The Best Brands for Rechargeable Batteries
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“Every year in the United States, Americans buy, use and throw out billions of batteries” (EPA)
We use these batteries to power up our electric toothbrushes, TV remotes, vibrators, wireless keyboards and mouses, among other things. That’s a lot of single-use batteries ending up in the trash. But instead of buying a battery and throwing it away when its dead, why not swap those single-use batteries out for rechargeable batteries that can be used up to 2100 times? Especially if it’s also gonna save you a ton of money.
I ran the numbers on single-use batteries VS rechargeable ones and the numbers don’t lie.
If you compare Energizer’s single-use AA batteries to their rechargeable AA batteries, the single use batteries cost $1.60 p/use, while the rechargeable AA batteries cost $0.005 p/use since they can be charged up to 500 times. That’s a big difference and a huge money-saver! For frugality sake, I also compared Amazon Basics AA batteries to make sure I wasn’t just seeing an outlier. Amazon’s single-use AA batteries cost $0.71 p/use, while their rechargeable AA batteries cost $0.002 p/use since they can be charged up to 1000 times.
The proof is in the numbers. And the money saving is in rechargeables.
Here’s a breakdown of those numbers:
At the time of writing this, Energizer’s 8-pack of single-use batteries cost $12.78, which gives you $1.60 per battery use ($12.78 ÷ 8 = $1.60 per use). And an 8-pack of their rechargeable AA batteries cost $19.96, which gives you $0.005 per battery use since they can be charged up to 500 times ($19.96 ÷ [8 x 500] = $0.005 per use).
Likewise, Amazon Basics’ 8-pack of single-use batteries cost $5.71, which gives you $0.71 per battery use ($5.71 ÷ 8 = $0.71 per use). And an 8-pack of their rechargeable AA batteries cost $12.49, which gives you $0.002 per battery use since they can be charged up to 1000 times ($12.49 ÷ [8 x 1000] = $0.002 per use).
**Exact cost per use is subject to change based on current pricing.
If you compare rechargeable AAA batteries to single-use AAA batteries, you’ll find the same result. Rechargeable is the way to go. And since you can recharge them so many times, you’ll never have to worry about if you have batteries since all you have to do is recharge them instead of running out to the store.
This is a sustainable swap that doesn’t involve a habit change.
You still need batteries to power up your devices. But instead, you charge them after they’re dead and reuse them again and again. And the quality of rechargeables has come a long way. About a decade ago, I bought some rechargeable AA batteries along with a charger. I think the brand was Sony. And to be honest, each charge didn’t last very long. I felt like I had to swap out the batteries twice as often as a regular AA battery. But technology has come a long way and that’s no longer the case. You don’t have to sacrifice quality for sustainability in the battery department.
In 2018, I decided to give rechargeable batteries another try. And this time, there was no shortage of options to choose from. I ended up going with the eneloop rechargeable batteries which are made by Panasonic. Not only did they get the best reviews across the board, but they also had the most recharges than their competitors. Their AA and AAA batteries can be recharged up to 2100 times. Which means you can get 2-4 times as much use out of them as their competitors. They do cost a bit more than the other brands out there, but you get what you pay for and I’ve had no complaints using them over the past 3 years.
So without further ado…
Here are the best rechargeable batteries for all your household and device needs:
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eneloop Rechargeable AA Batteries (by Panasonic)
Can be recharged up to 2100 times!
They maintain up to 70% of their charge after 10 years (when not in use)
Pre-Charged at the factory using solar power (oh heyyy!) • Ready to use
Also comes in rechargeable AAA batteries and has a battery charger that fits both AA and AAA batteries
Energizer Rechargeable AA Batteries
Can be recharged up to 500 times
Made with 4% recycled batteries • Pre-charged and ready to use
One of the world’s most trusted battery brands
Also comes in rechargeable AAA batteries and has a battery charger that fits both AA and AAA batteries
Amazon Basics Rechargeable AA Batteries
Can be recharged up to 1000 times
Pre-charged and ready to use
Also comes in rechargeable AAA batteries and has a battery charger that fits both AA and AAA batteries
You don’t have to sacrifice quality for sustainability in the battery department.
Conclusion
Depending on your budget and your values about buying from certain companies over others, there’s a rechargeable battery option for you. My personal recommendation is the eneloop rechargeable battery since they come with the highest number of recharges and they come pre-charged using solar power, so you know the company is thinking about how to make the entire life cycle sustainable. Energizer’s batteries are a bit more affordable, but they come with the least amount of charges (although they do have a different battery option that comes with 1000 charges). They also use some recycled content in their batteries, so that’s an added bonus. And lastly, Amazon offers the most budget friendly option. So use up your existing supply of single-use batteries and swap over to the green side.
Added bonus? Rechargeable batteries can be recycled easily at places like Best Buy, so that adds a whole new element of sustainability to the mix. Single-use batteries are only accepted at specific recycling locations that are not as common or accessible. Hopefully that changes in the future.