The 8 Best 18650 Battery Chargers of 2021 – [Reviews & Buyer Guide]

 Best 18650 Battery ChargerAre You Looking To Buy The Best 18650 Battery Charger?

Initially used only for vapes and flashlights the 18650 lithium-ion batteries are now frequently used in notebooks, digital cameras, electronic toys, mobile phones and several other devices that need to last long between charges. This is possible with high-density lithium ion batteries which also have the additional benefit of being able to self-discharge at a slower pace when compared with other batteries.  Furthermore, they are low maintenance. The ability to recharge these batteries is a boon for all electronics. That is the reason several leading brands have come out with their own chargers for their batteries. But do you know which is the best 18650 battery charger in this crowd? To find out more read on.

1. Efest LUSH V4 Battery Charger

[Editor Top Pick]

This battery charger also doubles up as a power bank and you can charge your phone using a USB cable.

The EFest has 4 bays that are spring loaded and self-adjusting. They are ideal for batteries used in vapes. The batteries get charged fast at 2.0AMP per hour. You can monitor the progress on the HD LCD monitor about the slots for each individual battery.

It showcases the features of a good quality 18650 battery charger by not over discharging, or allowing more voltage to flow through the batteries. The batteries are further protected from short circuit and reverse polarity damages. And finally, the charger stops once the batteries are fully charged.


2. XTAR VC4 Charger for Lithium-ion and Ni-MH Batteries

 XTAR VC4 Charger for Lithium-ion and Ni-MH Batteries (Authentic USA Version)

The XRAR battery charger makes it to the top 10 list any review because it is smart. A Premium charger it has an attractive LCD screen to display the progress and other parameters of charging like voltage, type of battery etc.

The product is built it and is resistant to fire. It uses the soft start which ensures that batteries last longer. You can charge different batteries at the same time as the charger is intelligent enough to detect the difference and deliver current accordingly. In fact, even zero voltage cells can be revived with this charger.

The batteries don’t get heated and get charged at a good speed.  The USB wall charger is a great advantage especially when you are traveling. Another advantage is that wrongly inserted batteries can’t be charged.

On the flip side LiFePO4 or Ni-CD batteries,can’t be charged.


3. Nitecore New i4 2016 Intellicharger Smart Battery Charger

 2016 Version NITECORE i4 Intellicharger Battery Charger

Nitecore i4 intellicharger is a universal battery charger wherein you can charge up to 4 batteries at a time. It is compatible with Ni-MH,Ni-Cd and Li-Ion batteries. This charger employs active current distribution technology wherein it detects the slot that requires maximum current and diverts all energy to that slot. By just selecting the V button on the charger you can select the required voltage in each slot. This feature enables the charger to support the powerful 3.7 V and 4.35V batteries.

An intelligent and smart battery charger this product will not overcharge or get overheated, a common problem with cheap chargers. It also protects against reverse polarity. This model is better than its predecessors with an additional fire retardant ABS layer.

This smart detects the kind of battery you put for charging and adjusts the required current and voltage to suit the battery. It also helps in IMR recovery in IMR depleted batteries. That’s not all this reaches speeds of 1500mAH while charging.

What makes it a true favorite and probably the best 18650 battery charger is that it will not pass currents if an unsuitable or non-rechargeable battery is placed in the bay.


4. Universal Battery Charger from Eastshine

 Universal Battery Charger, EASTSHINE S2 LCD Display Speedy Smart Charger for Rechargeable Batteries Ni-MH Ni-Cd AA AAA Li-ion LiFePO4 IMR 10440 14500 16340 18650 RCR123 26650

Made from durable ABS this charger is capable of charging two batteries in their individual ports at a time. It is compact and portable.

This charger is built to detect the status of the battery and adopt the suitable voltage and charge mode. You need not fear overheating and overcharging as the charger automatically stops once the batteries reach full charge. This way your batteries are protected and the chances of any untoward incident happening minimized.

The built-in LCD monitor displays the progress, the voltage, and type of battery that is being charged along with the time involved. You can also find out from the charger whether a battery is still functional or needs to be disposed of.

The charger is up to the regulatory standards and carries a worldwide insurance. The bonus is you are awarded a lifetime maintenance and free replacement within 2 years. This product is a reliable safe charger that comes at a reasonable price.


5. Foxnovo 8 slotted battery charger

 Foxnovo F08 8-Slots Li-ion Ni-MH Ni-CD Universal Intelligent Battery Charger with LED Indicators, 5V USB Output & US-Plug Power Adapter (Black)

If you own a lot of devices that are dependent on rechargeable 18650 batteries than the standard two slots and four slot chargers is not of much use to you. You need something more accommodating. With the Foxnovo universal charger,you can charge up to 8 batteries of different types, varying sizes, and capacities all at once. It also supports both AA and AAA size battery.

The specialty of this charger is its compatibility with both Li-ion,Ni-MH and Ni-CD batteries which is not present in several other chargers.

The other features include the ability of the charger to detect the type of battery inserted and what is the status of the charge. The charger then delivers the necessary voltage and current. The LED indicator provides you with all necessary details to know the status of charging of each individual cell. Thus, you need not worry about over charging, overheating and wrongly inserted cells. The charger shuts off once batteries are fully charged.

The charger uses the negative voltage control to be more efficient. A US plug adapter accompanies the charger when you want to use this adapter indoors.


