2019 test14 productsBatteries & Power Banks
Which Rechargeable AA Battery (NiMH) Brand Wins?
A head-to-head test of 14 rechargeable aa battery (nimh) options with the measured results for each. See how they ranked and watch the full test video.
Some figures on this page were transcribed from the test video and have not been independently re-verified. Treat the numbers as a close guide and watch the full video for the exact readings.
Budget pick
Harbor Freight Thunderbolt was the best mAh-per-penny value among the 10 main NiMH brands tested, though the presenter distrusts the brand generally; Kirkland was the best value among the 4 addendum AA battery brands
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The measured results
Every number below is read straight from the test. Scroll sideways to see all measurements. Products are listed in the order they finished.
| Product | Round 1, 500 mA charge/discharge | Round 2, 500 mA charge/discharge (repositioned) | Round 3, 300 mA charge/discharge | Round 4, 1000 mA charge/discharge | 100 mA discharge test | 300 mA discharge test | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Duracell NiMH rechargeable, rated 2450 mAh | produced 2435 mAh, very impressive for the copper top | achieved 95 percent or higher of rated capacity | exceeded rated capacity by a little | produced 2457 mAh, just over 100 percent of rated capacity | not tested | not tested | not tested |
| 2Amazon Basics high capacity silver, made in Japan, rated 2400 mAh | produced 2346 mAh | achieved 95 percent or higher of rated capacity | just barely missed reaching 100 percent of rated capacity | produced 2331 mAh, a very impressive 97 percent of rated capacity | not tested | not tested | not tested |
| 3IKEA LADDA, rated 2450 mAh | produced 2410 mAh, very impressive | achieved 95 percent or higher of rated capacity | exceeded rated capacity by a little | produced 2374 mAh, a very impressive 96.9 percent of rated capacity | not tested | not tested | not tested |
| 4Harbor Freight Thunderbolt, rated 2200 mAh | produced 2177 mAh | the only brand of the ten to exceed its rated capacity | exceeded rated capacity by a little | produced 2085 mAh, just under 95 percent of rated capacity | not tested | not tested | not tested |
| 5Rayovac NiMH rechargeable, rated 1350 mAh | produced 1329 mAh | not tested | exceeded rated capacity by a little | produced 1105 mAh, only 82 percent of rated capacity, really struggled | not tested | not tested | not tested |
| 6Amazon Basics black, made in China, rated 1900 mAh | produced 1816 mAh | not tested | achieved 95 percent or greater of rated capacity | produced 1725 mAh, only 91 percent of rated capacity | not tested | not tested | not tested |
| 7Energizer NiMH rechargeable, rated 2000 mAh | produced 1903 mAh | did slightly worse than round 1, but still achieved 95 percent or higher | achieved 95 percent or greater of rated capacity | produced 1772 mAh, only 88.6 percent of rated capacity | not tested | not tested | not tested |
| 8Panasonic Eneloop, rated 2000 mAh per the presenter's testing (the video description notes the true rating may be 1900 mAh, not 2000) | produced 1883 mAh, presenter expected better | barely missed the 95 percent mark | achieved 95 percent or greater of rated capacity | produced 1781 mAh, only 89 percent of rated capacity | not tested | not tested | not tested |
| 9PowerEx NiMH rechargeable, rated 2600 mAh | produced 2344 mAh, just over 90 percent of rated capacity, disappointing for such an expensive battery | only achieved 91.4 percent of rated capacity | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested |
| 10EBL NiMH rechargeable, rated 2800 mAh | produced 2478 mAh, only 88.5 percent of rated capacity | finished dead last, only 88.2 percent of rated capacity | underperformed its rating by nearly 300 mAh, only 88 percent of rated capacity | produced 2406 mAh, just under 86 percent of rated capacity | not tested | not tested | not tested |
| 11Kirkland AA battery (Costco brand) | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | 2011 mAh, beat the other three addendum brands | 1627 mAh, beat the other three addendum brands again | by far the best value of the addendum group at nearly 69 milliamp hours per penny |
| 12Sunbeam AA battery (Dollar Tree brand) | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | 1456 mAh, described as doing great considering its bargain price | 1509 mAh, finished last of the addendum group | a terrific value at 58 cents per milliamp hour |
| 13ACDelco AA battery | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | 1521 mAh, third place | 1535 mAh, a respectable third place | third place value at nearly 48 cents per milliamp hour |
| 14IKEA AA battery (addendum test batch, discharge tested separately from the IKEA LADDA above)76 cents per battery | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | 1656 mAh, second place | 1611 mAh, second place | finished in the middle of the pack in terms of value, presenter said he did not get a very competitive price on them |
How it was tested
- round 1: charge and discharge at 500 mA, measuring milliamp hours delivered versus rated capacity
- round 2: repeat 500 mA charge/discharge with batteries repositioned on the tester
- round 3: charge and discharge at a slower 300 mA rate
- round 4: charge and discharge at a faster 1000 mA rate to simulate high drain devices
- addendum: 100 mA and 300 mA discharge tests on four additional AA battery brands, plus a price per milliamp hour value comparison