AA and AAA compatibility: We considered only chargers that can charge both AA and AAA batteries, since they are most commonly found in household devices. If those chargers can also handle rarer sizes, the more the merrier. Not sure how to charge a car battery? Wondering how long it takes to charge a car battery? Not sure Read our article on electric car maintenance, to find out more about EV maintenance and repair. Is it safe to charge an electric car inside a garage? You could ask the installer if it’s possible to connect to the exterior of the property without a driveway, but most will require you to have a driveway or garage and you’d also have to consider the following: The most significant thing that marks out one charger against another is its charging speed. Slower, cheaper chargers are usually labelled as overnight chargers, taking somewhere between six and nine hours to charge a set of AA batteries. Fast or rapid chargers work at much higher speeds, taking anywhere from four hours to under an hour to charge your batteries. This requires more technology to manage the voltage and ensure the batteries don’t overcharge or get too hot. As a result, they come with a higher price tag.

Battery charging technology is constantly evolving, and many smart chargers are claimed to charge batteries in under an hour. The fastest models should be able to charge in 15 minutes – which is convenient, as you don’t need to think about charging your batteries before you want to use them. They tend to be pricier than other battery chargers, however. Slower chargers The materials used in a battery are susceptible to degradation, and user behaviour (among other factors such as weather and age) can affect the life of the battery’s materials. But buying a car battery charger isn’t the most straightforward task. First, there are different types of car battery chargers to choose from. There’s also a choice of connectors, depending on whether you’re regularly maintaining your car battery or just recharging as a one-off. It’s usually fine to mix batteries of different sizes within the same charger, but you should avoid mixing batteries of different types (such as NiCad and NiMH), different voltages and capacities or old and new batteries. If you do, there’s a risk of damaging the batteries or affecting their capacity long-term. The risks are lower with chargers that charge batteries individually in slots, rather than the usual pairs, but overall it’s best to charge and use batteries of the same type, capacity and brand together, at the same time. A battery charger with lots of features, such as a charge indicator, super-fast charging or the ability to charge 9V batteries, might be tempting as it covers all possibilities. But you’ll pay more for these extras, so it’s worth thinking about whether they’ll be useful to you.Make sure all electricals like heaters, windscreen wipers and stereo are off when you park or start the car. A nicely sized, mains-powered device, you can indicate if it’s cold weather and the device will manage power delivery more intelligently to protect the battery. What’s more, there’s a choice of eyelet or crocodile connectors. Solar charging can work well for you, but you’ll need to plan before you buy to make sure you get the best panel for your needs. The best battery chargers you can buy in 2023 1. Duracell 45 Minutes Hi-Speed Charger: Best all-round charger

If you've got a flat battery, we won’t just jump-start you and send you on your way. As well as charging or replacing your battery, we'll try to find out why it went flat in the first place.You can even charge your battery by using the crocodile connectors that are provided and connecting them directly to your car battery under the bonnet. This isn’t as neat a connection and you’ll have to lift your engines bonnet and leave it up to charge, but at least you have this option. What Is an EOBD Connector Batteries can fail for other reasons, like too much vibration from the engine, over-charging, corrosion and extreme temperatures. Flat batteries are the most common reason why cars won't start in winter.