Costco Member Only Item
Your Price 29.99$
Shipping & Handling: $4.99*
Includes
– 1 Panasonic Eneloop BQ-CC55 Quick Charger
– 8 Eneloop AA and 4 Eneloop AAA Pre-Charged Batteries

I will add that this Meh offer is an older Eneloop package, as they now offer a better charger in their packages. (At least at Costco.) And the new Eneloops no longer offer the C/D battery shells. Which I actually use.

http://www.costco.com/Panasonic-Eneloop-Rechargeable-Battery-Kit.product.100308742.html

That’s shipped

$25 in store right now

$5 VMP vs $55 membership

@MehnofLaMehncha You don’t need the $55 membership. Just a friend that does and buys you a gift card. You pay $0.50 (or the minimum) with the gift card and put the rest on a Visa (they only take Visa now). Lather, rinse, repeat.

Also, you dont need a membership to get prescriptions filled or to buy booze. Thank you Pharmacy and Liquor license laws.

@mike808 This is interesting information, though liquor laws vary so much from state to state it may not apply everywhere or even anywhere other than your state.

@MehnofLaMehncha great info blurb thingy. We can now look forward to reading of pallets of the things dropping on fuko-lucky folks’ doorsteps in future. Are we not entertained? Not yet. But the anticipation, it smoulders.

@MehnofLaMehncha I’m already a Costco member, and they were down to $23 in store once. I bought one at $23, and one earlier at $25. Decent deal overall here on Meh, but if they were closer to $20 it would be awesome. $25 is just ok at best.

@mike808 Genius move, never thought of that.

Even if you do NOT have a Costco membership, you can but most of their items by paying 5% above the cost. Not good for big ticket items, but something that is $30, that’s only a $1.50 more.

@baqui63 It is all Costco stores. You can thank Obamacare for that nugget/benefit. Pharmacies are licensed by the feds to dispense FDA approved medications to the medicare/medicaid/ACA covered public. It’s against those laws pharmacy rules to “discriminate” against people who aren’t “members” (or any other criteria). Fed law “trumps” state law.

Same for ATF regulations that trump state/local liquor business licenses. Interstate commerce and all that jazz is the basis.

Costco is still a “private club”, just like the KKK, but because Costco sells federally regulated substances, federal anti-discrimination laws apply.

Otherwise you’d be in a country where only money or race or bigotry will give the “privileged” access to booze and critical life-maintaining medications. Like boner pills for old white guys in congress. Oh, wait…

@Stallion That Costco item was $19.99 for the Black Friday stretch. And our Costco now sells 12 AAA’s for $19.99, apparently not a sale.

@mike808 Where are the laws protecting against discrimination based upon the ability to pay $55 for the membership? Last time I checked, your $55 was all Costco cared about.

(The Federally controlled items, I get, but the rest of the stuff in the warehouse would be at most State controlled.)

@RedOak I elaborated on why you don’t need a membership to buy booze or drugs at Costco. You have to be a member (or pay the upcharge) for everything else. The gift card trick works for everything else too.

Also, next quarter, Discover is running 5% cash back at Costco. But wait, Costco only takes Visa now. At the stores, yes. However, Costco.com still takes Discover.

@mike808 This quarter Discover has been paying 5% cash back at both SAMs (although the SAMs Visa already pays 5% on gas) and Amazon.

Those 5% Discover promos are the only thing keeping us using it since just about everyone else pays the same or better on non-promo purchases.

I used to hold Discover (us since 1989) and Amex (2002 thru them being dumped by Costco this year) far above the others for customer service but have had a couple of mixed experiences recently with Discover.

@mike808 Don’t talk shit about boner pills

@RedOak No, that was a different combo. That had neither the spacers, nor the slow charger that this one comes with. That black friday deal was for the quick charger (which shortens overall battery life but is better short-term) , 4 AAA and 8 AA batteries. Similar combo, but ultimately not the same deal.

@RedOak Bonus points for getting in on the double-CB deal like I did with discover. Makes it 10% savings for me, until March. 5% now, 5% in March (my 1 year anniversary). Discover also gives CB on Amazon GCs. So max that category!

I’ve been using Chase for 5% CB @ Costco (including GCs!) except for gas, which is excluded, and the Citi Costco Visa for that and after the promo for 4% CB (2% now, 2% in Feb).

Sorry about the nerd wallet threadjack.

