Because we need people with more knowledge than this guy when it comes to rating batteries. His 'reviews' may be fine for the uneducated, but for those of us that know more than this guy, his opinions aren't worth much. His approach looks good, but falls far short because he just doesn't know any better. You want to know batteries? Go check out Battery Mooch, th-cam.com/channels/ePHh3NMvu3rW2LFJeOWo-Q.html You're welcome.
@@ProjectFarm Still checking comments from almost 2-year-old videos, THAT, right there is TRUE DEDICATION!! You're the best!! I hope to be able to fund your videos when I'm rich 😬
An important parameter might also be how many cycles (of some moderate charge/discharge speed and level, as some don't like to be drained too low) can a given brand/model survive. All my prior investments into rechargeable batteries and chargers "failed" due to lifetime/cycles.
PF, seriously, you are the most thorough and meticulous independent tester out there. Your attention to detail has earned you an unrivaled level of trust and credibility in my eyes. I wonder how long it will be before we start seeing labels on products that read, "As featured on Project Farm"? :-) Thanks for the time and resources you invest in these tests. I know you're former Air Force so if I were writing your OPR/EPR you'd definitely get the #1 strat. "Promote ahead of peers". Well done sir.
Great job, straight to the point, good delivery of info without all the extra commentary. I hate it when guys have to tell you the life story and innermost feelings and what there dog ate for lunch before they divulge any useful information
Fantastic as always! I would post Amazon links to the battery tester and other products you show in your videos, even though you aren't being paid by any companies to show their products. You spend a lot of time making quality videos that save people a lot of time and money, so you're 100% entitled to make a small commission off product sales. The extra money could help you offset costs or entirely fund more great videos! If anyone has a problem with that, then you'll know they aren't a true supporter of your channel.
This is a terrific recommendation! Thank you very much for the positive comments. I really enjoyed your latest video. You've got a great channel with a lot of growth over the past year! Thanks again!
I bet that attitude is the reason why you aren't using (probably can't xD) patreon anymore and you're stuck with paypal huehuehue @Project Farm: Amazon/Ebay links are great, but so are link descramblers ;) Also note that sellers can pump up their price when they notice some "big" youtuber is redirecting traffic their way/to a certain product.
@@MrMiss-cp9bw Another "know-it-all" that knows nothing.....very sad we have to deal with people like you. Go crawl back under the rock you came out of.
Yes, always some smart people here, thank you, if the advertisers even get a hold of this dude, hes gona either turn most of them away, or make a bunch of $, either way, I know hes smart-nough to keep making awesome videos! ;-)
The Ikea Ladda is the best rechargeable batteries I have used. Made in Japan high quality. I use them in cameras, flashlights, GPS. two way radios and anywhere high drain/demand AA or AAA are needed, My son uses them in his X box remotes. I have made several trips back to Ikea to pick up more. Don't waste your time or money on anything else. Thanks for the time spend to give us the data.
Please rather than long storage Do Over nite 12 , 24 , 48 , 72 hour self discharge. We know what to expect from a battery that hasn't been cycled/recharged for a month or three. Its the over nite and charged a week ago that makes more sense for the average joe. If its 50% dead after a week while others hold up better. Thats something we need to know. Also multi drain recharge cycles. -> After say 25 charge discharge cycles how do they compare to each other. Who knows maybe it will surprise us. Would also be great to see how the new rechargeable lithiums that are like $10 dineros hold up too. Great Vid Thumbs up for you !
They dont loose charge that quick, I run AAA Duracells in my headlamps to walk dog at night, if I change 4 tonight and throw back in charger tomorrow or even 2 days later to top off before I put them in, they usually only take 10-30mah to top them off at a 1.0A charge. I have a Xtar vc4 charger that tells u that info
Eneloops lose less than 20% of their charge when stored for a year, the japanese made ones that is, the present chinese manufactured eneloops might have different results.
juslitor The japanese have been making the best cells for decades in all flavors. Just wondering how these consumer batterys stack up after specific intervals. I've had brand new Dewalt ® 18 v lipos that didn't hold a charge over nite while Ryobis ® for the same price EXPENSIVE hold for months. I'm into it - Been flying Helicopters and Drones and Nitro for 30+ years. I probably have 300 lipos in good working order that I cycle monthly.
FYI I have used the Panasonic, Duracell and IKEA batteries extensively daily as a professional photography completely depleting them and the by far the best performing were the ikea believe it or not. The Duracell poops out after 6 months, I have had the ikeas last years.
I've heard great things about the IKEA batteries in comparison to the eneloops. My understanding is that both are made by Panasonic in Japan (with the exception of some eneloops)
Ikea's Ladda is made with same specs and in the same factory as Eneloop pro! After Panasonic bought Eneloop from Sanyo, they moved normal Eneloop production to China, but pro-model is still made in Japan. I have about 300 Eneloops, but after finding out that Ladda is basicly same as Eneloop pro with 1/4 of the price, there is no competition! I have had 7 other brands in use, but they are all garbage in professional use. It's funny how the cheapest is also the best one.
Higher capacity usually means higher self drain, premium batteries at 2500mah are about the max for AA low self draining, if you intend to use the right after charging there are some really good 2900mah out there but won’t last if you store them, really depends on what you use them for.
This is awesome! Finally, someone actually looks behind the reasons why something is the best and not just “yeah I like this product so it’s clearly the best” Great video!
I agree 100% with lack of trust with the HF brand batteries. I am also shocked at the results of the Amazon Basic brand. Thanks once again for the effort producing these most helpful and entertaining videos. You deserve your success!!
Some Harbor Freight things are great deals and great products, others not so much. Normally though, the good stuff at harbor freight is still somewhat expensive.
@@johngaltline9933 yeah the old Sanyo, now Panasonic factory. The Japanese made LSD batteries are all rebranded, or possibly binned eneloops. They seem to just bump up the prices of the eneloops relying on the brand recognition. On Amazon it's currently £14 for 4 eneloop pros, or £14 for 8 identical spec Amazon pros. It's a no brainer.
I use the Harbor Freight rechargeable batteries and they're great. The only drawback with rechargeable AA/AAA batteries is the lower nominal voltage. (1.3v vs. 1.6) On many devices, it doesn't matter, but some devices die quickly because the voltage drop is too low right from the start. This is especially true when using a device with 8 AA, where the voltage difference is 2 volts or so. For those devices I keep some highly rated Amazon alkalines on hand. Love your work brother.
The big question is "what do you mean by BEST". Many batteries have a higher capacity when new but that drops quite fast and after many cycles they are not better than eneloop or other "ready to use" batteries. I stopped buying the ones with the biggest figure years ago and the only one I have now are "ready to use" or eneloops, the previous ones were all down to 25% of the initial capacity and went in the recycle bin. I have not recycled a single battery since I stopped buying the ones with the biggest number on it.
“Best” depends on the application. Battery characteristics involve tradeoffs. Want super low self discharge? You don’t get super high capacity. Need the highest capacity possible for a wireless temperature sensor in your hot, filthy attic? Rechargeable isn’t the best option. Etc etc.
@@ProjectFarm Thx. And Thx for your videos. One of the drawback of low self discharge batteries is that they have less initial capacity but also a little higher internal resistance so they don't like high currents: 1A is C/2 for a 2000mAh battery. Stopping at 1V is a bit high and you would get betters figures at 0.8V especially with high currents. Bellow 0.8V you get only a few more mAh and you start risking permanent damage. A little warning for people using the batteries in a device that put them in series (to get 3v, 4.5V, 6v. ..): recharge the batteries as soon as you see any sign of low charge. Don't push them to the limit. If one is slightly weaker than the others, it will be over discharged and could loose some capacity this way. I had that once on an eneloop. It lost 30% when it went to 0V. After a few charge/discharge cycles, some capacity came back but at the end of the day it lost 10% permanently.
Agreed. I bought Eneloop and Varta batteries 6-7 years ago on Amazon, the latter having a significantly higher rated capacity. Within 6 months, the Varta's capacities had plumetted, within 2 years they were beyond use. The Eneloop AA's still retain close to their 1900mA capacities after many 100's of charges. One thing I found was that Eneloop AAA's, left on 'constant charge' in wireless headphones, tend to fail outright over time, as had happened to the batteries they came with. But I guess no battery likes being on a cheap unregulated charger for extended periods.
Eneloop's advertised charge cycles have me torn between them and the Amazon Silvers. Not sure whether I should go for the cheaper option knowing I likely won't ever use more than 100 cycles, or pay a little more for the extra cycles and 'comfort' that provides.
I haven't used the Amazon batteries but have been tempted to try them. I will say that I used to use the Energizer rechargeable batteries but got tired of them dying after maybe 20 charge cycles. This was over a decade ago, so maybe they are better now. I switched to Eneloops and haven't had a single one quit on me yet. I'll pay a bit more for that longevity assurance. That's one thing this test doesn't address, is how many cycles the batteries can take and what their capacities are after say 20 or 50 cycles.
I have a double set of at least 7 years old of eneloops (2x4), and they still perform pretty good after some heavy use in Canon EOS system flash units. People say eneloop pros are even better but did not bother to test them, as these are still perfectly usable for my needs.
I forgot to take out the eneloop AAA batt in my headlamp. Over 3 years later I found my headlamp and turned it on and it still has power. Didnt even leak. But that was the older version of eneloop though.
using mAh as a basis is only half the truth! The voltage level is very important! two batteries can have the same capacity in mAh but one can have a higher voltage which means you are getting more energy out of it. That's exactly where the Eneloops are doing extremely well! They keep a high voltage during high power load giving them the edge! That's why I switched to Eneloops in the first place. They might not last as long as some others but they perform much better in power delivery. Very important for flashes or power tools. It is also my experience that high capacity cells degrade fast. Eneloops last much longer.
You are correct sir. C/s * hrs = 60*coulombs or 60 times the number of coulombs (or electrons) available. But there’s a big difference between having 1 coulomb at 1V (volts = energy per coulomb or literally joules/C) and 1 coulomb at 50,000 V. One “battery” contains 1*1 = 1 joules of chemical potential energy while the other contains 1*50,000= 50,000 joules. And then of course the power you can output depends on both your max current & voltage (drop) at that current.
You're one of the most honest reviewers ever. Not TH-cam, Amazon reviews, dedicated review websites, just everywhere. I found out that the majority of review websites are just sponsored by products, Amazon reviews are frequently faked and/or written by people with only a tiny/singular sample pool, and TH-camrs get sponsored, free items or equally the same sample pool. Thank you so much for the work you put in. I really appreciate it.
I've viewed your work for quite some time now, and must thank you for your 'scientific approach using design of experiments methodology'. I'm a retired avionics support engineer (Boeing, 18 years), and used-up some of my '15 minutes of fame' during the E.T.O.P.S. phase of the 777's evaluation (early/mid-'90s), so I've seen well implemented experiments. Has anyone ever dug up an old "Dick Clark Buddy L Super Charger 8000, for alkaline and Ni Cad battery 'life extension', and performed a proper evaluation of the system??
You should have charged/ discharged the batteries several more times, as most manufacturers claim that their batteries don't reach me capacity until several charge/discharge cycles; that is, they need to be "broken in". One of your respondents suggested charging non-rechargeable batteries. First of all, that is not possible. What you are actually doing is depolarizing the batteries and they are much more susceptible to leakage after doing so. Also, their capacity goes down with each attempt to "recharge" them.
it's not ADVISABLE to recharge non rechargeable batteries, not impossible. Stick a dead alkaline in a charger for 10 minutes and it'll come back to life, if even only for a few minutes. I used to do it as a kid all the time for fun, they never blew up on me because I wasn't dumb enough to think that if I just left it in there while it got hot it would actually fully charge. I just did it to get another 15 minutes out of my gameboy.
EVERY alkaline I have ever "recharged" has leaked at some point in the future, even just in storage. Don't do it! It barely even works in the first place, providing just a fraction of the original capacity.