6. EcoGear FX PRO BC

 Dual Lithium Battery Smart Charger – EcoGear FX Quick Li-ion Charging – Rapidly Charges 18650, 14500, AAA, AA and Most NiMH Batteries – Blue Progress Lights and Fire Safe Intelligent Circuitry

The Pro BC 1 battery charger from Ecogear is a two-slot battery charger suitable for Ni-MH and Li-Ion batteries. This charger is an intelligent gadget that detects the type of battery inserted and delivers the necessary voltage and current. As a result, at a time you can charge two different batteries of different capacities and types without fearing any damage to the batteries or the charger.

Just like the rest of the best 18650 battery chargers, this product too has a LED display wherein you can keep track of the status of the battery and the mode in use to charge the battery. Once the charging is complete the charger automatically shuts off and the indicator displays completion.

You need not fear overheating with this charger as there is optimal heat dissipation. This ensures that there is no over discharge. This charger meets the standards of the RoHS,CE, and FCC.


7. LiCB Charger for 18650 from DFMicro

 2-Bay Smart Li-ion Battery Charger, for 18650, 26650, 18500, 17335, 3.7V AA, AAA Rechargeable Lithium Batteries, Flashlight Torch headlamp Charger, USB Port Dual Channel with LCD

An intelligent 18650 battery charger, the LiCB is a cheap solution. It has 2 slots where not only the 18650 but all 3.7 V lithium batteries like the 18500, 26650 and several other types of lithium batteries can be recharged successfully. Do make note that other batteries do not mean alkaline or carbon batteries!

The accompanying LCD screen ensures that you know the real-time status of the battery at any given time. The screen displays the percentage of charge, the volts at which it is charging and the time spent in charging. The increase in charge is shown as single increments. Lay to rest all fears of overcharging when using this charger as it knows exactly when a battery is fully charged and when to stop charging. In fact, the charger will not deliver power if a battery is wrongly placed or a wrong kind of battery inserted in the slot.

Your batteries are further protected thanks to its intelligent power management system. It has the ability to detect the battery capacity and release only the required power. Your batteries are protected from reverse polarity damages in this charger.

A very practical option provided by the makers is the USB charging. This small compact charger can be charged by just plugging it into your laptop when there is no available outlet for routine charging. It is very advantageous for those who travel frequently to remote destinations.

Overall a great economical gadget that will improve the life of your lithium batteries and make sure that all your gadgets are covered.


8. Battery Charger from LiCB

 LiCB 4 Packs 18650 Battery and Charger,Real 3000mAh Capacity 18650 3.7V Rechargeable Batteries with Professional Safe Charger

This no-frills charger does its job efficiently and perfectly. Unlike the others on this list this piece does not have any fancy LCD screen to display the stats, instead, it has the good old simple green and red lights to indicate charging and power on respectively. Once the red light goes off you know that the battery is fully charged.

This charger depends on the iQuick technology for speedy charging. You can charge up to 1000mA in each slot. But if you think that at this pace you will encounter problems of overcharge, over heating you are mistaken. The charger is built to stop once a battery is fully charged. The charger also offers reverse polarity protection.

You can charge batteries of any size, type, and capacity at the same time in this non- glamorous but super efficient charger with adjustable spring-loaded slots.

The only hitch in this affordable set is that you cannot charge any battery other than the 3.7V rechargeable batteries. And a word of caution with this charger is that it must be unplugged after each use.


How To Select The Best 18650 Battery Charger

 Best 18650 Battery Chargers reviews

The high performing lithium ion batteries need a good quality battery charger to regain charge and perform optimally. While choosing a top battery charger the price should not be the first criteria; safety and other features take precedence. Here are the key factors that should be considered while selecting the best 18650 battery charger.

Safety Features

Always opt for models that have auto shut off to prevent overheating and damaging the batteries. The charger should be able to recognize the kind of battery in the slot and adjust the voltage and current accordingly.

IC

The integrated circuit or the IC plays a role in the safety and passage of current to the batteries.

High amp

It is important to know the capacity of your battery before you purchase a battery charger. The capacity is measured in mAH; hence the higher the mAH the greater the capacity. Hence, the charger should be rated either for .5A or 1.0A minimum for speedy charging.

Charge indicator

A quality charger will have an indicator to indicate the level of charge- whether complete or not. Some of the smart chargers can actually tell you the type of battery, the time taken and the voltage used.

Number of slots

Once again this is determined by your usage and the number of devices that are dependent on these rechargeable batteries.

Size of batteries

You must find out the if the charger is universal and third-party cells can be charged and also what are the different sizes of batteries that can be charged.

Charging speed

One deciding factor that varies between models and batteries. Remember the higher the capacity of the battery the longer it will take to charge.

You can go through customer reviews and company websites to gain more knowledge on any charger of your choice.

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Conclusion

The 18650 batteries are the new gen batteries that have taken the industry by storm. Their low price, multi purpose use, and long life have contributed to their popularity. It is therefore prudent to spend on a quality 18650 battery charger to keep these products in top condition at all times because good quality chargers improve the life span of your lithium batteries.

Resources

  1. http://www.mechanicalcaveman.com/best-18650-battery-charger-review-usb-lithium/
  2. http://lightsngear.com/18650-li-ion-battery-the-king-of-lithiums/
Updated: — 11:46 pm