Keyword(s): Main KW: best rechargeable batteries. Secondary KWs: rechargeable batteries reviews; best rechargeable aa batteries.
Trying to live an eco-friendly lifestyle? That’s great but except for the fact that it’s difficult to replace the regular items in your home for environmentally-friendly ones. One such item is the battery, which has a large contribution to the degradation of the environment. Good thing that you can replace it with rechargeable batteries to reduce hazardous environmental impact. Keep reading to learn the best rechargeable batteries for you and how they can help you shift to an eco-friendly lifestyle.
Up first we have rechargeable batteries reviews, featuring the best brands in a variety of types. After that we get into answering the question of are rechargeable batteries worth it? And, why are batteries harmful for the environment?
Top 10 Best Rechargeable Batteries
Up first, let’s discuss what the currently best-performing rechargeable batteries are in the market. We have written up quick reviews for you to check out, and then to learn more about how to choose the best ones read through the rest of our shopping guide.
Best Rechargeable Batteries 2017 and 2018
Energizer is one of the top brands you can trust with its continuous efforts to provide high-performance batteries. This particular product, for example, has up to 1,000 life cycles with a lifespan of 5 years. It delivers consistent and stable voltage, and it has the ability to retain its charge.
With 2000 mAh, it can provide power for a long time before you’ll need to charge it again. The pre-charged Energizer Recharge Power Plus is available in AA and AAA sizes with different count options. An option that includes a charger is also available.
Want a rechargeable battery that you can use for a longer time? Panasonic’s Eneloop batteries can recharge for up to 2,100 times with a 10-year lifespan. After 10 years, maintains up to 70% of its charge when not in use.
Its electrode design allows for faster charging, and it’s extremely reliable in extreme temperatures. The Eneloop batteries are also eco-friendlier. It comes pre-charged using solar panels at a factory in Japan. The AA batteries capacity is up to 2000 mAh, while the AAA size has up to 800 mAh capacity.
If your devices consume more power, you’ll need the Eneloop Pro batteries from Panasonic with up to 2550 mAh battery capacity for the AA variant and up to 950 mAh for AAA. This ensures that the device will run for a longer time. It also holds 85% up to one year.
The Eneloop Pro’s “Low Self-Discharge” batteries use advanced technologies to deliver increased power capacity as well, which makes it great for DSLRs, tactical flashlights, and other high power consumption devices.
For audio devices and cameras, the Philips MultiLife NiMH batteries are one of the best rechargeable AA batteries. It has 1000 mAh capacity and its NiMH technology allows it to recharge for more times. It promises over 1,000 cycles as long as you don’t drain the battery before charging. One of its advantages is that you can get it at a better price than its competitors. Its capacity and lifespan are enough for most devices, but it doesn’t perform well on cordless phones.
The EBL brand may not be as popular as the other brands, but its performance based on thousands of reviews indicates that it’s one of the best rechargeable AA batteries around, as well as AAA. The company added a mix-protection additive to the cathode, protecting the material and extending the lifespan up to 1,200 cycles.
The 1100 mAh capacity also provides consistent and high-volume power juice. If you keep an EBL rechargeable battery in ideal conditions, it can retain 85% of charge up to 3 years.
If you care for the environment, a SunLabz High Performance battery is the right choice as it commits to its goal of providing eco-friendly solutions. Its NiMH cells are capable of recharging up to 1,000 times, and it’s 2 to 3 times more efficient than similarly-sized NiCD cells.
They don’t compromise with the quality either, as SunLabz intends to make its batteries longer. However, note that it may lose its charge if you don’t use it within a month, which means you might have to keep track of when you’ve last used a battery.
Mr. Batt’s rechargeable batteries come ready to use out of the box with 60% of charge. It has up to 1,200 life cycles, and it can retain 80% of its capacity when not in use for over 3 years. Its extremely low self-discharge helps it have a longer life. Mr. Batt’s prices are also lower than most competitors, making it an attractive option for those looking for affordable yet high-quality rechargeable batteries.