Thank you for your time testing these batteries. I have both EBL and Eneloop batteries. I have been awfully disappointed in EBLs. They discharge too quickly in storage and in my kid's toys that get used occasionally. I really have no reason to keep them around and your tests confirm. I have no doubt that the Eneloops will be at or near the top as far as long term storage, they have yet to disappoint me.
@@ChuckoMountain-fv9yj you could have either purchased counterfeit versions of the white or you bought the black versions that are meant to be used in high demand devices that require frequent recharging. The old white eneloops do in fact have one of the lowest discharge rates in storage. It can be confirmed by the fact that certain IKEA and Energizer batteries that come from the same factory as the eneloops in Japan as there was only 1 factory in Japan that made these type of batteries. The quick way to protect yourself is to verify that they were made in Japan. Now things could have changed, but that was the general rule 10 years ago.
@@Quinid1 I purchased the white ones from amazon 5 years ago with an 8 position charger. They were too long when I got them, but forced them into the battery packs in flashlights. Both AA and AAA were like that. They said 2800/1100 on the outsides. Eventually the end discs fell off and brown stuff leaked. I threw it out. Their capacity markings arent truthful as verified by several on youtube channels. Now using LADDA brand no problems fit perfect.
@@ChuckoMountain-fv9yj in that case, I am afraid that you ended up with counterfeit ones. They are counterfeited quite often. Even the LADDA started seeing counterfeit versions. The older IKEA LADDA and genuine white Eneloops are basically coming off the same assembly line. I have almost 100 eneloops and IKEA LADDAs accrued over the past 10 years. I have never experienced any leaking or even swelling. In fact I've yet to have any fail at all other than occasionally my aftermarket battery charger will reject a battery. Even then, the eneloop charger will recognize the reject and recharge it. My only complaint is that they do not make size D cells. The AA-D adapter is convenient, but it doesn't make up for the needed capacity.
@@Quinid1 I had the 2300's and 2800's they were not worth the money. Oversized too. Its the 1100's that had crud come out. All from EBL through Amazon. I got another 4 pack from EBL who saw the purchase reciept, and replaced 4 of them. I bought them from EBL and EBL replaced them. I doubt EBL fakes their own product?
9V Odec brand Lithium Ion battery - Ten plus years in my multi-meter and still going & never leaked acid. Sits on the shelf most of the time but years go by between recharges! Everyone dreads short lasting expensive 9V batteries. Finally, there's a solution. Great videos keep it coming!!
Any time I'm going to buy something, I check to see if you've tested it. You're always on point. Thank you for all the meticulously well done content, every time.
I love how in depth you go with each video. Yes they may become long at times but, it's all useful information plus the graphs you make help too. If I need to know something in a hurry I skip to the end buy what I need and watch it all later. Thanks a lot for all your time this really is a public service👍👍👍👍
I have been using the Eneloops before they were labeled Panasonics. I took a chance on them. They lasted a long time before needing to be recharged, but what I liked about them the best was they did not self discharge like the other rechargeables I have used. I use these batteries in everything from tv remotes, Nikon camera strobes to Ham radio portable HF antenna tuner. I was very impressed on how they performed and lasted in the Nikon strobe, this is why I bought them in the first place. These batteries have been going strong for over ten years of use in the strobe. I have two set of batteries dedicated for the strobe and sometimes I used the strobe three times or more a week before I retired. I carried brand new alkaline batteries in my camera bag along with an extra set of charged eneloops. Never had to use the alkalines. Great review!
I've been using AA and AAA NiMH batteries for years now. If a new device comes with Alkaline batteries, I throw them away. I haven't done any scientific testing, but my personal experience with three brands is Eneloop is way out in front of Eveready and Duracell. They all three work well to begin with, but only Eneloop has lasted for me in the long run. I've been disappointed by relatively few charge/discharge cycles that I've gotten from the other two brands. I primarily use them in remote controls and LED flashlights, and an AM/FM clock radio. I also have some NiMH in D cell size for larger LED lanterns. I make sure those are fully charged at the start of hurricane season.
Typically eneloop pro and higher capacity LSD batteries will have lower charge cycle ratings. The ones rated closer to 2000mah like the white eneloop will be better for multiple charge cycles. I was under the impression the Amazon batteries were just rebranded eneloops.
Doesn't it make a lot more sense to use the disposable batteries first, then replace them with rechargeables? It seems like a total waste to throw out batteries that have already been made.
I have had Energizer and Duracell both for probably 10 years now. I'm sure the batteries have degraded but they still work fine for everything from headphones to flashlights and wireless mouse. My #1 loss of cells is from my mom borrowing them and throwing them out.
There's insane amounts of random brands with those. Panasonic & samsung have by far the best milliamp rating. If he goes and gets 18650s he's going to see 90% of them are fake ratings lol
Wanted to share this with you all. As of 4/5/21 Ikea is out of stock of LADDA AA's so using my Harbor Freight coupon, I picked up some Thunderbolt Magnum NiMh 2200mAh for $5.99. I do a lot of location digital recording with a Zoom H4n and Tascam DR70d. Comparing the run time, the LADDA's managed 5hr 54min while the Harbor Freight came in second with 5hr 20min. Both tests were identical: H4n powering two external mics with phantom power on. Not bad at all for the sale price. BTW, the LADDA's are my go to choice, the HF will be back ups. Keep up the awesome reviews, we trust your methods.
If you would have bought the Ikea battery AT IKEA it would not have been over $3/battery but would have been about $1.30/battery and would have, therefore, dominated these tests. Sometimes Amazon is a ripoff when you don't shop around. Hell, even Costco can be a rip off (rarely but sometimes) if you don't shop around! And I LOVE COSTCO!!! Excellent video, btw... and I'll look forward to you future discharge test results in a year or so!
I'm so happy to see my Duracell greens in the front of the pack. I bought a bundle of them in March of 2016. I use them constantly for my computer mouse/controllers and they're still going strong. The things are beasts.
I will have to check out the Amazon Basics Silver batteries. However, I'm very much looking forward to your future video on the 3/6/9/12 month tests, because shelf life and number of recharge cycles play a HUGE role in rechargeables. Obviously, the more recharging potential a battery has, the better cost efficiency over time. That's why I use the Eneloop batteries. They may not have looked good in this test, but they are supposed to have the best shelf life, the least recharge memory, and be capable of the most recharge cycles of any other brand. Are those the latest generation of Eneloop's? I assume they are, but just checking. Also, there's additionally Eneloop Pro batteries, which have a significantly higher capacity. They just aren't rated to be as durable.
Be careful with the Eneloop pro batteries. It is slightly larger than and might not fit into some applications (like some flashlights). The regular Eneloop has the closest similarity to regular alkaline battery, when I compare it to the Eneloop pro (black), AmazonBasic and Ikea batteries. Also the black version once died pre-maturely, and the regular one never failed, from my experience using then over last 20 years (some Sanyo still works!).
I have owned dozens of recargables. One important value consideration is durability. The enloops last many years longer than energizers i have found. I have noticed this many times over the past 14 yrs. throwing away energizers that no longer hold a charge and start to rust, while older enloops are still going good.
So does the ikea batteries and for a fraction of the cost. But im in Sweden and for me it beats almost all other brands by a stretch. Except for a couple i have not heard about. Also other channels tests suggests that the Ikea Ladda is actually enelopes.
@@mikaellindqvist5599 I agree, the ikea batteries are the absolute best price/performance rechargeable batteries on the planet, there's litteraly no reason to not buy them if you have an ikea nearby, they're even made from the same factory that produces the eneloops.
Have you tried or had experience with eneloop pro (black) lineup? They seem to be priced and rated higher than the normal lineup. Curious about real life performance
I'm disappointed with Eneloop, especially the 'Pro'; bought about 60 batteries, 4 years ago, mix of AA + AAA, PRO/normal, to use very occasionally in small LED lamps & fairy lights. 1 or 2 PRO from each pack would randomly die after 6-7 charges or start rusting [despite being kept dry /looked after]- the white variant has faired better, less deaths, but overall it's disappointing quality variance after paying more for what I thought was a top brand. I contacted Panasonic but obviously I can't prove how genuinely few times batteries have been re-charged before what I consider is an overly premature death, & Panasonic were uninterested, which I understand as they probably get people trying it on, but, meh; I need a better brand..
@ 9:08 - "...I've just had too many bad experiences with their (Harbor Freight) products." Same here! But, it STILL doesn't deter me from going back almost every day. Man, I am dumb!
As a home inspector, I use rechargeable batteries constantly for my cameras (taking 300 - 600 pictures per inspection). I live in the hot desert of southern California and have noticed a marked difference in the cycle life of my rechargeable AA batteries. Conclusions from daily use is Energizer and Duracell NiMH batteries seem to last the longest with an average of about 1 year service life . Duracell takes the win for cycle life and average loss of power over a year of usage. Keep in mind this is in extreme 115 - 125 deg. F summer heat and being kept in a car/truck with no A/C running while not being used in my camera bag. I've clocked roofs I've inspected at 182 deg. F and attics at about 160+ deg. F. No other rechargeable batteries I have used were able to maintain the service life of these two battery brands.
With Kirkland batteries, it's almost impossible to factor in the hidden cost of the membership, which drives the price up. Otherwise, excellent work. And thanks for including Sunbeam. They've been a reliable go-to around my house for years.
@@ProjectFarm I would imagine most people do not care about factoring that into the price since no one is buying a membership based on buying batteries but I get what you are saying. If it was the same price and quality as another brand it may be a deciding factor in an arbitrary rating. Most people care about the ratings for their own practical purposes.
I'm surprised to hear this. I will never buy Duracell again due to the amount of equipment I've had destroyed due to Duracell leaking. Absolute garbage. (Not rechargeable tho, normal batteries)
@@CyclingLifePT I run on chocolate bars (especially Snickers and Hersheys w/almonds) and Arnold Palmer tea, and MREs when I`m out in the sandbox with the Marines. You're on.
I haven't tried all of these but I have tried most of the "bigger" brands. The thing about Eneloop is that they last forever. You can charge them up, not use them for six months, put them in something and turn it on and they'll work as if you charged them five minutes ago, then still give you the same number of charges they're originally rated for. (I think it's 1,000 for the kind you're testing.) I've still got the first Eneloops I ever bought back in 2010 or so and they still work. I've had other major brands that completely died when I used them that way after literally 10 or 20 recharges. In fact, I'd just about given up on rechargeable batteries until I found Eneloop. They just work how you'd expect a rechargeable battery to, whereas the others all seem to die prematurely. Not on one single use, but over some period of time or some number of charges.
Thanks for making these videos. I watch almost every one and if I ever need one of the products you've tested I always come back and check it out before buying them. Just did this for batteries before buying them.
Keep in mind that most NiMh batteries increase in capacity over the first couple dozen charges. My EBLs started out low like your tests but after a few dozen charge discharge cycles they came up to their rated mAh levels. It's also important with nimh batteries to discharge/recondition them about every 50 charge cycles to maximize their life span. I also found to my surprise that HF nimh were top shelf quality.... go figure lol.
I bought 4 EBL AA to cycle through my XB1X remote alongside my energizers. I don't notice much different except when my remote says my batteries are low. After that, the remote dies really quickly. I can stretch it low battery warning energizers for much much longer before they die. I don't anticipate trying EBLs again and certainly not eneloop.
Project Farm First off, huge thanks for all of your great vids! I would love to see a breakdown of the batteries total power compared to others, not so much a % comparison to the “claimed” mah but just in relation to one another. Just to see who is on top? I have some Energizers/Tenergy/EBL used in my twin boys mobiles (crib). Playing music and turning 10 hours a night, alkaline batteries (Duracell) last 1 1/2 nights. The Tenergy lasts 1 night if your lucky. The Energizers run for 1 1/2 nights. However the EBL 2800 easily goes 2 nights plus! I use a Intellicharger i4 to charge them.
