In one word, Rayovac. Leaks!

I used to buy large warehouse sized packages of batteries, but didn't use enough of them and some went to waste. I' started buying Rayovac batteries @ Lowes at a good price on Black Friday. Two or three years later, the Rayovac are leaking ... in the package, in flashlights, in remote from a seldom used emergency non-cable TV, etc.
I started buying store brand 4 packs at the grocery as needed, and an extra to keep on hand when they go on sale.

Today the electronic thermostat at my lake cabin showed low battery. Years ago I upgraded from portable oil filled radiators to a closed geothermal unit. The light goes on when the unit senses it will need a battery in 30 days. I change the batteries every year in the fall to make sure everything is working well before my engineer neighbor leaves for warmer weather. The battery package says it is good until 2030. That must be shelf life, not useful life.

I can't seem to access the library version of Consumer Reports for battery reviews. Amazon Basics are 5 yr and cost the same as 10 yr big box brand in the huge quantity. Same with Home Depot HDX. Any favorites with good reviews?

- Lisa

I usually get Energizer, but IDK about the brands you mentioned. I just wanted to comment that ANYTHING leaking from a battery should be treated as hazardous waste. If there's a residue left in the device, get the advice of your engineer neighbor about how to clean it out safely. And don't get any on you!
This is a good reason and a reminder, to change the batteries once a year and recycle the old ones.

The throw away dry cell battery has an alkali paste in it.
To clean up the stuff from your device use a little vinegar which is an acid that will neutralize it.
I've used an old tooth brush to do it.

My first choice is Panasonic eneloop rechargeable Ni-MH.


Second choice is alkaline batteries at a good price. I like to keep an eye on alkaline batteries for possible leakage. My last purchase was Amazon Basics.

Here's some advice that should help - don't leave batteries in anything for 2-3 years! I'm surprised they would still be working after this!

I use mostly rechargeable batteries in things around the house, but a few things outside I have to use the single use alkali batteries for. One is the remote rain guage, and the others the timers, for my watering - something I can't have stop, and discovered several days later. Duracell is the only one I use for those - they last the entire season, and still show something like 40% power left, while Energizer, Panasonic, and Rayovac all died in less than half a season, with Rayovac being worst. No leaking, just dead batteries in those things. Rechargeable batteries also died early, and they tell you in the manuals not to use them, probably because of this, and they have slightly lower voltage to start. OK for flashlights and remote controls, but not some things.

I remember when they used to tell us to never discard an alkali battery in the trash - either bring it to that place to get rid of hazardous waste once opened every month or two, or they had buckets in some places as a convenient place to discard. Then, quite a while back, they told us we didn't have to worry about it any more! Did they suddenly stop using whatever it was that was so dangerous in them, or just not give a s#=* anymore?!

It cracks me up when I see those really old type batteries - why would anyone ever buy those anymore? Those were batteries that leaked all the time!

Werker from Batteries Plus stores. Cheaper and last longer than the name brands. I have 7 smoke detectors, all are hard wired but still need batteries. Last changed these 9 volts out on 01/01/2012. Time to check your alarm batteries on Jan 1.
Have an old walkman that I run through an assort- ment of speakers. Eats the batteries except Werker brand. These take AAA.
Use the AA in remotes and elsewhere. All last and never had a leak.

zeuspaul wrote: ↑Mon Jan 02, 2023 11:49 am My first choice is Panasonic eneloop rechargeable Ni-MH.

Those are my go-to batteries. Never have had issues with them.

I'm impressed that with a sample size of 8 users in this informal poll, we actually have two people using rechargeables. When the price of alkaline dropped to a few cents each years ago, it was just too convenient to switch to these mega packs. I have to rethink this. But as others have said, for remote or special situations, you still need something else. Good to know about Werker for life saving devices !!


I wonder what criteria the affiliate buy sites use for their analysis. I'd like to see if Consumer Reports did a recent test on batteries including big box store house brands; HDX from Home Depot, Members Mark from Sams Club, Kirkland from Costco, etc.

I see items with battery leaks all the time at Goodwill. Some were pretty expensive pieces. They need Worth to tell them how to safely clean these items.

- Lisa

@pepperhead212 the reason we keep batteries out of out trash is because it goes to a huge incinerator and batteries explode. We just put them in a plastic bag next to our recycle bin and they remove them. What they do with them after that I don't know but they ask us not to put them into the regular trash.

I buy either energizer or Duracell or Procell alkaline batteries on amazon and have never had a problem. I usually buy a 24 pack.

https://slickdeals.net/f/16317964-32-co ... =frontpage

Per comments, Kirkland (Costco) batteries are manufactured by Duracell.
A large number of posters reported Rayovac as having leaking issues.
- Lisa

greenthumbomaha wrote: ↑Fri Jan 06, 2023 12:13 pm https://slickdeals.net/f/16317964-32-co ... =frontpage

Per comments, Kirkland (Costco) batteries are manufactured by Duracell.
A large number of posters reported Rayovac as having leaking issues.
- Lisa

Rayovac is an old brand.
It stands to reason they would have leaking issues.

We are still asked to put any batteries in the hazardous waste stream. This allows them to recycle what is recyclable, and if the material is just caustic, well it prevents chemical reactions from being set off in the pile.
Meanwhile there is no hazardous waste collection in my community, you have to make a trip to the dump yourself, on a Friday! Although they do take batteries at a few other places. Any other caustic things like lye for example, also go to haz waste.
They also don't collect any glass recycling, but they require that all beverage containers are recycled, so they can't go in the garbage. This means you have to bag and lug it yourself to a depot, and the ten cents refund is hardly worth it. We do it anyway, but it's not ideal for sure. Other recyclables go curbside every second week.

Guess we are lucky as they collect batteries curbside every so often. We can leave them out for pickup (with our recycling bins) in plastic baggies. They also pickup glass every other week, although most people return beer and wine bottles to the beer store for the 10/20 cent refund. We just wait until we have a big enough "collection" to return.

Linda

I began purchasing rechargeable batteries maybe 15 years ago because a digital camera that replaced my 35mm would eat regular batteries alive. I bought the first batch in a package of eight. About every three years they had to be replaced since they began losing charge. I like the longevity of Panasonic best but Amazon lasted about as long. None of the rechargeables have ever had a leakage problem. The old dry cells tend to leak no matter the brand.

I recently had a Duracell 8 pack of AAs start leaking in the package, years before their "good until" date of 2030.

The company gave me a voucher for replacements, but that is just terrible.