The Powerowl battery and charger combo is one of the best I've used.

Screenshot by Jack Wallen/

I use AA batteries for so many things. They're all over the house, in remotes, flashlights, alarms, and other applications.

Of all the things I use AA batteries for, there's one application that's pretty important -- my wireless lav mics that I use for filming videos. Those batteries need to go the distance, and I also need to have backups, so I'm never left without power for those mics.

Also: The best rechargeable batteries right now

I took a chance ona set of eight rechargeable batteries with a USB charger from the brand Powerowl on Amazon. I'd never heard of the brand, but it was the height of the pandemic and I couldn't find any others. The batteries had over 10,000 reviews with a 4.5-star average. The cost was also spot on (currently$28.99, plus a$3 coupon offer) and I figured they could serve as my backups if they weren't great.

When the batteries arrived, I charged them up, and then inserted a charged pair of batteries into my mic and a pair into the receiver and set about filming. To my surprise, the batteries lasted considerably longer than I expected from an unknown brand.

Recommends

Powerowl AA rechargeable batteries and charger

The Powerowl AA rechargeable batteries and charger greatly exceeded my expectations.

View at Amazon

The specs 

Here are the details you need:

• Can be recharged over 1,200 times, while retaining 70% charge after non-use (for up to three years)
• Achieve a full charge (for nearly spent batteries) in 6-8 hours
• Working temperatures -- from 14 degrees F to 113 degrees F
• Storage temperatures -- from 14 degrees F to 104 degrees F
• Indicator light -- red is charging, green is charged, green blinking means battery is damaged, and orange means input voltage is too low
• Input: DC 5V 2A; Output: DC 1.4V 250mAh AA / 1.4V 250mAh AAA
• US UL 1310 safety certification
• Overcharge and short-circuit protection
• 2800mAh high-capacity, low self-discharge Ni-MH batteries for long life
• Includes eight batteries, charging dock, and USB cable
• Ten-year shelf-life
• The charger can charge one or all eight batteries simultaneously

The amount of time the batteries will last on a full charge depends on what they are being used for. My wireless mics can really drain batteries fast but I've been able to achieve roughly four hours of filming on a single charge. From my battery experience, that's outstanding service.

Also: Dead gadget battery? This$6 tool is a must-have for tech repairs

Of course, your mileage may vary, depending on usage. But if you're looking for a dependable set of rechargeable batteries that includes a handy charger, you can't beat this deal. In fact, I've found that thePowerowl batteries tend to outperform name-brand rechargeables in both charging time and performance. 

Featured reviews

I tried Meta's Quest 3 VR headset and the mixed reality experience was next levelI spent a week with the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and here's what stood out the mostChatGPT vs. Bing Chat vs. Google Bard: Which is the best AI chatbot?I demoed the$299 Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses and they're way better than I expectedI challenge you to find a better-looking laptop for under$1,000 than this

• I tried Meta's Quest 3 VR headset and the mixed reality experience was next level
• I spent a week with the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and here's what stood out the most
• ChatGPT vs. Bing Chat vs. Google Bard: Which is the best AI chatbot?
• I demoed the$299 Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses and they're way better than I expected
• I challenge you to find a better-looking laptop for under$1,000 than this