Where have you been all my life? I thought I was the only one who obsessed over this stuff. All of my eneloop hold a charge for quite a while and perform very well year-over-year while several of my Energizer have gone bad over time and won’t hold a change very long anymore. I’ve had them all for roughly 4 years and use them on toys for my kid like Nerf guns, air hockey, karaoke, trains, flashlights, and household items like remote candles and controllers. I also recharge my alkaline batteries, but won’t risk leaving them in an item for more than a few months for fear of bleeding.
having been a very heavy user of rechargeable batteries at one time using them in camera flashes for fill light in daytime. I found the eneloops the be very good and above all reliable. Most of the other brands I tried would shit themselves prematurely. With some bands I could get no more than 150 shots before 1 cell would just die and of course with no time to figure out which one was dead it was a case of swap all 4 out. I carried 8 sets of 4 to every shoot! When I got 2 sets of eneloops I found that they almost replaced all the others. To give you some idea of the workout these batteries got when batteries came out of the flash you could barely hold them in your hand as they were so hot. The eneloops handled this treatment day in day out with around 600 shots before they went flat. The other brands I had all rated at 2500ma would never get to 200 shots and often before that one of them would just die and could no longer be charged. Under really heavy use this test would be very different
That's exactly what is my commentary ...while tester giving us numbers he does, does not mention factor of lasting ....for how many recharges?... so review is semi true story only to me, sorry. I have myself probably like around 50 to 60 pieces of AA of aEneloopes , and they are working for me like a charm. NOw, I have them 4 around 6-7 years and I think they were rated for 10 years ... I eonder if other brands would survive that long performing that well...
Similar story here, use eneloops for flash and fill. Tried Energizer and a few other brands before settling on eneloop, and for the most part have a lot less 'random' deaths. My oldest set are a little over a year old which I wasn't expecting.
I like how you give each battery a fair test and I'm interested to see how different brands of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries found on Amazon would do under the same conditions you put these batteries through.
You can get 3 Sunbeams at Dollar Tree for a buck. I'm fairly certain Duracell, Ikea Ladda , Amazon Silver, Fujitsu, and Eneloop Pro are all made at the Fujuitsi plant in Japan. I have read and seen a video that Fujitsu's plant in Japan makes the Eneloop Pro for Panasonic but makes the regular Eneloops at their Chinese plant. The Duracell, Ikea, Amazon silver, and Eneloop Pro are all very close in performance and rating on the label. I haven't been paying attention to the battery market since I found the the Sanyo Eneloop XX ( now Panasonic Eneloop Pro) I think I'll have to get an 8 pack of Amazon silvers for $17.99 instead of 4 Eneloop Pro for $19.99 👍 Thanks for the video, I clicked on visit advertiser.
I've had no issues with Eneloop for low self-discharging. I can charge them on a Saturday and return to them the following weekend with no appreciable loss of energy. These past few years or so I use their Pro version; not the one you had tested. My only gripe with them is that their outer insulation is not as durable as I would like. It has a tendency to peel as a result of repeated insertion and removal from devices.
eneloop rechargable batteries any good for headlamp? I heard it's not good for devices that needs constant power? How many hours will the battery last any idea
@@okaythen001 I think eneloops (or other low-self-discharge NiMH batteries) work great for headlamps. Much better than alkalines. As for runtime, it really depends on the wattage of your headlamp. If it's LED (and it should be) it will last a long time, and you should notice that a full charge NiMH lasts a bit longer than a new disposable alkaline.
Love your channel. One suggestion. Use a google sheet for your calculating and results. Link it at the bottom of your video. I see a ton of reviewers with good formulas and testing procedures, but I like yours as they make such good common sense. Thanks!
yeah. definitely a different supply chain for amazon now. In the past 2 years, it's been nearly impossible to get the amazon "high capacity" batteries. They'll be in stock for a short time, then they're out of stock again for months. I had the black wrap ones from a few years back, they are very good but 2 have died on me...no longer charge at all on any charger.
Out of 16 Amazon AA 4 are dead already (2018 purchase). Original early Sanyo loops+Panny loops haven't had a dead one yet from the 60+ I own. Just another POV.
I can guarantee the Eneloops will be working for years unlike the others will have short lifespan. How do i know this, because i have Eneloops that have lasted years with hundreds recharge cycles
other people do 5 min self promoting 30 sec of content, and the must say phrase “don’t forget to like and subscribe”…I sub’d this channel halfway through my first vid on content alone, he still never asked, at the end STILL NO FLUFF. each vid I’m like “oh that looks interesting!” “watch the first video, ah I’ll go ahead and show those results too” dude so awesome! just lo’d got to the part where harbor freight is talked about, I had the same feeling
With all the popularity around high output led flashlights these days, it would be great if your could do a review on the types of rechargeable lithium ion batteries these devices use. Such as the 18650, 26650, Clr123, etc. Thank you for your time and service to the TH-cam community! Your are way better than consumer reports!
I use rechargable Duracells for my Xbox One controllers and I noticed their charge starts to fade off after a couple of weeks. This is after using them for a while through multiple recharges
This is the exact reason why I gave up on rechargeables. You have to top them off a couple time per year. Not so easy when you have a couple dozen on the shelf. Just a major PITA.
if you turn rumble off you get a fuck ton of time to play, and i only have done it cuz they're old batteries and when rumble is on they go in a flash, but they do their job
I have had bad luck with Duracell rechargeable batteries they just don't last long. After a year of use they crap out. EBL are complete garbage, they usually give up after 6 months. The best batteries I have purchased are Powerex and the Panasonic. I have some older Panasonic batteries that are 10 years old and still going strong, so I now buy Eneloop and so far they seem to last. It is not all about the energy that they store, it is also about how many charges you can get out of them as well. I will test my batteries and post my results.
I'm currently on year 8 with at least 6 of my Duracell 2400's. They still hold very good charge for me, not sure if it's because they are a European (specifically, UK) variant or not. Here in the US my US made duracells are just as good. Maybe you have them from a bad supplier or just bad luck?
I use Energizer rechargeable batteries in my outdoor lighting they last year's being charge and discharged Every single day I have some that a been out there for 4 years or more thank you I love your videos Chris
@@ProjectFarm Pretty good and a bit surprising on the eneloops though I wasn't looking at the actual mAh rating on them. Might want to work in possible numbers/cost based on lifecycle. Many rechargeables have a lifecycle of only around 500, where the eneloop is advertised at 2000+ recharge cycles. Any numbers like cost efficiency would be theoretical at this point but may yield different suggestions for a purchaser depending on required usage. Might also add in Tenergy. They seem to be available at all the electronics stores I visit.
The Ikea LADDA is much cheaper in my country. In fact a 4 pack of LADDA 2450' costs less than half of a 4 pack of eneloop pro 2500. and just about half of 4 a pack eneloop 1000's And some of the other well preforming batteries in this list are not available over here unless you import them yourself. (pointless: additional cost...) So I think what country you live in, and what deal your're able to get plays a big role too. If you're planning on more different battery tests, 18650's are interesting too. Specially the ridiculous Chinese Ultrafire ones with bull-crap 9800 Mah claims for example. but also ones that are supposed to be decent, like the Sony-Konion VTC6 (I use 4 3000mah VTC6 to vape, even though the ones i bought didn't come with a protection circuit and are meant to be used in packs only) I thing you're average AA or AAA or any common battery will pretty much preform near what the manufacturer tells you, some much better than others, but still. They''re not that dangerous, and not an awful lot will happen when you get it wrong. 18650's however, specially unprotected ones or ones with a massively exaggerated performance claim. If you get that wrong, they could very well go in to thermal runaway. I've gotten good experience with, Sony VTC6 and VTC5A, they seem to do very well even though I use my VTC6 cells without protection circuits. And here are some cells I've gotten for free with mods and flashlights over the years. I don't believe any of these could actually preform near their rated capacity.. Ultrafire 4000mah 6000mah and 9800mah. GTF 9800Mah If you look for them on amazon you'll find that some of them even have a bullshit story about theoretical capacity, rated capacity and actual capacity. because the seller obviously knows there's no way that's going to produce 9800Mah.
One difficulty with the UltraFire types is finding a consistent source; there are many different forgeries, and a given vendor may mix or change suppliers over time. Still, it's worth a try, and you could test some known genuine name brands.
@@zephsmith3499 Yes, thats true, in fact , if you search on aliexpress for "18650 lithium battery heat shrinkable sleeve" you'll find loads of them that are branded and have a capacity printed on them. it's quite easy to purchase some extra cheap rubbish 18650's relabel them and sell them on for a bit more. I mean, who's going to test its actual capacity?
After watching this video and making a similar suggestion, another person commented that I should look at some of the other videos on test done, I did. after a few videos, you could find a trend on which ones are real and which ones are fake. Batteries with realistic claims, for example 1800 Mah were more often closer to actual capacity , than batteries that made outrageous claims which only had less than half that claimed by the real ones. Smooth tipped batteries seemed to always be fakes, the ones that were real all had the vented positive tips, without that plastic washer thing. of course , not having the flat /smooth tip does not guarantee its real. only that Weight. almost all the real ones weighed a lot more than the fakes. You have to be careful with refurbished real batteries, these are real batteries but have been pulled, and refurbished to look new. problem is , quality will be sporadic. Given the bad reputation that 18650 have, I have noticed a few sellers on ebay, display their own tests, and weights, of the batteries they sell, if I was to buy more, I would start with a seller like that.
PF, you did not get a chance to test them with the rest of the brands so I want to make mention of the MAHA Energy PowerEX brand. I am the Field Equipment Coordinator for a small research firm in Alaska and have been using PowerEX NiMH batteries at work for over 15 years years. They were the first high quality rechargeable AA I found and have been durable and reliable. I have a couple of the MH C9000 diagnostic chargers and cycle the batteries through at least once / year. Your one test with the PowerEX that shows they run about 95% of their rated capacity is right on. They tend to hold that capacity as long as they are not damaged. The low-discharge rated batteries do well. I find they retain about 90% of their charge left after 6 months (my typical storage period). I appreciate your high quality videos. This one in particular is going to same me lots of money and time. Thanks!
Anyrhing bigger than aa is not useful. The only things that i know uses d cells still are some flash lights. And those flat square ones only in fire alarms. Other than that i don't really see any needs for making rechargable ones of these batteries. My bet is that theyre going to stop manufacturing the lesser batteries and just go for AAA as the master battery race.
@@charkee167 my led flashlights use 3 d batteries...these aren't your little 4 inch flashlights..these bad boys cans light up a quarter mile..I use Energizer rechargeable d batteries.
I use the EBL cells in our school and they work very well. They have a great capacity in line with other best in class. They just need to change their stupid claim for 2800 mAh. And then achieve a near 100% of claimed capacity! In fact I think 2800 is beyond the technology anyway. Ignoring the silly 2800 claim it also produced a solid 2400 in the high drain test. You can get big packs of them from Amazon at a great price. The technology tops out around the 2400 mark so EBL would easily be ranked among the best. Just ignore the label.
These batteries don't have "ratings" they have claimed capacity, which may or may not have any basis in reality. But there is no independent party doing any sort of rating. Just marketing people. Also, Eneloops from Amazon is risky. Amazon's problem with counterfeit goods are well known and Eneloops are well known for having fakes. With Amazon unable to police their merchandise, and such a big target, I'd really have to bite hard before trusting Amazon versus buying them from a reputable store with actual inventory control. With that in mind, I would not dismiss Eneloops just because some bought from Amazon didn't meet specs. I'd want to test some from a verified source, like Costco.
with amazon you have the check the seller , a market place seller could see junk, but a reputable seller will be ok, or make sure the seller is actually amazon, same goes for any memory product
@@ProjectFarm I could send you 4 of the eneloop batteries that I bought at Costco a few years ago. If you tell me where. Is there a way to personal message on here?
This is great. I just want to mention that the eneloop can be charged up to 5x more cycles than the Amazon (2,100 versus 400) and holds a charge, unused, for approximately 10x longer (10 years at 70% v 1 year at 70%) and the Amazon is very slightly more expensive today.
