3rd Party drill batteries, any good?

[Golaboots888]

Hello

The batteries from my blue bosch drill have died but the drill itself is fine.
Bosch batteries cost nearly as much as a new drill with batteries included.

There are companies offering compatible batteries for a much more reasonable cost, on ebay, amazon and their own websites. I was wondering if anyone knows if these are any good or not in general?

Bosch don't actually make battery cells as far as I know but do they perhaps buy better quality ones than I'm likely to find in a 2.4Ah £25 battery?

 

[Newboy]

The only caution seems to be that there are a lot of Chinese imitation batteries on the market - no guarantee on either safety or performance.

I share your frustration that I can buy a new tool with batteries, charger and case but two new batteries cost more than the original kit!

 

[big-all]

i bought 2 generic dewalt 18v 3ah nmh one capacity nearer 2-2.5 ah thats fine for £31 the other still mid several cycles returning perhaps 0.3 ah charges in 10 mins so not good will give it another 3 or 4 goes

 

[pukka]

I have had a few battery's recelled, used http://www.multicell.co.uk/

on one set they upgrade the battery's too

Paul

 

[muggles]

Compatible ones generally seem to work OK but are unlikely to have the same level of circuit protection as OEM batteries. They can get a bit fiery,..wouldn't leave one on charge unattended

 

[Belle427]

bought a couple of nimh batteries for a combi drill for the same reasons as you a few years back and they lasted around 12 months on hard site work, probably chinese as suggested looking at the prices.
I bit the bullet and got a new 3ah bosch battery a year later when the sds died.