TOP choice in Alkalines?

[MTHall51]

Is there any particularly good brand of Alkaline batteries?
My use is for large maglite, fenix, and a few other incans.
Any thoughts? Any suggestions for qreat price and selection on Internet?

 

[AnAppleSnail]

Is there any particularly good brand of Alkaline batteries?
My use is for large maglite, fenix, and a few other incans.
Any thoughts? Any suggestions for qreat price and selection on Internet?

I would say that there are no good alkalines, but there are better ones. On-brand Energizer and Duracell are easily gotten and of acceptable quality. Just don't leave them in expensive electronics for very long; leaking seems to be unrelated to temperature, charge status, or age.

 

[jp2515]

I would say that there are no good alkalines, but there are better ones. On-brand Energizer and Duracell are easily gotten and of acceptable quality. Just don't leave them in expensive electronics for very long; leaking seems to be unrelated to temperature, charge status, or age.

Energizer and Duracell all the way.I agree with the above sentiment since I've had 2 M@g Lites damaged by leaking alkalines. At least you can give either company a call, explain what happened and they will try to make it right.

 

[maskman]

Your question prompted me to recall what I use alkaline batteries in. Smoke detectors is all I could come up with. We've lived in this house two years and I've never changed batteries until just now. Thanks for the reminder!

 

[Kestrel]

I think the top choice is no alkalines.

Suggest searching CPF for the two keywords, "alkalines leak" - lots of relevant links are returned in the search results.

Suggest this thread to go in the \Batteries&Electronics subforum perhaps?

 

[ragweed]

I have had every major brand leak on me over the years. I check them weekly for leakage & headed a couple off at the pass before they got real bad.

 

[Locoboy5150]

Is there any particularly good brand of Alkaline batteries?

Based on my personal experiences, none. When it comes to "good" alkaline batteries, you're basically asking what are the least-worst alkaline batteries. Whenever you're talking about the least worst of anything, you're just digging around in the bottom of the barrel.

Maglite and Fenix might not be the most expensive flashlights out there, but still they're worthy of more than alkaline batteries.

 

[Per-Sev]

I like Duracell the best and they do cost a little more but I think they perform better. As far as leaking goes I know it was a problem some time ago but I use AA in my lights and my tooth brush and even have a AAA in my razor and I have never had any leak on me. I suppose if you put them in something and never use it after time they could leak but all my tools get used on a daily basis maybe I don't give them a chance to leak, the one in my razor has been in since new and I have had it for over a year and it still works great and does not leak the same with my smoke detectors never had one leak and I only change them once a year but I test them monthly. If they are so bad then why do most manufactures include them with your new battery operated device are they hopping that the batteries will leak and you will have to buy a new one, maybe a conspiracy or maybe because they work the best.

 

[Locoboy5150]

If they are so bad then why do most manufactures include them with your new battery operated device are they hopping that the batteries will leak and you will have to buy a new one, maybe a conspiracy or maybe because they work the best.

One word - cost. Alkaline batteries are cheap as dirt so the manufacturers include them in the packaging as a selling point to the general public.

 

[Per-Sev]

One word - cost. Alkaline batteries are cheap as dirt so the manufacturers include them in the packaging as a selling point to the general public.

I guess low cost is a selling point. As the technology progress there is always something better out there and that is why we have choices and as long as I get the performace that I need from a simple alkaline battery then I will continue to use them. Look at knife steel for a comparison until good stainless steel was available were all used carbon steel now that we have all the high tech stainless steels available most people want that but there are some who still prefer carbon steel and I am one of those people who likes carbon steel I also like the new stainless steels but I choose to use carbon steel just my preference. Maybe the new batteries do perform better but not enough for me to change over to them but when I can get 2 weeks to a months use from my light using it everyday then that's good enough for me. Just so you don't think I am stuck in the stone age I do you a Lipo power pak in my RC Truck because in that it does perform about 10 time better so it was worth the change.

 

[alpg88]

at my job i use hundreds of alkaline, most sizes. i use energizer industrial alkaline. i only had few leaks over 10 years that i work here. and none was so bad that i had to throw out entire device.
i use alkaline in my house too, energizer or Duracell, also had few leaks but nothing dramatic. nothing that couldn't be cleaned.
in my experience, alkaline are not nearly as bad as they are portrayed here. not even close, not nearly as many leak as ppl think, in my entire life experience anyway. common sense and some thinking and you'll be fine.

however, stay away from cheap no name cells, those are the ones that have 90% chance of leaking, i've seen cheap batteries in .99c store that were leaking while still sealed in the pack.

