Power Up For The Holidays With Duracell {Instant Charger, Mini Charger & Duralock Batteries Review}

It feels like a testament to how many things in our house run on batteries (and how often they are forever needing changing) when my girls say things like Oh, looks like that plant needs new batteries! when they see a flower drooped over or Mama, do we need to change your batteries? if I yawn too many times in a row.

Considering it only takes one glance around our house to find a long list of toys, electronics, gadgets and more that are powered by batteries of all shapes and sizes, oftentimes I don't blame them for thinking that the rest of the world is run by these small, magic cylinders as well.

However, my chuckling at their childlike innocence only goes so far... because the hassle of picking up a remote control, camera, toy car or my cell phone and finding that it doesn't work yet again often has me gritting my teeth. I want devices big and small to work when I turn them on, is that too much to ask?

Fortunately, Duracell has eliminated much of the chore of replacing batteries or finding yourself without power with their Duracell Instant Charger, batteries featuring Duracell Duralock with Power Preserve Technology, and their Duracell Mini Charger.

I have no doubt that this holiday season there will be an innumerable amount of toys, gadgets and devices given as gifts. But... how happy will your recipient be if they don't have the perfect stocking stuffer from Duracell to go along with them? We've all heard it: don't forget the batteries!

I was smitten with the Duracell Instant Charger just from having read the description. This handy power solution can instantly charge many USB-powered devices such as iPods, iPhones and Blackberrys anytime and anywhere. No outlet required!

Simply plug the Instant Charger into your computer's USB port...

...and wait for the indicator light to show that it is fully charged (the light turns green). Disconnect it from your computer and connect a USB cable compatible with your device to the USB Power Port — no need to purchase new cords or worry that this only works with gadgets that have mini- or micro-USB, just use your usual cable.

Flip the power switch to ON (I appreciate that Duracell included the ON/OFF capability so that the Instant Charger can hold its power for as long as possible) and the LED status light right on top lets you know that your device is charging (and turns red when the power runs out).

How many times have you wanted to make a call while you were out and you looked at your phone, only to see the battery icon empty? Or have wanted to listen to music or watch a movie on your iPod touch while traveling but the battery won't last through the flight?

Considering that the Duracell Instant Charger is as light as a feather and similar in size to a credit card, there is just no reason to not have one of these in your bag, in your car, on your desk and more. Even better, compared to the high prices of the bulky extra batteries and chargers that you might otherwise consider for your handheld device, this charger retails for under $30! It is currently on Amazon.com for only $21.22!

While I don't have plans to use this as a daily charger, I am thrilled to have the Duracell Instant Charger with me to be able to power up on the run and grab the extra juice that I need without problem. I only have to plug it right into my phone and let it charge away!

For times that I need power to our more traditional gadgets, I can rest assured that the new Duracell Duralock with Power Preserve Technology batteries will always be ready to provide a charge.

Available in a wide variety of sizes, Duracell batteries with Duralock Power Preserve Technology are guaranteed to stay powered for up to 10 years in storage. No more reaching into a drawer and pulling out a new battery that already doesn't work when the Duralock guarantee gives you the comfort of knowing that the Duracell batteries sitting in your drawer will still work when they are needed most.

While the Duracell batteries with Duralock Power Preserve Technology have been great in many of our toys and devices, we also love to utilize the power and convenience of rechargeable batteries whenever possible. Why not save money on batteries in the long run when you can?

Although we have other battery chargers in our house, the Duracell Mini Charger is a compact, easily portable, convenient little charger that can go just about anywhere. With the ability to charge two AA or AAA rechargeable batteries at a time (including those from other brands), I love being able to just pull this out, flip up the top and stick the batteries right in.

With the handy foldable wall plug on the back and the overall size not much larger than a computer mouse, the Mini Charger can be easily stored in a drawer or stashed in a bag for traveling. Available in multiple colors, this functional little device is currently priced for only $7.51 on Amazon.com, so there's no reason to not include it the next time you're giving a battery-operated toy as a gift!

This holiday and vacation season and beyond, your new gadget or toy won't be the perfect gift without the power to actually use it. Be sure to head over to Duracell.com (and connect with them on Facebook and Twitter) to find out the best ways to stay connected to the things that matter most with the stocking stuffers that are sure to please.

(Other than the aforementioned products that I received from Duracell to facilitate my review, I was not provided with anything or enticed to do this review in any way. This review is solely my honest opinion of these items.)