Powerex MH-C800S 8-Cell Smart Charger named "Best 8-cell battery charger" by Business Insider
12th Feb 2019
Business Insider names the Powerex MH-C800S 8-cell Smart Charger as the "Best 8-cell battery charger"!
Why you'll love it: If you frequently use AAs and AAAs in your electronics, the Powerex MH-C800S 8-Cell Smart Charger will keep your batteries juiced and extend their life.
The Powerex MH-C800S 8-Cell Smart Charger is manufactured by Maha Energy, an organization that focuses solely on charging and battery technology for both consumer and industrial sectors.
The MH-C800S can charge between one and eight NiMH or NiCd AA or AAA batteries. The LCD screen uses three bars to show the charging status of each battery. There are three charge modes: rapid charge (one to two hours), soft charge (three to four hours), and conditioning, which can take a full day.
1Kind Photography recommends the Powerex MH-C800S to photographers. The reviewer was impressed with how the conditioning mode was able to bring batteries that he hadn't used in over a year back to life.
The Wirecutter recommends the Powerex charger for people who need eight charging slots on one outlet. The reviewer appreciated the accurate charging, that you can monitor the progress, and it's easy to use. However, he didn't like that the default mode was the faster 1-A charging, which isn't as conducive to extending your battery's lifespan as the Soft charge.
About 81% of the reviews of the Powerex MH-C800S Smart Charger on Amazon are positive. Michael S, the most helpful reviewer, bought this device for the batteries in his professional flash units and other camera equipment. He typically chooses the soft charge and conditions the batteries every 10-15 cycles. He recommends this schedule for continual drain items, such as flameless candles.
Another buyer was annoyed that the unit didn't recharge fully discharged batteries but was able to get it to work after a short charge on a different device.
Pros: 8 charging slots, features conditioning cycle
Cons: Expensive, only charges AA and AAA batteries