Household Batteries

   / Household Batteries #12  
I think about 75% of the Duracell and Costco batteries we've had over the past 10-15 years have leaked to some degree and caused damage. A few years ago we started only buying Energizer and I can't recall a single battery that has leaked since.
 
   / Household Batteries #13  
One of the reasons to use rechargable batteries: no leakage. That's all I use.

I have not had good experiences with rechargeables. They seem to go flat quickly, and never seem to take very many charges before they lose almost all capacity. I'm talking AAs here...never tried any other sizes.
Try lithium batteries. No leaks

I've been going in that direction too. Cost a bit more, but last and last and last.
That's all I'll use in my camera. Alkaline's are good for maybe 10 shots, then pfffft.
I have found the Ray-O-Vac alkaline batteries to be hard to beat for the money, especially when HD has them on sale.

I've had mixed results with them. They are a bit cheaper than Duracells or Energizers but don't seem to last as long either. Also seem more prone to leaks.
Been using harbor freight batteries for a while. Not had any of them leak.
Has anyone tried their new-ish line of batteries? Any good? The old Thunderbolts were OK for remotes or LED flashlights but that's about it. Didn't get very good service in clocks with them, and you'd think anything would work there.
 
   / Household Batteries #14  
Been using harbor freight batteries for a while. Not had any of them leak.

On tools I don't often use I store them with the batteries removed.
I'm with you or at least my wife is. If they are running an Inside Track special on Batteries, my wife is on it. Never had a leaker yet.
 
   / Household Batteries #15  
I once bought a bunch of BJ's (food warehouse) branded batteries. Some leaked after they'd been on the shelf for a while, but in some packages all of them would lose voltage in a pretty short time. (Like a whole package of 9V batteries, all useless). That should not happen with alkaline batteries.

So I vowed never to buy the BJ's branded batteries again, and paid the higher amount for packs of Duracell batteries (40+ cents per AA with coupon), thinking "brand name, never had trouble with them before"). But... the duracell batteries don't like something about my cool basment, where I store them. (You'd think cool would be good, no?) So most of the pack started leaking shortly after they'd been in the basement. These batteries have a "use-by" date of 2028. I tried to get BJ's to take the Duracells back, but they said they couldn't accept them... "because of the pandemic". What utter BS.

Anyway, guess I'll try Ray-o-vac next, which I've had a lot of sitting on the shelf, but not long enough to be conclusive. But I also look for value, some of these batteries are really expensive at HD and other sources.

On your LED flashlight, yeah, they're great. They _do_ get dim as the batteries lose voltage, sometimes so slowly that you don't notice until one night you'll be wondering why you can't see anything in the light.

On top of the advice of using a little vinegar to remove the alkaline battery leak stuff, I use a sandpaper roll on my Dremel (or cheaper equivalent) tool and just shine up the battery contacts in the device if they've had some battery acid on them. It has to be a pretty nasty leak in a hard to reach spot for me to give up on my devices.
 
   / Household Batteries #16  
Has anyone tried their new-ish line of batteries? Any good? The old Thunderbolts were OK for remotes or LED flashlights but that's about it. Didn't get very good service in clocks with them, and you'd think anything would work there.
Since they did away with the 20% off and other coupons they seem to have offered better pricing on their "better" Thunderbolt Edge batteries. I haven't really noticed if they are better since I no longer have a camera that uses AA. My wife uses them up mostly in her little fake candles.
 
   / Household Batteries #17  
I've tried them all but you can't beat these
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   / Household Batteries #18  
I've tried them all but you can't beat these
Laugh if you want, but I've actually gotten pretty good life out of those no-name Chinese batteries that come with gadgets that have remotes or the ones in HF flashlights. Granted, these are light-duty devices but they do seem to work for a long time, and aren't any more leak-prone than the name brands.
 
   / Household Batteries #19  
I've had mixed results with them, [Ray-O-Vac]. They are a bit cheaper than Duracells or Energizers but don't seem to last as long either. Also seem more prone to leaks.
Not been my experience. I have a battery powered blender bottle I have to use every morning, to mix a medication. It takes 6 AAA batteries. The Ray-O-Vacs last just as long as the two top brands in this application, which is about 6 weeks. I am currently testing the "Ultimate" ones to see if they pan out.
I've never had a problem with them leaking. But, I know any brand will, if you leave them in a device during long term, until well after they are dead.
 
   / Household Batteries #20  
The worst batteries for leakage in my experience has been the Duracell. I quit buying them. I've never had the Energizers or the HF Premiums leak. I've pretty much bought Energizers (Alkaline and Lithium) for the past 6-7 years because I get them delivered via Amazon cheaper than at the local stores.

If your device sits unused for long periods, use Lithium batteries. All my flashlights have Lithium batteries. The one's in vehicles go for years unused and last.

I've tried Amazon's brand of AA and AAA Alkaline batteries but found they don't last very long. A few in the boxes even seemed to be DOA. :(
 
 
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