This product is best for high power consumption devices, such as cameras, handheld gaming devices, PDAs, and others. It also has very low self-discharge, which helps it maintain 85% of its capacity after a year of non-use and 70% after 2 years of non-use. With over 1,000 life cycles, the Tenergy Centura is a rather affordable brand. However, some have noted that it can’t still live up to higher-priced competitors.
Amazon Basics’ rechargeable batteries also utilize low self-discharge technology to provide a long life and to retain its charge even when in storage for months or years. It maintains its performance even in cold temperatures, making it perfect to bring in ski resorts and winter activities.
It has an 800 mAh capacity rating with 750 mAh minimum. You can recharge it up to 1,000 times, and it works well with a variety of devices. Take note, however, it may be sensitive to faulty charging.
Amazon Basics also has an option with a higher rating capacity of 850 mAh. You can use it out of the box, and it retains 80% of charge after a year of storage and 65% of original charge after 3 years of storage. Beyond that, you can still recharge it. The factor that makes Amazon Basics one of the best rechargeable batteries is the price – it’s affordable yet capable. You can’t go wrong with something cheap but reliable.
Advantages of Rechargeable Batteries
Why buy rechargeable batteries in the first place? What makes them better than normal batteries? First off, they provide better performance than your run-of-the-mill consumable battery.
Performance
Rechargeable batteries deliver 1.2 volts at a consistent pace, whereas disposable ones start out at 1.5 volts and decrease in power over time. This means that the rechargeable variety delivers constant optimal output, which also benefits the device as well.
Nickel-cadmium rechargeable batteries are also much more efficient; they perform better on cold conditions and even with excessive usage.
Savings
Do rechargeable batteries save money?
Consider how many devices in your home need batteries. Imagine buying new ones every so often to keep them running. The expenses for buying new ones stack up quicker than you’d think.
Having rechargeable batteries plus a set of spares will help with your savings, despite the initial cost may seem expensive at first. You can use a rechargeable battery up to 1,000 times, which means it will save you from having to buy hundreds of disposable batteries throughout its lifetime.
Convenience
The same reason holds true when we talk about convenience. Having two sets of rechargeable batteries on hand at all times saves you countless trips to the store. When you run out of batteries in the middle of the night, you won’t have to wait until the morning to use your device again.
Rechargeable batteries are also quite easy to use. Chargers can now plug into a wall outlet, carport, or a USB port.
Environmental Impact
Perhaps the most important advantage of buying rechargeable batteries is the impact you’ll make on the environment. Most batteries release harmful chemicals, causing contamination in soil and water without proper disposal. Even in landfills, the risks are present.
With rechargeable batteries, you lessen the number of batteries you send to landfills. The energy needed for manufacturing rechargeable ones is also less than those for disposables, which means the process also creates less carbon dioxide emissions that contribute to global warming.
What to Look for in the Best Rechargeable Batteries
Seeing as how you’re going to use these batteries for a long time, you might want to put more thoughts into which one you’re going to choose. Consider the following factors to know what qualities you should look for.
Compatibility
First and foremost, the battery you’ll buy should be compatible with your device. The device itself should have the information regarding the type of battery it needs, whether that be AA, AAA, C, and D.
Type
Most rechargeable batteries in the market are nickel-metal hydride (NiMH), which are better in terms of performance and environmental impact than alkaline or nickel-cadmium (NiCd) batteries.
NiMH batteries also have no memory, meaning that you won’t have to worry about charging it before it’s fully depleted.
Price
Prepare for rechargeable batteries to be expensive at first. If you don’t have the budget yet, you may consider other options, but be sure to buy the best one next time!
When calculating the cost, remember to factor in the price of the charger as well.
Charger
If you’re buying different types of batteries, you might want to look for a charger that supports multiple sizes. It should also be able to charge lithium and NiMH batteries at the same time. Most should also be compatible with different ports, so look for such if you want to be able to charge plug it in anywhere.
Battery Life
Look out for the mAh if you want a longer battery life. The higher the rating, the longer it can power the device before you’ll need to charge it again.
Rechargeable Batteries Reviews
If you want only the best, read rechargeable batteries reviews. Having the same mAh and type doesn’t always mean that the batteries from different brands have equal performance.
