Disposable batteries are convenient, but they are also such an environmental menace and financial burden. There are plenty of rechargeable batteries options over the years requiring dedicated chargers. It is nice to see USB-C options coming to your humble AA and AAA batteries.
ChargeCore from Laserco is not the first to offer this format, but they did do something different. How much of a difference does it make?
First Impressions
For all intent and purposes, these look like ordinary batteries of the standard AA and AAA varietals. But instead of a bland battery, these have a built in USB-C port jammed into them.
The AAA version has it on the long side of the battery near the positive terminal.
The AA version has it on the top of the battery where the positive terminal is. An interesting choice of placement but certainly seems to save on space.
In Use
When you think about the fact that the AA battery was introduced in 1907 and the AAA in 1911. Standardisation came decades later in the late 1940s. But the point is, everybody knows how to work these babies.
What is more useful in this review is a comparison of capacity. As I have noted in a different review, the use of a USB-C port for charging does eat into the overall capacity of the battery. After all the size is defined by ANSI standard and is a hard constant.
In a break from my typical editorial approach, I am going to name names in the following comparison. This is an apples to apples comparison so I am ok with it.
| Brand | Size | Capacity | % loss of capacity |
| Nominal | AA | 2850 mAh | NA |
| ChargeCore | AA | 1332 mAh | 53% |
| PaleBlue | AA | 1560 mAh | 45% |
| Nominal | AAA | 1200 mAh | NA |
| ChargeCore | AAA | 390 mAh | 67.5% |
| PaleBlue | AAA | 750 mAh | 37.5% |
It’s late in the night (1:30am if you must know), but the maths is not mathing for me.
The specs from ChargeCore gives both values for both energy capacity, and battery rating. The battery capacity is measured in mWh, and battery rate in discharge voltage (V) and charge capacity (mAh).
To convert between the two, the formula is simple: mWh = mAh × V
Except ChargeCore’s battery Rating for AA size is 1.5V and 1332 mAh, which should give me 1998 mWh. The official specs give a rating of 2220 mWh.
Similarly, ChargeCore’s battery Rating for AAA size is 1.5V and 390 mAh, which should give me 585 mWh. The official specs give a rating of 666 mWh.
That’s a discrepancy of about 9% from calculation to specs, and to be honest, at this hour I’m not about to figure it out,
The ChargeCore batteries are good for at least 500 cycles, and it takes up to 1.5 hours to recharge from empty. A slim blue LED blinks when the batteries are charging, and they stay steady when fully charged.
There is overcurrent, overvoltage and temperature protection built in.
Gripes
I said it previously when I reviewed the other brand of similar technology. While the USB-C recharging is super handy, the size of the connector eats up the meagre space for these sizes of batteries and reducing overall capacity.
Secondly, for packs of four batteries, the included cable only allows you to charge a pair of batteries at a time. Just 2. Not 4.
Key features of the ReChargeCore Batteries
- Variety of types: Available in the two most commonly used battery types in Australian households – AA and AAA 4-Packs.
- Reusable: Instead of spending $2.75 for a single-use battery, ReChargeCore offers up to 1,000 recharge cycles for just $7.50 per battery, making it a cost-effective long-term solution. This saves up to 15.9kg of landfill waste and $2740 per battery when compared to a single use alkaline batteries.
- Environmentally Friendly: Made from Lithium-Ion, these batteries are an eco-friendly alternative to single-use alkaline batteries, which contribute to 6,000 tonnes of landfill waste annually in Australia and pose a risk of landfill fires.
- Quick Charge: Recharge the batteries via USB-C in just 90 minutes, and they’re ready to go. USB-A to USB-C charging cable is included in the packaging.
Conclusions
The ChargeCore USB-C rechargeable batteries are a handy asset to have around the house. The issue is the substantially reduced capacity means you will be going for recharge more often. That couples with a (minimum) 500 cycles limit, could be cause for concern for mainstream adoption.
For me, I think putting them into remotes for appliances where they are low powered and are not expected for long constant usage is ideal. I would prefer not to put them into kids toys only because of the pain of unscrewing that battery lid and replacing it at a shorter interval could be a pain.
The ChargeCore Batteries are available AA or AAA sizes both for RRP $A29.95 per 4-pack. Despite some limitations, getting a bunch of these will save you money (and the environment) in the long run.
DRN would like to thank Laserco for providing the review units.
