You may remember rechargeable batteries always running out of juice earlier than their alkaline counterparts. You may also remember that after several discharges and recharges, their capacity to hold a charge plummeted. In most cases you couldn’t top them up from halfway because they had a ‘memory’ and then refused to charge more than a certain amount. They also self discharged over a period of inactivity. So you threw them in the bin and went back to the good old fail-safe alkalines.
Thankfully, modern rechargeable batteries no longer behave like that. They come with much higher capacities and hold their charge for up to a year or more when in storage. The memory effect is a thing of the past. In fact, there’s never been a better time to start using them again. You’ll be helping help save the environment by not throwing batteries in the bin (which you’re not supposed to do by the way – recycle them). And more importantly for you, you’ll save a whole lot of money in the long term.
We’ve selected five sets of the best AA batteries from major manufacturers and put them through a series of simple tests using a high-drain radio-controlled car.
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How to choose the best rechargeable battery for you
What is NiMH?
All of the batteries featured here are of the nickel-metal hydride variety, or NiMH for short. These batteries cost only a few pounds more to buy than disposable alkalines and yet they’ll power most devices longer than alkalines. They’ll also do so more efficiently, because the voltage of a NiMH battery is maintained at 1.2 volts for much of its operating time. By comparison, alkaline batteries’ voltage tapers off as they’re being used. Lithium-ion batteries might be even better, but they’re not widely available in AA sizes, and NiMH batteries are considered safer than Lithium Ion batteries to boot.
Can I use rechargeable batteries in devices that use disposable alkaline batteries?
In the vast majority of cases, yes, although some experts have noted that some devices that require six or more batteries may not perform as well using NiMH batteries. The jury’s still out on that one.
What does mAh mean?
This is the measurement of a NiMH battery’s capacity and its ability to run a given load for a greater length of time. Basically, the higher the number on the battery, the bigger its capacity and ability to run longer. In other words, go for a battery capacity of 1,900mAh or more so you don’t need to recharge quite as often. You may not see the mAh figure on the box, so check the specs in the listing first. Incidentally, mAh stands for milliampere hour.
How did you test them?
We tested these batteries using a cheap children’s radio control car since these machines are renowned battery eaters. As expected, there were running time discrepancies between batteries of different miliampere hours (mAh), but all performed well enough to feature in this top five.
What’s the best charger to buy?
A rechargeable battery is as useless as a chocolate teapot without a charger. There’s a plethora of models out there (including a small pocket-sized model by Eneloop), but for the charging of AA and AAA batteries, the Duracell High Speed Expert and Energiser Recharge Pro are tough to beat. If you’re after a charger that tackles the five main sizes of battery (AA, AAA, C, D and 9V) then the Duracell Hi-Speed Multicharger is the model to go for.
Whatever charger you decide on, make sure it’s designed for NiMH batteries and never use it to charge lithium-ion batteries – this could end in disaster. Don’t worry if your NiMH batteries and charger feel warm to the touch while charging; it’s perfectly normal, though painfully hot might be another matter.
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The best rechargeables batteries you can buy
Panasonic Eneloop Pro: The best AA rechargeables
Price:£13 for 4x AA, £12 for 4x AAA | Buy now from Amazon
Google ‘best rechargeable battery’ and chances are Panasonic’s Eneloop range will top the bill. We called in a four-pack of black 2,550mAh Pro AAs and they were nearly fully charged straight out of the box (Eneloops are said to retain around 85% of their charge after a year in storage). However, we would always advise giving any rechargeable battery a boost before use, especially if you plan on using the device they’re powering out in the field.
Granted, these are the most expensive batteries on this page and you can only charge them around 500 times before they lose their mojo. But they seem to run forever and work brilliantly in extreme temperatures. The Eneloop Pro is the go-to battery for power-hungry devices such as digital cameras, radio-controlled toys, cordless landline phones and torches. If you don’t wish to spend as much, consider a lower-capacity model or the cheaper white-coloured standard version, which packs a 1,900mAh punch and can be recharged up to 2,100 times.
