We’ve compared Energizer, Duracell and Panasonic batteries with supermarket own-brand batteries, such as Aldi, Morrisons, Lidl and Sainsbury's, to find the very best. Best Buy AA batteries on test

It's not just disposable batteries that be thrown away like this. If you have a lithium-ion battery for a phone, computer, or other electronic device, it can go in the same bin. If it fits in your hand, it's probably fine to go in a shop's battery bin.Shop around for AA and AAA batteries and the main types you’ll find are alkaline and lithium disposable batteries.

Put a set of one of our Best Buy AA disposable batteries in your most power-hungry devices, such as a camera or torch, and they will last over three hours longer than the worst. Put them in a medium-drain device, like a games console or Christmas lights, and you'll get an amazing fourteen extra hours. Leak-resistant and boasting a shelf life of as long as ten years at room temperature, Ultimate AA/LR6 Energizer cells deliver reliable power. They continue working in extreme heat and cold: the manufacturer-recommended temperature limits are -40°C (minimum) and 60 degrees Centigrade (maximum). Especially useful in portable appliances, the battery weight of 100 grammes is around 30 per cent less than typical alkaline cells. Each LR6/AA cylindrical cell measures 51 millimetres (height) by 15 millimetres (diameter). Ultimate AA batteries are direct replacements for size codes AM3, E91, FR6, L91, KAA, MIGNON, MN1500, ND62S, R6, UM3 and 4006. In many cases, yes. rechargeables don’t deliver as much voltage as disposables (typically 1.25V rather than 1.5V), but they normally maintain the same level for longer and can just be recharged when they run dry. You pay more upfront for the batteries and the charger (if you need one), but you’ll recoup the difference within a couple of uses – and AA batteries cost so little to recharge that it’s barely worth thinking about. Factor in the clear environmental issues and it’s a no-brainer, although many local councils and some supermarkets now offer free recycling.

leakage protection

Our Best Buy AAA batteries last an hour and a half longer than the worst batteries on test in high-drain devices and four hours longer in medium-drain devices, like a games console. No one else tests like Which? – our independent lab tests simulate the way you really use batteries, so you can be confident that our Best Buy AA batteries will power your devices for longer. Rechargeable batteries can run for hundreds of cycles, meaning you don't have to buy and dispose of huge quantities of disposable batteries. This is much cheaper and it's better for the environment as well since battery disposal and recycling can be a carbon-intense process.