Where did you find that the eneloop is rated at 2000? My eneloop says 1900 mAh and that's what I also find on the website. Considering this, the actual capacity would be much closer. Also, I feel like this test might be a bit skewed. I have the same charger as you do. I would suggest, if you didn't do so yet, to read the manual, as it's very good. For example, read up on battery forming. This makes the first few tests inaccurate, as you were measuring already when they were not formed properly. You didn't mention that you ran a "break-in" cycle before all of these tests. Should you have done that without mentioning it however, I would take my argument back. Also, since only the break-in mode measures the capacity according to IEC standards, I feel like so you can compare the capacity in a fair way to the one rated by the manufacturer you should only consider capacity values measured with this test. Good choice though on the batteries and charger! Personally, I would also have liked to see the 2000 mAh Ikea Ladda and the eneloop pros in the test. And I think also interesting would be a test running all of the batteries constantly in break-in mode for a month, to see how they perform after being in use.
I just purchased some Eneloop batteries and they say 1900 MAH on the side, no mention of 2000 mah. My older Panasonic batteries only have 1600 MAH, but after 10 years of use they still have the same output. These are the longest lasting batteries I have ever purchased.
Would love to see cellphone battery testing, bolt cutters/lock testing, tire repair testing, internet/wifi testing. You do an amazing job. Keep up the great work
I'm a little late to the party but I'll share my experience. I have been using rechargeable AA's for 20 years and have used a few of these brands for our band's wireless mics and guitar processors. We need the batteries to get us though a gig, which is about 4 hours. All of the rechargeables we used met that goal. So what criteria made great batteries for us? The number of recharges. We recharge our batteries 4 to 5 times a week for rehearsals and gigs. Many of these brands lasted about 2 to 3 years before no longer taking a charge. The Eneloopes were the ones that lasted the longest. We are still using them many years later.
Project Farm along with this idea, best capacity for batteries used in RV type set ups with inverters. I’d like to build a trailer with inverter and solar system, for the purposes of pet grooming, which means at least two high power draw appliances at the same time (a/c and high velocity dryer, or, heater and high velocity dryer)
I bought IKEA's LADDA batteries by impulse on the way to the register, because my old rechargeables were well used up by that point. My old batteries barely lasted 10 hours in my work headset, sometimes not enough for a single shift and had to be charged daily. IKEA's batteries lasts the whole damn week. They're so good.
Love your videos! I have recently started wearing heated socks for winter motorcycle riding. They use 3 AA batteries per sock and they absolutely burn through batteries very fast. I wonder which brand and type of AA batteries (regular or rechargeable) would last the longest in the heated socks. This could also apply to other heated garments for winter time use, not just socks.
I can’t get over how thorough you are, you responded to my question about rechargeables so quickly, thank you. I keep telling everyone about your channel. Keep it up, love it.
Two weeks ago I bought another block of Amazon Basics AA batteries, the silver. I thought I was buying the exactly the same thing I bought one year ago. But the batteries are made in China, not Japan.
@Project Farm I just looked around on Amazon and couldn’t see where / how to determine the country of manufacture for any particular variation of the Basics. Within the Q&A section there were lots of conflicting answers about where one or another was made. Alas it may be impossible to know ahead of time where any one set of batteries you’re considering buying was made
Great video. I'd love to see the self discharge test results. I appreciate you doing this! I'm a carpenter and also a flashlight enthusiast so many of your videos have helped me make more informed decisions.
Ladda is white labeled eneloop pros. Comes out of the same and only battery factory left in Japan. Ikeas batt charger is also same as Panasonic’s top batt charger. All for like less than half the cost.
@@ProjectFarm Not in that charger, it's probably smart enough not to try - though there are chargers which claim to get about 10 cycles out of an ordinary battery - the key is PCR (Periodic current reversal) aka "dirty DC".
There ARE chargers that DO recharge Alkaline batteries, such as the regular Duracell, Energizer, or ect. I have one, and I have used it. It does work, but usually alkaline batteries will only recharge for a few cycles, but anything after the initial use is extra power that you wouldn't otherwise have gotten at all... so..? With that said, I would not suggest recharging Alkaline battery, then putting it into a device that you don't use often. In other words, don't use them in a clock or any device that takes a long time to run the battery down. As over time they may begin to leak.
Thanks for your tests. Rest assured the Kirkland’s will leak ruining the device you put them in. Not worth the bargain price. I’ve used them for a decade but no more.
I've only ever had them leak when they are approaching their expiry. Not only that but once one starts leaking, the rest aren't far behind. Never been an issue when the price was taken into account.
I've noticed the same thing with Radio Shack Enercells. Once the batteries are spent, you want to remove them promptly. It's really difficult getting that electrolyte off the contacts.
I bought a set of 4 AA Duracell rechargeable. After charging them, 2 went in a digital clock, and the other two went in a drawer. When the LCD of the clock started to fade out (2 months or so), I went in the drawer to pick the other 2. They were so "empty", they couldn't even power the clock at all. They depleted faster in the drawer than the ones in the clock ! I charged them all again, and reversed the roles. The "unused" ones went in the clock, and the "used" ones in the drawer. Same result ! My Duracells last longer when in use than when stored ... :s ^^
You do a great job on all your videos, I’m always impressed by them, so, thank you. One aspect that I don’t think you can realistically test for is longevity. I’ve used Eneloops for probably a dozen years now, and they hold 80% or more of their capacity (the point I toss rechargeables is at 80%) for something like 8-10 years. All others brands last 3-6 as a rule. I don’t use rechargeable that often or heavily, and so they’re being recharged just a handful of times per year. Consequently, a long life cycle makes them more economical for me.
I did actually do a five year test on eneloop cells just when they were bought buy Panasonic. They were Sanyo Eneloops and they did keep 90%+ of their capacity. These were standard eneloop (white) over five years. Although I did not compare to other brands I did open the batteries and I could see the low self discharge technology within them which is not very complex at all. What it interesting I'd Ansmann now have low self discharge cells too. That is a game changer!
Do you have to assemble the IKEA batteries?
Been there, done that with their furniture!
The Upscale that's funny
Project Farm GREAT video.... as Usual
That's only for chemists! :-D
Do you get a hex key with the LADDA?
Who needs consumer reports when you have Project Farm...
Thank you!
Hell yea, love the guy. Wife is like why don’t you marry him. I said maybe I will. Lol jk. But true story.
better and more honest!
@@timfoote6919 Don't forget Project Farm has far ,more knowledge and better tests!
Because we need people with more knowledge than this guy when it comes to rating batteries. His 'reviews' may be fine for the uneducated, but for those of us that know more than this guy, his opinions aren't worth much. His approach looks good, but falls far short because he just doesn't know any better. You want to know batteries? Go check out Battery Mooch, th-cam.com/channels/ePHh3NMvu3rW2LFJeOWo-Q.html You're welcome.
This is how TH-cam videos should be made. Quick researched info without fluff.
Thank you!
@@ProjectFarm Still checking comments from almost 2-year-old videos, THAT, right there is TRUE DEDICATION!! You're the best!! I hope to be able to fund your videos when I'm rich 😬
An important parameter might also be how many cycles (of some moderate charge/discharge speed and level, as some don't like to be drained too low) can a given brand/model survive. All my prior investments into rechargeable batteries and chargers "failed" due to lifetime/cycles.
PF, seriously, you are the most thorough and meticulous independent tester out there. Your attention to detail has earned you an unrivaled level of trust and credibility in my eyes. I wonder how long it will be before we start seeing labels on products that read, "As featured on Project Farm"? :-) Thanks for the time and resources you invest in these tests. I know you're former Air Force so if I were writing your OPR/EPR you'd definitely get the #1 strat. "Promote ahead of peers". Well done sir.
Thanks so much!
Seconded! My thoughts exactly. Thanks for your hard work and attention to detail PF!
Great job, straight to the point, good delivery of info without all the extra commentary. I hate it when guys have to tell you the life story and innermost feelings and what there dog ate for lunch before they divulge any useful information
Thank You for the constructive feedback!
Erick Morris 😂
I feel your comment was unnecessarily wordy. The first sentence was sufficient. Very annoying.
@@tomjones2521
"I feel your comment was unnecessary wordy" would've been enough.
@@ProjectFarm It's not eneloop pro. wtf.
I don't have any ideas but I appreciate all the time you put I to helping everyone be informed consumers.
Thank you!
@@ProjectFarm For real!!!
Fantastic as always! I would post Amazon links to the battery tester and other products you show in your videos, even though you aren't being paid by any companies to show their products. You spend a lot of time making quality videos that save people a lot of time and money, so you're 100% entitled to make a small commission off product sales. The extra money could help you offset costs or entirely fund more great videos! If anyone has a problem with that, then you'll know they aren't a true supporter of your channel.
This is a terrific recommendation! Thank you very much for the positive comments. I really enjoyed your latest video. You've got a great channel with a lot of growth over the past year! Thanks again!
I bet that attitude is the reason why you aren't using (probably can't xD) patreon anymore and you're stuck with paypal huehuehue
@Project Farm: Amazon/Ebay links are great, but so are link descramblers ;)
Also note that sellers can pump up their price when they notice some "big" youtuber is redirecting traffic their way/to a certain product.
@@MrMiss-cp9bw That is why you can give a link to the search and not the final product.
@@MrMiss-cp9bw Another "know-it-all" that knows nothing.....very sad we have to deal with people like you. Go crawl back under the rock you came out of.
Yes, always some smart people here, thank you, if the advertisers even get a hold of this dude, hes gona either turn most of them away, or make a bunch of $, either way, I know hes smart-nough to keep making awesome videos! ;-)
The Ikea Ladda is the best rechargeable batteries I have used. Made in Japan high quality. I use them in cameras, flashlights, GPS. two way radios and anywhere high drain/demand AA or AAA are needed, My son uses them in his X box remotes. I have made several trips back to Ikea to pick up more. Don't waste your time or money on anything else. Thanks for the time spend to give us the data.
You are welcome! Thanks for the suggestion.
I really appreciate the small red arrow that pointed to the name of each product on the bar graph.
Please rather than long storage Do Over nite 12 , 24 , 48 , 72 hour self discharge. We know what to expect from a battery that hasn't been cycled/recharged for a month or three. Its the over nite and charged a week ago that makes more sense for the average joe. If its 50% dead after a week while others hold up better. Thats something we need to know. Also multi drain recharge cycles. -> After say 25 charge discharge cycles how do they compare to each other. Who knows maybe it will surprise us. Would also be great to see how the new rechargeable lithiums that are like $10 dineros hold up too. Great Vid Thumbs up for you !
Thank you for the video idea!
They dont loose charge that quick, I run AAA Duracells in my headlamps to walk dog at night, if I change 4 tonight and throw back in charger tomorrow or even 2 days later to top off before I put them in, they usually only take 10-30mah to top them off at a 1.0A charge. I have a Xtar vc4 charger that tells u that info
Eneloops lose less than 20% of their charge when stored for a year, the japanese made ones that is, the present chinese manufactured eneloops might have different results.
juslitor The japanese have been making the best cells for decades in all flavors. Just wondering how these consumer batterys stack up after specific intervals. I've had brand new Dewalt ® 18 v lipos that didn't hold a charge over nite while Ryobis ® for the same price EXPENSIVE hold for months. I'm into it - Been flying Helicopters and Drones and Nitro for 30+ years. I probably have 300 lipos in good working order that I cycle monthly.
FYI I have used the Panasonic, Duracell and IKEA batteries extensively daily as a professional photography completely depleting them and the by far the best performing were the ikea believe it or not. The Duracell poops out after 6 months, I have had the ikeas last years.
This is great information! Thank you
@@ProjectFarm Have you done any longevity testing, repeated discharges and recharges, to get the bigger picture of what's really the best?