Key specs – Capacity: 2,500mAh; Charging cycles: 500
Energizer Recharge Power Plus: The best value AA rechargable batteries
Price:£6.60 for 4 x AA, £5.80 for 4 x AAA | Buy now from Amazon
This great-value AA battery has a charge capacity of 2,000mAh and can be recharged up to 1,000 times. What’s more, our four-pack arrived fully charged and are said to remain at near full capacity up to a year of storage.
Granted, they didn’t last quite as long as the Eneloops in our RC car test but then they are nearly half the price. However, when we discharged and recharged them a few times, they displayed the same level of charge as when they first came out of the packet, and that’s a good sign of a great battery. Special mention must also go to Energizer’s exceptional Recharge Pro charger, which comes with four AA batteries and retails at a very reasonable £15.
Key specs – Capacity: 2,000mAh; Charging cycles: 1,000
Duracell Hi-Speed Value Charger: The best AA rechargeable fast-charge kit
Price:£13 for charger plus 2 x AA, 2 x AA | Buy now from Amazon
Duracell is arguably the most popular of the alkaline battery brands and is certainly no slouch in the rechargeable battery arena. Its cheaper Plus range of NiMH batteries reviewed here have a miliampere hour rating of 1300 per battery and are available in five configurations: AA, AAA, C, D and 9V.
These batteries didn’t perform as well as the Eneloop Pro or Energizer Recharge Power Plus in our continuous RC car test but then they do have a much smaller charge capacity. They did arrive 100% fully charged, though, and will hold their charge for up to a year. However, you can only recharge them about 400 times. On their own, they’re not that great. We’d advise spending more to get a longer lasting 2500mAh Ultra set (around £8).
However, that changes if you go for Duracell’s Hi-Speed Value Charger kit. This includes two AA and two AAA batteries, with lights that turn green when the batteries are charged and power from a separate AC adapter. However, it’s the speed with which it charges that really impresses: just 45 minutes for four AAs. A fast charger like this tends to put more strain on a battery, reducing its lifespan a little in the process. But, hey, having to buy new rechargeables a little more often will still be far cheaper than constantly using disposable alkaline batteries.
Key specs – Capacity: 1,300mAh; Charging cycles: 500
Amazonbasics: The best combination of value and performance
Price: From £7.60 for 4 x AA, £5 for 8 x AAA | Buy now from Amazon
When it comes to buying batteries, most users prefer to stick with reliable, trusted brand names like Duracell and Energizer. So a plain-looking battery with the word Amazonbasics on it has got to be avoided like el plago, right? Wrong! Some unfound rumours have suggested that these Amazon-branded batteries – which arrive in an unprepossessing cardboard box – are made in the same factory as the Panasonic Eneloops. Whatever the truth, they’re an excellent choice even though they’re not necessarily the best value battery here.
The Amazonbasics AA batteries are available in three main capacity configurations: 750mAh, 1900mAh and 2400mAh. Amazon sent us the eight-pack, high-capacity 2400mAh AA version and we were impressed with how well they performed on test. In fact, the difference in running time between these and the Eneloops was negligible. They arrived 92% charged and Amazon claims that they’ll stay topped up for over a year.
Key specs - Capacity: 2400mAh; Charging cycles: 500
Varta Recharge Accu Endless: The best AA and AAA batteries for continual usage
Price:£12 for 4 x AA, £12 for 4 x AAA | Buy now from Amazon
Varta doesn’t enjoy quite the same level of brand kudos as Duracell and Energizer but this 1,900mAh battery functions well when used with devices that don’t require too much juice. You don’t quite get the capacity you do with the Eneloops or Energizers, but the Vartas have one advantage they don’t. The 1,900mAh AA batteries can be recharged up to 2,100 times, while retaining 60% of their charge after five years of storage. The 550mAh batteries go even further, with up to 3,400 recharge cycles.
The downside is that these batteries aren’t so widely available, while a packet of four AAs is comparatively expensive; it’s worth shopping around for the best price. They’re also available in several different capacity strengths so check the specs first before clicking the buy button.
Key specs - Capacity: 1,900mAh; Charging cycles: 2100
