Paleblue rechargable lithium ion batteries
ZDNET’s key takeaways
- These batteries are a perfect replacement for alkaline batteries in pretty much every situation
- I like that can be recharged from a USB port and don’t need a specific charger
- The USB-A connector in the end of the 4-way charge cable does feel a bit dated
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It’s almost 2026, and yes, we still need batteries. But it no longer makes financial or ecological sense to keep using disposable alkaline batteries. For me, I need mostly the good old AA battery, but I also need AAA, C, D, and even the blocky 9V PP3.
There are some great rechargeable batteries out there from companies such as Eneloop and Nitecore, but the drawback there is that you need a specific charger, and who needs “yet another thing” in their life, am I right?
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It would be cool if you could just plug a USB cable into a battery, wouldn’t it? Well, USB-C ports and battery charge circuitry are small enough, and battery chemistry is good enough to let that happen.
I’ve been testing a lot of USB rechargeable batteries, and the brand that’s consistently been a winner for me is Paleblue.
The company offers a wide range of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, AAA, AA, C, D, and 9V, as well as assorted bundles. These are superior to the older nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) rechargeable batteries, which need their own chargers.
Each kit comes with the batteries, a 4-way charge cable, and a plastic box to hold the batteries.
The batteries are identical in terms of size, voltage, and power to the alkaline batteries they replace. This is important, and you’d be surprised how variable some poor-quality batteries are — I’ve literally seen some that are too big or too small to fit properly.
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Paleblue claims the batteries are good for about 1,000 recharge cycles, so if you have to charge them daily, they’ll last about three years. For more modest applications where they’ll last a couple of months, these batteries will last for many years, and you’ll probably lose them before they die.
The 4-way charging cable means you can use one USB-A port to charge all four batteries.
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
The AA batteries that I tested have a capacity of 2,550mAh (alkaline batteries have a capacity of around 1,700 to 2,850mAh) and have excellent life in devices designed to run on disposables.
They also recharge rapidly, with the AAs taking about two hours to charge and the AAA taking about an hour. This is much faster than older NiMH rechargeables, which could take up to a day to recharge.
The glowing LEDs on the top are cool!
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
I like the 4-way charge cable, too, although the fact that it’s designed to go into a USB-A port feels a little antiquated (but it’s nothing that a cheap adapter won’t solve). Plug the cable in, and the batteries have glowing LEDs that illuminate during charging and go out when they’re ready to use.
ZDNET’s buying advice
It’s the 21st century, and I don’t know why anyone is still using disposable batteries (outside of a few edge cases or where you need long shelf life, temperature-resistant lithium batteries). And now that you get batteries that last years, fast recharging, and the ease and convenience of USB recharging, with no separate charger required.
Prices for the Paleble packs are also quite reasonable — a 4-pack of AAs is $30, $55 for an 8-pack, and heavy users can pick up a 12-pack for $80. If you have lots of different batteries you need to replace, you can get an 8-pack of AAs and AAAs for $90, or a super-bundle consisting of a 12-pack of AAs, 8-pack of AAAs, a 4-pack of 9V PP3s, and a 4-pack of D-cells for $200.
They’re not cheap — so don’t lose them — but they should give you years of service, making that initial investment a good deal.
