Are Sanyo Eneloops better than GP Recyco as they are twice the price ?

[march.brown]

.
Having previously asked a similar question, I'm still trying to decide which low self-discharge NiMh AAA batteries to buy ... I like the idea that you can leave them for a year or so and still have 80% or more capacity left ... I would prefer not to buy Lithium primary cells as they are more expensive than the NiMh ones, though I realise that they have a very long shelf life of several years ... My idea is to recharge the (possibly only slightly used) NiMh cells once a year, perhaps just before Winter.

I have some Eneloops and some Hybrios and have heard that the GP Recycos had good reviews from "Which" magazine.

It seems that the newer Hybrios are not as good as the old ones, so I am looking for a good alternative ... Eneloops are twice the price of the GP Recycos but are they that much better ? ... Do Eneloops hold their charge better than the GPs ? ... Are there any others to consider that are available easily in the UK ? ... The GP Recycos are under £8 for 8 cells whereas the Eneloops are £15 ... As a matter of interest, which are the best low self-discharge AAAs irrespective of price ?

Many Thanks for your help.
.

 

[amigafan2003]

Eneloops are twice the price of the GP Recycos but are they that much better ?

yes.

... Do Eneloops hold their charge better than the GPs ? ...

Yes

Are there any others to consider that are available easily in the UK ?

Not really - Rayovac Hybrid 4.0's are probably the next best non-eneloop based cell but they are hard to come by in the UK. Sony Cycle Energy cells are a good alternative but seem more expensive in the UK than Enelopps - £10 for 4 where as Eneloops are normally £8 for 4.

Eneloops are better than any other LSD battery out there.

Are they worth twice the price? They are to me. Whether they are to you is only a question you can answer.

Like computers and cars, paying twice as much might only net you 10% performance improvement - but to some people that 10% is important.

 

[Niconical]

The Eneloops are better than the Reckyo (I have many of both), just like the Eneloops are better than any of the other LSD batteries.
That isn't likely to change any time soon either.

However, the Recyko, like some others, are a close second and will be very good choice for you. It's all about availability. In the UK GP is an easily available brand, prices are lower. For me ordering from USA, UK or anywhere else it doesn't make much difference, but if I had to move to the UK and was forced to leave behind all my batteries, after I had stopped crying I would have no problem stocking up with all Recyko. I'd get a few Eneloops too of course, variety is good, but the Recyko are perfectly fine for all of my (and yours most likely) uses, flashlights, remotes, toys, whatever.

 

[march.brown]

Decision made.

Just bought eight AAA GP Recycos for £7-78 from UK seller.

Many Thanks for your help.

 

[herulach]

Doh,
Go to your local sainsbury's. Sony Cycle Energy 4XAAA £3.09, 4xAA £3.06. I've got about 30 unopened packs upstairs (don't tell the mrs)

 

[LeifUK]

As I think I've told you before, Eneloop are not twice the price. About £6.60 for 4 AA from 7 Day Shop. Same price as Panasonic Infinium. And that includes shipping. Mine arrived yesterday. I couldn't find any GP Recyklo AA at the price you say on ebay.

People on this forum continually state that Eneloop are the best. Has anyone actually done side by side testing against other good makes, not just the crap ones?

 

[snakebite]

if you watch for deals the retail price is irrelevant.
most of my eneloops are duraloops and cycleenergy rebrands.
and all bought on sale.some at $5 for 4.

 

[wari]

Last I heard Sony Cycle Energy blue cells where the best around,
they use Sanyo eneloop technology (says so on the cell itself) but Sony is manufactured in one of the newer eneloop factories

does that make any sense?

 

[Egsise]

Good:
AA, Sanyo Eneloop.
AAA, Sony Cycle Energy Blue made in China, which might be ROV Hybrids, Sony does not have their own factory.

Bad:
AA: GP ReCyko+.
AAA: Sanyo Eneloop.

Those are my opinions based on how they perform in different temperatures.(check my sig)

 

[amigafan2003]

Has anyone actually done side by side testing against other good makes, not just the crap ones?

Yes.

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/search.php

 

[LeifUK]

Yes.

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/search.php

For goodness sake, yes I have searched this site, and found no comprehensive tests. Have you?

 

[LeifUK]

Good:
AA, Sanyo Eneloop.
AAA, Sony Cycle Energy Blue made in China, which might be ROV Hybrids, Sony does not have their own factory.

Bad:
AA: GP ReCyko+.
AAA: Sanyo Eneloop.

Those are my opinions based on how they perform in different temperatures.(check my sig)

Which are the brands you have tested?

 

[amigafan2003]

For goodness sake, yes I have searched this site, and found no comprehensive tests. Have you?

Yes.

There is one in the sig of the poster above you.

And this one:-

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=245951

There are loads more - no time to link them all - they all show in the search.

Which are the brands you have tested?

It's all listed in the thread linked in his sig.

 

[bdancer]

For goodness sake, yes I have searched this site, and found no comprehensive tests. Have you?

Wouldn't call it comprehensive, but here's one test of Eneloops vs. Rayovac 4.0; also farther down there's a graph of Duracell and Energizer.

 

[Egsise]

Which are the brands you have tested?

 

[LeifUK]

Wouldn't call it comprehensive,

That's right, and that is why I asked here. I found odds and ends, but I'm wondering if there is any big test. I found a German magazine test that found brands fell into groups, with Eneloop and Infiniums into the two good groups. Sadly the link is now dead.

 

[LeifUK]

I clicked on your link and got loads of Finnish, so closed the window as I do not speak Finnish.

Lower down I see runtime tests, but no self discharge tests. So am I right to assume you did not test self discharge? And it looks like you did not test many NiMH brands. I know from (very) basic tests that Panasonic and Eneloop give almost the same runtimes. I'm going to do some self discharge tests, but hoped others had. It's just the way people here eulogise over Eneloop, I'm assuming there are authoritative and complete tests, but I could not find any here.

Thanks.

 

[amigafan2003]

I clicked on your link and got loads of Finnish, so closed the window as I do not speak Finnish.

http://translate.google.com/

You're making us GB chaps look lazy.

 

[mr_maurice]

I clicked on your link and got loads of Finnish, so closed the window as I do not speak Finnish.
[...]
Thanks.

A quick scroll down the linked page leads to what looks like an english tranlation made by Egsise himself http://flashlightnews.net/forum/index.php?topic=2274.0

 

[LeifUK]

http://translate.google.com/

You're making us GB chaps look lazy.

Okay, cut the wise guy style of remarks. Do you yourself have any useful information on testing?