Tests Show AA Batteries Are Mostly the Same
Filed under: Buyer Beware, House & Home
Tom Barlow
Are you a devotee of brand-name AA batteries to power your flotilla of portable devices? Then a new study by Dealnews could save you a great deal of money. It's conclusion: there's not much performance difference between the lesser-known and the recognized brands.
The site set up a test with the Worcester Polytechnic Institute to gauge the relative battery life span of brands including Duracell, Energizer, Rayovac and a generic brand. It found "no measurable difference" in energy output among all except the Energizer Advanced Lithium battery.
The generic tested as highly as the Duracell Ultra Advanced, the Energizer Max, the Duracell Coppertop, and the Rayovac, measured for initial voltage and energy loss over 19 hours of use.The Energizer Advanced Lithium was the only battery that exceeded the results of the pack, outlasting the 19-hour test cycle with no loss in voltage.
However, when price was factored in, the high price of the Energizer Advanced Lithium ($1.75) more than offset the difference between it and the generic ($0.53), as well as the other name brands.
For the full report by Mitch Lipka, see Dealnews.
Are you a devotee of brand-name AA batteries to power your flotilla of portable devices? Then a new study by Dealnews could save you a great deal of money. It's conclusion: there's not much performance difference between the lesser-known and the recognized brands.The site set up a test with the Worcester Polytechnic Institute to gauge the relative battery life span of brands including Duracell, Energizer, Rayovac and a generic brand. It found "no measurable difference" in energy output among all except the Energizer Advanced Lithium battery.
The generic tested as highly as the Duracell Ultra Advanced, the Energizer Max, the Duracell Coppertop, and the Rayovac, measured for initial voltage and energy loss over 19 hours of use.
However, when price was factored in, the high price of the Energizer Advanced Lithium ($1.75) more than offset the difference between it and the generic ($0.53), as well as the other name brands.
For the full report by Mitch Lipka, see Dealnews.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
4-01-2011 @ 11:19AM
Traciatim said...
People still buy non-rechargeable batteries? With NiMH, Low Discharge NiMH, and NiZN, and even rechargeable alkaline there is really no need for one time use garbage.
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4-01-2011 @ 11:34AM
Traciatim said...
Another note, I wish they would do tests with real world devices. Things like put the batteries in a wii remote hooked up toa PC and detect when signals stop coming through. Do the same wit ha TV remote, a remote control car or some other variable use kids toy, and a digital camera. Do the same test with each type of battery and see which ones re best. Any battery tests fairly well if you just hook it up to some kind of small constant load and let it run.
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