Which NiMH rechargeables to buy
and which to avoid
Tested Jan/Feb 2009
| Make | Size | Type | Capacity | Cost | Duracell | AA | Normal | 2460mAh | £1-38 | Fujicell | AA | Normal | 2130mAh | £1-87 | Vapex | AA | LSD | 1980mAh | £1-31 | Sanyo | AA | LSD | 1910mAh | £2-50 |
Clearly one buys Duracell Supreme for maximum capacity
and Vapex Instant for ability to hold charge
LSD = "Low self-discharge" (i.e. will stay charged for weeks)
| Make | Size | Type | Capacity | Cost | Duracell | AAA | Normal | 950mAh | £1-75 |
| Vapex 1100 | AAA | Normal | 900mAh | £1-10 |
| Vapex Instant | AAA | LSD | 800mAh | £0-97 |
Duracell Supreme have maximum capacity
Vapex 1100 are perhaps better value
Vapex Instant are cheaper and should hold their charge better
LSD = "Low self-discharge" (i.e. will stay charged for weeks)
| Make | Size | Type | Capacity | Cost | BTY | AA | Normal | 450mAh | £0-67 | "Green" | AA | Normal | 450mAh | £0-56 |
Half the batch of BTY cells were dead on arrival!
(N.B. An earlier purchase of BTY AAA cells were excellent, but these were dreadful!)
The "green" cells were reliable, but who wants 450mAh storage (2600 claimed!).
Me? - I will be buying Vapex Instant for nearly all purposes in future.
They are a low self-discharge type, sold at a good price.
The UK website is at www.vapextech.co.uk
Added 31 May 2014....
My Eneloop batteries have a low failure rate.
The Vapex have had quite a few failures.
Buy them at BatteryLogic.
Also I have bought myself a really good battery charger
and I have thrown away the chargers I used to own!