I've heard great things about the IKEA batteries in comparison to the eneloops. My understanding is that both are made by Panasonic in Japan (with the exception of some eneloops)
Ikea's Ladda is made with same specs and in the same factory as Eneloop pro! After Panasonic bought Eneloop from Sanyo, they moved normal Eneloop production to China, but pro-model is still made in Japan. I have about 300 Eneloops, but after finding out that Ladda is basicly same as Eneloop pro with 1/4 of the price, there is no competition! I have had 7 other brands in use, but they are all garbage in professional use. It's funny how the cheapest is also the best one.
IKEA batteries are made in the same factory as enloop. If I'm not mistaken.
Edit: someone beat me too it lol
Higher capacity usually means higher self drain, premium batteries at 2500mah are about the max for AA low self draining, if you intend to use the right after charging there are some really good 2900mah out there but won’t last if you store them, really depends on what you use them for.
Thanks again for another legendary video. You're a true credit to TH-cam.
Thank you!
This is awesome! Finally, someone actually looks behind the reasons why something is the best and not just “yeah I like this product so it’s clearly the best”
Great video!
Thank you!
can you test lifepo4 battery too?
you generally use them to replace 2 battery with a dummy.
I agree 100% with lack of trust with the HF brand batteries. I am also shocked at the results of the Amazon Basic brand. Thanks once again for the effort producing these most helpful and entertaining videos. You deserve your success!!
Thank you!
Some Harbor Freight things are great deals and great products, others not so much. Normally though, the good stuff at harbor freight is still somewhat expensive.
Amazon's are made where eneloop and ikeas are made
@@B0balagurak As of the last time I researched it, there was exactly one NiMH battery factory in Japan.
@@johngaltline9933 yeah the old Sanyo, now Panasonic factory. The Japanese made LSD batteries are all rebranded, or possibly binned eneloops. They seem to just bump up the prices of the eneloops relying on the brand recognition.
On Amazon it's currently £14 for 4 eneloop pros, or £14 for 8 identical spec Amazon pros. It's a no brainer.
I use the Harbor Freight rechargeable batteries and they're great. The only drawback with rechargeable AA/AAA batteries is the lower nominal voltage. (1.3v vs. 1.6) On many devices, it doesn't matter, but some devices die quickly because the voltage drop is too low right from the start. This is especially true when using a device with 8 AA, where the voltage difference is 2 volts or so. For those devices I keep some highly rated Amazon alkalines on hand.
Love your work brother.
Great point on the lower voltage. Thanks again
The big question is "what do you mean by BEST". Many batteries have a higher capacity when new but that drops quite fast and after many cycles they are not better than eneloop or other "ready to use" batteries. I stopped buying the ones with the biggest figure years ago and the only one I have now are "ready to use" or eneloops, the previous ones were all down to 25% of the initial capacity and went in the recycle bin. I have not recycled a single battery since I stopped buying the ones with the biggest number on it.
Great point. Thank you
“Best” depends on the application. Battery characteristics involve tradeoffs. Want super low self discharge? You don’t get super high capacity. Need the highest capacity possible for a wireless temperature sensor in your hot, filthy attic? Rechargeable isn’t the best option. Etc etc.
@@JohnGodwin777 I agree. For a all round nimh you don't need the highest value, however the test focused mostly on that factor, hence my comment.
@@ProjectFarm Thx. And Thx for your videos. One of the drawback of low self discharge batteries is that they have less initial capacity but also a little higher internal resistance so they don't like high currents: 1A is C/2 for a 2000mAh battery. Stopping at 1V is a bit high and you would get betters figures at 0.8V especially with high currents. Bellow 0.8V you get only a few more mAh and you start risking permanent damage.
A little warning for people using the batteries in a device that put them in series (to get 3v, 4.5V, 6v. ..): recharge the batteries as soon as you see any sign of low charge. Don't push them to the limit. If one is slightly weaker than the others, it will be over discharged and could loose some capacity this way. I had that once on an eneloop. It lost 30% when it went to 0V. After a few charge/discharge cycles, some capacity came back but at the end of the day it lost 10% permanently.
Agreed. I bought Eneloop and Varta batteries 6-7 years ago on Amazon, the latter having a significantly higher rated capacity. Within 6 months, the Varta's capacities had plumetted, within 2 years they were beyond use. The Eneloop AA's still retain close to their 1900mA capacities after many 100's of charges. One thing I found was that Eneloop AAA's, left on 'constant charge' in wireless headphones, tend to fail outright over time, as had happened to the batteries they came with. But I guess no battery likes being on a cheap unregulated charger for extended periods.
Nice video, I’ve been using eneloops for several years now and they all still work as good as the day I got them.
Thank you!
Eneloop's advertised charge cycles have me torn between them and the Amazon Silvers. Not sure whether I should go for the cheaper option knowing I likely won't ever use more than 100 cycles, or pay a little more for the extra cycles and 'comfort' that provides.
I haven't used the Amazon batteries but have been tempted to try them. I will say that I used to use the Energizer rechargeable batteries but got tired of them dying after maybe 20 charge cycles. This was over a decade ago, so maybe they are better now. I switched to Eneloops and haven't had a single one quit on me yet. I'll pay a bit more for that longevity assurance. That's one thing this test doesn't address, is how many cycles the batteries can take and what their capacities are after say 20 or 50 cycles.
I have a double set of at least 7 years old of eneloops (2x4), and they still perform pretty good after some heavy use in Canon EOS system flash units. People say eneloop pros are even better but did not bother to test them, as these are still perfectly usable for my needs.
I forgot to take out the eneloop AAA batt in my headlamp. Over 3 years later I found my headlamp and turned it on and it still has power. Didnt even leak. But that was the older version of eneloop though.
using mAh as a basis is only half the truth! The voltage level is very important! two batteries can have the same capacity in mAh but one can have a higher voltage which means you are getting more energy out of it. That's exactly where the Eneloops are doing extremely well! They keep a high voltage during high power load giving them the edge! That's why I switched to Eneloops in the first place. They might not last as long as some others but they perform much better in power delivery. Very important for flashes or power tools. It is also my experience that high capacity cells degrade fast. Eneloops last much longer.
Thank you!
@@ProjectFarm BTW, I love all your videos and always find them super helpful and informative.
Yea, watt hours would be a better way to measure their power
@@plc268 Exactly
You are correct sir. C/s * hrs = 60*coulombs or 60 times the number of coulombs (or electrons) available. But there’s a big difference between having 1 coulomb at 1V (volts = energy per coulomb or literally joules/C) and 1 coulomb at 50,000 V. One “battery” contains 1*1 = 1 joules of chemical potential energy while the other contains 1*50,000= 50,000 joules.
And then of course the power you can output depends on both your max current & voltage (drop) at that current.
You're one of the most honest reviewers ever. Not TH-cam, Amazon reviews, dedicated review websites, just everywhere. I found out that the majority of review websites are just sponsored by products, Amazon reviews are frequently faked and/or written by people with only a tiny/singular sample pool, and TH-camrs get sponsored, free items or equally the same sample pool. Thank you so much for the work you put in. I really appreciate it.
You are welcome!
I've viewed your work for quite some time now, and must thank you for your 'scientific approach using design of experiments methodology'. I'm a retired avionics support engineer (Boeing, 18 years), and used-up some of my '15 minutes of fame' during the E.T.O.P.S. phase of the 777's evaluation (early/mid-'90s), so I've seen well implemented experiments.
Has anyone ever dug up an old "Dick Clark Buddy L Super Charger 8000, for alkaline and Ni Cad battery 'life extension', and performed a proper evaluation of the system??
Thank you for the positive comment!
You should have charged/ discharged the batteries several more times, as most manufacturers claim that their batteries don't reach me capacity until several charge/discharge cycles; that is, they need to be "broken in".
One of your respondents suggested charging non-rechargeable batteries. First of all, that is not possible. What you are actually doing is depolarizing the batteries and they are much more susceptible to leakage after doing so. Also, their capacity goes down with each attempt to "recharge" them.
it's not ADVISABLE to recharge non rechargeable batteries, not impossible. Stick a dead alkaline in a charger for 10 minutes and it'll come back to life, if even only for a few minutes. I used to do it as a kid all the time for fun, they never blew up on me because I wasn't dumb enough to think that if I just left it in there while it got hot it would actually fully charge. I just did it to get another 15 minutes out of my gameboy.
EVERY alkaline I have ever "recharged" has leaked at some point in the future, even just in storage. Don't do it! It barely even works in the first place, providing just a fraction of the original capacity.
Andrew Rood you’ve got a typo in your first paragraph.
@@fearofchicke yes, I know, it should have read, "max" not "me".
Andrew Rood thanks for the clarification.
Thank you for your time testing these batteries. I have both EBL and Eneloop batteries. I have been awfully disappointed in EBLs. They discharge too quickly in storage and in my kid's toys that get used occasionally. I really have no reason to keep them around and your tests confirm. I have no doubt that the Eneloops will be at or near the top as far as long term storage, they have yet to disappoint me.
Great feedback Thank you!
@@ChuckoMountain-fv9yj you could have either purchased counterfeit versions of the white or you bought the black versions that are meant to be used in high demand devices that require frequent recharging.
The old white eneloops do in fact have one of the lowest discharge rates in storage. It can be confirmed by the fact that certain IKEA and Energizer batteries that come from the same factory as the eneloops in Japan as there was only 1 factory in Japan that made these type of batteries.
The quick way to protect yourself is to verify that they were made in Japan. Now things could have changed, but that was the general rule 10 years ago.
@@Quinid1 I purchased the white ones from amazon 5 years ago with an 8 position charger. They were too long when I got them, but forced them into the battery packs in flashlights. Both AA and AAA were like that. They said 2800/1100 on the outsides. Eventually the end discs fell off and brown stuff leaked. I threw it out. Their capacity markings arent truthful as verified by several on youtube channels. Now using LADDA brand no problems fit perfect.
@@ChuckoMountain-fv9yj in that case, I am afraid that you ended up with counterfeit ones. They are counterfeited quite often. Even the LADDA started seeing counterfeit versions. The older IKEA LADDA and genuine white Eneloops are basically coming off the same assembly line.
I have almost 100 eneloops and IKEA LADDAs accrued over the past 10 years. I have never experienced any leaking or even swelling. In fact I've yet to have any fail at all other than occasionally my aftermarket battery charger will reject a battery. Even then, the eneloop charger will recognize the reject and recharge it.
My only complaint is that they do not make size D cells. The AA-D adapter is convenient, but it doesn't make up for the needed capacity.
@@Quinid1 I had the 2300's and 2800's they were not worth the money. Oversized too. Its the 1100's that had crud come out. All from EBL through Amazon. I got another 4 pack from EBL who saw the purchase reciept, and replaced 4 of them. I bought them from EBL and EBL replaced them. I doubt EBL fakes their own product?
9V Odec brand Lithium Ion battery - Ten plus years in my multi-meter and still going & never leaked acid. Sits on the shelf most of the time but years go by between recharges! Everyone dreads short lasting expensive 9V batteries. Finally, there's a solution. Great videos keep it coming!!
Thank you for the feedback
Any time I'm going to buy something, I check to see if you've tested it. You're always on point. Thank you for all the meticulously well done content, every time.
You are welcome!
I love how in depth you go with each video. Yes they may become long at times but, it's all useful information plus the graphs you make help too. If I need to know something in a hurry I skip to the end buy what I need and watch it all later. Thanks a lot for all your time this really is a public service👍👍👍👍
so, I did that without speakers but couldn't identify which was best. help a (lazy) brotha out!
Project Farm this is a very well charged video
Thank you!
@@ProjectFarm hmm did you get it?
underrated comment
Shouldn't this be filed under current affairs?
I have been using the Eneloops before they were labeled Panasonics. I took a chance on them. They lasted a long time before needing to be recharged, but what I liked about them the best was they did not self discharge like the other rechargeables I have used. I use these batteries in everything from tv remotes, Nikon camera strobes to Ham radio portable HF antenna tuner. I was very impressed on how they performed and lasted in the Nikon strobe, this is why I bought them in the first place. These batteries have been going strong for over ten years of use in the strobe. I have two set of batteries dedicated for the strobe and sometimes I used the strobe three times or more a week before I retired. I carried brand new alkaline batteries in my camera bag along with an extra set of charged eneloops. Never had to use the alkalines. Great review!
