In this letter, larger-scale and small-size SnO2 nanoparticles were synthesized by a facile hydrothermal method using SnCl4 center dot 5H(2)O and deionized (DI) water. The diameter of as-produced SnO2 nanoparticles was about 6 nm. As anode materials for lithium ion batteries, the initial reversible deintercalation capacity of SnO2 nanoparticles electrodes reached 1283 mA hg(-1). The electrodes revealed a capacity of 760 mA h g(-1) (close to its theoretical value of 782 mA h g(-1)) up to 40 cycles exhibiting high lithium storage capacity and Coulomb efficiency.