AAA batteries: which are better, technical characteristics, classification, instructions for use. Choosing the best AA and AAA batteries

Updated: 05/17/2018 11:37:05

Batteries still find their use in everyday life. They are used to operate remote controls for all kinds of household appliances. They are also needed for the remote controls that radio-controlled cars come with. And these are just two of the most striking examples! In a word, why not tell us on the pages of Expertology about the best batteries sold in Russian stores? We will talk about both alkaline and lithium options. Only salt batteries will be left out of our article; they are very outdated (and, to be honest, they are almost no different from each other).

Types of batteries

Modern batteries can be created using a variety of technologies. The capacity, voltage and many other parameters of the battery depend on this.

The cheapest are salt batteries- their invention happened in the middle of the 20th century. Such batteries are equipped with electrodes made of manganese and zinc oxide. Each electrode is located inside an electrolyte created from an ammonium chloride solution. The electrodes are connected to each other by a salt bridge. And if previously such batteries “leaked” after a couple of months, now the shelf life has increased to at least two years. The capacity of such products has also increased slightly (this applies to products under famous brands).

Around the middle of the last century, they were invented and alkaline (alkaline) batteries. Now they are the most common - this is facilitated by the low cost of their production, decent capacity, and long shelf life. The chemical system of such batteries uses the same electrodes made of manganese and zinc dioxide, but potassium hydroxide is used as the electrolyte. On the body of such batteries there is the inscription “Alkaline” - this is how an alkaline battery can be distinguished from a salt one.

We could talk separately about mercury and silver batteries, but it is almost impossible to find them in retail. We can say that such batteries are experimental. They go on sale extremely rarely due to the complexity of production and high cost. Yes, and there are some problems with disposal.

They are becoming more and more popular now lithium batteries. They contain a lithium cathode and an anode made of different materials. Between the cathode and anode there is a separator and a diaphragm, which are impregnated with an organic electrolyte. In short, the design turns out to be very complex, but it significantly increases the energy intensity of the battery. Also, a distinctive feature of a lithium battery is that the capacity is independent of the load current. The shelf life can reach 10-12 years. You can distinguish such a battery from an alkaline or salt one by the inscription “Lithium”.

Advantages and disadvantages of different types of batteries

Type	Advantages	Flaws
Salt	Very low cost.	Capacity drops significantly at low temperatures; Fast self-discharge; Severe voltage drop during discharge.
Alkaline (alkaline)	Increased capacity; Stored for up to 5 years; Good tightness; Low self-discharge rate; Can work at low temperatures.	Heavy weight; Quite a high price; Voltage reduction during discharge.
Lithium:	Very high capacity; Not afraid of high load current; Very long shelf life; Can work at high and low temperatures; Light weight.	Very high cost.

Here we will not talk about the shape of different batteries, since below we will only talk about the so-called “finger” and “little finger” products. We will also tell you about the best rechargeable batteries that are ideal for use, for example, in computer peripherals.

Rating of the best batteries

The best alkaline (alkaline) batteries

Duracell batteries are traditionally sold in packs of 2, 4, 8 and 12 pieces. What distinguishes them from other batteries of this kind is the presence of a charge indicator. The user only needs to place his fingers on special points, and a special strip will show whether the battery is capable of delivering energy. The product also has a long shelf life, which not every alkaline battery can boast of.

The manufacturer assures that his creation can work much longer than any other batteries - the packaging mentions 70%. In fact, this battery does last longer than a regular Duracell AA, but only by 7-14%. Independent tests have shown that when used in a compact camera, the charge runs out after 253 shots, which cannot be called an ideal result - some cheaper analogues are capable of the same “feats”. Also, not everything is in order with the safety of the product - if you create a short circuit, then after half an hour the case will begin to leak.

Perhaps, this product was included in our rating due to its widespread use. You can find Duracell Turbo Max batteries at any retail chain that sells consumer electronics. Moreover, they can often be purchased even in regular supermarkets.

Advantages

There is a charge indicator;

There are different packaging options (from 2 to 12 batteries);

The operating time cannot be called low;

Widespread;

Flaws

This series of batteries has been discontinued;

Fairly high cost;

Low level of short circuit protection;

Another alkaline battery with AA and AAA form factors. They can be supplied in different packages, but the most popular is the option with four batteries. The manufacturer writes that the product works 50% longer than analogs from competitors. In fact, the increase is not so great, unless you compare these batteries with batteries that cost four times less. But there’s no arguing about the long shelf life - most likely, Sony batteries will actually work even ten years after they were manufactured.

Tests have shown that the batteries are best suited for use in remote controls and other devices that are used only occasionally. If the device requires constant power (for example, a toy railroad or radio), then the charge can run out very quickly.

Unfortunately, these batteries are supplied to Russia in limited quantities. It is extremely rare to find them in retail chains. Nevertheless, batteries have earned their place in our ranking.

Advantages

Long shelf life;

Good protection against leaks;

Decent capacity;

Flaws

High price;

In Russia, batteries from Sony are almost not common.

