Best value AA batteries

[GHA]

Eneloop and nitecore charger. IKEA rechargeables seem to get good reviews as well.

 

[Robin]

Anything bar duracell leakers that have wrecked too many of my items from cameras to torches. I find Amazon, Asda and other cheapos quite adequate, not had one leaky wreck since ditching Duracell.

 

[JumbleDuck]

They did exactly this a couple of months ago - unless it was a very old copy of Which I saw recently. I though they were being a bit thick really, couldn't understand their logic.

The copy I saw was probably about five years old - it was in my old man's house when I was clearing it. The next issue contained a not-at-all convincing explanation of their reasoning. I would have understood having "Best Buy (highest capacity)" and "Best Buy (value for money)" categories. Maybe they do now.

 

[Ian_Edwards]

I've changed all my torches and other electronic gadgets over to Li, available with various levels of energy storage.
Expensive to begin with, but I think it's the way to go, I just plug them into a USB Li battery charger, and refit when charged.
No more messing about ordering new AA's and having to dispose of old ones in an environmentally friendly manner.

 

[penberth3]

The copy I saw was probably about five years old - it was in my old man's house when I was clearing it. The next issue contained a not-at-all convincing explanation of their reasoning. I would have understood having "Best Buy (highest capacity)" and "Best Buy (value for money)" categories. Maybe they do now.

Thanks - I must have read the same two copies. Strange coincidence though - I haven't been in a Dentist's waiting room! Agree absolutely, if they're not comparing pence per Ah the "Best Buy" thing means nothing.

 

[alan_d]

I've been happy with Kodak brand from Poundland - 5 for a £1

I bought a pack of "10 +1 free" Kodak AA batteries labelled "Heavy Duty" from a pound shop and they were pathetic. Reading the small print, they were also labelled "Zinc Chloride" and " ... intended for low power products." They didn't even last long in my quartz clock.

 

[lustyd]

if they're not comparing pence per Ah the "Best Buy" thing means nothing.

Not all cost is in pence. Obviously it’s cheaper to screw the environment and use a thousand low capacity batteries. At some point you have to act responsibly though. I agree they should have explained their thinking but I utterly hate the idea of a 500 pack of AA batteries!

 

[penberth3]

I bought a pack of "10 +1 free" Kodak AA batteries labelled "Heavy Duty" from a pound shop and they were pathetic. Reading the small print, they were also labelled "Zinc Chloride" and " ... intended for low power products." They didn't even last long in my quartz clock.

You should have bought the Alkaline batteries - that's what I get.

 

[savageseadog]

Readycell alkaline £1 for six from Home Bargains

 

[penberth3]

Readycell alkaline £1 for six from Home Bargains

Have you tried them? Are they any good?

 

[savageseadog]

Have you tried them? Are they any good?

I've used hundreds of them. They seem on a par with the major brands in terms of charge delivered.

 

[penberth3]

I've used hundreds of them. They seem on a par with the major brands in terms of charge delivered.

Thanks, I might try some.

 

[savageseadog]

Thanks, I might try some.

Not exactly the most earth shattering investment at a £1 to try a few.

 

[penberth3]

Not exactly the most earth shattering investment at a £1 to try a few.

Yes, and less hassle than a long trip to Ikea.

 

[coaster63]

are we heading for. AA. shortages ,for those that may not have seen the furture of German engineering , Mercedes AA class ,enjoy!

https://flic.kr/p/2ken6P5

 

[GHA]

I've used hundreds of them. They seem on a par with the major brands in terms of charge delivered.

Could have saved loads by getting rechargeables then...

 

[JumbleDuck]

Could have saved loads by getting rechargeables then...

I tried going rechargeable a few years back. Perhaps it was my fault for getting the batteries at Lidl, but I found an attrition rate of about 20% per recharge - ie every time I tried to recharge 5 batteries, one would have died.

 

[bedouin]

Can anyone recommend any rechargeables that actually work?

I went through a phase several years ago of trying to run with rechargeables but found many cases where they didn't work well (maybe 1.2V vs 1.5V) and when you can get alkaline batteries at 20p each they aren't really cost effective either

But I would like to try again - if I could find a style that would deliver high current at 1.5V

 

[savageseadog]

Could have saved loads by getting rechargeables then...

Alkalines normally stay active for a long time, rechargeables can self discharge making them useless for safety equipment

 

[lustyd]

Can anyone recommend any rechargeables that actually work?

Most modern ones work. I assume JD bought old style ones. As I said much further up the thread the modern Duracell ones do exactly what you'd expect them to do. Same capacity as a normal battery but rechargeable. They recharge in 30-45 minutes and don't discharge until you actually use them. They deal well with cold weather and don't cost considerably more than normal Duracell batteries. If you buy them "out of date" at a supermarket they are actually cheaper than normal batteries and obviously still work fine.
There are plenty of high capacity modern rechargeables out there, many of which are better than my Duracells. Don't get the extremely fast charger, it detects errors at the drop of a hat and refuses to charge. The normal speed one that plugs in still charges fast but doesn't error as often.

For the record I use them in everything from remote controls, bathroom scales (wifi), handheld GPS and DSLR cameras and they respond the same as normal cells in all of those situations.