This does an excellent job charging batteries but other reviews tell you that. I'll tell you about their customer service.I purchased this two and a half years ago. I use it constantly, as I run just about everything in my life on AA batteries. So when it broke one day, I was sad, but not disappointed with my purchase, it had served me well.
I went to look for a replacement, and saw another customer review mention the lifetime warranty. I called the company, and within 5 minutes, they said they were shipping me a free replacement. I don't even need to ship the old one back.
This is an excellent charger, and the company stands behind their product. I highly recommend it.
The fact is, C401FS charges AA cells at a fixed current of 1000mA (in Fast mode). Several years ago when this charger was first introduced, the average capacity of an AA NiMH cell was much lower. Perhaps back then, it took about 1.6 hours (or 100 minutes) to fully recharge a 1600mAh cell. But today's AA NiMH cells have much higher capacities. So to charge up a 2700mAh cell, it now takes about 2.7 hours (or 160 minutes) to finish the job.
Aside from the misleading marketing claim, the C401FS is actually a decent charger. It is a 'Smart' charger that charges each cell individually, and stops when each cell is full. It also allows you to select between Fast (1000mA) and Slow (300mA) charging. Unless you are in a hurry, choose the slow mode since it is better for the cells. Just remember that it takes about 9 hours to fully recharge a 2700mAh cell in slow mode.
Unfortunately, the C401FS is also way over-priced for a simple charger in today's market. For about the same cost, you may want to consider an advanced battery charger/analyzer, such as the La Crosse BC-900 or BC700 instead.I originally bought this for my digital camera batteries since it allows you to leave batteries in the unit all the time and receive a "trickle" charge without damage to the batteries. It works great and the 2700 Mah batteries last a long time, even when taking flash pictures. Althoug the upfront cost is higher, having rechargable batteries is much cheaper than buying regular AA's for use in a digital camera.
After I got my Xbox 360, I started using this to keep a fresh pair of AA's charged for the wireless controller. I can generally get several hours on a full charge and you can always have another pair charging as you play.
I actually got mine from thomas-distributing, but this looks to be similar package deal. The travel kit makes it easy to make sure you have fresh batteries even when on the road.I'm writting this review because a year ago I purchased the MH-C401FS, and have been completely happy with it.
At the time I purchased this unit, I spent 2 months researching different chargers, and agonized over "which is the best charger" out there.
I have 2 kids under the age of 8, and we go through AA batteries faster than I could ever imagine. In the past year, I have used the MH-C401 primarily to keep batteries for toys around the house, and a digital camera. The charger has worked great for us.
I guess what I like best, is the fact that it charges each battery independently. The simple red/green light indicator is perfect, so that anyone in the family knows in a second which batteries they can use.
I know some other reviews have been disappointed by the 100+ minute charging time. I use eneloop 2100mAh batteries, and the charging time has never been an issue. They seeem to be always ready with in the approx 100 minute claim.
The other huge positive, (and this has more to do with the eneloop's) is they really do maintain a charge for months at a time. This has made them a great fit for my family's use, and work great with the charger.
Again, I'm writting this because I agonized over the decision, and it's been a great charger.analyzes individual positions, charges fast or slow by choices, has car adapter, and is well made.
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