@eightypea Nope. I was referring to the Costco (“Costco item”) version at @haydesigner’s link above. I bought one.

I’ll also say that this charger is very basic. (i.e not great, but passable.)

I bought a much better one back in April (based, IIRC, on someone’s very well written comment and recommendation here on Meh), and love it so, so much more.

/giphy CHARGE!

@haydesigner what charger was that?

@Kidsandliz the one they linked: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000RSOV50

@jbartus Thanks.

@haydesigner Not sure if you are referring to a comment I made or not (I’m not even sure if I’ve ever made a comment on that charger here on meh), but I know I recommended it online before and I can safely repeat that it is totally worth it.

@Kidsandliz I put this one on my Christmas list after the previous discussion. Now I can’t wait until Christmas!

@haydesigner Is that Ragnar Jr, aka Bjorn?

Clearly you do not have wee children, @jds2001

@haydesigner indeed not. And the device that I WOULD use them for takes AAA, and there’s not enough of them here.

@jds2001 - I have not purchased these, but I did get a set at least six years ago from Costco with the old charger design. They still work great, including working in the Wii Remotes, and flashlights, etc. I would buy these again, but I don’t need to because they are still going strong!!!

@thekiltedwonder What? There’s a lot of things that still use them.

@thekiltedwonder flashlights, remotes, wireless keyboards and mice just to name four.

Most of my devices take AA, @thekiltedwonder, overwhelmingly so. It’s the AAAs that I don’t need as often.

@thekiltedwonder To your point, I have noticed that there are many items that seem big enough to use AA batteries but there seems to be a conspiracy to just use AAA. I don’t get it but there it is.

@thekiltedwonder I have a bunch. A wireless mouse, cordless phone (yes that’s totally still a thing), xbox controllers, flashlights, and others I’m probably forgetting.

@thekiltedwonder You just need the special adapter to fit AAs into an AAA slot.

@ELUNO Absolutely none of the electronic devices that I have bought recently use AA batteries. My girlfriend and I are always scrounging for AAA batteries and have rechargeable AAs that have been sitting unused since we moved in together 4 years ago.

None of my remotes (TVs, AC, media players) use them. My flashlights don’t. My noise cancelling ear buds don’t. My wireless mouse doesnt. What actually does?

@thekiltedwonder What everyone else has posted.
The ones I can personally can think of from my every day use: Onkyo remote, LG magic remote, xbox controllers, steam controller, flashlight, wireless mouse, wireless keyboard, smart toothbrush display thingy, among others I might be forgetting.

@RedOak I haven’t caught any mice recently with peanut butter. Little rascals. Maybe I’ll try an AA or AAA battery.

@thekiltedwonder Every remote I have uses AA. The wii remote even uses AA. Lotta the grandkids toys use AA. A few of the smaller flashlights use AA. Lots of adult toys use AA. My animated Christmas thingies use AA.

@sligett try bacon grease. Got 4 yesterday.

@HankB33 Another good reason to eat bacon! Thanks!

@lseeber Adult toys, eh? You mean Xbox controllers, right?

@bock919 Um. Yes!

Get a LaCrosse smart charger if you have a menagerie of Eneloops.

You’ll be much happier knowing a lot more about the health of your batteries. And being able to test and refresh them.

@RedOak I’m looking for a charger like the LaCrosse that will save the charging details to a computer.

@mwarren That would be awesome. If you find one, please announce it here.

@mwarren I’m sure it exists - the question is, is it affordable.

Go to the LaCrosse charger page on Amazon where you’ll find the most knowledgeable about a category person I’ve ever seen on Amazon: NLee the Engineer. Ask your question.

https://www.amazon.com/Crosse-Technology-BC-700-Battery-Charger/dp/B000RSOV50

(NLee’s review is the top review and he answers questions posed in the comments in his reviews. He really knows Eneloops and the Amazon branded versions as well.)

@RedOak everything I know about rechargeable batteries, I learned from NLee.

@RedOak Thanks, I need to be able to star this more than once!

@InFrom @RedOak NLee is brilliant!

/giphy marbled-totally-teeth

/image marbled-totally-teeth

/youtube marbled-totally-teeth

@laidbackoh better yet, get a really smart charger that also tests, refreshes, and reports the health and capacity on mAh of the batteries:

https://www.amazon.com/Crosse-Technology-BC-700-Battery-Charger/dp/B000RSOV50

@Dizavid yes, it is. Exactly seven dollars worth to be precise. Except in this case your math skills are horrible because it’s eight dollars. Eight dollars and three cents to be precise.