Thanks so much!
Would have loved to see a test of the black label Eneloop Pro batteries. I have a feeling I have wasted a ton of money on them after seeing this.
Thank you
Actually he did. The Duracell and Amazon silver are rebranded Eneloop Pro batteries.
@@floyd2386 nice!!!
@@floyd2386 Thanks for pointing this out
@@floyd2386 that's what everyone says and I don't doubt it, but it would be cool to see it in the numbers.
I've been using AA and AAA NiMH batteries for years now. If a new device comes with Alkaline batteries, I throw them away. I haven't done any scientific testing, but my personal experience with three brands is Eneloop is way out in front of Eveready and Duracell. They all three work well to begin with, but only Eneloop has lasted for me in the long run. I've been disappointed by relatively few charge/discharge cycles that I've gotten from the other two brands. I primarily use them in remote controls and LED flashlights, and an AM/FM clock radio. I also have some NiMH in D cell size for larger LED lanterns. I make sure those are fully charged at the start of hurricane season.
Thank you!
Typically eneloop pro and higher capacity LSD batteries will have lower charge cycle ratings. The ones rated closer to 2000mah like the white eneloop will be better for multiple charge cycles. I was under the impression the Amazon batteries were just rebranded eneloops.
Will you consider recycling those batteries instead of throwing away?
Doesn't it make a lot more sense to use the disposable batteries first, then replace them with rechargeables? It seems like a total waste to throw out batteries that have already been made.
I have had Energizer and Duracell both for probably 10 years now. I'm sure the batteries have degraded but they still work fine for everything from headphones to flashlights and wireless mouse. My #1 loss of cells is from my mom borrowing them and throwing them out.
it would be interesting to see this test done with bigger rechargeable batteries like 18650's, 21700's and 26650's
Thank you for the video idea!
There's insane amounts of random brands with those. Panasonic & samsung have by far the best milliamp rating. If he goes and gets 18650s he's going to see 90% of them are fake ratings lol
you should check out battery mooch. he tests tons of 18650's th-cam.com/channels/ePHh3NMvu3rW2LFJeOWo-Q.htmlvideos
Check out lygte-info.dk he has done a huge number of tests on 18650s I think his results are quite good
Try Anker. Theyre a good brand and they never let me down
Wanted to share this with you all. As of 4/5/21 Ikea is out of stock of LADDA AA's so using my Harbor Freight coupon, I picked up some Thunderbolt Magnum NiMh 2200mAh for $5.99. I do a lot of location digital recording with a Zoom H4n and Tascam DR70d. Comparing the run time, the LADDA's managed 5hr 54min while the Harbor Freight came in second with 5hr 20min. Both tests were identical: H4n powering two external mics with phantom power on. Not bad at all for the sale price. BTW, the LADDA's are my go to choice, the HF will be back ups. Keep up the awesome reviews, we trust your methods.
Thanks for sharing.
If you would have bought the Ikea battery AT IKEA it would not have been over $3/battery but would have been about $1.30/battery and would have, therefore, dominated these tests. Sometimes Amazon is a ripoff when you don't shop around. Hell, even Costco can be a rip off (rarely but sometimes) if you don't shop around! And I LOVE COSTCO!!!
Excellent video, btw... and I'll look forward to you future discharge test results in a year or so!
Thank you!
Rippoff is a bit harsh, I would say not as competitive. Just a suggestion. :)
I haven't actually seen either of these stores irl
I'm so happy to see my Duracell greens in the front of the pack. I bought a bundle of them in March of 2016. I use them constantly for my computer mouse/controllers and they're still going strong. The things are beasts.
Thank you!
I will have to check out the Amazon Basics Silver batteries. However, I'm very much looking forward to your future video on the 3/6/9/12 month tests, because shelf life and number of recharge cycles play a HUGE role in rechargeables. Obviously, the more recharging potential a battery has, the better cost efficiency over time. That's why I use the Eneloop batteries. They may not have looked good in this test, but they are supposed to have the best shelf life, the least recharge memory, and be capable of the most recharge cycles of any other brand.
Are those the latest generation of Eneloop's? I assume they are, but just checking. Also, there's additionally Eneloop Pro batteries, which have a significantly higher capacity. They just aren't rated to be as durable.
Also...since this came out in January, I guess that means we can look forward to part 2 in a month or two!! (Crossing fingers.)
Thank you very much! Yes, I plan to publish an update video really soon. Thanks again
Be careful with the Eneloop pro batteries. It is slightly larger than and might not fit into some applications (like some flashlights). The regular Eneloop has the closest similarity to regular alkaline battery, when I compare it to the Eneloop pro (black), AmazonBasic and Ikea batteries.
Also the black version once died pre-maturely, and the regular one never failed, from my experience using then over last 20 years (some Sanyo still works!).
@@ChanFeng Interesting. I've never tried the pro ones because they seem more of a novelty, so I guess I'm glad I haven't.
The best capacitors on average are Japanese, so the best batteries are probably from there too.
I have owned dozens of recargables. One important value consideration is durability. The enloops last many years longer than energizers i have found. I have noticed this many times over the past 14 yrs. throwing away energizers that no longer hold a charge and start to rust, while older enloops are still going good.
So does the ikea batteries and for a fraction of the cost. But im in Sweden and for me it beats almost all other brands by a stretch. Except for a couple i have not heard about. Also other channels tests suggests that the Ikea Ladda is actually enelopes.
@@mikaellindqvist5599 I agree, the ikea batteries are the absolute best price/performance rechargeable batteries on the planet, there's litteraly no reason to not buy them if you have an ikea nearby, they're even made from the same factory that produces the eneloops.
@@mashmeloazul Did you watch the video, switch to Duracell
Have you tried or had experience with eneloop pro (black) lineup? They seem to be priced and rated higher than the normal lineup. Curious about real life performance
I'm disappointed with Eneloop, especially the 'Pro'; bought about 60 batteries, 4 years ago, mix of AA + AAA, PRO/normal, to use very occasionally in small LED lamps & fairy lights. 1 or 2 PRO from each pack would randomly die after 6-7 charges or start rusting [despite being kept dry /looked after]- the white variant has faired better, less deaths, but overall it's disappointing quality variance after paying more for what I thought was a top brand. I contacted Panasonic but obviously I can't prove how genuinely few times batteries have been re-charged before what I consider is an overly premature death, & Panasonic were uninterested, which I understand as they probably get people trying it on, but, meh; I need a better brand..
very thorough, concise and it seems unbiased - good job sir
Thank you!
@ 9:08 - "...I've just had too many bad experiences with their (Harbor Freight) products."
Same here! But, it STILL doesn't deter me from going back almost every day. Man, I am dumb!
Ikea's "Ladda" means "Charge" in swedish.
Thank you!
And Lada is Russian car brand.
@@YPO6 yes. And "Lada" means "barn" in Swedish.
And "barn" in Swedish means "child" in English.
@@volvo245glt yes
As a home inspector, I use rechargeable batteries constantly for my cameras (taking 300 - 600 pictures per inspection). I live in the hot desert of southern California and have noticed a marked difference in the cycle life of my rechargeable AA batteries. Conclusions from daily use is Energizer and Duracell NiMH batteries seem to last the longest with an average of about 1 year service life . Duracell takes the win for cycle life and average loss of power over a year of usage. Keep in mind this is in extreme 115 - 125 deg. F summer heat and being kept in a car/truck with no A/C running while not being used in my camera bag. I've clocked roofs I've inspected at 182 deg. F and attics at about 160+ deg. F. No other rechargeable batteries I have used were able to maintain the service life of these two battery brands.
Thanks for sharing.
With Kirkland batteries, it's almost impossible to factor in the hidden cost of the membership, which drives the price up. Otherwise, excellent work. And thanks for including Sunbeam. They've been a reliable go-to around my house for years.
Thanks for sharing
@@ProjectFarm I would imagine most people do not care about factoring that into the price since no one is buying a membership based on buying batteries but I get what you are saying. If it was the same price and quality as another brand it may be a deciding factor in an arbitrary rating. Most people care about the ratings for their own practical purposes.
I'm a fan of Duracell. The style of them is classic too.
Thank you!
I'm surprised to hear this. I will never buy Duracell again due to the amount of equipment I've had destroyed due to Duracell leaking. Absolute garbage. (Not rechargeable tho, normal batteries)
We all know the best battery is "Battery" by Metallica! It recharges me every time!
I don't know about that, but I do know the Energizers keep that bunny hopping.
Are you available for testing at the Project Farm facilities? I would love to know if you recharge as much as expected, and also the discharge rate.
@@perrychamp3816 Great idea! Duracell Bunnies versus Metallica Battery lovers! Lets see who lasts longer!
PF, sign me up, we have work to do!
@@CyclingLifePT I run on chocolate bars (especially Snickers and Hersheys w/almonds) and Arnold Palmer tea, and MREs when I`m out in the sandbox with the Marines. You're on.
I haven't tried all of these but I have tried most of the "bigger" brands. The thing about Eneloop is that they last forever. You can charge them up, not use them for six months, put them in something and turn it on and they'll work as if you charged them five minutes ago, then still give you the same number of charges they're originally rated for. (I think it's 1,000 for the kind you're testing.) I've still got the first Eneloops I ever bought back in 2010 or so and they still work. I've had other major brands that completely died when I used them that way after literally 10 or 20 recharges. In fact, I'd just about given up on rechargeable batteries until I found Eneloop. They just work how you'd expect a rechargeable battery to, whereas the others all seem to die prematurely. Not on one single use, but over some period of time or some number of charges.
Thanks for the feedback.
Thanks for making these videos. I watch almost every one and if I ever need one of the products you've tested I always come back and check it out before buying them. Just did this for batteries before buying them.
Thank you very much!
Keep in mind that most NiMh batteries increase in capacity over the first couple dozen charges. My EBLs started out low like your tests but after a few dozen charge discharge cycles they came up to their rated mAh levels. It's also important with nimh batteries to discharge/recondition them about every 50 charge cycles to maximize their life span.
I also found to my surprise that HF nimh were top shelf quality.... go figure lol.
Thank you!
Ive been using EBL rechargeables in flashlights for a while now and they always have seemed to hold up really well, especially for their price.
I bought 4 EBL AA to cycle through my XB1X remote alongside my energizers. I don't notice much different except when my remote says my batteries are low. After that, the remote dies really quickly. I can stretch it low battery warning energizers for much much longer before they die. I don't anticipate trying EBLs again and certainly not eneloop.
You nailed it, i was a bit annoyed that this wasn't in the test assuming this was general knowledge!
Project Farm First off, huge thanks for all of your great vids! I would love to see a breakdown of the batteries total power compared to others, not so much a % comparison to the “claimed” mah but just in relation to one another. Just to see who is on top? I have some Energizers/Tenergy/EBL used in my twin boys mobiles (crib). Playing music and turning 10 hours a night, alkaline batteries (Duracell) last 1 1/2 nights. The Tenergy lasts 1 night if your lucky. The Energizers run for 1 1/2 nights. However the EBL 2800 easily goes 2 nights plus! I use a Intellicharger i4 to charge them.
Appreciate all the time expenses and work put into this review. It Really helps the consumer make more knowledgeable selection.
👍🔋
Thank you
I've had a whole bunch of AA and AAA Eneloop Pro batteries that I've been using for YEARS at this point. They've been great!
Thanks for the feedback.
Where have you been all my life? I thought I was the only one who obsessed over this stuff. All of my eneloop hold a charge for quite a while and perform very well year-over-year while several of my Energizer have gone bad over time and won’t hold a change very long anymore. I’ve had them all for roughly 4 years and use them on toys for my kid like Nerf guns, air hockey, karaoke, trains, flashlights, and household items like remote candles and controllers.