The best lithium batteries

Perhaps one of the most durable batteries in our rating. The product has such low self-discharge that the battery can be used even 20 years after its release. This is explained by the use of lithium technology, all the advantages of which are described at the very beginning of this article. The battery also has high energy density, due to which the capacity is increased. However, it is recommended to use the product only in devices with high power consumption - only then will you notice a 3-4 times increase in battery life. If you insert these batteries into, say, a remote control, there will be practically no increase. The fact is that lithium batteries from Energizer do not tolerate short-term energy consumption - in this case, they almost completely stop saving energy, discharging even faster than their alkaline counterparts.

Unfortunately, these batteries are very expensive. For a pack of four they ask for about 400 rubles, and this is still a moderate price tag, which can not be found in every retail chain! In this regard, the conclusion suggests itself that the price per minute of operation of some digital camera will be very high. It makes sense to buy regular alkaline batteries instead, even if you change them much more often. The lithium option should suit only those who want to change batteries as rarely as possible. Tests have also shown that Energizer Ultimate batteries, even when almost completely discharged, maintain a stable voltage, which is also very important in some cases.

Advantages

Sold in many retail chains;

Stable voltage at any charge level;

Light weight;

They perform well in devices with high power consumption;

Flaws

The cost of each battery is more than 100 rubles;

Accelerated discharge in low power devices.

VARTA Professional Lithium

Some time ago, it was one of the most popular lithium batteries in our country. Only supermarkets did not sell such batteries. However, production of this series of batteries has now been discontinued, so finding them is becoming increasingly difficult. There is no need to be afraid of leftovers from warehouses, since the shelf life of the product is calculated for many years.

Independent tests have shown that in devices with constant and high power consumption, the batteries can last for more than three hours. Compared to alkaline analogues, the result is approximately 20 minutes better. In moderate mode, the batteries also perform very well, but the gain is no longer so noticeable - the cost of an hour of work is already becoming too high.

If we continue the comparison with alkaline batteries, we cannot fail to note the minimal weight of lithium batteries. This is important if you regularly hold any electrical device in your hands - for example, it could be a radio, flashlight or gamepad. VARTA Professional Tithium can work in absolutely any conditions - from wild frost to sweltering heat. These batteries are supplied in a blister containing two or four cells. As with other batteries discussed in this rating, VARTA batteries can come in different form factors.

Advantages

Decent duration of work in intensive mode;

Minimum weight;

Maximum protection against leaks;

The batteries last well even in moderate mode;

Flaws

Production discontinued;

High cost per hour for moderate use.

The best rechargeable batteries

If you are considering the option of purchasing rechargeable batteries, then the best choice will be GP products. Now these are one of the cheapest batteries with very decent quality. The product has a signature white-green-yellow color, and there are options with very different capacities. If we talk about the AA form factor (“finger-type” batteries), then the capacity of one such battery can reach 2700 mAh. The cost of batteries depends on this parameter. In particular, a pair of batteries with the above-mentioned capacity will cost approximately 500-600 rubles. This is very good for rechargeable cells that can last for many years. You can also find a set of batteries with a charger on sale, but such a set is noticeably more expensive.

GP branded products are partly made from post-consumer power sources. This indicates that the manufacturer cares about preserving nature. Most often, such batteries are purchased for use in gamepads, computer mice, flashlights and compact cameras - it is in these devices that they perform best. It should be noted that products under the above-mentioned brand are supplied in blisters of different capacities, and the number of form factors includes not only the popular AA and AAA. All GP batteries have one thing in common - nickel-nickel silver technology was used for their production.

Advantages

There are options with large capacity;

High prevalence throughout Russia;

Relatively low cost;

There are different blisters on sale;

Flaws

The capacity of some copies does not correspond to the declared one;

The service life cannot be called maximum.

The Japanese company Panasonic has been producing batteries for many years. Its products are of high quality and have a fairly long service life. And if traditional batteries from Panasonic were not included in our rating, then we could not help but mention Eneloop Pro. A blister of four such batteries is sold in our country for about 1,250 rubles. This cost may seem prohibitive. But for this money you get a product that can last, if not forever, then for many years. The batteries are made using nickel-nickel silver technology, but at the same time the manufacturer managed to significantly reduce self-discharge - you will have to insert the cells into the charger only a year after they have lain idle. Also, these batteries work in the cold without any problems, delivering the required voltage of 1.2 V.

These batteries are ideal for use in computer peripherals, photographic equipment and other electrical appliances. The Japanese claim that their creation can withstand 500 recharge cycles, and there is no point in not believing it. As for the capacity, it reaches 2500 mAh. In some cases, this parameter even exceeds the declared one, which is extremely atypical for rechargeable batteries. In a word, the experts of our online magazine believe that this is the best choice, albeit a very expensive one!

Advantages

High capacity, which may be higher than declared;

You can buy it in many retail chains;

Long service life;

Quite low self-discharge;

Reliable design;

Flaws

• High price.

Our rating would not be complete without Duracell rechargeable products. Such batteries do not have any record performance, but they can be bought in most Russian stores. Also, these batteries are actively advertised on television and on the Internet. So what are the benefits of Duracell Recharge Turbo batteries?

