STIHL AL 501 Fast Battery Charger

Suitable for both professional AND domestic use, the STIHL AL 501 Fast Battery Charger can be used with STIHL’s AP and AK System batteries. Boasting a sleek, contemporary design, it supersedes the company’s AL 500 model and is STIHL’s quickest charger for lithium-ion batteries.

One of the key selling points of the AL 501 is that it is the first STIHL battery charger to use situational charging via the STIHL Connected App.

Situational Charging Through the STIHL Connected App

Situational charging allows you to adjust, and so optimise, the way your batteries are charged, depending on how urgently you require them.

To do this, the AL 501 Fast Battery Charger can charge your STIHL batteries, through the STIHL Connected App, at three different speeds: gentle, normal and rapid.

Gentle is the best option if you don’t need to use your STIHL battery-powered tool immediately and are happy to leave the battery on charge overnight. The benefit of this gentle setting is that it will improve the battery’s health and reduce the load on the electrical circuit.

While the normal default setting charges your battery much faster than other STIHL fast battery chargers, it doesn’t use a large amount of electricity, making it the sensible option if you want your battery charging quickly, but it isn’t time critical.

(Please be advised that if you are not using the STIHL Connected App, your battery will automatically be charged at the normal setting.)

Rapid charge is where the STIHL AL 501 Fast Battery Charger really comes into its own. This is the setting to choose if you want your STIHL battery charging without delay. Rapid charge is so efficient that you can get some batteries charged while you’re having lunch, allowing you to use your STIHL battery-powered tool as soon as you’re back at work.

Different Situational Charging Times

Here’s an example of how the STIHL AL 501 Fast Battery Charger uses its smart situational charging feature to adjust charging times:

If you use the app to select the gentle function, you can fully charge a STIHL AP 200 S battery in 80 minutes.

Choose the normal (default) setting and the process will take 45 minutes.

However, if you use the AL 501’s rapid charging feature, your STIHL AP 200 S battery will be fully charged in only 37 minutes. Wow!

It’s a similar situation with AP 300 S batteries, where charge times will vary between 70 minutes on the gentle setting and 45 minutes on the normal/ rapid options.

Which Batteries Are Compatible with Situational Charging?

At present, STIHL AP 200 S (4850 400 6565) and AP 300 S (4850 400 6585) batteries are compatible with the STIHL Connected App, allowing you to benefit from situational charging immediately.

This will be extended to other STIHL AP batteries in the second half of 2025.

Comparing the AL 501 to STIHL’s Other Fast Battery Chargers

As mentioned above, the AL 501 Fast Battery Charger is designed to replace STIHL’s AL 500 model. While the AL 501 is the first to offer situational charging, both models are comparable in terms of charging times. (In fact, due to the need to comply with new functional safety requirements on charging breaks, the 501 has a slightly longer charging time for backpack batteries.)

Therefore, to properly appreciate the STIHL AL 501’s charging speed, it’s worthwhile comparing it to the company’s hugely popular AL 301 Fast Battery Charger.

The AL 301 takes 330 minutes to charge an AR 3000 L Backpack Battery to 80% and 430 minutes to charge it to 100%. Compare this to the AL 501, which can do the same jobs in just 180 minutes and 230 minutes respectively.

And when used to charge an AP 200 Battery, the AL 301 takes 40 minutes to charge it to 80% and 55 minutes to complete a full charge. By contrast, the leading-edge AL 501 Battery Charger can complete the same tasks in only 25 and 35 minutes.

The AL 501’s vastly superior performance is evident when charging all of STIHL’s AP and AR batteries.

Further Details

The STIHL AL 501 Fast Battery Charger has a charging current (A) of 12, rated current (A) of 2.6, and voltage of 230. It can be mounted on a wall and includes both an LED operating mode indicator and active battery cooling.

STIHL battery charge times (mins. 80/100%)