@Dizavid normally I’d say a 25% discount is pretty good even if not reaching the wonderful level to which we often became accustomed (spoiled?) here in the first 18 months.

But that discount would depend upon whether one has Amazon Prime and/or Meh VMP for the sleeper shipping factor.

I’d guess here that Amazon Prime is more common than VMP so the discount might fall to 9%, a real yawner.

@theredia yes, though Eneloops are generally top notch.

@theredia yes, but please inform us what those preferred batteries might be? Amazon branded Eneloops?

@RedOak Amazon basics rechargeable are good, as good as Eneloops I think. I’ve had my eneloops much longer than the amazon ones, but I’ve had no problems with them. As others have said, get an intelligent charger so you know the health of your batteries and can refresh them as needed.

@thardesty I just ordered the 8 pack of EBL batteries to supplement the only 2 aaa batteries in here. Anyone ever try those EBLs before?

@thardesty no, I haven’t, but that first review reads pretty thorough and questions whether those ESLs really are low self discharge batteries. Nobody wants to reach for the known charged batteries on the shelf only to find they’re only at 50% capacity.

(Which can suck since the lower voltage of NiMH batteries means some gadgets cut out when the voltage drops further as the cells discharge.)

Our local Costco is selling Eneloop AAA 12 packs for $19.99.

@thardesty I have a bunch of the EBL. I like them as much as Eneloops. I get whatever is cheaper when I need more. I might prefer the EBL slightly.

@zahgrim They’re talking about shipping. You should assume they’ll be delivered after Christmas.

@warpedrotors yes I knew that. I was making some fun of meh. E.g. speaker dock Friday…they’ll be back.

@smjnga What does any of this mean when you translate it to English?

@caffeineguy It worked! Your order number is: reliant-caring-waffle

/image reliant caring waffle

@mediocrebot just the ticket for anyone planning to gift jars of gluten-free waffle mix this year. Maybe meh will feature a gluten-free waffle iron soon?

@mediocrebot Uhh… Apparently /buy 3 didn’t actually buy 3, only bought one! Didn’t realize until the package came today… 2 people are going to be disappointed for Christmas. Perhaps the confirmation could show the quantity ordered and any options specified?

@caffeineguy

You didn’t look at the expanded details on the order page for the order to see how much was charged?

This is for you and nobody else.

@PlacidPenguin No-- I didn’t bother to check… Although, the ‘new and improved’ confirmation should show the confirmation AND the URL to the detailed order status page.

@caffeineguy

Agreed. Would make things easier for the purchaser (the human, not the bot).

@shawn

Any thoughts on this?

@PlacidPenguin The order number in order confirmation emails is a link to the order details page. Does that help?

@shawn

I know that, but @caffeineguy wants more.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

@mellowirishgent 24.2% off is nothing to be ashamed of.

@cinoclav um , thats a discount? i’m talking deep discount holy shit Meh prices LOL

@mellowirishgent You only get those on super crappy items.

@kdugas7 Well, if you wanted to go cheap, there are always these:
https://www.amazon.com/AA-Size-Battery-Adapter/dp/B009631ULK
https://www.amazon.com/Size-Battery-Adapter-Case-White/dp/B0094DH1E2

@wickhameh Depends on the amperage draw. In my limited experience with the eneloops in a D case, put in an air mattress pump, they didn’t last nearly as long as cheap D batteries. I only got one queen tall air mattress pumped up, when I went to deflate, the batteries failed and I had to swap out.

Works in a pinch, but don’t rely on them.

@wickhameh D-cell alkaline batteries would likely have at least 5 times the mAh capacity. But it is not just total capacity that matters - the ability to deliver the higher current that swing might need matters too. Try it and see…

@werekong I’ve always kind of wondered about this. People bring this up a lot with multimeters and how the lower voltage (1.2 vs 1.5 for alkalines nominal) could throw readings. But alkalines continuously drop, whereas NiMHs stay stable at 1.2 through nearly their entire discharge, then drop steeply at the end. I use NiMHs in pretty much everything I own save for a radio that was designed to run off of (and charge) NiCds, and have yet to encounter any real anomalies unless the device is designed not to (or otherwise simply won’t) run at the 1.2V level. Of course, these things won’t last too terribly long on alkalines either, as alkalines will hit that 1.2V fairly early on in their discharge curve.

