MAKITA DC18SE Automotive Battery Charger

The first thing to check is that it will work with your batteries. In most cases, you’ll need a charger made by the same manufacturer which made the tool(s) and batteries you have. The main exception is if your tool/battery comes from a brand in the Cordless Alliance System, such as Metabo.

Then, you should check that the charger will actually work with your batteries. Some chargers will only function with specific battery types and voltages, while others can quite happily charge at a variety of voltages. If you have a mixture of 10.8v, 14.4v and 18v batteries in your kit, a Multi-Voltage Charger is potentially very useful.

It’s always worth thinking about how many batteries you might need to charge at a time; if you’re in a trade, you may need enough power on hand to last all day. This is where the number of charging points can be important; some of the chargers available from ToolStore UK can charge up to four batteries at a time.

And, of course, make sure you can plug the charger in to your power source. Many of the chargers sold at ToolStore UK use 240v but other options are available, including in-car charging.