Amazon Basics High Capacity Rechargeable AA 2400mAh Review
Great value rechargeable batteries
Verdict
Price is one of the main selling points of the Amazon Basics High Capacity Rechargeable AA 2400mAh batteries. They offer great value, particularly when bought in larger pack sizes. In my tests, these batteries regularly delivered high capacities, but they don’t hold as much charge as rivals units. In addition, Amazon doesn’t state detailed lifetime charge information.
Pros
- Great value
- High capacity in tests
Cons
- Retains less charge over a year than competition
Availability
- UKRRP: £9.83
Key Features
- TypeThese are AA NiMH batteries (rechargeable)
- CyclesAmazon goes no further than stating that these batteries can be charged “hundreds of times”
Introduction
Amazon certainly doesn’t mess around with product names: Amazon Basics High Capacity Rechargeable AA 2400mAh tells you everything you need to know.
As with the Amazon Basics Alkaline AA, these batteries are reliable and comparatively cheap – although there are batteries available rom rivals that hold their charge for longer.
Design and Charges
- Batteries lose significant charge over 12 months
- High capacity
I’ve been a fan of previous Amazon Basics batteries, but these are the first rechargeable units I’ve tested. They come with a few more compromises over the alkaline batteries; but for the right people, they could be a good choice.
Amazon is a little shy when it comes to detailed specs for its batteries, stating that the Amazon Basics High Capacity Rechargeable AA 2400mAh can be recharged “hundreds of times”, but without giving an actual figure for lifetime charging cycles.
Amazon is clearer on charge retention: 70% after six months and just 50% after one year. If you’re looking for batteries to store for longer, or for use in low-drain devices such as remote controls, then you may prefer batteries that retain higher charge percentages, such as the Duracell Rechargeable AA 2500mAh (80% after one year).
Performance
- High capacity in my tests
- Reliable performance
To test batteries, I use an Ansmann Energy XC3000 battery tester. First, I measure the initial voltage, which for NiMH batteries should be a minimum of 1.2V. I measured the Amazon Basics High Capacity Rechargeable AA 2400mAh at 1.4V. Voltage does drop as the batteries are used, although for rechargeable batteries, this drop is at a reduced rate.
Next, I measured the initial capacity with a high-drain test (600mA +/- 20%). Here, the Amazon Basics High Capacity Rechargeable AA 2400mAh scored 2677mAh. That’s a good chunk more than the rated value.
Next, I cycle (charge and discharge) the batteries 50 times to see if they start to lose capacity. I take readings every 10 cycles. From the graph below, you can see that these batteries hold up well, with little variance between cycles.
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Should you buy it?
Those looking for good-value rechargeable batteries, particularly if you buy in bulk, will do well with these Amazon batteries that do good job and are high capacity.
If you want the highest capacity batteries or units that will retain their charge for longer, there are better alternatives available.
Final Thoughts
The main advantage of the Amazon Basics High Capacity Rechargeable AA 2400mAh batteries is that they’re relatively cheap, particularly when bought in larger quantities. It isn’t clear how many charge cycles they’ll last for, and they lose more charge per year than some of the competition. If you want cheap rechargeable batteries that you’ll use straight away, though, these units offer good value – but there are more flexible options on the market.
How we test
Unlike other sites, we test every rechargeable battery we review thoroughly over an extended period of time. We use standard tests to compare features properly. We’ll always tell you what we find. We never, ever, accept money to review a product.
Find out more about how we test in our ethics policy.
We use an Ansmann Energy XC 3000 to drain batteries, so that we can test capacity in mAh. After the first run, we charge and discharge 50 times, measuring the capacity every ten runs.
We measure the initial voltage of the batteries, checking that the starting voltage is at least 1.2V.
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Full specs
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
