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
FotuYogo 18650 Battery Charger
- Brand - FotuYogo
- Dimensions - 13 x 3.5 x 10 cm
- Weight - 160 g
- Charging Slots - 4
- Special Feature - Smart Charging
To start off we have a budget option in the FotuYogo 18650 Battery Charger. It’s currently selling on Amazon for £14/$19.
This charger is designed with versatility in mind. It supports most common 3.6–3.7V Li-ion batteries, including popular sizes like 18650, 21700 and 26650, as well as 1.2V Ni-MH / Ni-CD batteries such as AA and AAA. This makes it a practical choice if you use different battery types across torches, tools, or electronic devices.
Charging is straightforward and flexible. You can manually switch between 0.5A, 1A, and 2A charging currents, allowing you to prioritise faster charging when needed or slower charging for better battery longevity. Each of the four slots operates independently and features a clear LED indicator, so you can easily track the charging status of each battery at a glance.
Safety is also well covered. The charger automatically identifies battery types to prevent incorrect charging, and it includes built-in protections against reverse polarity, overcharging, overheating, and short circuits. Power is supplied via USB, which makes it easy to use at home, in the car, or with a power bank.
If you’re looking for a reliable, low-cost 18650 charger that supports multiple battery sizes and offers adjustable charging speeds, the FotuYogo charger is a solid choice.
Buy the FotuYogo 18650 Battery Charger on Amazon for £14/$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/$31.
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/$31:
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 £30/$40.
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 £30/$40:
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
Next we have a high-end option in the XTAR VC8 PLUS 18650 Battery Charger 8 Slot. It’s currently selling on Amazon for £39/$52.
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, the VC8 PLUS from XTAR might be the charger for you.
Buy the XTAR VC8 PLUS 18650 Battery Charger 8 Slot on Amazon for £39/$52:
Nitecore UM4 Universal USB Smart Charger
- Brand - Nitecore
- Dimensions - 10.7 x 10.7 x 4.1 cm
- Weight - 230 g
- Charging Slots - 4
- Special Feature - LCD Display
Finally we have the Nitecore UM4 Universal USB Smart Charger. It’s currently selling on Amazon for £41/$55.
The UM4 is a four-slot smart charger that supports Li-ion, IMR, LiFePO4, Ni-MH and Ni-Cd batteries, including common sizes like 18650, 21700 and 26650, as well as AA and AAA cells. This makes it well suited to torches, cameras, vapes and other battery-powered gear.
Charging performance is a key strength. With Quick Charge 2.0 support, the UM4 can deliver up to 1500mA to a single slot, helping reduce charging times when needed. Each slot operates independently, so you can safely charge different battery types at the same time.
A clear LCD screen shows real-time charging data such as voltage, current and battery status, giving you better visibility than basic LED indicators. USB power input also adds flexibility, allowing use with wall adapters, power banks or laptops.
Built-in protections include overcharge and reverse polarity protection, along with automatic battery detection for safe operation.
If you want a USB-powered charger with fast charging, clear monitoring and wide compatibility, the Nitecore UM4 is a solid upgrade over budget models.
Buy the Nitecore UM4 Universal USB Smart Charger on Amazon for £41/$55:
🔋 Best 18650 Battery Chargers Compared At A Glance
The table below highlights the key differences between the most popular 18650 battery chargers, covering charging slots, standout features, and who each model is best suited to.
FotuYogo 18650 Battery Charger – £, affordable 4-slot charger with smart charging and adjustable current
Best for users who want a low-cost charger that supports many battery sizes.
Youshiko YC5500 Smart Charger – ££, LCD charger with detailed charging data and voice alerts
Best for users who like clear, real-time charging information.
Fosmoon LCD 18650 Charger – ££, adjustable-speed charger with automatic battery detection
Best for balancing fast charging and long-term battery health.
XTAR VC8 PLUS 8-Slot Charger – ££, high-capacity charger with battery testing features
Best for enthusiasts managing lots of batteries and monitoring cell health.
Nitecore UM4 Universal USB Charger – £££, fast USB-powered charger with advanced LCD display
Best for users who want quick charging, portability, and detailed monitoring.
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.
