Customer Reviews

Duracell CEF14NC Charger with NiMH batteries (4 Pack)

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The charger included in this package (Duracell CEF14NC) is also known as the 'Value Charger'. But in this case, it is just not a good value because:

1. It is a timer-based dumb charger, meaning that it doesn't detect when cells are full charged. It simply charges at 360mA for 6 hours and turns off. You have to wait until your cells are fully exhausted before recharging, otherwise they will be over-charged. With a 'smart' charger, you may choose to top-off your rechargeable cells any time.

2. It can only charge either 2 or 4 AA cells in pairs. This is very inconvenient if you have appliances that require odd number of cells.

3. It can only charge two AAA cells, and you cannot charge any more AA cells at the same time.

My advice is to get the CEF23DX4N package instead (*). It comes with four Duracell 'Pre Charged' cells (2xAA + 2xAAA), which are much better than ordinary NiMH cells. Most importantly, the included smart charger (CEF23) is superior to the 'value charger' in every aspect. It monitors individual cells during charging, has four status indicator lights instead of one, and it charges faster. It even comes with an car adapter, and doubles as an USB charger, too. Best of all, it costs about the same as this 'value' package!

[Updated Feb 15, 2010]
I have confirmed that the new Duracell 'Value Charger' has several improvements over the old model:
- Works from 100-240V AC (instead of just 120V AC)
- Able to charge 4 AAA at a time (instead of just two)
- Semi-smart charge termination (stops when BOTH cells are fully charged)
The only remaining drawback is thet it charges in pairs only.

(*) [Update on Oct 7, 2010]:
Duracell has discontinued the excellent CEF23 charger (at least in the US) last year. So prices for the remaining inventory have skyrocketed. If you need an inexpensive charger that can handle individual cell, consider the Sanyo eneloop MDR02 2-cell charger.

I recently bought this product (not from Amazon but a local seller, same price). My only problem with it is that when I put a pair of batteries in, it appears to get very hot within a couple of hours of putting batteries in (they weren't totally dead before I put them on) and the red light never seems to go out. Is it required to run batteries totally dead before putting them on the charger for it to work properly..?

I bought this charger to go with my wireless gaming controller, and I'm mostly pleased with the results. The charging device is easy to use; the plug folds out from the device, and it can be used in wall sockets and power strips. It's also small enough to be taken on the road if needed. The four 1700 mAh AA NiMH batteries, included with the charger, have been performing well, without interruption of gameplay.

So far, there have been only two problems I've had with this package. First, the included batteries are NOT precharged, so don't expect to use them right away. Which leads to the second problem--the packaging states about six hours of charge time, but the initial charging took a little more than seven. I was charging all four batteries at the same time, however; it may take less time if you only need to charge two.

Overall, this is a good purchase if you're looking to save on buying batteries for gaming controllers, digital cameras, or even remote controls (it can also charge AAA NiMH batteries). Just be prepared to wait for a while, or better yet, charge them while you sleep at night.

This Duracell charger works well for NiMH batteries although it is slow. It is advertised as taking 6 hrs and it takes at least that. The batteries hold a good charge after they have been charged a couple of cycles. If you can wait for the charging time it is a good buy. I would consider a different charger if you needed batteries faster than than. I prefer the 2650mAh batteries as they keep a charge longer