5 Best NiMH Batteries – Buyer’s Guide

Our Reviews of the Top 5 NiMH Batteries in the market

You'll find hundreds of products if you look for NiMH batteries in the market. Hence, to help you in your search, we went through customer reviews, fact-checked manufacturer pages, and looked for social proof.

Here are the best picks based on our research:

Flylinktech 7.2v 5000mAh NiMH battery (Best lightweight)

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NiMH batteries often come in cylindrical cells, and this battery is one of the best packs you can get. It is one powerful unit with a decent capacity.

The Flylinktech 7.2v NiMH battery is designed for all trucks, buggies, and cars that have a 1:10 scale. However, if you've got a standard 7.2v RC car like Losi and Traxxas, then this battery will do.

Specifications:

• Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Dimension: 5.3 x 1.8 x 0.9 inches
• Capacity: 5000 mAh
• Connector: Tamiya connectors

Key Features

1. Quality materials: This Flylinktech comes with premium components. Its cells are reliable and connected to low resistance silicone wires.
2. No memory effect: Unlike other NiMH batteries, you don't need to discharge this battery completely before you can start charging it.
3. Long battery life: This Flylinktech battery has a long and solid charge life.

Our thoughts

This battery was developed to power different RC models. It has a decent capacity and discharges steadily: the two characteristics you'd expect from a reliable battery.

From customer reports, the Flylinktech pack can power a RC tank for a little over an hour. It's also pretty rugged. But for us, the best part is that you can recycle them.

Of course, a few things could be better, like its large size and lack of extra connectors. However, there's no taking away the fact that the Flylinktech 7.2v 5000mAh pack is one of the best NiMH battery packs you can get.

Pros

• Lightweight at only 4.8 ounces
• Holds its charge
• Compatible with several RC models

Cons

• Doesn't come with adapters or replacement connectors

Powerextra 7.2v 3600 mAH NiMH Battery (Best for warranty)

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The cells in many NiMH packs are visible. However, the Powerextra 7.2v 3600mAh pack sports a different design. It has six enclosed cells and a connector.

With its capacity, you should expect to use it for long runs without stopping to recharge.

Specifications

1. Weight: 7.36 ounces
2. Dimension: 5.98 x 2.1 x 2.0 inches
3. Capacity: 3600 mAh
4. Connector: Standard Tamiya connectors

Key Features:

1. Premium components: The 16AWG line and Tamiya connector attached to the cells are safe and top-quality.
2. Quick charging and discharging: You can get a high punch by using this battery at a maximum discharge rate of 30 amps or less.
3. Wide compatibility: This Powerextra battery is compatible with 7.2v RC helis, planes, trucks, and cars.

Our thoughts

Powerextra is a top battery brand, so we expected this unit to be one of the best available. It turns out that the Powerextra 7.2v 3600 mAh battery meets the high standard we set for it.

From its warranty, design, and compatibility, this NiMH is loaded with the features you need to get by. On the downside, we expected a reliable brand to have charging instructions or a user manual. But that shouldn't be much of a problem since it's basically a plug-and-play battery.

Overall, the Powerextra 7.2v 3600 mAh is a nice battery for beginners getting started with RC toys.

Pros

• Has 12-month seller's warranty and 30-day money-back guarantee
• Relatively lightweight at 7.36 ounces
• Has a compact and portable design

Cons

• Gets unusually warm after a few minutes of use

Zeee 7.2v 3600 mAh NiMH battery (Best overall)

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If you're looking for the best NiMH battery available, consider this Zeee unit. It's a high-capacity battery for beginner and hobby-grade RC racing. This particular product has two NiMH packs. With them, you won't have to worry about your battery dying mid-way through a race.

Specifications

• Weight: 6.4 ounces each
• Dimension: 5.33 x 1.79 x 0.88 inches
• Capacity: 3600 mAh
• Connector: Standard Tamiya connectors

Key Features

1. Safe raw materials and components: This Zeee NiMH battery has 14AWG silicone wires and a Tamiya plug with gold-plated terminals. The packs also have over-charging protection.
2. Widely compatible: The Zeee 7.2v battery works with a Redcag Volcano EPX, Revo 3.3, Thunder Tiger Phoenix XB, RC 10T4, among other RC models.
3. No memory effect: You can charge this battery at any time without having to discharge it first.

Our thoughts

Whether you've got a small RC or a massive model, this Zeee 7.2v 3600 mAh can help deliver the power you need. It's well packaged, and you can easily swap the connector for a type your RC is compatible with.

Our research found that the longevity of this NiMH battery excites customers the most. For us, it's the fact that you get two packs at an affordable price.

In a nutshell, we'd say this is an excellent battery if you want to resurrect your old RC or bring out recent models' best performance.

Pros

• Has a 30-day money-back guaranty and a 6-month warranty
• Designed for high-performance RC toys
• Goes for a reasonable price

Cons

• Needs an adaptor to work on recent RC models

MELASTA 7.2v 5000 mAh NiMH battery (Best for capacity)

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If you're big on getting the best NiMH battery with an amazing capacity, then this battery is one to check out. It's compatible with RC models like the Everest-10, Blackout SC, Thunder EPX drift, Volcano EPX, among others.

