Watson double charger (1 of 6)

I’ve used a few dual charger options in past but the Watson Duo is the first one I’ve picked up with an LCD screen. Supposedly this model has a higher current output (max 2 amps) and better regulation controls than other generic charges on the market. It’s hard to come up with a test method that actually proves these claims so all I have to go on is the nameplate data.

Watson double charger (3 of 6)

The Watson Duo charger doesn’t come with much in the box. You get the charger, a power cord, and a car adapter. The manual basically says “it’s a charger” and that’s about it. Seems a little overpriced for what you get.

Watson double charger (6 of 6)

This particular charger is for Canon BP-900 series batteries, but the plates on the Watson Duo charger are interchangeable. Infact you can buy plates to fit pretty much any battery currently on the market for $1.99 a peace on B&H which is a nice feature. Carry around a single charger with 4 extra plates and you have something that can take care of all of all the batteries in your bag.

Watson double charger (5 of 6)

When I say the Watson Duo charger is over priced, it’s because there are 2 other brands of dual chargers available on the market that look almost identical for less than the $79 Watson charges. First you have the Pearstone Duo charger for $59 and second you have the PhotoPro Dual charger for $49. Both of these competing chargers appear to be the same exact charger with the only difference being the stenciled name on the front of the unit.

The battery adapter plates for all three of these brands appear to be the same so there isn’t much issue there. Some might have green backlights on the screen and others white, but that differences are mostly superficial.  While the Watson and Photopro stay at around $79 and $49 respectively for every compatible battery type, the Pearstone duo has drastic price changes depending on the type of battery plate you use.

Watson double charger (4 of 6)

I’ve read more negative reviews about the PhotoPro Dual charger then either of the other two brands. Maybe PhotoPro sells the units that don’t make it through QA testing, while Pearstone and Watson sell the “A” grade models.

I’m still waiting on a few adapter plates to show up, but so far the Watson Duo charger seems to work fine on the Canon BP-900 series batteries and the USB port charges my tablet without a problem. Once the adapter plates show up, i’ll give it a test on the large sony batteries used in my LED lights and monitors and see how it works out.

Tags: , ,

13 Comments
Batteries, Random News, Review, Updates