Maha C9000 NLee the engineer Misleading review

[blgentry]

Recently I spent a fairly long time researching which smart NiMH charger to buy and had settled on one of the big two: Maha C9000 or LaCrosse BC-700 or BC-900. I came across an Amazon review comparing the two chargers against each other by "NLee The Engineer". Here's the full review if you want to read it.

This one review *almost* soured me against the C9000 since he said the interface was so hard to use that he had stopped using it entirely. He cited having to push buttons "a ridiculous number of times" to get four batteries into the modes he wanted.

I'm writing this to tell you that he's full of it. The C9000 is rather easy to use, and it's menus aren't complicated. Yes, it's true, you do have to push 2, 3, maybe 8 buttons for each battery. But most of this is pressing the up or down arrow repeatedly to get to the value you want. Like taking the default charging value of 1000 mA down to 500 mA requires you to press the down arrow 5 times. You can do this in about 2 seconds.

Another big misleading point is about the display. He claims it takes 48 or more seconds to cycle through the display of all batteries and if you miss what you're looking for, you have to wait all over again. Is he stupid or biased? The "slot" key changes the display to the slot you want to see. Then it moves through each display item, taking a total of about 5 seconds to display all information for that slot. If you miss a value, wait for up to 5 seconds to see it again. It's not perfect, but it doesn't take very long either.

It irks me that his review *almost* led me away from this great charger, and I know it's influencing other people too. If you have any ability to use modern electronic devices and you actually understand how the modes on this charger work, you won't have any trouble, and you'll be able to set each battery up in maybe 6 -8 seconds maximum per battery. More like 2 - 3 seconds for typical operations.

It's hard enough to sort through the technical differences between these chargers without the waters being muddied over non-existent problems.

I feel better now.

Brian.

 

[Unicorn]

I just picked up the Maha a couple days ago, and it seems pretty easy. Yeah, you have to have some basic understanding of how batteries work, but if I can figure it out most anyone should be able to.

 

[drmaxx]

The review is quite accurate (except the 48 s to wait for a missed info) and just emphasizes personal preferences. Compared to the BC-900 you need to press much much more buttons and you need to focus more carefully what you are doing (e.g. checking if you are actually programming the right slot). You and I don't mind that - but other people do. I don't think that the review in question is misleading -I've seen much worse.

 

[march.brown]

Recently I spent a fairly long time researching which smart NiMH charger to buy and had settled on one of the big two: Maha C9000 or LaCrosse BC-700 or BC-900. I came across an Amazon review comparing the two chargers against each other by "NLee The Engineer". Here's the full review if you want to read it.

This one review *almost* soured me against the C9000 since he said the interface was so hard to use that he had stopped using it entirely. He cited having to push buttons "a ridiculous number of times" to get four batteries into the modes he wanted.

I'm writing this to tell you that he's full of it. The C9000 is rather easy to use, and it's menus aren't complicated. Yes, it's true, you do have to push 2, 3, maybe 8 buttons for each battery. But most of this is pressing the up or down arrow repeatedly to get to the value you want. Like taking the default charging value of 1000 mA down to 500 mA requires you to press the down arrow 5 times. You can do this in about 2 seconds.

Another big misleading point is about the display. He claims it takes 48 or more seconds to cycle through the display of all batteries and if you miss what you're looking for, you have to wait all over again. Is he stupid or biased? The "slot" key changes the display to the slot you want to see. Then it moves through each display item, taking a total of about 5 seconds to display all information for that slot. If you miss a value, wait for up to 5 seconds to see it again. It's not perfect, but it doesn't take very long either.

It irks me that his review *almost* led me away from this great charger, and I know it's influencing other people too. If you have any ability to use modern electronic devices and you actually understand how the modes on this charger work, you won't have any trouble, and you'll be able to set each battery up in maybe 6 -8 seconds maximum per battery. More like 2 - 3 seconds for typical operations.

It's hard enough to sort through the technical differences between these chargers without the waters being muddied over non-existent problems.

I feel better now.

Brian.

Have you put your personal review on Amazon because those people that want a top class charger (but are not into the subject seriously) might be totally put off by all the "button pushing" mentioned in that other review.

I like my C9000 very much , and I like the fact that I can set the charge current in 100mA steps when needed ... I don't use a lot of AAA's , but I don't find it a hardship to set the the charge current to 400mA or 500mA when needed ... I always prefer to charge the AA's at one amp anyway , so it's easy for me to just leave the C9000 to start up at one amp (all on it's own) ... I then leave the batteries in the charger for two hours (and a bit) after the "DONE" signs come on ... Wonderful.
.

