🔥Prime Day – 31% Off Ostation 2 Pro Bundle
👇Valid: June 23 – June 26, PST
Link: Amazon

I’ve reviewed a lot of products and devices on this website that end up costing people money. The Ostation 2 Pro from Olight is one of the few that will actually save you money.

I first dabbled with rechargeable AA batteries as a young adult. Back then, the charger I owned would only charge two AA batteries and if you wanted to charge AAA batteries, you had to insert them into an adapter. And because it could only charge two batteries at a time, I never had enough charged ones when I needed them. Combine that with the fact that back then rechargeable batteries cost 3x as much as traditional batteries, and I quickly lost interest.

Today, rechargeable batteries are so inexpensive that if you only recharge them once, they’re cheaper than buying traditional single-use batteries. And as for recharging them, that’s where the Ostation 2 Pro rom Olight comes in.

The Ostation 2 Pro from Olight can hold up to 24 batteries at a time (12 AA/12 AAA) and charge four at a time. It runs off a USB-C connection that draws around 18w (wall adapter included), charges four batteries every 2 1/2 hours, and deposits them into tray when done. No longer will you be waiting around for batteries to charge. Charged batteries will be waiting on you to use them.

I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a more ingeniously designed charger. AA/AAA batteries are dropped into separate compartments up top, which get routed down to their selective chargers. The polarity of the batteries doesn’t matter — how that works is beyond my pay grade. After the batteries are done charging they are dropped into a pull-out tray (one for each type) where they await you to remove them and use them. Each time you remove batteries from the tray, more charged batteries fill in behind them. There’s a third tray for batteries that won’t charge or are in some way defective.

Front and center on the Ostation 2 Pro is the touch screen. If you’re into tech — and let’s face it, if you’re interested in a device that can hold 24 rechargeable batteries at a time, you’re probably into tech — you’ll love all the information presented on the screen. The screen shows the current charging level of each battery currently being charged and how much time remains before each one is finished charging, but that’s not all. If a battery is rejected or has a health-related issue, it’ll be noted there. And, if you’re using Ecolast compatible Li-ion batteries, you’ll also see things like each battery’s unique ID, its charge cycle count, and health condition. Let’s face it, some of these batteries age differently than others, and being able to visually see which ones aren’t performing well is something few chargers offer. Plus, it makes the whole thing look cool.

I have done everything in my power to reduce the number of devices I carry in the van that use AA and AAA batteries. That being said, a quick run through my van revealed the following items: my TV remote (2 AAA) and my Roku remote (2 AAA), my two game controllers (4 AAA total), my indoor/outdoor thermometer (2 AAA inside, 2 AA outside), my MaxxAir fan remote (2 AAA), my electric can opener (4 AA), and my walkie-talkies (4 AA total). Again, this is from someone who has intentionally tried to move away from AA and AAA batteries. Sometimes, you just can’t. And with traditional batteries, you never know when they’re about to run out which means inevitably things die when you’re out having fun, and that’s no fun. One thing I can tell you is that the temperatures experienced inside my van — the heat of summer and the cold of winter — are absolutely brutal on batteries. Imagine swapping out all your batteries before they run out — what a novel concept!

I’m not going to lie, the Ostation 2 Pro isn’t cheap. If you only have one or two things that use batteries in your van or you haven’t fully made the switch to rechargeable batteries yet, this might not be for you.

However, if you’re willing to make the investment on a charger like this, it won’t take long to pay itself off. A 24 pack of Amazon Basics Rechargeable AA batteries costs $30. A 24 back of non-rechargeable Duracell AA batteries costs $20. The rechargeable ones literally pay for themselves after a second use, and it doesn’t take too long for them to cover the cost of a charging station like this, too. Replace all the batteries in your television remotes and other gadgets with rechargeable ones and you’ll break even in no time. If you have kids with toys that use AA or AAA batteries, it’ll take way less time.

🔥Prime Day – 31% Off Ostation 2 Pro Bundle
👇Valid: June 23 – June 26, PST
Link: Amazon