Batteries

Battery  type

Pros

Cons

Nickel Cadmium  (NiCd)
  • Inexpensive and widely available
  • High number of recharges before battery wears out
  • Fast recharges
  • Low charge capacity
  • Subject to memory-effect problems
  • Contains toxic cadmium
Nickel-metal hydride (NiMH)
  • Up to 40 percent more charge capacity than NiCd
  • Fewer memory-effect problems
  • Fewer recharges than NiCd
  • Battery discharges quickly when not in use
Lithium ion / Lithium polymer
  • Higher charge capacity than NiCd or NiMH
  • No memory-effect problems
  • Lithium polymer type comes in many shapes
  • More expensive than NiCd or NiMH