I also recharge my alkaline batteries, but won’t risk leaving them in an item for more than a few months for fear of bleeding.
having been a very heavy user of rechargeable batteries at one time using them in camera flashes for fill light in daytime. I found the eneloops the be very good and above all reliable. Most of the other brands I tried would shit themselves prematurely. With some bands I could get no more than 150 shots before 1 cell would just die and of course with no time to figure out which one was dead it was a case of swap all 4 out. I carried 8 sets of 4 to every shoot! When I got 2 sets of eneloops I found that they almost replaced all the others. To give you some idea of the workout these batteries got when batteries came out of the flash you could barely hold them in your hand as they were so hot. The eneloops handled this treatment day in day out with around 600 shots before they went flat. The other brands I had all rated at 2500ma would never get to 200 shots and often before that one of them would just die and could no longer be charged. Under really heavy use this test would be very different
That's exactly what is my commentary ...while tester giving us numbers he does, does not mention factor of lasting ....for how many recharges?... so review is semi true story only to me, sorry. I have myself probably like around 50 to 60 pieces of AA of aEneloopes , and they are working for me like a charm. NOw, I have them 4 around 6-7 years and I think they were rated for 10 years ... I eonder if other brands would survive that long performing that well...
my name is jose martinez and Ive been a heavy battery abuser for years this is my story
Similar story here, use eneloops for flash and fill. Tried Energizer and a few other brands before settling on eneloop, and for the most part have a lot less 'random' deaths. My oldest set are a little over a year old which I wasn't expecting.
This is why I came here... Just got Godox TT685 flashes and was surprised how fast they eat regular alkalines... Will gt some eneloops
Exactly, eneloop is highly recommended in thousands of client opinions on Amazon!!!
I like how you give each battery a fair test and I'm interested to see how different brands of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries found on Amazon would do under the same conditions you put these batteries through.
Thanks for the video idea.
You can get 3 Sunbeams at Dollar Tree for a buck. I'm fairly certain Duracell, Ikea Ladda , Amazon Silver, Fujitsu, and Eneloop Pro are all made at the Fujuitsi plant in Japan. I have read and seen a video that Fujitsu's plant in Japan makes the Eneloop Pro for Panasonic but makes the regular Eneloops at their Chinese plant. The Duracell, Ikea, Amazon silver, and Eneloop Pro are all very close in performance and rating on the label. I haven't been paying attention to the battery market since I found the the Sanyo Eneloop XX ( now Panasonic Eneloop Pro) I think I'll have to get an 8 pack of Amazon silvers for $17.99 instead of 4 Eneloop Pro for $19.99 👍 Thanks for the video, I clicked on visit advertiser.
Thank you for the feedback
Isn’t the selling point of enloops that they can charge/recharge a thousand times or something? Can you do a mAh vs number of charges graph?
Thanks for the constructive feedback!
Panasonic Eneloop is Only rated at 1900 MAH not 2000 if he use the 1900mah of eneloop as the bench mark its 100%
Yes, PF corrects this in the next video
@@PaoloElarmo so did he
I've got older Sanyo Enloops that are still going strong.
I've had no issues with Eneloop for low self-discharging. I can charge them on a Saturday and return to them the following weekend with no appreciable loss of energy. These past few years or so I use their Pro version; not the one you had tested.
My only gripe with them is that their outer insulation is not as durable as I would like. It has a tendency to peel as a result of repeated insertion and removal from devices.
Problems you mean.
eneloop rechargable batteries any good for headlamp? I heard it's not good for devices that needs constant power? How many hours will the battery last any idea
@@okaythen001 I think eneloops (or other low-self-discharge NiMH batteries) work great for headlamps. Much better than alkalines. As for runtime, it really depends on the wattage of your headlamp. If it's LED (and it should be) it will last a long time, and you should notice that a full charge NiMH lasts a bit longer than a new disposable alkaline.
Another Great test! How about Considering doing a tie down strap test.
Thank you for the video idea!
thats what my sister used to say, just kidding, I dont have a sister ;-)
Oh please pick me for tie done strap test victim uh volunteer, I’m a wiggler and I think you’re hot!. I’m going to shower now....
Love your channel. One suggestion. Use a google sheet for your calculating and results. Link it at the bottom of your video. I see a ton of reviewers with good formulas and testing procedures, but I like yours as they make such good common sense. Thanks!
Thank you for the feedback
your work is valuable
Thank you!
ikea ladda, amazon basics and eneloops = same batteriies, made in ithe same factory.
2450 laddas are equivalent to eneloop's pro or black batteries.
Thank you!
yeah. definitely a different supply chain for amazon now. In the past 2 years, it's been nearly impossible to get the amazon "high capacity" batteries. They'll be in stock for a short time, then they're out of stock again for months. I had the black wrap ones from a few years back, they are very good but 2 have died on me...no longer charge at all on any charger.
Same factory does not equal same battery.
That's not what the data showed.
Out of 16 Amazon AA 4 are dead already (2018 purchase). Original early Sanyo loops+Panny loops haven't had a dead one yet from the 60+ I own. Just another POV.
I can guarantee the Eneloops will be working for years unlike the others will have short lifespan. How do i know this, because i have Eneloops that have lasted years with hundreds recharge cycles
Great point. Thank you
My eneloops are 5 years old and still kickin!
@@wiliambanquiter8039 i have the panasonic infiniums, the predecessor , maybe 8 years old,, still work as new
A few of the others, at least the Duracell and Amazon, are rebranded Eneloops at a much better price.
@@floyd2386 they maybe at the moment, but at other times duracell might be something else, thats the problem with rebrands
other people do 5 min self promoting 30 sec of content, and the must say phrase “don’t forget to like and subscribe”…I sub’d this channel halfway through my first vid on content alone, he still never asked, at the end STILL NO FLUFF. each vid I’m like “oh that looks interesting!” “watch the first video, ah I’ll go ahead and show those results too” dude so awesome!
just lo’d got to the part where harbor freight is talked about, I had the same feeling
Thanks so much!
More good stuff from my favorite machine/tool related channel.
Thank you very much!
Thank you for the amazing, honest, and scientific runs. Your evaluation is the best!
Thank you for the video idea!
Finally! Something useful on TH-cam. Good job my friend.
Thank you!
With all the popularity around high output led flashlights these days, it would be great if your could do a review on the types of rechargeable lithium ion batteries these devices use. Such as the 18650, 26650, Clr123, etc.
Thank you for your time and service to the TH-cam community! Your are way better than consumer reports!
Thanks for the video idea.
Next test: How long those batteries keep charged!
I use rechargable Duracells for my Xbox One controllers and I noticed their charge starts to fade off after a couple of weeks. This is after using them for a while through multiple recharges
This is the exact reason why I gave up on rechargeables. You have to top them off a couple time per year. Not so easy when you have a couple dozen on the shelf. Just a major PITA.
if you turn rumble off you get a fuck ton of time to play, and i only have done it cuz they're old batteries and when rumble is on they go in a flash, but they do their job
Too bad you didn't include Varta, most known battery brand in Europe. Maybe it's not available in the US?
I wish I would have tested Varta.
Never heard of Varta.
floyd2386 same never heard of it. It’s not over here. Unless it’s a rebrand of someone else
Isn't Rayovac the same brand name in the US as Varta in Europe? I read it somewhere in the past. Perhaps someone can confirm it.
Varta its just name from history they are pretty shit now. i converted from Eneloop to LADDA couple months now and om happy now.
I have had bad luck with Duracell rechargeable batteries they just don't last long. After a year of use they crap out. EBL are complete garbage, they usually give up after 6 months. The best batteries I have purchased are Powerex and the Panasonic. I have some older Panasonic batteries that are 10 years old and still going strong, so I now buy Eneloop and so far they seem to last. It is not all about the energy that they store, it is also about how many charges you can get out of them as well. I will test my batteries and post my results.
Thank you!
Thank you!
Thank you!
I'm currently on year 8 with at least 6 of my Duracell 2400's. They still hold very good charge for me, not sure if it's because they are a European (specifically, UK) variant or not. Here in the US my US made duracells are just as good. Maybe you have them from a bad supplier or just bad luck?
C MJ I’ve used the same Duracell batteries for the past 3 years
I use Energizer rechargeable batteries in my outdoor lighting they last year's being charge and discharged Every single day I have some that a been out there for 4 years or more thank you I love your videos Chris
Thank you! Thanks for sharing!
great thorough review. cheers. we need more high quality reviews to help consumers avoid being swindled. It also keeps market competition health.
Thank you very much!
@@ProjectFarm
Pretty good and a bit surprising on the eneloops though I wasn't looking at the actual mAh rating on them.
Might want to work in possible numbers/cost based on lifecycle. Many rechargeables have a lifecycle of only around 500, where the eneloop is advertised at 2000+ recharge cycles.
Any numbers like cost efficiency would be theoretical at this point but may yield different suggestions for a purchaser depending on required usage.
Might also add in Tenergy. They seem to be available at all the electronics stores I visit.
The Ikea LADDA is much cheaper in my country.
In fact a 4 pack of LADDA 2450' costs less than half of a 4 pack of eneloop pro 2500.
and just about half of 4 a pack eneloop 1000's
And some of the other well preforming batteries in this list are not available over here unless you import them yourself. (pointless: additional cost...)
So I think what country you live in, and what deal your're able to get plays a big role too.
If you're planning on more different battery tests, 18650's are interesting too.
Specially the ridiculous Chinese Ultrafire ones with bull-crap 9800 Mah claims for example.
but also ones that are supposed to be decent, like the Sony-Konion VTC6
(I use 4 3000mah VTC6 to vape, even though the ones i bought didn't come with a protection circuit and are meant to be used in packs only)
I thing you're average AA or AAA or any common battery will pretty much preform near what the manufacturer tells you, some much better than others, but still.
They''re not that dangerous, and not an awful lot will happen when you get it wrong.
18650's however, specially unprotected ones or ones with a massively exaggerated performance claim.
If you get that wrong, they could very well go in to thermal runaway.
I've gotten good experience with,
Sony VTC6 and VTC5A, they seem to do very well even though I use my VTC6 cells without protection circuits.
And here are some cells I've gotten for free with mods and flashlights over the years.
I don't believe any of these could actually preform near their rated capacity..
Ultrafire 4000mah 6000mah and 9800mah.
GTF 9800Mah
If you look for them on amazon you'll find that some of them even have a bullshit story about theoretical capacity, rated capacity and actual capacity.
because the seller obviously knows there's no way that's going to produce 9800Mah.
Thank you!
@@ProjectFarm You're welcome.
One difficulty with the UltraFire types is finding a consistent source; there are many different forgeries, and a given vendor may mix or change suppliers over time. Still, it's worth a try, and you could test some known genuine name brands.
@@zephsmith3499 Yes, thats true, in fact , if you search on aliexpress for "18650 lithium battery heat shrinkable sleeve" you'll find loads of them that are branded and have a capacity printed on them. it's quite easy to purchase some extra cheap rubbish 18650's relabel them and sell them on for a bit more. I mean, who's going to test its actual capacity?
After watching this video and making a similar suggestion, another person commented that I should look at some of the other videos on test done, I did. after a few videos, you could find a trend on which ones are real and which ones are fake.
Batteries with realistic claims, for example 1800 Mah were more often closer to actual capacity , than batteries that made outrageous claims which only had less than half that claimed by the real ones.
Smooth tipped batteries seemed to always be fakes, the ones that were real all had the vented positive tips, without that plastic washer thing. of course , not having the flat /smooth tip does not guarantee its real. only that
Weight. almost all the real ones weighed a lot more than the fakes.
You have to be careful with refurbished real batteries, these are real batteries but have been pulled, and refurbished to look new. problem is , quality will be sporadic.
Given the bad reputation that 18650 have, I have noticed a few sellers on ebay, display their own tests, and weights, of the batteries they sell, if I was to buy more, I would start with a seller like that.
Just subscribed, you've tested quite a few of my "I wonder's" from drills/drill bits to batteries, keep up the good work.
