The 10 Best AA Batteries

Panasonic Eneloop cells make the most sense in a home that burns through AAs in game controllers, toys and flashlights. Panasonic rates them for up to 2,100 recharges, and they hold most of their charge for years in a drawer, so a spare set is ready when a controller dies. They come charged from the factory in Japan. You need a separate charger, and their lower voltage can trip early low-power warnings in a few gadgets.

For a smoke alarm, a trail camera or a winter flashlight, Energizer Ultimate Lithium is the cell to stock. In Consumer Reports' runtime tests, it outlasted every other AA the group tried. It keeps working in deep cold, resists leaks, and Energizer says it holds power for up to 25 years on the shelf. It can't be recharged, and each cell costs several times as much as a basic alkaline, so it's wasted in a TV remote.

A sound default for remotes, clocks, toys and wireless keyboards, Duracell Coppertop is the alkaline most stores keep on the shelf. Duracell guarantees each cell for up to 12 years in storage, and the resealable pack keeps loose spares together. It has scored near the top of the alkaline field in independent runtime tests for years. It costs more per cell than store brands, and like any alkaline it can leak if left in a device too long.

Energizer backs Energizer MAX with a promise few makers offer: it says these cells won't leak and ruin your device for up to two years after they run flat. That matters in toys and remotes that sit forgotten in a closet. In a 2019 independent runtime test of dozens of brands, it narrowly led the alkalines. Like any alkaline, it fades fast in a busy camera flash, and its storage claims vary from one part of the box to another.

If you mostly feed remotes, wall clocks and kids' toys, Amazon Basics Alkaline cells cost far less per cell than the big names. The box holds four dozen, and the maker claims they won't leak for a decade on the shelf. In independent runtime tests they trail the name brands, though that gap barely matters in a clock that sips power. Skip them for cameras and flashlights you count on.

Photographers and anyone running a power-hungry flash or headlamp should look at Panasonic Eneloop Pro. These cells pack more energy into each charge, so a camera flash or headlamp keeps going longer between swaps. They still hold most of their charge after a year in a bag. The catch is lifespan: Panasonic rates them for about 500 recharges, so they're a poor buy for a TV remote, and the cells cost more up front.

A low-cost way into rechargeables, Amazon Basics High-Capacity cells suit game controllers and toys that get used every day. They arrive charged, and one hobbyist's capacity test on a flashlight forum found them close to their rating. Expect a few hundred charges from each cell. The trade-off is storage: they lose about half their charge over a year in a drawer, so top them up before a trip.

When you need rechargeables today, Energizer Recharge Universal is the set you can find in most drugstores and supermarkets. Energizer rates the cells for up to 1,000 charges and makes them partly from recycled material. They work well in wireless mice, toys and remotes. Their capacity is modest, so a busy flash drains them sooner, and reports on how well they hold a charge in storage are mixed.

Rayovac High Energy is a budget-minded alkaline for flashlights, wireless mice and toys. Rayovac says it runs as long as the leading name brand in most devices under the industry's standard tests, and it guarantees the cells for up to 12 years in storage. The 30-count tub keeps spares tidy. That runtime claim comes from Rayovac itself, and we found no recent independent test that backs it up.

Schools, offices and landlords buy Duracell Procell by the case for smoke alarms, door locks and sensors. It is Duracell's professional line, made in the U.S., and the bulk box keeps the cost of each cell low. The cells are rated for hot and cold storerooms and carry a long shelf life. An older version ran short in an independent runtime test, though Duracell has since changed the formula, and the box holds more than most homes need.