Do rechargeable batteries compare favorably to disposables?

Q. What is the best rechargeable battery? You mention they’re the “greener choice,” but does that mean they don’t provide value for money compared with buying the best disposable batteries? —Matt Markovina Greenfield, WI

A. Rechargeable AA batteries usually score on a par with standard alkaline batteries per charge. A benefit of rechargeables is that you can select the capacity of the battery suitable for its use. For “high drain” applications such as digital cameras, you can buy higher capacity rechargeable batteries (2400maH or more). What is unknown about rechargeables is how many charge/recharge cycles a pair offers—manufacturers claim “thousands.” We hope to verify that number in future testing.

—Consumer Reports

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