Tired of buying disposable batteries for all your electronics? Then consider upgrading to rechargeable batteries, which offer an eco-friendly, affordable way to keep your gadgets powered. These come in a variety of sizes and are available from all the big brands — making it difficult to find the best rechargeable batteries in an overwhelming sea of products.
Whether you’re looking for AAA, AA, C, or D batteries, there’s a rechargeable battery that’ll fit your needs. Many of them are relatively affordable, while premium picks might cost around $50. That’s quite a bit more than a standard pack of batteries, but since you’ll be able to continue charging and reusing them for years, they’re a wise investment for frugal shoppers.
Here’s a look at the best rechargeable batteries of 2024. Many of these are of the AA variety, but manufacturers typically also make AAA models — so if something catches your eye but it’s the wrong type, be sure to take a closer look at the brand’s official website. Our top picks include the best overall rechargeable battery, the best affordable rechargeable battery, and best lithium rechargeable battery, among others.
The best rechargeable batteries
- Buy the Panasonic Eneloop Pro AA Batteries With Charger for the best overall rechargeable batteries.
- Buy the Tenergy Premium Pro AA Batteries for an affordable alternative.
- Buy the EBL Li-Ion AA Batteries if you want a lithium rechargeable battery.
- Buy the Panasonic Eneloop Spacers C and D for the best rechargeable C and D batteries.
- Buy the Deleepow AAA Rechargeable Batteries for the best AAA rechargeable batteries.
Panasonic Eneloop Pro AA Batteries With Charger
The best overall rechargeable batteries
| Pros | Cons |
| Trusted brand | Expensive |
| Included charger with LED lights | |
| Designed for longevity |
Developed by Panasonic — a trusted manufacturer of electronics and appliances — the Eneloop Pro AA Batteries With Charger are reliable, powerful, and built for longevity. Panasonic says they’ll maintain 85% charge for up to one year, and you can recharge them up to 500 times before running into issues.
This bundle includes four precharged AA batteries and a charger that uses four LED lights to indicate the charge status of each individual battery. With four depleted batteries, you can get them all back to 100% with just four hours of charging. Coupled with their durable build quality and NiMH technology, they’re well-equipped to power your electronics.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 2600 mAh |
| Battery composition | NiMH |
| Lifespan | 500 charges |
Tenergy Premium Pro AA Batteries
The best affordable rechargeable batteries
| Pros | Cons |
| Affordable | Quality issues |
| Includes eight batteries | |
| 2800 mAh capacity |
Need a bunch of rechargeable batteries but don’t want to spend tons of cash? Then stop your search at the Tenergy Premium Pro AA. This bundle includes eight batteries and a massive eight-bay charger, giving you everything you need to keep multiple gadgets powered with a single purchase. With a 2,800 mAh capacity and rated to last for 1200 life cycles, the batteries are ridiculously overpowered for their price.
However, note that the quality of these Tenergy batteries can be spotty compared to those like the Panasonic Eleloop, with a handful of shoppers claiming that they didn’t hold a charge properly or died faster than expected. But if you’re looking for the most bang for your buck, Tenergy is impossible to beat.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 2,800 mAh |
| Battery composition | NiMH |
| Lifespan | 1200 life cycles |
EBL Li-Ion AA Batteries
The best lithium rechargeable batteries
| Pros | Cons |
| Quick charge design | Quirky charging method |
| Supports USB charging | |
| Overcharge and overheat protection |
The EBL Lithium-Ion AA Batteries are quite a bit different than others on this list. Aside from their lithium-ion composition (compared to the nickel-metal hydride seen on most products), these batteries can be charged with a USB cable instead of a charging dock, allowing you to power them with a laptop or other device.
Each battery has a small USB port near its base, allowing you to charge it with any supported USB cable. That makes it easy to charge them while away from home or if you misplace your charger — though it certainly won’t appeal to everyone. But with an impressive energy capacity and plenty of important safety features, they’re a great option if you’re hunting for a rechargeable lithium-ion battery.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 3,300 mWh |
| Battery composition | Lithium-ion |
| Lifespan | 1,200 life cycles |
Panasonic Eneloop C and D Spacer Adapters
The best rechargeable C and D batteries
| Pros | Cons |
| Includes both C and D adapters | Not actual batteries |
| Supports any AA battery | |
| Simple to use |
When it comes to finding C and D rechargeable batteries, your options are limited. So instead of opting for a lesser product, consider buying these adapters from Panasonic. Designed to work with any AA battery (including rechargeable batteries), they make it easy to your existing batteries with electronics requiring C or D footprints. After charging your AA battery, simply slot it into the adapter. From there, you can use it like a normal C or D battery.
It’s a cool concept, and one that’s well-suited for rechargeables. Best of all, it saves you from having to drop tons of cash on rechargeable C or D batteries and additional chargers, as most aren’t compatible with AA chargers. At around $20 for eight adapters (four C, four D), these are the perfect complement to a standard set of rechargeable AA batteries.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Capacity | N/A |
| Battery composition | N/A |
| Lifespan | N/A |
Deleepow AAA Rechargeable Batteries
The best AAA rechargeable batteries
| Pros | Cons |
| Charger supports AA and AAA | Charger requires USB |
| Informative LCD display | |
| Great longevity |
While many of the above options are available in AAA formats, the Deleepow AAA Rechargeable Batteries are a great alternative. This set gives you eight rechargeable AAA batteries and a charging dock. The dock doesn’t plug directly into an electrical outlet and instead requires a USB connection — which can be an advantage or disadvantage, depending on your preference.
However, the charger supports both AA and AAA batteries, which is an undeniable perk. It also features an informative LCD display to give you updates on the charge status. Coupled with a longevity rating of 1,200 cycles, and it’s easy to see why these budget-friendly batteries are so popular.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 3,300 mAh |
| Battery composition | NiMH |
| Lifespan | 1,200 life cycles |
How we chose these rechargeable batteries
There are tons of rechargeable batteries to pick from, and not all of them are worthy of your cash. From comparing prices and overall performance, here’s a look at why these five batteries stand out from the pack.
Performance and power
Rechargeable batteries typically don’t last as long as standard batteries, so it’s important to find one that won’t need to be juiced up every other day. Batteries that are capable of running both high-powered and low-powered devices for a long time are more desirable than those that run out of charge quickly.
Reliability
The whole reason you’ll want to purchase rechargeable batteries is to prevent yourself from constantly running out to buy disposable batteries. Unfortunately, some rechargeable batteries rapidly lose capacity over time. This means you’ll want to keep your eyes peeled for batteries that don’t become useless the more you use them.
Pricing
Most rechargeable batteries are relatively affordable, but some are slightly more expensive than others. If the price hike is justified by premium specs and performance, then the batteries might be worth an investment. We compared specs and pricing across a wide range of products to ensure the above picks offer good value.
Ease of use
Rechargeable batteries are easy to use. Just toss them in your electronics, wait them them to deplete, then place them in a charger. Our list looked for products that included a charger with your purchase and included quality-of-life features such as LED lights or fast charging times.
Editors’ Recommendations
