When it comes to batteries, be it AA or AA, we tend to go for the disposable types since it is the most go to solution. Enter the XTAR LC4 charger and 1.5V lithium rechargeable battery with indicator. The 4-pack with the XTAR LC4 charger will cost between US$22 to $26 depending on the type of battery.
Build quality
XTAR LC4 charger, which is made from plastic, has a simple design featuring 4 vertical slots for the batteries and an LED indicator at the top to show the charging status. The batteries I have are AA, but the charger looks like it can accommodate AAA batteries as well.
I like how the sides of the LC4 charger has a ingress at the sides and hole at the back so that you can remove the batteries easily. The charger is powered by the USB-C port located at the top. The batteries are quite unique compared to other rechargeable batteries as they have a built-in LED charging indicator.
Performance and user experience
The XTAR AA batteries and have a 1.5V nominal voltage. Lithium batteries are great to use on high drain devices such as my Xbox controller, flashlights, mouse, etc. The AA batteries have a high capacity of 2700mWh, which provide continuous discharge of maximum current of 2A.
XTAR AA batteries also have built-in voltage control IC which allows the voltage to drop when capacity is nearing zero. So if you have devices which have lower power indicator function, it can help to remind you that the battery is running low insufficient. This is useful for devices such as smart door locks, flashlight (brightness will start to fall).
Charging the batteries with the XTAR LC4 charger is user friendly as you can observe the charging status. Flickering means it is still charging, while a still green light means that the batteries are fully charged. XTAR says that each battery is rated to last 1200 cycles of charging, which technically means about 1000 single-use batteries saved. It takes slightly under 2 hours to charge all four batteries fully.
XTAR specializes in Li-ion battery chargers so their products are trusted to be safe and durable, with built-in protection for over-charge and short-circuit to name a few. They are also compliant with RoHS to give you a peace of mind.
Conclusion
From US$22 to $26, the XTAR 1.5V lithium battery with indicator along with its XTAR LC4 charger are a great one-two combo for anything battery related. Its long lifespan offers a better alternative over single-use batteries, and other brands such as Eneloop for example which maxes out at 1.2V AA batteries.