Thanks for watching and subscribing!
PF, you did not get a chance to test them with the rest of the brands so I want to make mention of the MAHA Energy PowerEX brand. I am the Field Equipment Coordinator for a small research firm in Alaska and have been using PowerEX NiMH batteries at work for over 15 years years. They were the first high quality rechargeable AA I found and have been durable and reliable. I have a couple of the MH C9000 diagnostic chargers and cycle the batteries through at least once / year. Your one test with the PowerEX that shows they run about 95% of their rated capacity is right on. They tend to hold that capacity as long as they are not damaged. The low-discharge rated batteries do well. I find they retain about 90% of their charge left after 6 months (my typical storage period).
I appreciate your high quality videos. This one in particular is going to same me lots of money and time. Thanks!
You are welcome! Thanks for sharing.
Why doesn't Durracell make rechargeable batteries bigger than AA?
Great point.
They did at one time. I don’t think there’s enough demand these days.
@@5roundsrapid263 Energizer makes D rechargeable batteries..I use them in my flashlights. Woukdnt mind to try Durracell if they had some
Anyrhing bigger than aa is not useful. The only things that i know uses d cells still are some flash lights. And those flat square ones only in fire alarms. Other than that i don't really see any needs for making rechargable ones of these batteries. My bet is that theyre going to stop manufacturing the lesser batteries and just go for AAA as the master battery race.
@@charkee167 my led flashlights use 3 d batteries...these aren't your little 4 inch flashlights..these bad boys cans light up a quarter mile..I use Energizer rechargeable d batteries.
I use the EBL cells in our school and they work very well. They have a great capacity in line with other best in class. They just need to change their stupid claim for 2800 mAh. And then achieve a near 100% of claimed capacity! In fact I think 2800 is beyond the technology anyway. Ignoring the silly 2800 claim it also produced a solid 2400 in the high drain test. You can get big packs of them from Amazon at a great price. The technology tops out around the 2400 mark so EBL would easily be ranked among the best. Just ignore the label.
Thank you pbrin, I was thinking the same thing.
These batteries don't have "ratings" they have claimed capacity, which may or may not have any basis in reality. But there is no independent party doing any sort of rating. Just marketing people. Also, Eneloops from Amazon is risky. Amazon's problem with counterfeit goods are well known and Eneloops are well known for having fakes. With Amazon unable to police their merchandise, and such a big target, I'd really have to bite hard before trusting Amazon versus buying them from a reputable store with actual inventory control. With that in mind, I would not dismiss Eneloops just because some bought from Amazon didn't meet specs. I'd want to test some from a verified source, like Costco.
Thank you!
with amazon you have the check the seller , a market place seller could see junk, but a reputable seller will be ok, or make sure the seller is actually amazon, same goes for any memory product
@@ProjectFarm
I could send you 4 of the eneloop batteries that I bought at Costco a few years ago. If you tell me where. Is there a way to personal message on here?
This is great. I just want to mention that the eneloop can be charged up to 5x more cycles than the Amazon (2,100 versus 400) and holds a charge, unused, for approximately 10x longer (10 years at 70% v 1 year at 70%) and the Amazon is very slightly more expensive today.
Thank you!
Where did you find that the eneloop is rated at 2000? My eneloop says 1900 mAh and that's what I also find on the website. Considering this, the actual capacity would be much closer.
Also, I feel like this test might be a bit skewed. I have the same charger as you do. I would suggest, if you didn't do so yet, to read the manual, as it's very good. For example, read up on battery forming. This makes the first few tests inaccurate, as you were measuring already when they were not formed properly. You didn't mention that you ran a "break-in" cycle before all of these tests. Should you have done that without mentioning it however, I would take my argument back.
Also, since only the break-in mode measures the capacity according to IEC standards, I feel like so you can compare the capacity in a fair way to the one rated by the manufacturer you should only consider capacity values measured with this test.
Good choice though on the batteries and charger! Personally, I would also have liked to see the 2000 mAh Ikea Ladda and the eneloop pros in the test. And I think also interesting would be a test running all of the batteries constantly in break-in mode for a month, to see how they perform after being in use.
My eneloops say ""Typ 2,000mAh Min 1,900mAh"
Of course, I bought these in 2009 to use with a Wii. Sanyo, not Panasonic.
I just purchased some Eneloop batteries and they say 1900 MAH on the side, no mention of 2000 mah. My older Panasonic batteries only have 1600 MAH, but after 10 years of use they still have the same output. These are the longest lasting batteries I have ever purchased.
You have the charger, and probably a phone to record with...why not just make an update yourself if there is that many questions regarding accuracy?
@@cmj20002 I have a pair of Sanyo Eneloop 1st generation (hr-3utg) that I bought in 2007 and I still use them in my wireless divices. Working fine :D
I recently bought eneloops and they also claim 1900 on the packaging - www.panasonic-eneloop.eu/en/eneloop/eneloop-aa-1900-mah-single-blister-4-pieces
Would love to see cellphone battery testing, bolt cutters/lock testing, tire repair testing, internet/wifi testing. You do an amazing job. Keep up the great work
Thank you for the video idea!
Thank you for testing the additional AA alkaline batteries. I was very curious how the Kirklands compared to the Amazon basics.
As was I with the AC Delco. I get those so cheap on Amazon
Same here.
I'm a little late to the party but I'll share my experience. I have been using rechargeable AA's for 20 years and have used a few of these brands for our band's wireless mics and guitar processors. We need the batteries to get us though a gig, which is about 4 hours. All of the rechargeables we used met that goal. So what criteria made great batteries for us? The number of recharges. We recharge our batteries 4 to 5 times a week for rehearsals and gigs. Many of these brands lasted about 2 to 3 years before no longer taking a charge. The Eneloopes were the ones that lasted the longest. We are still using them many years later.
Thanks for sharing.
Love your videos. I'm planning on buying rechargable batteries. So Amazon Basics Silver is what I should go for?
please test lithium ion batteries. like the 18650 rechargeable batteries found in vapes and Tesla cars!!
Thank you for the video idea!
Project Farm along with this idea, best capacity for batteries used in RV type set ups with inverters.
I’d like to build a trailer with inverter and solar system, for the purposes of pet grooming, which means at least two high power draw appliances at the same time (a/c and high velocity dryer, or, heater and high velocity dryer)
Just curious, have you done any testings on rechargeable lithium batteries?
I bought IKEA's LADDA batteries by impulse on the way to the register, because my old rechargeables were well used up by that point. My old batteries barely lasted 10 hours in my work headset, sometimes not enough for a single shift and had to be charged daily. IKEA's batteries lasts the whole damn week. They're so good.
Thanks for sharing.
It would be very interesting to see how they perform after 100-500-1000 cycles of full discharge, but I understand it's a very time wasting test!
Thank you for the video idea!
Keep up with this good material videos
Thank you!
Love your videos! I have recently started wearing heated socks for winter motorcycle riding. They use 3 AA batteries per sock and they absolutely burn through batteries very fast. I wonder which brand and type of AA batteries (regular or rechargeable) would last the longest in the heated socks. This could also apply to other heated garments for winter time use, not just socks.
I can’t get over how thorough you are, you responded to my question about rechargeables so quickly, thank you. I keep telling everyone about your channel. Keep it up, love it.
You are so welcome!
Take a shot evert time he says "rated capacity"
lol. Thanks for the constructive feedback.
I think you could get more out of "milliamp hour!"
I did the same, shot wise, I was drunk before the video ended
I am now dead from alcohol poisoning
Which alcoholic beverage is best? Tune in next week as we find out!
Two weeks ago I bought another block of Amazon Basics AA batteries, the silver.
I thought I was buying the exactly the same thing I bought one year ago.
But the batteries are made in China, not Japan.
Oh no! I doubt the ones manufactured in China are nearly as good as the ones made in Japan
@Project Farm
I just looked around on Amazon and couldn’t see where / how to determine the country of manufacture for any particular variation of the Basics.
Within the Q&A section there were lots of conflicting answers about where one or another was made.
Alas it may be impossible to know ahead of time where any one set of batteries you’re considering buying was made
Great video.
I'd love to see the self discharge test results.
I appreciate you doing this!
I'm a carpenter and also a flashlight enthusiast so many of your videos have helped me make more informed decisions.
Ladda is white labeled eneloop pros. Comes out of the same and only battery factory left in Japan. Ikeas batt charger is also same as Panasonic’s top batt charger. All for like less than half the cost.
Great information. Thank you!
IKEA Ladda batteries seem to be pretty much the same as the Eneloops, considering there are many internet sources about that.
Great point. I like the IKEA Ladda battery.
Btw, Ladda means charge. Regards from Sweden
@@larsstalegard2024 I guessed it might be that, since it's Ladung in German
@@larsstalegard2024 Haha, I know, as a Finn I speak some Swedish!
Can you please try to charge non rechargeable batteries to see what happens
Thank you for the video idea!
@Nerd Paradise yep they leak during or after the charge
@@ProjectFarm Not in that charger, it's probably smart enough not to try - though there are chargers which claim to get about 10 cycles out of an ordinary battery - the key is PCR (Periodic current reversal) aka "dirty DC".
There ARE chargers that DO recharge Alkaline batteries, such as the regular Duracell, Energizer, or ect. I have one, and I have used it. It does work, but usually alkaline batteries will only recharge for a few cycles, but anything after the initial use is extra power that you wouldn't otherwise have gotten at all... so..?
With that said, I would not suggest recharging Alkaline battery, then putting it into a device that you don't use often. In other words, don't use them in a clock or any device that takes a long time to run the battery down. As over time they may begin to leak.
Boom!
Thanks for your tests. Rest assured the Kirkland’s will leak ruining the device you put them in. Not worth the bargain price. I’ve used them for a decade but no more.
Thank you!
Had the same problem even in storage.
I've only ever had them leak when they are approaching their expiry. Not only that but once one starts leaking, the rest aren't far behind. Never been an issue when the price was taken into account.
I will happily pay more for less capacity for batteries that don't ruin my devices.
I've noticed the same thing with Radio Shack Enercells. Once the batteries are spent, you want to remove them promptly. It's really difficult getting that electrolyte off the contacts.
I bought a set of 4 AA Duracell rechargeable. After charging them, 2 went in a digital clock, and the other two went in a drawer.
When the LCD of the clock started to fade out (2 months or so), I went in the drawer to pick the other 2.
They were so "empty", they couldn't even power the clock at all. They depleted faster in the drawer than the ones in the clock !
I charged them all again, and reversed the roles. The "unused" ones went in the clock, and the "used" ones in the drawer.
Same result ! My Duracells last longer when in use than when stored ... :s ^^
Thanks for sharing.
REALLY RESPECT THAT YOU TAKE NOTHING FROM CORPERATIONS,
STRICTLY VIEWER FUNDED!!I
APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU DO TO CREATE ALL THESE VIDS !!
Thank you very much!!
Say "rated capacity" one more time!
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity
Rated Capacity ain't no country I ever heard of. They speak English in Rated Capacity?
Best drinking game
Rated Cuh-PAAH-city!
@@baronallison941 do you know Ezekiel 25:17
You do a great job on all your videos, I’m always impressed by them, so, thank you. One aspect that I don’t think you can realistically test for is longevity. I’ve used Eneloops for probably a dozen years now, and they hold 80% or more of their capacity (the point I toss rechargeables is at 80%) for something like 8-10 years. All others brands last 3-6 as a rule. I don’t use rechargeable that often or heavily, and so they’re being recharged just a handful of times per year. Consequently, a long life cycle makes them more economical for me.
You are welcome! Thanks for the feedback.
I did actually do a five year test on eneloop cells just when they were bought buy Panasonic. They were Sanyo Eneloops and they did keep 90%+ of their capacity. These were standard eneloop (white) over five years. Although I did not compare to other brands I did open the batteries and I could see the low self discharge technology within them which is not very complex at all. What it interesting I'd Ansmann now have low self discharge cells too. That is a game changer!
Thanks for sharing.