 

[brted]

He does a lot of good reviews of chargers, but I think he missed the boat on the C9000 review. That's why you can't base your decision on one review. You have to read through a lot of reviews to find the ones that seem to know what they are talking about and give you different perspectives. Some people really don't like the C9000. That's their opinion. I'm glad you like your new charger!

 

[apagogeas]

When we do a research for any product, we should read several reviews and never base our judgement on only one opinion. It is impossible for a product to satisfy all customers in all aspects therefore we just try to understand among all the reviews available the features or weaknesses we consider the most important to us. If 90% of people say something is good, then I surely believe it is way beyond than good even if there is one review signed by a name saying "super duper scientist" that believe otherwise.

 

[glasssplinter]

I've had both of the chargers (Maha and LaCrosse) and they are both equally tedious to operate I think. The LaCrosse was a nicer compact charger but the Maha certainly is a nice charger and he did miss that review. I use it heavily for both AA and AAA and the only bad thing I have to say is that it is big and you have to really press in the AAA's or they don't make contact. One nice feature of the Maha is that with a 5.5mm x 2.1mm plug, you can operate it from your vehicle without an inverter. I read the same review before I purchased it as well but figured there were WAY too many other positive reviews from other sources that it couldn't be that bad to operate.

 

[Replay13]

I also read that review. I just picked up my c9000 today, and I was supprized at how quick and easy it was to program... anyways that was a nice supprize. I'm doing a discharge on a set of 4 eneloops then I'll do a charge + the 2 hr top off. I'm hoping to get as much charge as I get with the cheap charger that came with my eneloops. But all the other features is one reason why I bought the c9000, I have a lot more fun testing to do. But the main reason is I wanted a cool new toy!

 

[jayflash]

I'm surprised I haven't read (or did I miss it?) that holding down the up & down buttons on the C9000 eliminates the need to keep pressing when choosing rates? I don't keep pressing the rate buttons because it's easier to hold down just once, until reaching the desired setting, and maybe the switches will last longer.

The BC-900 is good when you want all four cells getting the same treatment when it's not the default 1000mA charge, like the Maha. Both chargers have their advantages and I use both about equally. I'm glad I've got both, but if I were limited to only one, I'd choose the Maha for its versatility over the convenience of the LaCrosse's ability to group program.

 

[lwien]

I'm writing this to tell you that he's full of it. The C9000 is rather easy to use, and it's menus aren't complicated.

Is he stupid or biased?

It's hard enough to sort through the technical differences between these chargers without the waters being muddied over non-existent problems.

I feel better now.

Brian.

Well, Brian, I'm glad you feel better, but NLee is neither stupid or biased, nor has he stated non-existent problems. The FACT is, is that the C9000 IS more complicated to use than the LaCrosse BC-900/700 when the C9000 is taken out of it's default settings. With the LaCrosse chargers, you can make global settings for all of the batts. With the C9000, you have to make the changes for each bat. Now granted, this may not be an issue for you, but for some, it very well may be an issue. Just because he pointed out some issues with the C9000 that "could" be an issue for some does NOT make him "stupid" or "biased.

 

[blgentry]

I stand by my previous statements. That being said, I can understand that some interfaces work better for some people than others. Apparently you fall into NLee's camp and I don't.

He absolutely was misleading about the display on the C9000. I don't think anyone can dispute that. The other stuff is obviously perception. My perception is different than his and yours. I think the C9000 is pretty easy. NLee makes it seem like a button pushing nightmare that takes many minutes for four batteries. If you don't like the C9000, you're entitled to your opinion. I still stand by my opinion that the WAY he presents his view is misleading.

At the end of the day, both chargers are in the "best of the best" category and both perform pretty similarly. I hope you enjoy your LaCrosse.

Brian.

 

[march.brown]

I stand by my previous statements. That being said, I can understand that some interfaces work better for some people than others. Apparently you fall into NLee's camp and I don't.

He absolutely was misleading about the display on the C9000. I don't think anyone can dispute that. The other stuff is obviously perception. My perception is different than his and yours. I think the C9000 is pretty easy. NLee makes it seem like a button pushing nightmare that takes many minutes for four batteries. If you don't like the C9000, you're entitled to your opinion. I still stand by my opinion that the WAY he presents his view is misleading.

At the end of the day, both chargers are in the "best of the best" category and both perform pretty similarly. I hope you enjoy your LaCrosse.

