18650 batteries have become a popular choice for various applications, including flashlights, vape mods, and other electronic devices.
However, keeping these specialised batteries charged can be a hassle if you don’t have a reliable dedicated charger.
We’ve complied this comprehensive list covering some of the best chargers for 18650 batteries available on the market.
So, what are our favourites?
Best Options At A Glance
Product Summaries
Xzeemo Universal 18650 Battery Charger
- Brand - Xzeemo
- Dimensions - 12 x 9 x 3 cm
- Weight - 100 g
- Charging Slots - 4
- Special Feature - Smart Charging
To start off we have a budget option in the Xzeemo Universal 18650 Battery Charger. It’s currently selling on Amazon for £8/$10.
This battery charger is powered by USB, meaning that it can by plugged in to a traditional 3 pin converter or directly in to your laptop or PC. As you would imagine this can be really useful on the go when you may not always have access to a 3 pin plug.
One interesting feature of this charger is the smart charging tech. This allows it to automatically detect battery power status and select the appropriate voltage and charge mode. The trickle charged mode and auto safety shut off features prevent damage from overcharging, helping to maximize long-term battery life.
If you’re looking for a budget-friendly 18650 battery charger this charger from Xzeemo is a solid choice.
Buy the Xzeemo Universal 18650 Battery Charger on Amazon for £8/$10:
SEIVI LCD 18650 Battery Charger
- Brand - SEIVI
- Dimensions - 15.9 x 11.1 x 3.6 cm
- Weight - 210 g
- Charging Slots - 4
- Special Feature - LCD Display
Another reasonably priced charger is the SEIVI LCD 18650 Battery Charger. It’s currently selling on Amazon for £16/$19.
One of the most interesting features of this charger is the LCD display. The high-definition LCD displays real time charging status using 4 sets of led indicators. These show independent charging data, meaning that they can tell you if one of your batteries has less charge than the others.
This charger from SEVI also feature temperature control technology. This means that it will stop charging automatically if the temperature of the charger or battery itself gets too high during charging.
SEIVE also offer 30 days free refund, 2 years free replacement, and lifetime maintenance.
If you want a reasonably priced charger with an LCD display for live updates, check out this charger from SEIVI.
Buy the SEIVI LCD 18650 Battery Charger on Amazon for £16/$19:
Youshiko YC5500 Smart Battery Charger
- Brand - Youshiko
- Dimensions - 13.2 x 12.2 x 3.8 cm
- Weight - 208 g
- Charging Slots - 4
- Special Feature - Voice Reminder
Next we have the Youshiko YC5500 Smart Battery Charger. It’s currently selling on Amazon for £23/$28.
The main advantage of this smart charger is that you can use it for charging a wide variety of batteries that have a diameter of <= 26mm and lengths between 32mm and 72mm. This charger can house 3.6V/3.7V Li-Ion & 3.2V LiFePO4 batteries along with 1.2V Ni-MH/NI-CD batteries. The charging slots 1 and 4 can also be used for charging C-size batteries as well.
Similarly to the SEIVI charger, this charger also has an LCD for live charging updates. The bonus with this display panel is that it shows multiple parameters like charging current and voltage, charging power percentage, battery capacity, battery type and more. The control button below the display also allows you to shuffle through different charging slots.
If you want a versatile charger that gives you detailed charging information, the YC5500 is a perfect choice.
Buy the Youshiko YC5500 Smart Battery Charger on Amazon for £23/$28:
Fosmoon LCD 18650 Battery Charger
- Brand - Fosmoon
- Dimensions - 16.1 x 10.6 x 3.9 cm
- Weight - 200 g
- Charging Slots - 4
- Special Feature - Adjustable Speed
Another great 18650 battery charger is the Fosmoon LCD 18650 Battery Charger. It’s currently selling on Amazon for £71/$84.
This charger from Fosmoon is compatible with all 3.7v batteries and 1.2v Ni-mh / Ni-cd AA AAA batteries, ranging from 29mm to 75mm in length. Impressively this charger will automatically recognize the battery type and charge them independently.
Another interesting feature is the adjustable charging speed. You are able to switch between slow charging and fast charging as required. This is useful because you can use the speedy fast charge setting when you’re in a rush, or the slow charging when you can afford to wait. The use of the slow charging mode will also help to improve the effective life span of your batteries in the long term.
If you’re in the market for a reliable battery charger with adjustable charging speeds, this charger from Fosmoon is really impressive.
Buy the Fosmoon LCD 18650 Battery Charger on Amazon for £71/$84:
XTAR VC8 PLUS 18650 Battery Charger 8 Slot
- Brand - XTAR
- Dimensions - 29.5 x 16.1 x 5.6 cm
- Weight - 630 g
- Charging Slots - 8
- Special Feature - Adjustable Speed
Finally we have a high-end option in the XTAR VC8 PLUS 18650 Battery Charger 8 Slot. It’s currently selling on Amazon for £95/$114.
Similarly to the charger from Fosmoon, the VC8 PLUS is equipped with an LCD display that shows the current information on the charge status. This includes data like battery voltage, charge current, charge, internal resistance of the cells, possible errors and completion of the charging process.
It has the capacity to charge 1-8 batteries of 3, 6/3, 7 V Li-Ion and Ni-MH cells with any capacity in the sizes 1.2V AAA , AA , 10440, 14500, 14650, 16340, 17500, 17670, 18350, 18500, 18650 and 18700. That’s a lot of battery types!
Another interesting feature is the ability to test the true capacity of batteries. The charger tests the batteries’ real capacity by charging, discharging, and the re-charging them, allowing users to check real-world battery health. This makes it easy to distinguish high-performance batteries from the low-quality ones.
If you’re looking for the best 18650 battery charger 2023, the VC8 PLUS from XTAR might be the charger for you.
Buy the XTAR VC8 PLUS 18650 Battery Charger 8 Slot on Amazon for £95/$114:
The Best Charger For 18650 Batteries
So, what is the best 18650 charger for you?
The Youshiko YC5500 is one of our overall favourites. It’s got capacity for 4 batteries, a handy LCD screen to display charging status, and it has the added bonus of being compatible with a wide range of battery types.
If you’re looking for a slightly cheaper option, the Xzeemo Universal Battery Charger is really affordable. It still has a 4 battery capacity and great compatibility, but it doesn’t have a screen for live charging feedback.
If you need to charge more than 4 batteries at once, the XTAR VC8 PLUS 18650 Battery Charger is an excellent upgrade option. It can charge 8 batteries at once, and it has loads of upgrade options like battery capacity testing, multi-step charging, temperature control protection and more.
FAQs
A charger that is designed specifically for 18650 batteries is definitely preferred.
It may be possible to charge a 18650 with a power supply that is set to the precise voltage and current limits for the battery, although this can be dangerous and has the potential to cause damage. Considering the reasonably low price of dedicated charges, they’re definitely the best option.
Our favourite is the Youshiko YC5500 Smart Battery Charger.
It’s currently Amazon’s choice for 18650 battery chargers, and it’s compatible with a number of other battery types. It features an LCD display, overheat protection, short circuit protection, over current/voltage protection, over discharge protection and more. It also comes with a 1 year warranty as standard, so you don’t have to worry about any issues after purchase.
Yes, 18650 batteries are lithium ion rechargeable batteries. To recharge them, you need a compatible charger like the ones covered on this list.
To charge your 18650 batteries via USB, you’ll want a charger that has a 5V USB power source. If you’re not sure which model is best, you may want to take a look at some of our favourites covered on this list.
Thanks for reading our article covering the best 18650 battery chargers.
Feel free to leave a comment if you have any queries – we’d be happy to help.
