Customer Reviews

Gardner Bender #gbt-500a Battery Tester

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I spent many hours researching battery testers and decided to purchase the Gardner Bender GBT-500A. It has worked very well. It is easy to use and has been very accurate. I was a bit concerned that it did not list NiMH batteries as being batteries that could be tested. But after more research I noted that NiMH batteries are the next generation of rechargeable batteries (replacing NiCAD). So far the tester has worked like a champ with the NiMH batteries as well as the other kinds listed. I highly recommend it.

The closest thing I could find in the local stores was a $20 meter (on sale) that tests only some of the battery types on this one's front panel while providing many other features I don't need (because I have another meter for those). I like having the option of using just one probe while resting the other battery terminal on one of the metal contacts on the panel. BUT, as the users' manual warns, that means it is not idiot proof. Using the wrong probe with the wrong contact will short circuit the battery, which wouldn't do either the battery or the meter any good.

It's really that good. Will test just about any small battery made; and several no longer made. Well built, accurate, and very versatile. Will pay for itself in short order due to the tendency for batteries to drain at different rates. Just because the device says battery low does not mean ALL the batteries are low. You will keep batteries that otherwise would have been tossed, and you will be able to not find yourself in a jam because you ventured forth with borderline batteries in your communicator, flashlight, camera, or other important device. Keep it where you store your batteries so you won't have to go hunting for it. I hang mine on a pegboard in the package it came in. This is one of those devices that you may not use daily or weekly, but when you need it your glad its there.

I've been looking for battery test for a while now, and most of them cost a lot and/or have bad reviews. This one is under $13 (depending on who you buy from) and it works great. Its simple and easy to use, just turn the dial to the battery you want to test and put black on (-) and red on (+).

This little gadget started saving me from throwing away good batteries right off the bat. I keep old batteries in a jar at work and when it is full I put them in the recycle bucket. When I first received the battery tester and tested all the batteries in the jar about a third of them still tested well into the green area on the dial. Now I test all my batteries when it is time to replace them. I have been quite surprised at how many of them are still good. Usually there is a mix of good a dead coming out of a device. I assumed they all ran down at the same time but not so. I wish I had had this device years ago. I could have saved quite a bit of cash. It is well worth the money and is easy to use.

Important to understand about this battery tester compared to other testers: this tester draws the proper amount of current according to the battery size. So a battery that passes this tester will REALLY WORK wherever you install it. Other cheaper testers only check the no-current voltage of the battery--an almost dead battery will show the proper voltage, but will NOT function properly when installed in a device that draws current. With the Gardner Bender tester, you can check each battery separately when your electronic device reports "battery low" and recycle only the batteries that are truly used up; the others can safely be returned to service. The best and only choice for a compact battery tester.

The device certainly IS user-friendly. Instead of the usual voltmeter type of dial with voltage ranges, you just select the battery type. And there are several choices (except Nimh I but you CAN use the equivalent "NiCad" setting). In any case, I would just like the manual to have said if the tester applices a 'load' so as to know if the battery will stand-up in real use...such as in a flashlight or radio. From what I recall from my old physics class, applying a load gave a more accurate reading. There's no mention of this 'either way' in the manual. Also, I would suggest that anyone who buys the unit to find/buy some cheap little plastic 'holder' that will hold the battery stationary while you are touch the appropriate leads to the +/- terminals. It will just make life a little easier. (I used the bottom of a small 2" X 2" (approx.) plastic case that is used to 'transport/hold' AA batteries, to support/stabilize the batteries horizontally...and make it easy to touch the leads to the terminals.)[Follow-up: I agree with another reviewer...a lot of batteries that 'ought' to be indicated as being weak, still diplay well into the Good range. I tried some batteries that are 10 years past their expriation date, and they still show as sligtly Good. And some batteries that won't work in a particular device anymore, show the same result. I'm just a little suspicious of this...but I'm not able to verify this by some 'scientific means'. When I completely deplete a battery, I'll give it another test then.]

I bought this device a few months ago. It is easy to use and is accurate. I tested several batteries with it and compared the readings with another tester and they matched. I especially like the + and - buttons that can be used along with the leads. You don't have to try to hold the battery still and fuss with two leads like I had to do with my old tester.

Works very well. My only reservations are that it needs a NiHM and AA and AAA Lithium setting or needs to be relabeled. It has a NiCad setting which can be used for NiHM batteries and the AA and AAA Alkaline setting can be used for Lithium batteries because they are similar. Finally, the test probes, electrical connects, are standard pointed needles. It would better if it had flat contacts or a flat side on the probe. It is a little hard to hold the battery and the two probes at the same time.

The battery tester is perfect for what I intended it for. We use a lot of batteries and it gives us accurate information. Its size and certainly the price was a huge selling point.