Best alkaline batteries?

[Axtman]

I had Duracell batteries leak and destroy some equipment. So I replaced all of them and will not buy that brand again.

I have tried Eveready Max with good success (fingers crossed). Recently, I came across AC Delco batteries at Home Depot. I know AC Delco used to make car radios and such, but I have never heard of their batteries. (They are probably rebranded by another manufacturer.) Are they any good?

[xtian]

I have used 300-400 AC Delco AA batteries in my Line 6 G50 and Carvin EM900 IEMs over the past few years, purchased from Amazon. Are they "best"? Probably not. But they're fine, cheap, and they never live in the equipment long enough to leak.

And...I've rescued plenty of equipment from leaky batteries with distilled vinegar and Q-tips...

[Chuck H]

It might be possible the Duracell's that detroyed gear were there because they lasted long enough to be forgotten after gear was abandoned for a time.?. You never want to leave batteries in place neglected for years. But somehow Duracells were found there.?. So why were they there in the first place and would it have been any different if another brand had been as popular at the time the Duracells were left there??? I say all this because I'm a Duracell advocate. Hving done the band thing in the late 80's/early 90's having actual disposable batteries (rather than rechargeables or a power supply) in your pedals was still typical. I got better performance from Duracell at that time over other brands. Having lived long past that era I can say that batteries left in place for years in neglected electronics are ALWAYS a problem and I've never noticed anything relative to brand. And I think it's possible your recognition of the Duracell being common in neglected gear with rotten batteries may have more to do with their more frequent occurance overall rather than them being more likely to age in a damaging way.

JM2C

[big_teee]

I've had leaking duracells in the package they came in.
I don't use the copper tops anymore.
If alkaline, I use energizer.
I prefer the AA lithiums. (never had a lithium leak)
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=aa+lithiu...-refreshed_1_4
T

[Tom Phillips]

I agree that the current Duracell offerings have a problem. I believe that the bad leakage problems began when the chemistry was changed to eliminate the last trace amounts of mercury.

[Chuck H]

I agree that the current Duracell offerings have a problem. I believe that the bad leakage problems began when the chemistry was changed to eliminate the last trace amounts of mercury.

Ah. This might explain why I hadn't noticed then. Since my memory of Duracell's being better goes back to a previous epoch.

[Helmholtz]

I have a sticker on my fridge saying "Never again Duracell".
Had quite a few problems over the years with leaky Duracells causing severe (hard to fix) corrosion damage.(meters, pedals etc.).
Don't recall having that bad issues with other brands.
Using mainly Varta now.

[Axtman]

Chuck, I used to be a HUGE Duracell advocate—not anymore! When I changed out ALL the Duracells, I was amazed at how many things ran on batteries. I went to Home Depot and bought huge multipacks of Eveready Max batteries. A few weeks would go by, and I would realize that I had forgotten to change out this or that equipment.

I have found that Duracell AA and AAA batteries leaked most frequently. 9 volt batteries not so much.

When changing out the batteries, I found a few decade-old Radio Shack and other off-brand batteries that were still good!

[TomCarlos]

In a pinch, I bought some "C" batteries from Walgreens for a couple flashlights. Those batteries held their voltage for years - and no leaks. I think they are made by Eveready.

For those who like promos and comparison articles / videos

Project Farm (I like this guy's reviews) - Which AA Battery is Best? Can Amazon Basics beat Energizer? Let's find out!

The Ultimate Countdown! The 7 Longest Lasting Battery Brands

[pdf64]

I avoid Duracell like the plague, too many experiences of them leaking way before their 'use by' date, grrr!

[Helmholtz]

To add, I've been testing Energizer (China) batteries for a few years now. No problems so far.

[Leo_Gnardo]

Project Farm (I like this guy's reviews)

ProjectFarm fan here too. A one man Consumer Reports lab. Impressive!

[Axtman]

For a while, I bought Harbor Freight batteries because they were cheap. There is a reason why they were cheap: Their batteries did not last long at all. The batteries died before they had time to leak.

[DrGonz78]

For a while, I bought Harbor Freight batteries because they were cheap. There is a reason why they were cheap: Their batteries did not last long at all. The batteries died before they had time to leak.

I was lucky to have a AA battery work more than 5-10 times for my electric toothbrush. Avoid those batteries completely.

[Axtman]

Once again, I open a device only to find that the Dur-A-Leak batteries have spewed their guts all over it!