Brian.

Personal choice Brian ! ... That review was just one mans personal point of view ... Maybe he doesn't like to press buttons and would prefer a simpler charger ... Maybe he uses a lot of AAA batteries.

I use a C9000 now , after having tried lots of other chargers ... I don't find the "button pushing" a problem or a chore mainly because I only use one amp for my AA Eneloop charge current ... I only have about a dozen AAA Eneloops and I don't need to charge them more than once or twice a year at the very most ... I like the display and all the facilities afforded by the C9000 and only wish that I had bought it much earlier than I did ...... I would have saved money that was wasted on cheaper chargers that are now passed onto my relatives along with non-Eneloop cells ... The C9000 does everything I need in a NiMh Charger ... If only there was a similarly priced charger for Li-Ions with those facilities.
.

 

[teacher]

I read the same review on the Maha C9000 that the OP references. It almost convinced me not to get it too.
However, NLee did say he liked it... just not the display & UI..... so I just got both the Maha C9000 & the LaCrosse BC-700.

I personally like the C9000 much better than the BC700.
I like the large bright display and have found it to be no problem or trouble at all to program.

In fact for me it is easier than the BC 700. I guess that just goes to show... "different strokes for different folks".

Both are good chargers, but my choice is the C9000 all the way.

My .02..... your mileage may vary.

 

[Zephrus]

Recently I spent a fairly long time researching which smart NiMH charger to buy and had settled on one of the big two: Maha C9000 or LaCrosse BC-700 or BC-900. I came across an Amazon review comparing the two chargers against each other by "NLee The Engineer". Here's the full review if you want to read it.

This one review *almost* soured me against the C9000 since he said the interface was so hard to use that he had stopped using it entirely. He cited having to push buttons "a ridiculous number of times" to get four batteries into the modes he wanted.

I'm writing this to tell you that he's full of it. The C9000 is rather easy to use, and it's menus aren't complicated. Yes, it's true, you do have to push 2, 3, maybe 8 buttons for each battery. But most of this is pressing the up or down arrow repeatedly to get to the value you want. Like taking the default charging value of 1000 mA down to 500 mA requires you to press the down arrow 5 times. You can do this in about 2 seconds.

Another big misleading point is about the display. He claims it takes 48 or more seconds to cycle through the display of all batteries and if you miss what you're looking for, you have to wait all over again. Is he stupid or biased? The "slot" key changes the display to the slot you want to see. Then it moves through each display item, taking a total of about 5 seconds to display all information for that slot. If you miss a value, wait for up to 5 seconds to see it again. It's not perfect, but it doesn't take very long either.

It irks me that his review *almost* led me away from this great charger, and I know it's influencing other people too. If you have any ability to use modern electronic devices and you actually understand how the modes on this charger work, you won't have any trouble, and you'll be able to set each battery up in maybe 6 -8 seconds maximum per battery. More like 2 - 3 seconds for typical operations.

It's hard enough to sort through the technical differences between these chargers without the waters being muddied over non-existent problems.

I feel better now.

Brian.

It's amazing how biased some reviews can be As with many Amazon (and other) reviews, perhaps there was something to gained? The one you linked to is, in my opinion, clearly biased against the C9000 which is a great charger ... probably one of the best overall NiMH chargers you can get. I loved the part (according to his review) about how the backlit display was only good for a "night light." Lol! Anybody here ever used LCD displays in low light without a backlight? It can be maddening :hairpull: I tend to prefer the C9000 over the La Crosse chargers, not that the La Crosse chargers are terrible. They're ok. They do the job well. Here's another review done by Mike Adams between the C9000 and BC900 which favors the C9000. IMO this review seems more accurate to me and more in accordance as to the reality of both chargers.

NiMH battery charger showdown: Maha Energy MH-C9000 WizardOne vs. La Crosse Technology BC-900 AlphaPower

 

[merryman1888]

I think NLee attitude was bias towards the BC-900/BC-1000, but he was stating a fact that it does take 48 key strokes to charge 4 AA at 2000mahs - though most wouldn't charge at that anyway. I think everyone is bias unless they are careful not to be. NLee didn't mention something that I think the C9000 is lacking, been able to do a quick battery status check. Which I don't think a battery charger should be without.

BC-1000 cons: There should be more separation of the bays.
It should terminate charge earlier like the C9000 or better yet more precisely by better indicators.

C9000 cons: There should be a quick battery status check after inserting battery.
It should have a default charge rate of 500mah.

