Energizer Recharge Extreme AAA Batteries (HR03) - 4 Pack

These are AAA rechargeable cells from the Energizer Recharge Extreme range, rated at 800mAh and supplied four to a card. The chemistry is nickel metal hydride, and the pack prints the trade code HR03 alongside a nominal 1.2V per cell, which is the normal figure for this chemistry rather than the 1.5V of a single use alkaline. They come pre-charged, so the first set can go into a device on the day it arrives instead of spending a night on a charger. The pack also states that the cells are made with 22% recycled materials, and the backing card is marked as recyclable packaging.

AAA is the smaller of the two common household sizes, and it turns up in remote controls, wall clocks, computer mice, head torches, digital cameras and children's toys. Rechargeable cells earn their keep fastest in whatever you find yourself feeding most often, because each pack is used over and over rather than thrown away after one run. The pack claims a life of up to five times longer than Energizer's basic alkaline cells in digital cameras, with results varying by device, so the busiest gadget in the house is the one to put them in first.

The pack holds four cells and no charger, so you will need a NiMH charger to bring them back up once they run down. The nominal 1.2V is worth knowing if you are switching over from disposables, since most equipment built for AAA cells takes it in its stride; where a device specifies 1.5V alkaline, check its instructions first. Each unit is one pack of four, and the minimum order is twelve packs, sold in multiples of twelve, which comes to forty-eight cells. They sit alongside the other Energizer cells we stock, including AA and AAA alkaline, C, D and 9V, coin cells, and a one hour charger supplied with AA cells.

Will these run a device that normally takes ordinary AAA batteries?

They are the same AAA size and fit the same compartments, but a NiMH cell gives a nominal 1.2V rather than the 1.5V of an alkaline. Most household equipment built for AAA cells runs on that without complaint; where a device specifies 1.5V alkaline cells, check its instructions before swapping.

Do I have to charge them before I use them?

No. The pack states that the cells are pre-charged, so the first set can go straight into a device when it arrives. After that they go back on a NiMH charger whenever they run down, and you repeat that for the life of the cells.

Is a charger supplied with this pack?

No, the pack contains four cells only. You will need a separate charger that handles NiMH cells in the AAA size, and it is worth checking your existing charger takes AAA as well as AA before ordering.

What does the 800mAh figure actually tell me?

Milliamp hours describe how much charge a cell holds, so a higher figure means more running time between charges in the same device. It is a capacity rating, not a power rating, and it does not change how the cell fits or what voltage it gives.

How many cells do I receive, and what is the smallest order?

One unit of this listing is a blister pack of four cells. The minimum order is twelve of those packs, sold in multiples of twelve, which comes to forty-eight AAA cells in total.

Is HR03 the same thing as AAA?

Yes. HR03 is the code used for a nickel metal hydride rechargeable cell in the AAA size, and it is printed on the back of this pack, so an appliance manual quoting either term is asking for this cell.