Rechargeable vs alkaline vs lithium
Alkaline is the cheap everyday pick and keeps for years; lithium AA is lighter, works in deep cold and keeps longest; rechargeable Ni-MH runs at about 1.2 V and can be recharged hundreds of times.[1 · Oct 29, 2026][2 · Oct 29, 2026][3 · Oct 29, 2026]
| AA battery | Alkaline (Energizer E91) | Lithium (Energizer L91) | Ni-MH rechargeable (Panasonic eneloop) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Voltage | 1.5 V[1 · Oct 29, 2026] | 1.5 V[2 · Oct 29, 2026] | About 1.2 V[3 · Oct 29, 2026] |
| Weight | 23 g[1 · Oct 29, 2026] | 15 g[2 · Oct 29, 2026] | About 27 g[4 2nd-hand · Oct 29, 2026] |
| Operating temperature | −18°C to 55°C[1 · Oct 29, 2026] | −40°C to 60°C[2 · Oct 29, 2026] | 0°C to 50°C (discharge)[4 2nd-hand · Oct 29, 2026] |
| Shelf life / storage | 15 years at 21°C[1 · Oct 29, 2026] | 25 years[2 · Oct 29, 2026] | Usable without charging if bought within 5 years of manufacture[3 · Oct 29, 2026] |
| Recharge? | No[5 · Oct 29, 2026] | No[5 · Oct 29, 2026] | About 600 cycles under the 2017 IEC test (2,100 under the older test)[3 · Oct 29, 2026] |
Figures are for the specific products named; other brands differ. The eneloop datasheet we used is a copy hosted by a retailer.
Which to buy for what
- Remotes, clocks, mice: low drain. Panasonic suggests its lower-capacity eneloop lite for these; alkaline also works well.[3 · Oct 29, 2026]
- Cameras, game controllers, RC toys: high drain, frequent swaps. Panasonic suggests eneloop pro for cameras and RC toys.[3 · Oct 29, 2026]
- Cold places (outdoor sensors, car kits, winter gear): Energizer rates its lithium AA down to −40°C, against −18°C for its alkaline.[2 · Oct 29, 2026][1 · Oct 29, 2026]
- Smoke alarms: use the battery listed on the alarm.[6 · Oct 29, 2026][7 · Oct 29, 2026]
Things to watch with rechargeables
- Battery level indicators may read low on 1.2 V cells even when they're full.[3 · Oct 29, 2026]
- Panasonic says not to use eneloop in sealed waterproof lights, not to charge them in Ni-Cd chargers, and not to mix them with other batteries.[3 · Oct 29, 2026]
- Dry (alkaline or lithium) batteries can't be recharged.[3 · Oct 29, 2026][5 · Oct 29, 2026]
- Rechargeables don't go in the trash; recycle them.[8 · Oct 29, 2026] See safety and recycling.
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Sources: 1. Energizer E91 AA alkaline datasheet (PDF). 2. Energizer L91 Ultimate Lithium AA datasheet (PDF). 3. Panasonic Energy, eneloop FAQ. 4. Panasonic eneloop BK-3MCC datasheet (PDF), copy hosted by a retailer (second-hand copy). 5. Energizer, Battery cross reference guide (PDF, 2021). 6. NFPA, Changing clocks and batteries. 7. Kidde, What type of battery does my alarm use?. 8. US EPA, Used household batteries. Checked Oct 29, 2026. Inch conversions are our own arithmetic from the millimeter figures. Brand names and trademarks belong to their owners; specs are restated in our own words and tables, not reproduced.