 

[Per-Sev]

at my job i use hundreds of alkaline, most sizes. i use energizer industrial alkaline. i only had few leaks over 10 years that i work here. and none was so bad that i had to throw out entire device.
i use alkaline in my house too, energizer or Duracell, also had few leaks but nothing dramatic. nothing that couldn't be cleaned.
in my experience, alkaline are not nearly as bad as they are portrayed here. not even close, not nearly as many leak as ppl think, in my entire life experience anyway. common sense and some thinking and you'll be fine.

however, stay away from cheap no name cells, those are the ones that have 90% chance of leaking, i've seen cheap batteries in .99c store that were leaking while still sealed in the pack.

I agree 100% stick with the good brand names and you should be fine. I am glad to see someone else has good luck with alkaline batteries also. Its funny when something new comes out how fast the old is discarded even if there is nothing wrong with the old.

 

[brett09]

I usually use Rayovac and Duracell brand batteries, both made in the USA. I have never had a leak in anything I own, however I've seen leaks in other peoples Maglites and such. In those instances the batteries are usually mixed brands and year dates. I bought an Eveready Captain a couple of weeks ago from an antique shop that had 2 D Duracell batteries in it that had expired in 2004. No signs of leakage at all, the light even turned on very dimly on the old cells.

I certainly don't have a problem with alkalines, and I won't until they give me problems personally.

My 2 cents.

 

[DM51]

Hmm. 12 replies to this, and only 1 member thought to point out that it was posted in the WRONG FORUM.

Moving it to Batteries/electronics...

 

[Roger999]

Maybe I'm really lucky or something because I've never seen a leaked akaline other than on cpf lol.

 

[garden]

What about the NiMH brand?

Seriously, I've had at least eight different alkaline batteries leak in at least four seperate devices. You don't want to ruin a $100 investment with a leaking battery.

 

[Black Rose]

I've had very good luck with Rayovac and Panasonic Alkaline Plus cells.

 

[McAllan]

I believe it's not as much the choice of brand as it's a question of for how long the alkalines sits in a device and especially if they're expired or almost empty. As long as you stay away from dollar stores.

That said you can get discount alkalines which performs really great. Personally I've great experiences with TopCraft from Aldi and Kameda from Harald Nyborg (yeah they're only known to Europeans I guess). No more leaks from those than Duracell or Energizer etc. Perhaps even a little less taking into account I buy those much more than Duracell or Energizer etc. Duracell/Energizer I only buy when I'm forced to (away from those stores and needing some cells quick) or because they're delivered free with stuff I buy.

Some probably argue that in case of leaks those cheaper brands wont repair the equipment where as Duracell will. Well - there's only one to pay when the day is done - and that's you
Learn how to deal with alkalines as save yourself the money. A 4 pack of those mentioned typically cost 2/5 of a Duracell. Still a bit over dollar store level. However you can buy a bulk pack of 60 Kameda AA or AAA at the price of 2,25 Duracell/Energizer packs and then the level is even under the dollar store level for a much better quality. They also have bulk packs of C, D and 9 V but those are packs of 12 for D and C or 10 for 9 V - but price is the same.

 

[VidPro]

Fresh ones
when there is a high turnover , and fast from them to you.
if i discarded the branding, the one thing i would Not want is ones that were parked for longer, or are being unloaded ONLY because they are aged.
IF they are being Dealed, and because of the deal they are going through a lot, and they are fresher, if they are being dealed because they are wasting away on shelf or wherehouse, than that isnt a deal at all.

for cheap, i still like Kirkland evertime they worked "as good as" the 2 top named brand cells, and they had high turnover. but if they were some older cell hanging on a peg out in littletown USA, that wouldnt apply

dont let the dust settle

 

[Black Rose]

for cheap, i still like Kirkland evertime they worked "as good as" the 2 top named brand cells, and they had high turnover.

I've had Kirkland AAs leak recently.
It was the first alkaline cell leakage I've had in close to a decade.