Since you specifically mention outdoor uses, I will say NiMHs don’t perform particularly well in the cold. That could be a part of the recommendation there.

@brhfl I brought this up because I recently bought an indoor/outdoor weather forecaster. In addition to stating that NiMHs should not be used, it was also stated that lithium batteries, not alkaline, should be used in the outdoor sensor for temperatures below -4 degrees F. The sensor requires AA…I wasn’t aware that AA lithium batteries existed.

@werekong Yep, the lithiums definitely work well in the cold, so that makes a lot of sense. The lithium batteries in question are a different chemistry than, say, a CR2032 coin cell or a CR123 used in many higher-end flashlights. That chemistry puts out ~3V, whereas to be compatible with a normal AA, something in the 1.5V range is necessary. The most common are these Energizers, but I think at least one other brand might be out there now…

@brhfl That 0.3V difference/cell certainly matters in certain electronic devices particularly ones that lack integrated buck/boost regulators, such as LED flashlights, IR remotes, and likely the OP’s remote weather transmitter.
I disagree that Alkalines hit 1.2V that quickly, unless operated at very high load… I’ve also noticed that in Canon camera speedlight flash units, Alkalines blow away nearly all NiMH batteries in terms of number of flashes/recovery rate.

For low drain devices like remotes, there /are/ rechargable alkalines like the old Rayovacs and iGo batteries, but many times they’re not that great. (Many of my iGo rechargable alkalines have started to leak)

@caffeineguy For the voltage difference, was largely speaking from personal experience – to reiterate, I use Eneloops in every single AA/AAA-powered device that I own excepting that one radio (which is more out of charging concerns than anything), and I have had no issues. Having used alkaline primaries for a long time and being rather nerdy, by the time a device failed to work, the voltage under load was well beyond 1.2V.

My Metz flashguns last longer with primaries as well (though recycle times are better with NiMHs). But they simply continue to work at less than the 4.8V nominal of NiMHs. When alkalines die in them, again, they’ve stretched beyond that.

One of the myriad discharge rate graphs out there…

…I would call that dip to 1.2V fairly early in the cell’s life. Immediate? No, but fairly early indeed. This falls in line with my experiences.

@brhfl Fair points-- Though that plot is missing the discharge current, brand of alkaline/NiMH, and looking at the area under the curve would suggest that the NiMH under test actually had a higher WHr rating under those conditions.

It’s interesting that http://www.powerstream.com/AA-tests.htm
has a bunch of Alkaline tests, but doesn’t actually put their NiMH results on the same plot as any of their Alkaline tests. Their plots do seem to reinforce the notion that alkalines drop down to ~1.2 quickly, but typically it’s beyond the 50% mark for low drain applications.

Anyway-- I suppose most of the devices I use AA/AAA batteries in are LED flashlights, and rechargables typically let me down at only 1.2V. Granted, many NiMH batteries (Eneloops excluded) had terrible self-dishcharge rates making them unsuitable in low-drain/occasional use devices like flashlights and remotes. I also don’t like the idea of putting $3 in batteries in a flashlight that’s only worth $2-3, particularly if I’m likely to leave it somewhere/give it away/store it for a year without using it.
I suppose I’m due to to cycle all my NiMH batteries through my LaCrosse charger again and cull/recycle the duds – a problem primary cell users don’t have to face.
I did buy a few of these Eneloop kits, but I’m not terribly excited about them. I do have some Eneloops in my devices, and have been happy with them, but $25 buys a LOT of disposable alkaline batteries, particularly when bought in the 75/90/100 packs that Amazon and Meh have sold in the last few years.

@brhfl cheap, thin white insert can be removed. Will give you a simple green case.

@fjp999 Thanks! Still probably not the best use of my money right now, but at least that’s good to know.

@brhfl Welcome.

@adamloooong it’s a solid deal, tbh. costco doesn’t carry this bundle anymore, they carry the 4 AAA, 8 AA + QC bundle. The real draw here is the slow charger for extending long-term battery life and the spacers.

@ChrisMondok It worked! Your order number is: alive-promiscuous-cable

/image alive promiscuous cable

@mediocrebot is that Sally Field? I want Sally Field in my order numbers!

@andrewpk at least they are up front about it!