I'm thinking of returning the C9000 for these cons.
Although, I wouldn't want the BC-1000 cons.

 

[Shadowww]

C9000 cons: There should be a quick battery status check after inserting battery.
It should have a default charge rate of 500mah.

Why? That's under 0.3C for AA's, which is too slow for proper -dV termination.

 

[Power Me Up]

C9000 cons: There should be a quick battery status check after inserting battery.

Can you explain exactly what you're wanting?

 

[apagogeas]

...
C9000 cons: There should be a quick battery status check after inserting battery.
It should have a default charge rate of 500mah.

I'm thinking of returning the C9000 for these cons.

Actually it does offer a battery status indicator most other chargers (if not all) do not have or don't give feedback of it. Check the IRC http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...e-(and-display)-cell-resistance-too&p=3969459 for more. If you mean the ability to find out how much charge is left, there isn't any real way to estimate that without discharging the battery. A quick test however could be to discharge briefly the battery and check the voltage under load. If it is above 1.15V, it is close to fully charged 80%-100%, if it is around 1.10V, it should be 10-40% charged but that really depends on the battery condition.

A default 500mA charge may be better for AAA compared to the default 1A, however there is no reason to suggest that 500mA charge rate is better than the 1A for AA as the other posts say too. In fact I find the 1A default charge better because it is closer to the 0.5C recommendation, therefore much reduced chances for missed terminations (I never had one with such charge rates) and also it is faster without any observable ill-effects to my batteries. It would be ideal if this charger could identify somehow the battery type (AA or AAA - although I don't know of any charger that can identify such a thing automatically) and set a default charge rate accordingly but I think the guys sensibly developed the idea that most users will charge AA anyway without risking missed terminations, thus avoiding charge rates such as 200mA that would work for both batteries AA & AAA but would be much more risky for missed terminations (especially with brand new batteries or well used ones that have that risk increased) and I would hate pressing many buttons to set it to a higher charge rate if it didn't had a default higher charge rate to protect from missed terminations. Even 500mA could be a risk for worn out batteries (0.25C). Luckily maha set a good rate for AA so no keypresses needed. Good luck with whatever you choose but I think you'll make a big mistake returning that charger to favor something else.

 

[march.brown]

Actually it does offer a battery status indicator most other chargers (if not all) do not have or don't give feedback of it. Check the IRC http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...e-(and-display)-cell-resistance-too&p=3969459 for more. If you mean the ability to find out how much charge is left, there isn't any real way to estimate that without discharging the battery. A quick test however could be to discharge briefly the battery and check the voltage under load. If it is above 1.15V, it is close to fully charged 80%-100%, if it is around 1.10V, it should be 10-40% charged but that really depends on the battery condition.

A default 500mA charge may be better for AAA compared to the default 1A, however there is no reason to suggest that 500mA charge rate is better than the 1A for AA as the other posts say too. In fact I find the 1A default charge better because it is closer to the 0.5C recommendation, therefore much reduced chances for missed terminations (I never had one with such charge rates) and also it is faster without any observable ill-effects to my batteries. It would be ideal if this charger could identify somehow the battery type (AA or AAA - although I don't know of any charger that can identify such a thing automatically) and set a default charge rate accordingly but I think the guys sensibly developed the idea that most users will charge AA anyway without risking missed terminations, thus avoiding charge rates such as 200mA that would work for both batteries AA & AAA but would be much more risky for missed terminations (especially with brand new batteries or well used ones that have that risk increased) and I would hate pressing many buttons to set it to a higher charge rate if it didn't had a default higher charge rate to protect from missed terminations. Even 500mA could be a risk for worn out batteries (0.25C). Luckily maha set a good rate for AA so no keypresses needed. Good luck with whatever you choose but I think you'll make a big mistake returning that charger to favor something else.

I only ever use 1000mA when charging my AA Eneloops ... I only ever use 500mA when charging my AAA Eneloops.

As such , the C9000 is perfect for all my NiMh cells ... I do have far more spare AA's than AAA's . so the only time that I have to press buttons is when I occasionally charge the AAA's.

I think the display on the C9000 is very good and the construction is very impressive ... It also runs very cool too.

I just wish that I had bought it a few years ago ... That would have saved me all the money that was spent on various cheaper chargers.
.

 

[uk_caver]

Why? That's under 0.3C for AA's, which is too slow for proper -dV termination.

I have chargers which run at 0.25C or less, and which seem to terminate pretty reliably - cells seem to have essentially as much in them as when charged at faster rates, and are not unduly warmed at the end of charge.