Cheap batteries don't last long

Isnt it annoying when you buy some cheap batteries to use in something such as an electric toothbrush or your optical mouse; you use it for a few days then suddenly, it just stops?  You then discover that those inexpensive batteries you decided to use recently really aren't up to it.

I have found that this usually happens when you buy the really cheap ones, for example the strips of 20 or 30 batteries that you can pick up for a couple of quid down the market.  You could arguably say, what else do you expect for that price, but I just dont see the point in selling batteries in bulk and cheaply when they hardly last any time at all.  I suppose theyre okay for things that dont use much power such as a remote control or maybe a wall clock.  Dont even think about using them in something with any sort of motor or light though because they just wont last five minutes.

This is probably a classic case of you get what you pay for.  From now on Ill be sticking to the familiar trusty old branded batteries such as Duracell or Ever Ready.  They cost quite a bit more than the unbranded cheap stuff from the market, but at least you know they will last.  In fact, I noticed that when I changed to Duracell on my electric toothbrush, it had a whole lot more oomph than with the cheap batteries.  It remains to be seen how long they will last, but Im pretty sure that at least I wont have to change them before the weekend.

With Christmas just around the corner, heres some good advice.  Dont be tempted into buying strips of cheap batteries from the market for the kids toys.  Get some decent ones that are guaranteed to last because little Johnny wont be too happy when his flashing laser gun doesnt make it to the 100th showing of the Wizard of Oz!

Go buy some decent batteries

I though I'd do a bit of research to see what there was online in terms of dedicated suppliers for batteries, rechargeables and all that kind of stuff.  I'm not going for the cheapo market stall stuff anymore, so I may give one of the online retailers a go.

Budget Batteries - They claim to be The UK's first battery supermarket, an interesting idea in itself.  One thing I did find interesting though, they've got a guide that explains all the different types of battery and how to extend the life of your battery.  Very interesting.

Green Batteries - A site with loads of information and products that help you make an environmentally friendly rechargeable battery purchase.  There's actually tons of information on this site and it is really well laid out.  Did you ever wonder about that myth whereby putting batteries in the freezer was supposed to prolong their life?

Battery Recycling - Loads of tips and information about battery reprocessing and recycling.  No sense in filling up the dump with loads of dead batteries when the raw materials can be put to good use again.  This is a UK based site.

The History of Batteries - If you ever wanted to know what batteries are made of and how they came about there's a timeline here and a wealth of knowlege.