Bang & Olufsen, Sony, Marshall Kilburn, and Bose, may boast of higher quality sound, many of these are not realistically portable, or likely to be used as portable speakers, due to their size, weight, and price tag.  However, the FUGOO is a true portable speaker at a little under 1.5 pounds, and includes a durable core and different exterior “jackets” depending on the purpose and environment.  Specifically, the core is itself a rugged machine capable of handling dings, dents, and spills.  The “style” jacket offers additional protection and a streamlined silhouette.  The “sport” and “tough” jackets offer additional protection.  The speaker sound is exceptional; music lovers will be astounded by the depth and clarity of the sound produced via its six drivers, including two tweeters, two mid/sub drivers, and two passive radiators.  The FUGOO also offers an unbelievable 40 hours of continuous battery life.

The FUGOO does have some small drawbacks.  Its streamlined, minimal visual design only indicates whether the machine is turned on or off.  All other cues are voice-activated, which means a simple glance to check the volume level or battery life is not possible.  Additionally, the jackets are not easily interchangeable.  Although the “style” jacket slides and locks in, the other jackets require a little more assembly; many reviews noted changing jackets was frustrating and somewhat confusing.

The FUGOO Bluetooth speaker is available on Amazon for $178 to $230, depending on jacket type.

The post The Best Portable Bluetooth Speakers appeared first on Reactual.

This headlamp weighs just 1.1 oz (32 grams), or 2.9 oz (80 grams) with an AA battery and headband. This makes it a great choice for a runner or night hiker.

In most cases, you’ll want to use the 116-lumen “medium” mode — this is quite sufficient to light up a trail at night. The Zebralight H52 lasts about three hours in this mode, when using a rechargeable NiMH batteries like the Eneloop Pro. The headlamp is also capable of accepting a 3.7V 14500 lithium-ion rechargeable battery.

When in high mode (300 lumens mode) it lasts about 40 minutes. In low mode it outputs 27 lumens — this enough light to read a book in bed for example.

The maximum beam length is 66 meters.

The Zebralight H52 is waterproof to IPX7 — this means it can be submersed for 30 minutes at a depth of 1 meter. This is due to its unibody aluminum casing.

Here are some more nice features on this headlamp:

• A battery capacity indicator (LED flashes 1-4 times)
• Automatic stepping down to lower output when battery (AA and 14500) capacity is low
• Over-discharging protection for 14500 batteries at 2.8V cutoff

You can find the Zebralight H52 (Cool White). on Amazon for about $74. Also available is the 280 lumen Neutral White (this version has 20 fewer lumens but a slightly warmed light).

The post The Brightest Single AA Headlamp (300 Lumens) appeared first on Reactual.

Here are some reliable speaker dock that still allow you to dock your iPad and immediately play your music:

Sony RDPXF300IPN Lightning iPad Dock

The Sony RDPXF300IPN Lightning iPad Dock is the best sounding speaker dock I’ve tested. The two speakers output 20 watts each, and have a rich and bright sound. In fact, this dock sounds better than the Bose SoundDock Series III (which also lacks bluetooth connectivity and a remote control).

This dock has an internal lithium-ion battery so it can be used as a portable player, it also features a radio and a remote control.

The Sony RDPXF300IPN Lightning iPad Dock is available from Amazon for about $300.

iHome iDL48BC Dual Charging Portable Rechargeable Speaker

The iHome iDL48BC speaker dock is a good budget choice for a speaker dock. It delivers resasonably good sound, but it lacks some of the clarity and bass of the Sony RDPXF300IPN.

The iHome iDL48BC is available from Amazon for about $80.

The post The Best iPad Speaker Docks Of 2017 appeared first on Reactual.

• Kentli makes the best rechargeable lithium-ion AA batteries currently available. They are rated at 2800mWh, and are the only 1.5 V li-on AA batteries, making them the best choice for consumer-grade electronics.
• EXCELLENT makes 3.7V li-on batteries compatible with high drain devices like LED flashlights.

The Details

Not long ago, disposable alkaline batteries enjoyed an undisputed mastery of the AA battery market. Improvements in rechargeable battery technology upended that dominance over the past decade. As we reported in this article, Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMH) AA batteries such as Panasonic’s Eneloop have made rechargeable options more cost-efficient in the past 10 years.

A 1.5V lithium ion battery has recently been made available to consumers. Lithium ion cells have a high energy density, long cycle life, and have a lower self discharge rate than NiMH batteries. In other words, they last longer and maintain a more even voltage than other types of cells.

Kenli’s 1.5V offering is an ideal choice for everyday household needs. The batteries have the same voltage as a brand-new alkaline battery and won’t overpower devices that just need a stock battery.

2800mWh is a respectable capacity, equivalent to around 1866mAh. By comparison, the Eneloop Pro has a capacity of 2550mAh. Like most NiMH batteries, the eneloop pro is 1.2V.

This equation explains the difference between mWh and mAh:

miliWatt x Hour = Volts x miliAmpere x Hour or mWh = V x mAh. For more on the conversion process, read here.

Other Options

Higher voltage lithium-ion rechargeable batteries are made for high-performance flashlights and cameras, but they are not intended for use with many products. They are higher energy density and rated at 3.7V.

EXCELLENT is one company producing higher energy density lithium ion batteries. Their 18650 batteries have a 2600mAh capacity and high quality cells. They are 3.7V and great for UV or high powered LED flashlights that consume a lot of energy.

One word of warning too consumers: there is currently no standard size for these lithium-ion cells. Make sure to read the dimensions of each battery on Amazon before you buy to guarantee that they will fit in your device.

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