Either I’ve missed a trend, or it just gotten going. When I first saw the word "eneloop" I assumed it was one of those awful genetically modified fruits, like a cranberry/apple(crapple?) or some poor mixed breed dog like a Peekapoo or German-Mexican Shepawawa.

But it’s really a name for an improved rechargeable NiMh battery. The improvement is that, unlike other brands, the eneloop cell holds a charge MUCH longer. But do not confuse this with capacity. Let me explain.

Up until now, standard rechargeable NiMh cells lost a not so small percentage of charge each day, just from sitting there. That percentage adds up, especially in devices not used often. So, for example, you could charge a set, have them sit for a month, and find they were already 1/3 or more depleted when it was time to use them.

This is not a big concern for people who actively use cameras and other devices that use power quickly and require frequent charging.  But it is a problem for those who have LED flashlights, spare radios, and other gadgets that are simply not used often.  And it's a problem if, like me, you like to keep a spare set of rechargeables in your camera kit. Too often I have found myself buying single use AA or AAA cells when my spares were semi-depleted from lack of use.

At his time, there are some small tradeoffs to having longer storage life. The eneloop cells I bought were only 2000 mA capacity, where other NiMh cells are often 2500 mA. That extra 500 mA translates to extra shooting time with a digital camera.  However, when this is offset by the fact that other other batteries are losing power each day, the playing field begins to level.

The second thing is that eneloop batteries should not be used with modern quick chargers, the ones that get the job done in 30 minutes or less. The eneloop chargers requires four to six hours to fill the cells.

According to the instructions, using faster units will decrease the overall life of the eneloop batteries. Actually, using fast chargers will decrease the useful life of any battery, as the excess heat puts a strain on the cell.  By the way, other brands of rechargeables can be used in the eneloop charger. But, when you see the fast charges right next to the slower chargers, and the eneloop storage life is not understood, it becomes a tougher cell...I mean, sell.

Will eneloop fly? I hope so. If the capacity of the cells increase, it would help. Usually, the capacity of any new battery increases as researchers tweak the formula. And 2000 mA ain't that bad for a cell that doesn't die slowly in storage!

As my aging NiMh cells die out, I intend to replace them with eneloops. Especially in my AAA cell gadgets that see less use and are always dead when I want to try them! 

 More info at eneloopusa.com