execs and cons
- Easy to make use of.
- It has loads of techy options to please the geeks.
- It does an excellent job of finding out batteries that may’t or should not be charged.
- It’s costly.
- It takes up a good bit of desk area.
- It may be just a little noisy in use.
Observe ZDNET: Add us as a most well-liked supply on Google.
Olight is a reputation that is been synonymous with high quality flashlights for a variety of years. I’ve owned various Olights in my time, and so they have been excessive performers which have far surpassed my already excessive expectations.
Additionally: I attempted a unviersal battery tester from Amazon, and it is already saving me cash
So, once I received the possibility to get my arms on Olight’s new AA/AAA battery charger — the Olight Ostation 2 Professional — I jumped at it. In any case, if it was anyplace close to pretty much as good as its flashlights, it was going to be wonderful.
And it was.
Finest turbines offers of the week
Offers are chosen by the CNET Group commerce crew, and could also be unrelated to this text.
The Ostation 2 Professional is a beast
The Ostation 2 Professional (there’s additionally a typical model that omits a number of the options) is kind of hefty as chargers go, and it has fairly a desk presence. It incorporates a fashionable, all-plastic building that is each powerful and trendy.
Additionally: The perfect rechargeable batteries of 2026
On the entrance is a 2.8-inch touchscreen for real-time monitoring of battery cycles, well being, and standing, which actually provides to the high-tech, geeky really feel of the unit.
I just like the touchscreen on the Ostation 2 Professional.
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
The charger is powered by a 12V/1.5A PD 3.0 USB-C enter for sooner charging beneath full load (a small wall charger is included), and there is an app obtainable (iOS and Android) for individuals who wish to dive deeper into the main points than the show provides.
The app provides a deeper dive into charging.
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
What are you able to cost?
The Ostation 2 Professional can deal with any model of AA and AAA Ni-MH batteries, in addition to Olight’s personal Ostation 1.5V AA rechargeable Li-ion batteries (Olight would not but have any Li-ion batteries in AAA measurement).
I fairly like Olight’s personal AA Ni-MH batteries.
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
Nonetheless, remember that it will not cost random Li-ion batteries as a result of the charger makes use of a safe handshake protocol to speak with Ostation batteries for optimum Li-ion charging security.
It is simply really easy to make use of!
As soon as it is plugged in and switched on (and I like to recommend downloading the app to test for any firmware updates), it is easy to make use of.
Additionally: This charger made alkaline batteries fully pointless for me in 2026
Yup, assume every thing wants a software program replace these days.
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
You load batteries into the highest (it may well take a dozen AAs and one other dozen AAAs), after which the Ostation 2 Professional checks, checks, and costs them. Freshly charged batteries seem within the acceptable drawer on the backside of the unit over the course of the day (an AA battery takes about 2.5 hours to totally cost).
My batteries making their approach by way of the Ostation 2 Professional.
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
The unit can cost 4 batteries at a time (two AAs and two AAAs).
Additionally: I purchased a thermal digital camera for my Android and it noticed a hidden hazard immediately
Any batteries that fail to cost, are faulty, or are alkaline batteries that should not be recharged find yourself in a separate drawer.
And all of it simply works. I’ve loaded it with all kinds of AA and AAA batteries — Olight Li-ion batteries, random Ni-MH batteries, faulty rechargeable batteries, and even a sprinkling of unrechargeable alkaline batteries — and the unit carried out completely, charging all of the rechargeable batteries and rejecting all those that could not or should not be charged.
The Ostation 2 Professional forces me to be tidy!
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
No fuss in any way!
There is a hidden secret for Olight followers
On the facet of the unit is a flap that hides two magnetic charging (MCC) ports that can be utilized to cost appropriate Olight flashlights (the Baton, Warrior, Seeker, Marauder Mini, Arkfeld/ArkPro, and Perun 2 collection of flashlights).
Since I’ve a number of Olight flashlights, the MCC ports are a pleasant contact!
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation
What I actually like concerning the Ostation 2 Professional is simply how simple it’s to make use of. Sure, I like the touchscreen and the deeper dive that the app provides, nevertheless it’s the simplicity that’s the actual profitable bit for me. There is no must load batteries into some spring-loaded contraption, no want to recollect to test on them each few hours, and no want to fret that somebody would possibly load the incorrect batteries into the charger. I like the simplicity of simply piling discharged batteries into the highest and pulling charged ones out of the drawer on the backside.
Additionally: Do you have to nonetheless purchase rechargeable batteries in 2026? These USB-C ones say sure
It is tremendous simple and tremendous handy, and it makes it tremendous exhausting for the consumer to mess one thing up.
Final point out of the productThe Olight Ostation 2 Professional retails for $140 for the charging unit alone, or $200 for the charger and 24 Olight Ni-MH batteries (which is an effective deal). It is a excellent charger, however if you’d like a less expensive possibility, the Ostation 2 (which replaces the touchscreen with an LED show, makes use of a slower 5.0V/2.0A USB-C charger, and would not embody the magnetic charging ports for Olight flashlights) is priced at $100 for the charger alone and $160 if you’d like the 24 batteries.