The manufacturer promises that his creations can withstand at least 400 recharge cycles - during this period, if the capacity is reduced, it will be in minimal quantities. It is also guaranteed that the batteries will reliably power the device even if they are purchased five years after manufacture. The product is designed to work in any gadget - both with high and low energy consumption. The capacity of each rechargeable battery is 2500 mAh, which is enough for absolutely any buyer. The manufacturer suggests that this capacity provides up to 25 hours of gamepad operation. In short, it’s difficult to say anything bad about these batteries. The only thing you can complain about is the price tag. For a pack of four Duracell Recharge Turbo AA batteries, sellers ask about 1,000 rubles.

Advantages

Different types of packaging;

High reliability;

Long service life;

Maintains voltage even with strong discharge;

Very high capacity;

Flaws

• The cost of each battery reaches 250 rubles.

Conclusion

This is a list of the best AA batteries among those sold in Russian retail. Now you know which batteries you should pay attention to when visiting the store. The batteries considered in this rating have quite decent capacity and a very long service life.

Attention! This rating is subjective, is not an advertisement and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before purchasing, consultation with a specialist is required.

Every time you buy batteries or accumulators, many questions arise:

• How are expensive batteries and accumulators better than cheap ones?
• How much more capacity do lithium batteries have than regular batteries?
• How much smaller is the capacity of salt batteries than alkaline batteries?
• Are batteries for digital devices different from regular batteries?
• Which of the batteries and accumulators that cost the same is better to buy?
• Which charger is best to use for charging batteries?

To get answers to these questions, Alexey Nadezhin tested all AA and AAA batteries and accumulators that he could get his hands on. As a result, 58 types of AA batteries and 35 types of AAA batteries, 44 AA batteries and 35 AAA batteries took part in the testing. A total of 255 batteries and 198 accumulators were tested. So, the sample turned out to be more than decent. We summarized these scattered studies, added some of our own experience with chargers and wrote this guide. If you are uncomfortable reading the detailed text, we have recorded a video retelling this article. However, the article is more detailed, reveals more details and contains links to recommended models.

Conclusions for the buyer on batteries (updated July 2018)

• Most alkaline batteries differ in capacity by only 15%;
• It is most profitable to buy batteries from brands Lexman And Pairdeer from the Leroy Merlin store. These will be the best AA or AAA batteries in terms of price/quality ratio, suitable for cameras, flashlights and any other application;
• In other stores, you can safely buy the cheapest alkaline batteries (they are also called alkaline), because you won’t notice much of a difference.
• From what is sold in supermarkets, the best choice is G.P. at an average price of about 17 rubles per battery;
• Lithium batteries are expensive, but they are light, capacious and can work in cold weather.
• It is not advisable to buy salt batteries. Even in devices with the lowest consumption, alkaline ones (Alkaline) will last much longer due to their long shelf life;
• The capacity of AAA batteries is almost three times less than AA.

Conclusions on batteries

• Batteries Ikea turn out to be the best. If Ikea is not in your city, a good option would be the legendary Panasonic Eneloop or Fujitsu with a claimed 2000 recharge cycles (a Panasonic brand store has appeared on Aliexpress, where 4 batteries can be bought for 900 rubles). In fact, all three brands are produced at the same plant and using the same technology. Therefore, it is worth buying those that are cheaper and those that are easier to get.
• The maximum real capacity for AA NiMh batteries is 2550 mAh, for AAA - 1060 mAh. All batteries that say 2600, 2700, 2800 mAh or more actually have a lower capacity.
• NiMh batteries, unlike batteries, almost do not reduce the amount of energy delivered at high discharge currents. Therefore, if you need a battery for a flash or for an RC model, it is better to use a battery.
• During a month of storage, conventional batteries lose 4-20% of their charge. The best performers are batteries with LSD technology (indicates low self-discharge - about 20% over several years) and batteries similar to them.
• New LSD batteries are usually 70% charged.

The best battery charger

Surprisingly, branded chargers from battery manufacturers are not always the best choice. And the point here is not only the price (although that too), but the fact that such “chargers” only charge the batteries, without worrying about keeping the battery in good shape and extending its service life.

We have tested different models of chargers, and we believe that the Liitokala lii - 500 charger is suitable for most battery users. This device allows you to simultaneously charge up to 4 batteries, independently determines the type of battery used and “works” individually with each of them. There are more advanced (and more expensive) models, including those with functions for training batteries and reviving dead “cans,” but if you initially use the right batteries, you don’t really need these functions.

Why should you believe this article?

This material is a brief extract from several studies by Alexey Nadezhin (see the grandiose testing of batteries and accumulators). These studies are so large-scale that we do not know of any other similar source in Russia or abroad. Plus, we took into account all the updates on batteries so that the article always remains relevant. And they added the results of their own large study on chargers. So yes, this article can be trusted. And yes, you can use it to choose good batteries.

Extensive testing of AA and AAA batteries

During the study, Alexey tested 255 batteries. Three main modes were used:

• Discharge with constant current 200 mA. This load is typical for electronic toys;
• Discharge in pulses of 1000 mA (10 seconds load, 10 seconds pause). This load is typical for digital devices;
• Discharge in pulses of 2500 mA (10 seconds load, 20 seconds pause). This load is typical for powerful digital devices - cameras, flashes.

