After weeks of testing the POWEROWL 8 Bay charger with my collection of EBL and AmazonBasics rechargeables, I've got some mixed feelings about this budget-friendly charger.

The Good Stuff: This thing is a space saver! The ability to charge any combination of AA/AAA batteries (even just one at a time) makes it perfect for my smart home devices. The independent slots mean I don't have to charge in pairs like some prehistoric chargers force you to do.

The USB power option is genius - I've charged batteries using my laptop during work trips, my car adapter on road trips, and even a power bank during camping. The LED indicators are bright and clear, though I wish they changed color when fully charged instead of just turning off.

Reality Check: Don't let 'high-speed' in the name fool you. Charging 8 AAs simultaneously takes forever (we're talking overnight). But here's the thing - that's actually better for battery health. My EBL 2800mAh batteries stay surprisingly cool compared to when I used faster chargers.

The charger does get warm - sometimes concerningly so. I always place it on my granite kitchen counter now after noticing how hot the bottom gets during full-capacity charging sessions.

Pro Tip: Pair this with LSD (low self-discharge) batteries like EBL or Eneloops. I've created a rotation system where discharged batteries go straight into the charger while freshly charged ones wait in a labeled case - this solves the slow charging issue beautifully.

The 'damaged battery' feature remains mysterious - after intentionally draining some old batteries completely, the repair function didn't seem to work any magic. Maybe it needs more extreme cases?

Final Verdict: For $20-ish, this is a solid choice if you value battery longevity over speed. Just remember to remove batteries promptly after charging (I set phone reminders) and invest in quality rechargeables to match this charger's potential.