diff --git a/.darglint b/.darglint
deleted file mode 100644
index 209231ee..00000000
--- a/.darglint
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,10 +0,0 @@
-# -*- mode: ini -*-
-
-[darglint]
-docstring_style=google
-
-# DAR402: The docstring describes an exception not explicitly raised.
-#
-# Ignoring DAR402 because there are cases where public methods
-# document exceptions raised by underlying functions.
-ignore=DAR402
diff --git a/RELEASE_NOTES.md b/RELEASE_NOTES.md
index e42ff57f..3322bcbc 100644
--- a/RELEASE_NOTES.md
+++ b/RELEASE_NOTES.md
@@ -71,6 +71,8 @@
 
   Replaced by the new `merge()` function. When replacing `Merge` with `merge()` please keep in mind that this new function will raise a `ValueError` if no receivers are passed to it.
 
+  Please note that the old `Merge` class is still also available but it was renamed to `Merger` to avoid confusion with the new `merge()` function, but it is only present for typing reasons and should not be used directly.
+
 * `MergeNamed`
 
   This class was redundant, use either the new `merge()` function or `select()` instead.
diff --git a/docs/_scripts/macros.py b/docs/_scripts/macros.py
index ff87c718..ca54f6a4 100644
--- a/docs/_scripts/macros.py
+++ b/docs/_scripts/macros.py
@@ -77,7 +77,5 @@ def define_env(env: macros.MacrosPlugin) -> None:
     # https://squidfunk.github.io/mkdocs-material/reference/code-blocks/#adding-annotations
     env.variables["code_annotation_marker"] = _CODE_ANNOTATION_MARKER
 
-    # TODO(cookiecutter): Add any other macros, variables and filters here.
-
     # This hook needs to be done at the end of the `define_env` function.
     _hook_macros_plugin(env)
diff --git a/src/frequenz/channels/__init__.py b/src/frequenz/channels/__init__.py
index a4f17426..70f6a306 100644
--- a/src/frequenz/channels/__init__.py
+++ b/src/frequenz/channels/__init__.py
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@
 from ._anycast import Anycast
 from ._broadcast import Broadcast
 from ._exceptions import ChannelClosedError, ChannelError, Error
-from ._merge import merge
+from ._merge import Merger, merge
 from ._receiver import Receiver, ReceiverError, ReceiverStoppedError
 from ._select import (
     Selected,
@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@
     "ChannelClosedError",
     "ChannelError",
     "Error",
+    "Merger",
     "Receiver",
     "ReceiverError",
     "ReceiverStoppedError",
diff --git a/src/frequenz/channels/_merge.py b/src/frequenz/channels/_merge.py
index c78396d6..ff6f00c2 100644
--- a/src/frequenz/channels/_merge.py
+++ b/src/frequenz/channels/_merge.py
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 
 """Merge messages coming from channels into a single stream."""
 
+from __future__ import annotations
+
 import asyncio
 import itertools
 from collections import deque
@@ -13,7 +15,7 @@
 _T = TypeVar("_T")
 
 
-def merge(*receivers: Receiver[_T]) -> Receiver[_T]:
+def merge(*receivers: Receiver[_T]) -> Merger[_T]:
     """Merge messages coming from multiple receivers into a single stream.
 
     Example:
@@ -46,19 +48,19 @@ def merge(*receivers: Receiver[_T]) -> Receiver[_T]:
     if not receivers:
         raise ValueError("At least one receiver must be provided")
 
-    # This is just a small optimization to avoid creating a merge receiver when it is
-    # not really needed.
-    if len(receivers) == 1:
-        return receivers[0]
+    return Merger(*receivers, name="merge")
 
-    return _Merge(*receivers, name="merge")
 
+class Merger(Receiver[_T]):
+    """A receiver that merges messages coming from multiple receivers into a single stream.
 
-class _Merge(Receiver[_T]):
-    """A receiver that merges messages coming from multiple receivers into a single stream."""
+    Tip:
+        Please consider using the more idiomatic [`merge()`][frequenz.channels.merge]
+        function instead of creating a `Merger` instance directly.
+    """
 
     def __init__(self, *receivers: Receiver[_T], name: str | None) -> None:
-        """Create a `_Merge` instance.
+        """Create a `Merger` instance.
 
         Args:
             *receivers: The receivers to merge.
@@ -82,7 +84,7 @@ def __del__(self) -> None:
                 task.cancel()
 
     async def stop(self) -> None:
-        """Stop the `_Merge` instance and cleanup any pending tasks."""
+        """Stop the `Merger` instance and cleanup any pending tasks."""
         for task in self._pending:
             task.cancel()
         await asyncio.gather(*self._pending, return_exceptions=True)
diff --git a/src/frequenz/channels/timer.py b/src/frequenz/channels/timer.py
index 229a8d9c..f517fe8d 100644
--- a/src/frequenz/channels/timer.py
+++ b/src/frequenz/channels/timer.py
@@ -63,7 +63,6 @@ def calculate_next_tick_time(
             The next tick time (in microseconds) according to
                 `missed_tick_policy`.
         """
-        return 0  # dummy value to avoid darglint warnings
 
     def __repr__(self) -> str:
         """Return a string representation of the instance.
diff --git a/tests/test_merge.py b/tests/test_merge.py
index a96dbcec..f2bcf6aa 100644
--- a/tests/test_merge.py
+++ b/tests/test_merge.py
@@ -3,22 +3,12 @@
 
 """Tests for the merge implementation."""
 
-from unittest import mock
-
 import pytest
 
-from frequenz.channels import Receiver, merge
+from frequenz.channels import merge
 
 
 async def test_empty() -> None:
     """Ensure merge() raises an exception when no receivers are provided."""
     with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="At least one receiver must be provided"):
         merge()
-
-
-async def test_one() -> None:
-    """Ensure merge() returns the same receiver when only one is provided."""
-    receiver = mock.MagicMock(spec=Receiver[int])
-
-    merge_receiver: Receiver[int] = merge(receiver)
-    assert merge_receiver is receiver