The graph below clearly shows how different types of batteries behave:

The first five lines are how salt batteries behave. It is clearly noticeable how much smaller their capacity is. The last three lines are lithium batteries. They not only have a large capacity, but also discharge differently: the voltage on them does not decrease until almost the very end, and then drops sharply. This is especially pronounced with the GP Lithium battery. In addition, lithium batteries can work in cold weather.

Among the many similar alkaline batteries, two outsiders are clearly visible - Sony Platinum and Panasonic Alkaline and two leaders - Duracell Turbo Max and Ansmann X-Power. The remaining batteries differ in capacity by only 15%.

Thus, if you need constant high currents (camera flash, alarm key fob, radio-controlled model) and you work in winter, you should prefer lithium batteries. In all other cases, there is not much difference which battery you buy.

AA batteries

Now, as for the capacity at different discharge currents. In the first diagram, AA batteries are sorted by capacity at a discharge current of 200 mA:

The diagram clearly shows that different batteries behave differently when discharged with high and low currents. For example, Camelion Plus Alkaline provides more energy than Camelion Digi Alkaline at low current. But on the big one it’s the other way around. As a rule, batteries designed for high currents indicate that they are intended for digital devices. At the same time, there are many universal batteries that work perfectly with any current.

If you average the amount of energy that batteries produce at high and low currents and based on the results and the price of the batteries (in some cases the price is approximate), you get a chart of the cost per watt-hour for all AA batteries. Accordingly, the less the better.

As you can see, Auchan and Ikea batteries have the best price/quality ratio. In other cases, it is worth buying the cheapest alkaline batteries.

Update March 2018: at the moment, Ikea batteries have ceased to be leaders in terms of price/quality ratio. For more information, see the section on AAA batteries.

AAA batteries

All AAA batteries were discharged at a constant current of 200 mA. Some types of batteries passed the second test - discharge with a current of 1000 mA in the “constant resistance” mode (the current decreased as the discharge progressed). This mode is used to emulate the operation of batteries in a flashlight.

In AAA format, the Duracell Turbo Max was far from the best alkaline battery. Many cheap batteries (for example Ikea, Navigator, aro, FlexPower) had a larger capacity.

Battery update for 2018

In March of this year, a research update from Alexey was released. As has already been shown above, it makes no sense to buy expensive batteries, because in terms of price/capacity ratio they are practically not inferior (or even inferior) to their cheaper counterparts. Therefore, in a new study, Alexey focused on inexpensive options from Ikea, Auchan and Leroy Merlin stores.

As studies have shown at high (1A) and low currents (200 mA), the recent favorite, Ikea batteries, did not perform well, while Lexman and Pairdeer batteries turned out to be the best in terms of price/capacity ratio. And that’s exactly what we suggest buying.

Battery	Price per piece, rub.	Discharge 200 mA		Rank 1A
		mWh	mWh/rub	mWh	mWh/rub
Every day (Auchan)	11,47	1000	87	580	51
Trophy	12,38	1070	86	640	52
Pairdeer (Leroy Merlin)	12,8	1110	87	690	54
Lexman (Leroy Merlin)	12	1130	94	630	53
Auchan (yellow)	13,28	870	66	380	29
Ikea	15,9	980	62	540	34
Auchan	16,44	1100	67	630	38
G.P.	16,99	1060	62	530	31

Extensive testing of AA and AAA batteries

During this study, Alexey tested 198 batteries. Batteries with a capacity above 1500 mAh were charged with a current of 700-800 mA, batteries with a smaller capacity with a current of 500-600 mA. Accordingly, when discharging, batteries with a capacity above 1500 mAh were discharged with currents of 500 mA and 2500 mA, and batteries with a smaller capacity were discharged with currents of 200 mA and 1000 mA.

The first test is a capacity test, from which it follows that the maximum battery capacity is 2550 mAh, no matter what marketers write on the packaging.

For AAA format this figure is 1100 mAh. The most interesting thing is that more than half of all tested batteries are made using LSD technology (Low Self-Discharge - literally, low self-discharge). Therefore, these batteries are sold already charged. Moreover, according to Alexey’s later research, after 7 months of lying on the shelf, the Fujitsu 2550 LSD and Panasonic Eneloop Pro batteries and the updated Ikea Ladda behave best (interestingly, all three brands are, in fact, made at the same factory and Ikea Ladda is a complete copy of Eneloop Pro). Thus, during 7 months of “downtime” the batteries lost only about 10-15% of their capacity.

Now, regarding prices. Ikea Ladda 2450, which is an almost complete copy of the famous Panasonic Eneloop Pro, at the same time costs half as much (500 rubles for a pack of 4 AA “cans” versus 1000 rubles for similar Eneloop Pro. I specifically do not provide any graphs, because updated Ikea batteries Alexey I tested it after I wrote the main review. However, at the moment this is the most affordable and highest quality offer on the market.

If an Ikea store is not available in your city, then the Fujitsu 2550 LSD or Panasonic Eneloop are the best buys. Eneloop is usually expensive, but sometimes there are promotions where you can buy from at a good discount.

