I love rechargeable batteries. Especially the AA and AAA varieties. Wherever possible I buy devices that use them because it means I can use one charger without having individual power adapters all over the place.

I've now got a wide variety and use them to power everything from digital cameras, toys, radios and cat feeders.

The only reason I ever used normal alkalines was "self discharge". NiMH rechargeables don't hold their charge over time and this resulted in devices running out of power when I least expected it.

Then came the hybrids. These offered all the advantages of NiMH batteries but with a self-discharge rate so low you could treat them just like normal batteries.

That's how I ended up with a set of Sanyo eneloop batteries.

Finally I could use them in devices that I needed to depend on over a number of months. For me these electrical items included :

- Canon A720i digital camera
- House door bell
- Cat feeder
- Kindle light
- Nintendo Wii controllers
- Cycle lights

The original eneloops provided a capacity of 2000mAh. Recently Sanyo have released a new generation called "eneloop XX". These increase the capacity to 2550mAh and challenge even the best of my traditional NiMH selection.

- Low self discharge rechargeable battery
- Size AA: Minimum capacity 2450 mAh
- Size AAA: Minimum capacity 900 mAh
- Can be recharged up to 500 times
- Maintain 85% of their charge after 1 year of storage
- Performs down to sub-zero temperatures (as low as -20°C)
- Pre-charged and ready to use right out of the package
- Stable voltage with longer power life than alkaline batteries
- Provide long lasting power while saving costs
- No memory effect – batteries can be recharged when fully, or partially drained

In my own tests they hold their own against batteries claiming a much higher capacity.

The only reason to not buy these batteries is cost. They are more expensive than other alternatives so it comes down to whether you think they are worth the money. I do because any hassle I can remove from my day to day life is worth paying a bit extra for. Sanyo eneloops keep my devices running longer without the worry they are going to discharge prematurely.

My digital camera is always ready, my cats are happy (although not always grateful) and my wife is never without her Kindle light.