It’s a fair question to ask, which are the best primary AA batteries for me? After all, there are several different chemistries available in stores, and many different brands too. We won’t take sides and back any particular manufacturer. And as for the different chemistries, each has their own application. At the end of the day you get what you pay for. That’s life!
Which AA Primary Battery Chemistry Is Best?
That’s a leading question, because all have been around for decades. All of these single-use cells wouldn’t have survived, if they were that bad! AA batteries are a similar size and appearance. In other words, a cylindrical shape between 1.94 to 1.99 inches long including the button terminal, and 0.53 to 0.57 inches diameter.
However, they do differ slightly more in weight, in case that concerns you. Alkaline AA’s weigh 0.81 ounces, while lithium ones tip the scale at 0.53 ounces. However, if you want rechargeable nickel metal hydride, each one will add 1.1 ounces to your device.
That doesn’t help us much when choosing the best primary AA batteries in terms of chemistry. Perhaps the following information will help:
The Four Main Types to Choose From
- Primary (single-use) general purpose zinc-carbon AA batteries hold between 400–900 milliampere hours, depending on a variety of factors.
- Zinc-chloride single-use AA batteries store around 1,000 to 1,500 milliampere hours. Their marketers may describe them as ‘heavy-duty’, or even ‘super heavy duty’.
- Alkaline single-use AA batteries have between 1,700 and 2,850 milliampere-hour capacity. However, this energy quickly reduces with high discharge demand.
- Lithium-ion-disulfide single-use AA batteries don’t struggle under high-current conditions. They may be your best choice, for digital cameras and other high current devices.
Choosing the Best Single-Use AA Batteries
The best primary AA batteries for you are the ones that match your requirements closest. If you only use a device occasionally, then you could consider a lower-capacity battery that should cost less. At the end of the day you get what you pay for. Better value often costs more!
More Information
Nominal Voltage of Different Batteries Varies
Assessing a Battery at a Glance