The best charger for AA, AAA and 18650 batteries

As mentioned at the very beginning of the article, branded chargers are not always the best choice. As a rule, they perform only one function - charging the battery. And they do it badly. The fact is that the manufacturer is not very interested in the battery serving you for a very long time and its capacity remaining in the declared area for just as long. After all, in this case you won’t be buying new “cans” for a long time.

A small example. Many branded chargers allow you to charge batteries only in pairs, without worrying about the individual condition of each battery. It is clear that such a pair will be charged to the capacity of the weakest battery. If one of them degrades, it turns out that the whole pair degrades. Therefore, the correct charging station charges each battery individually.

Another example: rarely does any branded charger allow you to choose the current with which the battery will be charged, while it is considered correct to charge the battery with a current equal to 0.3 of the battery capacity for NiMh and 0.1 for old NiCd batteries. Proper charging allows you to choose the amperage either automatically or at the request of the user.

And thirdly, correct charges allow you to discharge the battery to the correct lower value (which is not always possible for gadgets that use it), and then fully charge it. This is necessary to eliminate the memory effect of NiMH batteries. Plus, proper charging allows you to “train the battery” and restore corpses that have been discharged to zero.

After testing different types of chargers, we believe that Liitokala lii-500 is the best choice for the undemanding user. This charging station allows you to automatically detect the type of batteries and charge all 4 batteries individually. Plus, it knows how to properly discharge and charge them, if necessary.

Important note about the video: High charging currents should be set only for those batteries that can really be charged in this way. For example, Li-ion. In the case of NiMh brand Eneloop or Ikea, you should trust the automation. But in the case of AAA batteries of the old type NiCd, it is necessary to choose the lowest current.

This charging station has several disadvantages. For example, batteries must be inserted “upside down”, while the rest are more important for professional battery users (for example, the minimum current is only 300 mA, which is not very useful for average quality AAA batteries). However, all semi-professional models, with a lower charge current, including a training mode, are much more expensive. Therefore, Liitokala lii-500 can be safely recommended as a relatively inexpensive good charger for keeping your batteries in order.

If you have a lot of AAA batteries, you are better off buying Miboxer C4, which can charge them with a low current of 150 mA, but, alas, the device only has charge-discharge-charge and then only in one of the slots. However, even without a discharge, this is one of the most interesting models. Firstly, it is well made. Secondly, it has a large and informative screen. Thirdly, it is simply nicer made. You can learn more about it from the video published at the beginning of the article.

Epigraph: Not all batteries are equally useful...

A review for those who are tormented by the choice of Chinese batteries - does it make sense to buy them and, if so, where and which ones?

Summary table with basic data (sorted by actual capacity), the winners in the “cheapest capacity” category are highlighted in red:


More complete data can be viewed. There are also links to stores where these batteries were purchased.

UPD 03/13/2014: From a certain point, hobbying has cut through the discount feature and does not allow you to add more than 3 batteries. 4 or more - the price becomes normal.
Batteries with a capacity of 2400mAh are currently on sale for $1.59
When purchasing 8 pieces, the price including delivery is $20.21 or $2.53 per piece
The price for 1 Ah is still unrivaled - $1.05

Test heroes (at the time of writing):
AA

AA - Sanyo eneloop/Turnigy

1. Sanyo Eneloop- the very first LSD () batteries. Excellent quality and characteristics. The copies I have have been in service for more than 5 years, and have hardly deteriorated in their characteristics.
Disadvantage: very, no - SOOO many fakes. And those that are genuine are quite expensive. But they're worth it! An excellent choice for smothering the toad a bit.

2. Turnigy LSD- a brand seen on only one website - hobbyking.com. There is an opinion on the forums that these are actually “branded” (Japanese battery manufacturer)
No matter who is hiding under the bright blue-yellow skin, the fact remains that the batteries are excellent. The largest capacity among LSD batteries, low internal resistance, excellent price, no counterfeits.
Hobbying delivery is paid, so you need to take 8 or more pieces at once, adjusting the parcel according to weight.
Available for these batteries.

AA - BTY 2500 / BTY enesuper

Products of the notorious BTY company. But it turns out there are no rules without exceptions:

3. BTY 2500(right) - rare suck. Few people could resist buying a “battery for 15 rubles.” They are not even worth the pennies they ask for. Clumsily made, very light, weight and capacity vary greatly from specimen to specimen. They don't hold the load.

4. BTY Enesuper- surprisingly good batteries. The capacity is slightly overestimated, but not much. The shell is of high quality, glued evenly, well printed - no savings were made on this. Considering the low price, it's a good choice.

AA GP Recyko+ / Panasonic 2100

5. GP Recyko+- strange batteries. A colleague bought them, I wouldn’t take them. Judging by the reviews, there are a lot of fakes. The batteries are covered with a not very neatly printed film, the capacity fluctuates greatly. There are doubts that they are LSD. I don't recommend it.

6. Panasonic 2100. Purchased over 6 years ago. Regular, not LSD. They are still working, which confirms that Panasonic knows how to make batteries.

AA - Technoline 2700

7. TechnoLine 2700. Batteries from the LaCrosse BC-900 charger kit. Not LSD. Not bad batteries, the capacity has not dropped much over 1.5 years. Information provided by CrazyElf.

