Energizer vs. Duracell: Which Battery Packs the Most Energy?

When it comes to batteries, I need batteries which won't fail me, especially during times of electrical outage emergencies. I went through quite a few before discovering which batteries were better.

I've discovered that a good supply of alkaline batteries will serve me much better than my rechargeable batteries. For some reason, rechargeable batteries seem to drain faster, aside from the fact that they don't serve much usage after being drained as, logically, there's no electricity to recharge them again. So I tend to trust storing up on alkaline batteries instead.

Now if I really wanted super batteries, I'm certain there are some on the market which would definitely qualify with higher standards of performance, but at a rather hefty price. Such as the newly developed "plastic batteries" which apparently are one hundred times more powerful than the Alkaline make, but such a product is not yet available within the market industry. So for now, alkaline batteries will have to suffice.

The two brand names of batteries which I trust the most are usually Duracell and Energizer, though sometimes I will use other types such as Ray-O-Vac, Panasonic or Eveready. But their standards of performance of the latter, don't seem to quite match up to Energizer or Duracell.

However, after the narrowing down to what I thought were the better batteries on the market, I often wondered which of the two - that is, Energizer or Duracell - were the better of each other.

Ever so the scientist that I am, I decided to put them to the test to see which ones would supercede in quality, as well as understanding my money's worth. I knew in advance that certain variables had to be taken into consideration in order for the results to be fair and to obtain the best accuracy. Variables such as room temperature for one, as it would seem that the colder the atmosphere, the longer the lifespan of the battery will last. Another variable was the stamped date on the battery packages. Even if the battery hasn't been used, the longer they're openly exposed, the more they drain. Hence, atmospheric pressure does affect the lifespan of a battery.

(Here's a free tip: If you put your batteries in the fridge, their lifespan duration will double. You can do the same with candles, but that's for another story.)

The thought of the pink Energizer bunny on a television commercial replenishing a supposed outer-space craft was a bit laughable, though I'm certain the product advertisers wanted to drive the point home as that, indeed, the Energizer battery was the "universal best".

I didn't have a spacecraft readily available to try out my experiment, so I had to settle for something a bit more simple. I decided on flashlights. Two C-battery powered mag-lite flashlights. (Note: These are the same type of flashlights which police officers use).

So the test began with my taking the variables above into consideration. Three C-type Duracell batteries were placed in one mag-lite, and three Energizer batteries in the other. I left both mag-lites continuously on. I had time to make my breakfast, do some outside errands, clean the house, have lunch whilst knowing the whole time that the mag-lites were placed neatly on my desk with no sources of interferences from other electrical appliances.

After four hours, I decided to check on my experiment. I noticed that the performance of the mag-lite with the Energizer batteries had dwindled more than the other.

As I prepared my mind to kick the drum and pink bunny out into the nirvana of batteries, I suddenly remembered another test which I had conducted the previous year on two non-electrical clocks, requiring AA batteries. One clock was situated in the kitchen and one in my bedroom. The clock that lasted for almost three years without a single change, was the one with the Energizer battery. The clock in the bedroom with the Duracell - with a style quite similar to the one in the kitchen - stopped beating shortly after a year.

Synopsis

While these two brand-names are competitors, there are very slight differences between these two batteries. For continuous usage non-stop, I would recommend the Duracell. However, for longer-life duration, I would recommend Energizer. As well, Duracells tend to be a bit more expensive. It's now the consumer's choice.