The 10 Best AA and AAA Rechargeable Batteries (2023)

Key Specs

• Batteries Included: 24-Pack; 12 AA/12 AAA
• Charger: None
• Type: NiMH
• Capacity: 2800 mAh (AA), 1100 mAh (AAA)

If you use lots of batteries for home or business, you can’t do better than this bulk bundle of 12 AA and 12 AAA batteries. Made by a Silicon Valley battery supplier, this brand holds its charge, so you don’t have to change your batteries as often. While there are less expensive 24-packs on the market, they generally don’t last as long.

Key Specs

• Batteries Included: 4 AA
• Charger: AA/AAA
• Type: NiMH
• Capacity: 2550 mAh

Chances are these batteries will still be going strong even when you’re ready to retire the device they’re powering. The Panasonic eneloop remains more powerful after multiple recharges than many of its competitors. Plus, you can recharge the batteries up to five times more than another well-known brand. Whoa!

Key Specs

• Batteries Included: 4 AAA
• Charger: AA/AAA
• Type: NiMH
• Capacity: 1100 mAh

Although you may get slightly less oomph from a single charge, these Panasonic batteries hold up over the long haul. They can handle more than 2,000 recharges.

Key Specs

• Batteries Included: 4 AA
• Charger: AA/AAA
• Type: NiMH
• Capacity: 2000 mAh

You can’t beat the price on these Energizer batteries. While they don’t have quite as much juice as some other brands, you won’t notice a difference in low-power devices like remote controls.

Key Specs

• Batteries Included: 8 AAA
• Charger: AA/AAA
• Type: NiMH
• Capacity: 1100 mAh

The highest power level offered in this battery type, Deleepow’s bundle is an excellent buy. Its LCD chargers are backlit, making it easy to see the level of each individual battery. Once it reaches capacity, the charger trickles in power to make sure a battery is always filled. And unlike some chargers that allow you to power only two or four batteries at a time, this device permits you to charge the amount you need.

Key Specs

• Batteries Included: 8 AA
• Charger: N/A
• Type: NiMH
• Capacity: 2400 mAh

If your kids play with a lot of battery-powered toys or you use devices that have a continuous drain (like gaming controllers or wireless devices), these batteries are for you. You’ll receive eight AA batteries in this pack, but you can purchase up to a 16-count. The batteries themselves are good quality, and can be recharged several hundred times.

Key Specs

• Batteries Included: 4 AA
• Charger: None
• Type: NiMH
• Capacity: 2500 mAh

If you’re killing it at Mario Kart, you don’t want your controller’s battery to die mid-game. Video game controllers need dependable, powerful batteries, and this Duracell four-pack outgames other brands. It lasts longer on a single charge and doesn’t wear out as much when recharged many times. If you don’t have a compatible charger, you can buy one separately.

Key Specs

• Batteries Included: 4 AA
• Charger: AA/AAA
• Type: Lithium
• Capacity: 2500 mAh

Motorized products, like a personal fan, electric toothbrush, and remote-control cars, run better on lithium batteries than NiMH versions. When I compared them in an electric toothbrush, the lithiums vibrated more, leading to a better cleaning. This lithium brand is as good as it gets, lasting 20 percent longer than most of its competitors. Plus, it provides more consistent voltage so your device runs nearly as effectively as the battery nears the end of its charge as it did at the start.

Key Specs

• Batteries Included: 4 AAA
• Charger: USB cable
• Type: Lithium
• Capacity: 1100 mAh

Similar to the AA version, these batteries don’t run out of juice as fast as their competitors. While it’s a little awkward to hook up the batteries individually to the USB cable for recharging, you get used to it pretty quickly.

Key Specs

• Capacity: 16 batteries
• Battery Size: AA and AAA
• Type: NiMH, NiCad

If you need to recharge batteries in bulk, this 16-bay device gets the job done. It costs about the same or less than many 8-bay battery chargers and offers several handy features. For instance, its "refresh" button will run the battery down completely before recharging it. Take that simple step to help preserve the battery’s efficiency and lifespan.

PM: Can you use rechargeable batteries on any kind of device?

S.W.: No. Avoid using rechargeable batteries, which last only around half as long as their single-use counterparts, in emergency or security devices such as flashlights, smoke detectors, or cameras.

PM: Are rechargeable lithium batteries better than NiMH batteries?

SW: It depends on how you’re using them. Rechargeable lithium will provide more power to a device, which makes them a better pick for motorized products, such as personal fans, small drones, and electric toothbrushes. NiMH, which last longer on a single charge than a rechargeable lithium, are better for nonmotorized devices, such as remote controls and video game controllers.

PM: Can single-use batteries be recharged?

SW: The alkaline ones can, but with a couple of caveats. You need a special charger designed to recharge alkaline batteries. A single-use alkaline battery can be recharged only around 15 times—and won’t recharge to full power. And if the battery has a small leak, it could catch on fire.