AAA

AAA - Sanyo Eneloop/Turnigy LSD

1. Sanyo Eneloop- the same as in the case of AA - excellent parameters, long service life, danger of buying a fake and high price.

2. Turnigy LSD- the same as in the case of AA. Excellent batteries, my choice.

AAA - BTY 1000 / BTY Enesuper

3. BTY 1000- a miracle did not happen. Sucks :(

4. BTY Enesuper- and here a miracle happened: the most profitable batteries in terms of capacity/price ratio. An ideal solution for remote controls, watches and more.

5. BTONE- a new name in the battery market. Pure-blooded Chinese, but not everything Chinese is bad. Excellent capacity, ideal printing - label in 4 colors, using metallization. Reviews on bourgeois forums and on the product page on DH are very good. Perhaps the best AAA LSD batteries for home storage. I can’t say anything about AA, but judging by the reviews, the quality is consistently high. No fakes have been spotted yet.

AA - SoShine 2700

SoShine 2700- Not LSD, capacity lower than declared, price high.

AA - SoShine 900

SoShine 900- not LSD, the capacity is only 59% of the declared one.

The range of battery-powered devices is constantly growing. However, if the device “eats” a lot of energy, constantly buying new batteries to replace the ones that are discharged and unusable will hit your pocket. Therefore it is better to purchase rechargeable batteries: Although they are more expensive, you can charge them instead of buying new ones.

How are rechargeable batteries different from regular batteries? All batteries are divided into two main types- primary and secondary. Usually the word “battery” means primary batteries, which are galvanic cells. An alkali most often acts as an electrolyte in them, therefore The common name for such batteries is alkaline(from English alcaline - alkali). They cannot be recharged.

Secondary batteries are rechargeable batteries that can be recharged.. They are more expensive than regular batteries and may have a lower capacity, but many people prefer to use them precisely because of the possibility of repeated use: it is easier to buy rechargeable batteries and a charger once than to run around the store looking for batteries at the most inopportune moment.

Both primary and secondary batteries can be of different sizes. The most common types of batteries are cylindrical AA batteries.(the common name is “finger”) and AAA(the common name is “little finger”). AA and AAA batteries can be either alkaline or rechargeable. Moreover, rechargeable batteries are additionally divided into different types within the same standard size.

The most common type of rechargeable battery is nickel metal hydride (NiMH). Nickel-metal hydride batteries come in both “finger” and “pinky” types. One of the main characteristics of such batteries is capacity (measured in milliampere hours - mAh). However, it is not always worth buying rechargeable batteries with a large capacity.

The fact is that NiMH batteries tend to self-discharge. This means that unused batteries gradually become discharged. Therefore, buying expensive high-capacity batteries for rarely used devices that also consume little energy is simply not justified.

It makes sense to use High capacity NiMH rechargeable batteries(from 1500 to 3000 mAh for AA batteries) in devices that consume a lot of energy for a short time and are used frequently. These are, for example, players and cameras. And for toys, walkie-talkies, hand-held flashlights, GPS navigators, etc. they are quite suitable low capacity rechargeable batteries(from 300 to 1000 mAh for AA batteries).

There are also NiMH batteries with low self-discharge, they are called LSD NiMH(LSD is short for low self-discharge, low self-discharge). Such rechargeable batteries retain their charge longer, have a longer life (withstand more charge-discharge cycles) and have a number of other advantages. Their main disadvantages are a slightly smaller capacity than conventional ones and a higher price.

It's also worth mentioning that NiMH batteries have a so-called “memory effect”(albeit to a lesser extent than their more imperfect predecessors - nickel-cadmium batteries). This means that if you charged an incompletely discharged battery, a loss of capacity may occur: the battery seemed to “remember” that the last time its capacity was not fully used, and when discharged, it will not release all the current, but only up to the “remembered limit”.

With modern NiMH batteries, the “memory effect” is minimized. This means that partially discharged batteries can only be charged if they have not been stored in this state for several days. If the battery was left in a partially discharged state, it must be completely discharged before charging.

A more advanced type of battery is considered lithium-ion. They have high energy density, low discharge, and are not subject to the “memory effect”. Unlike nickel-metal hydride batteries, it is not advisable to completely discharge them. However Due to the high cost of production, batteries of this type are practically not produced. Sometimes you can find Li-ion AA batteries on sale, but this is rather an exception.

To avoid confusing rechargeable batteries with regular alkaline batteries when purchasing, pay attention to the inscriptions: Batteries should say “Rechargeable”- rechargeable. Batteries with low self-discharge may also be labeled “Pre-charged”, which means they are already charged.

Good and bad AA and AAA batteries

Batteries in sizes AA and AAA are divided into three categories, “branded”, “Chinese” and LSD(low self-discharge). The first two categories can be combined into one called “junk”. You shouldn’t look at a big name like Duracell or Energizer and the numbers 3000Mah - these are all batteries, so to speak, of instant use. I charged it, immediately inserted it into the device, clicked it off (or flashed it), and inserted it back into the memory. These batteries self-discharge very quickly, even without load (up to 20% in the first day and up to 50% in the first week), they cannot deliver high current and die very quickly (a hundred charge-discharge cycles and into the trash), and the worst thing is that Batteries from the same box may have twice the characteristics.

