Consumer Reports: Best Bet For Batteries

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – No doubt you'll need lots of AA batteries on Christmas for all of those new toys and electronic devices.

But do you need to buy expensive name-brand batteries to keep your gadgets up and running? Consumer Reports test 15 different AA batteries to see which last longest.

It's all fun and games until the batteries run out.

Consumer Reports looked into which batteries you should buy to keep everything chirping, chiming and chugging. But there are so many brands to choose from.

"AA batteries range from 62-cents a pair to $5 a pair, and that's a big price range," Gerard Catapano with Consumer Reports said.

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Consumer Reports put 15 AA batteries – 13 alkaline and 2 lithium – through a "battery" of tests that simulate typical use in toys and flashlights. The question: which last the longest?

"Overall, the lithium batteries were tops in our tests, but so were some of the alkalines at half the price," Catapano said.

Duracell Quantum is the best alkaline performer in Consumer Reports' tests and sells in packs that cost about $2.50 a pair.

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But Consumer Reports' "Best Buy" for batteries is Kirkland Signature alkaline from Costco. They're sold in large value packs, so a pair of these batteries ends up costing only $1.

When it's time to change the batteries in your devices, always use batteries that are all the same age, brand and type.

And that old wives' tale about keeping batteries in the fridge to prolong their life? Consumer Reports says don't bother. Keep your batteries in a cool, dry place, and they'll likely last for about 7 years.

Consumer Reports says not to keep batteries or your battery-powered devices in extreme heat for extended periods to avoid leaks and ruptures. Also, don't keep batteries in your pockets because they could rub against spare change, causing them to short circuit.