The exciting thing about this battery is that it is reliable and made by a reputable manufacturer.

Specifications

• Weight: 15.87 ounces
• Dimension: 5.38 x 1.89 x 0.86 inches
• Capacity: 5000 mAh
• Connector: 4.0mm banana connectors

Key Features

1. Safe to use: This Melasta battery has UL and CE safety certifications. It is environmentally friendly with over-discharge protection.
2. Steady discharge rate: The battery can power your RC toy for long hours. Alternatively, this Melasta NiMH pack can deliver a hefty punch to win races, thanks to its large capacity.
3. Quality wire gauge: This Melasta 5000 mAh battery has a 14 AWG soft and flexible silicone wire.

Our thoughts

We'd say this pack is undoubtedly one of the best NiMH batteries you can find. From our research, only a handful of batteries can deliver the capacity of this unit. It charges quickly with low-rate chargers and only gets warm after extensive use.

We think the plugs that come in the box are quite unconventional. But if you have an adaptor or know your way around wires and soldering, you should have no problem with it.

Overall, we are convinced you'll have a top-quality pack on your hands if you decide to go for the Melasta 7.2v 5000 mAh battery.

Pros

• Has a hard case to prevent dents from knocks
• Comes with a 45-day money-back guarantee and a 1-year warranty
• Compatible with many RC toys

Cons

• Fast chargers can damage the battery

Tenergy 7.2v 6-cell NiMH battery (Best for charging speed)

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Looking for the best NiMH battery for your old or new RC? Check out the Tenergy double pack 7.2v battery. It's a long-lasting battery with exciting features. Hence, it's no surprise this Tenergy battery is a great pick for many RC enthusiasts.

Here are its technical specs:

Specifications

• Weight: 15.87 ounces
• Dimension: 6.6 x 4.69 x 3.9 inches
• Capacity: 3000 mAh
• Connector: Standard Tamiya connector

Key Features

1. Decent capacity: These Tenergy packs provide long runtime and allow rapid charging. You'll need to use a Tenergy charger with it.
2. Compatibility: This battery is designed for popular RC cars, trucks, boats, helis that require 7.2v.
3. Safe operation: This battery is extensively tested in the factory. Like other batteries, it only warms up.

Our thoughts

We like several things about this Tenergy battery, and it's not difficult to see why. For starters, the unit comes with two identical packs, has a decent capacity, is safe to use.

One thing that could be better is the weight of each pack. However, our research found that this factor doesn’t add much to the total weight of your RC toy.

If you need two NiMH batteries for the price of one, then we'd recommend you consider this unit.

Pros

• No memory effect
• Easy to connect and charge
• Offers high power output

Cons

• Multimeter reads the battery at under 3000 mAh.

What to consider before getting a NiMH battery for your RC vehicle?

How do you pick a NiMH battery for your RC model when you've got several options? Of course, you could just choose randomly and hope you don't get a rip-off. But if you want the best you can lay your hands on, then lookout for the following things:

Capacity: This refers to how much charge a NiMH battery can hold. Think of it as the size of a car's tank.

If a NiMH battery has a high capacity, then it can power your RC model longer than those with smaller capacities. Generally, the NiMH battery capacity will be on the pack, and it is measured in milliampere-hours (mAh).

Weight and size: After sieving out small capacity NiMH batteries, consider each pack's weight and size. If a battery is massive and heavy, your RC toy will have a hard time reaching its top performance. Nevertheless, you won't find a featherweight battery.

If you're out to get the best NiMH battery, the packs on your list should be small and light, keeping the capacity you need in mind.

Advance features: Asides from the weight and size, consider the connector type, battery case, and charging mode.

Generally, most NiMH batteries come with Tamiya connectors. If this doesn't suit your RC model, then you could look at other battery packs or get an adaptor. On the battery case, consider if the shell is hard or soft. While packs with soft shells are lighter, those with hard casings can withstand knocks.

If you don't want to wait for a long time for your battery to charge, then check out units that allow rapid charging.

Warranty: Generally, NiMH batteries last and are easy to maintain. However, things could happen that'll render them useless. To avoid getting a new pack every other week, check out units that have warranties.

FAQs

What is the best NiMH battery?

Our best NiMH battery is the Zeee 7.2v 3600 mAh NiMH battery. For starters, there are two packs in the box for the price of one. Then again, the unit has a decent capacity and hard shell. More importantly, it helps in achieving long runtime.

Are NiMH batteries safe?

Yes. NiMH batteries are generally safe to use. If you get a pack from a reliable manufacturer and strictly follow safety precautions, you should have nothing to worry about.

Can I use a different connector from the one that comes in a NiMH battery pack?

Yes, you can use a different connector, and there are two ways to do this:

• Get an adaptor that fits.
• Cut out the connector and replace it with a new one.

In conclusion

NiMH batteries are just as good as other RC battery types. They are rugged and easy to maintain. If you get the best NiMH battery available, you'll also discover that they allow long hours of RC fun and are quite inexpensive.

Are you thinking of getting a NiMH battery soon? Pick any of the five we've reviewed using our buying guide.