LSD batteries have low self-discharge and high current output. They are more expensive, the numbers written on them are half as large as on samples from the first category, but these are honest numbers and more than 1000 charge-discharge cycles. LSD batteries are also good because they can be used in low-power or rarely used devices (watches, remote controls, flashlights, etc.) - self-discharge is only 10% per year. The best batteries of the second category are Eneloop batteries.

Interesting fact: chargers from SkyRC, which is known to produce the coolest chargers, have a separate program for charging Eneloop batteries. Essentially, this is the same program as for charging conventional NiMH batteries, but it involves charging a used O higher currents. The Eneloop 2100mAh battery will easily charge in an hour with a current of 2A, which will simply boil ordinary nickel batteries.

Chargers for AA/AAA batteries

They are divided into three categories: “branded”, “Chinese” and good. We combine the first two categories into one. Chargers from Durasel, Varta, Energizer, etc. - this is the same consumer goods as, only five times more expensive. Even four-channel ones can’t do anything except charge. What else do you need? Control. As I said above, bad batteries may have twice the characteristics out of the box. But even good ones (let me remind you, these are LSD batteries) have characteristics that begin to change after some time of use, for example, a year or two. Imagine that you put 4 batteries in a flash, about which you know only one thing for certain: they are fully charged. But the trouble is, three batteries have a nominal capacity, and you accidentally dropped the fourth one and its capacity was reduced by half. You put it in the flash, and it stops turning on after 20 shots. The end of batteries, you think and throw the entire set into the trash, although you could buy one battery and use the set for many more years.

So, good memory they can show how discharged each battery is, how much was “poured” into each when charging, count the capacity of each battery, and the best ones can even restore it. The best Among the inexpensive chargers today are (aka Zeepin) and (aka Colaier). I would venture to call chargers from the early 2000s, like La Crosse (aka Technoline) and MAHA Powerex, ideologically outdated.

There are more universal chargers. For example, SkyRC iMAX B6, original or copy (the copy is much worse in measurement accuracy, firmware capabilities and software operation). Its plus is the ability to charge anything and how you want, from charging the batteries of radio-controlled models to lead-acid car and lithium batteries for cameras and mobile phones. The downside is that excessive versatility greatly complicates the device, and in general, full use requires a basic understanding of the basics of electrical engineering, and you need to purchase additional wires with connectors and sockets for each battery size.

The king of chargers for batteries of all (actually all) sizes today is, which can charge batteries of types NiCd, Ni-MH, LiIon, LiFePO4, NiZn in banks of sizes C, D, AA, AAA, 18650, 14500, 16340, 32650, 14650, 17670, 10440, 18700, 18350, RCR123, AAAA, 18500, 18490, 25500, 13500, 13450, 16650, 22650, 17500, 10340, 17650, 10500, 2 6500, 12340, 12500, 12650, 14350, 14430, 16500, 17350, 20700, 21700, 22500, 32600, Sub-C. In addition, the MC3000 has a Bluetooth interface and can display battery status directly on your smartphone. The only negative is the price. On the other hand, two separate chargers for nickel and lithium cost almost as much.

My review of batteries and chargers

I used Varta, Duracell and GP and various China products for many years, and switched to Eneloop back in 2013, immediately after purchasing the LaCrosse charger to replace the defunct “cool four-channel” one from Duracell. With the help of La Crosse, I saw the mess that my “branded” batteries were after Duracelov’s charging - a range in capacity from 600 to 2200 mAh and a loss of 30% of charge during the first day.

The only batteries whose capacity matched the nominal value (surprisingly) and which held a charge normally were purchased at a sale in 2010 at the Gsyuasa Enitime household. After googling, I found out that they are manufactured according to the LSD standard and in some way are clones of the Sanyo Eneloop HR-3UTG. After googling some more I found that there are already HR-3UTGA and HR-3UTGB that hold a charge even better. In general, I had the money, so I switched to the latter, reasoning that the original is always better than the clone. Three years have passed - the flight is normal, the parameters have not changed. By the way, Gs Yuasa Enitime continue to serve (for the eighth year now) without complaints; out of 12 pieces, only one has lost capacity.

1. Out of competition in February of this year, Panasonic Eneloop - in the Panasonic brand store on Aliexpress.
2. Among the inexpensive ones, first of all, this is the green PKCELL. Holds two amperes, which, together with a small self-discharge, allows them to be classified as LSD.
3. Of course, “branded” manufacturers also have LSD batteries. For example, Varta Longlife Ready2Use, Duracell StayCharged or GP ReCyko+. But although they are prohibitively expensive (more expensive than the same eneloops), their characteristics are no better. The same applies to “simple”, non-LSD batteries - some green ones are no worse than Duracell 2650, which cost much more (three sets of Soshine and Duracell were purchased at the same time, lasted two years and were sent for recycling). In my opinion, Soshine and Duracell batteries are generally made at the same factory, they are so similar in characteristics.
4. Eneloop Pro are batteries with increased capacity. Like simple Eneloops, they can handle high currents and work normally in the cold, but they last 4 times less: 500 cycles versus 2100 for the Panasonic BK-3MCCE. And they self-discharge faster (-15% per year for Eneloop Pro versus -30% over 10 years for white Eneloop fourth generation).

And finally, a piece of advice. The main rule when switching to good batteries is to choose just one and buy several sets of them at once, since using batteries from different manufacturers (even though they have the same capacity) is ineffective due to different characteristics.
Let's say, all of them, when discharged from nominal to 0.9V (this is considered a full discharge), give out 2000 mAh, but some batteries discharge faster in the range of 1.2–1.1 V, and others in the range of 1.1–1.0 V. Or they heat up differently under load. When installing them in one set, due to different discharge curves, a situation may arise when one battery is discharged to zero and the remaining elements begin to charge it in the opposite direction, which will lead to instant failure of the battery. Today you have four 2000mAh batteries, and tomorrow you have only three.

In 2013, I bought the first smart charger La Crosse BC 700 and Sanyo batteries, then, for lithium batteries, a universal charger, I immediately felt the difference. Since then, I regularly test chargers and batteries from other manufacturers, constantly update my battery fleet and keep an eye on new products, so I can talk about batteries not just speculatively, but based on their use in the field.

Batteries and chargers from China, relevant for 2018

The article is already 4 years old, but I constantly update it, so the above remains true for 2017. I just want to add that the production of Sanyo batteries was bought by Matsushita and now the same batteries are sold under the Panasonic Eneloop and Fujitsu Eneloop brands. Exactly the same ones, they can even be safely used together with the old ones in one device.

Second point: Chinese universal chargers that I purchased in 2015 turned out to be very high quality, this is for $14.99, which can charge 3.7V/1.2V AA/AAA 18650/26650/16340/14500/10440/18500 batteries, and best in terms of price/quality ratio super-universal. In version 2.2 it is completely free from childhood diseases and is by far the best device. Sometimes found on sale under the Zeepin brand with the same markings. A big plus of the Opus 3100, in addition to the ability to charge lithium and nickel batteries simultaneously (a switch is provided for charging Li-FeO4 and other exotics 4.2V/4.35V/3.7V), is forced cooling during charging, which reduces the likelihood of overheating of the cans (and this miracle can charge them with currents of up to 2 amperes, which implies significant heating). The second plus is the ability to use this charger in a car with direct power from the on-board 12 volt network. Well, everything else is also at a high level - training, measuring internal resistance, charging with direct current for lithium and -ΔV for nickel batteries.

Liitokala is similar in functionality to Nitecore D4, since it cannot automatically train batteries, but it charges excellently and is cheaper.

A few words about chargers for 8 or more AA/AAA batteries

With few exceptions, 8-battery chargers are either one four-channel charger (two batteries per channel) or two separate four-channel chargers in one case.

For example, for $8 (like its noname brother called C808W for $7) it charges batteries in pairs (that is, it does not have 8 slots of 1.2 volts, but 4 dual slots of 2.4 volts). And, despite 8 slots, the charging current for AA batteries is only 200 mA, which is five times less than that of normal chargers. Thus, while TangsPower T - 808C charges two sets of batteries, Opus will have time to charge five sets. Another limitation: you cannot charge one battery, the minimum quantity is two. Moreover, if you want to use the batteries longer, they must be equally discharged. Otherwise, the one with more charge will be overcharged. This is rubbish, I mentioned it to demonstrate that more is not always better.

For $45 it can charge lithium! This, in fact, is all its advantages. From the intelligence it has - the name, and 8 separate channels of 650 mA each. There is not even a screen on it that will show you that the charger has correctly understood the type of battery. It costs as much as three Liitokala, but does not even have a small screen to show the voltage and amount of current poured in, not to mention a large screen, testing internal resistance, training batteries, etc.

And finally, the champion of eight-cell chargers, . Price $63, excellent informative screen, ability to charge Ni-MH 1.5V, LiFePO4 3.6V, Li-ion 4.2 V / 4.3 V / 4.35 V batteries of almost all sizes. Charge current is 1A for each slot, the ability to set the charging mode for each slot separately. And you can even use it as a Powerbank. Worth as much as two Opuses. But it cannot train and test batteries, since, first of all, this is a device for charging lithium batteries in the field (from the vehicle’s on-board network), to which the ability to charge nickel has been added as an option.

Accordingly, there is no positive effect from increasing the number of slots. In the first case, the device will charge the batteries in pairs (there is no talk of any intelligence of such a device), in the second and third it is more efficient and cheaper to buy two separate chargers. For example, as I had before: one only for nickel AA/AAA, with the ability to restore batteries (and train them once every six months), and the second without such an opportunity, but with support for lithium batteries. The advantages of this scheme:

• You can quickly charge eight NiMH batteries at the same time (the key word is “fast”, since the charge current in eight-cell charges is usually lower);
• if necessary, train them (in your free time, 4 at a time);
• charge lithium batteries with a second charger (lithium does not need training)
• saving money and the opportunity to buy one device first, and then buy a second one.