Duracell MN 1500 Alkaline

TODAY’S LECTURE IS ON… Batteries - let's start with a fact of the day

Most children are taught that Alassandro Volta invented the battery in 1800 – but is this really the case? Another school of thought suggests that actually, the battery may have been created a whopping two thousand years before Volta was even conceived. During a railway construction in 1936, archeologist Wilhelm Konig unearthed a small jar in a cave just outside Bagdad. The jar was lined with copper and featured an iron rod protruding from its top. By filling the jar with vinegar, scientists discovered its ability to produce a couple of volts of electricity – a power-giving ancient artifact which baffled those who found it. So what, you may ask, would this ancient battery have been used for? - well, scientists claim it may have provided a way to electroplate items, and thus layer one metal on top of another. Yes, Volta may indeed have invented the modern day version of the battery – but this ancient artifact is arguably the original. Even Volta’s first battery was a long way from the small and compact design that we use today – it took the form of a rather dangerous and large contraption filled with sulphuric acid and salt water – not really something you would want (or would even fit) inside your TV remote!

Nowadays, the world’s most popular brand of battery is undoubtedly Duracell – a company who themselves have a rich and interesting past. History dictates that Duracell was formed after a meeting between two men in the early 1920’s – namely Samuel Ruben and Philip Rogers Mallory. Ruben was responsible for developing the mercury cell, whereas Rogers Mallory was adept in creating tungsten filament wire (obviously a match made in heaven!). The Duracell brand was first introduced in 1964, and since that time, the company has introduced a range of innovative ideas and successfully forwarded battery technology.

BATTERIES & THE ENVIROMENT – A social responsibility

As I’m a gadget fan, I personally go through batteries at a rate of knots - as I look around the room, I see a whole range of items which require power in the form of AA cells. For this reason, I always try to use rechargeable batteries, which, from an ecological perspective, are much better for the environment. In fact, the NiMH (nickel metal hydroxide) variety of rechargeables will actually last a lot longer in your high-drain digital devices than the Duracell alkalines which I am reviewing today. A shocking statistic from a couple of years back shows that the UK disposes of roughly 30,000 tonnes of batteries per year - most of which end up on landfill sites. The majority of batteries contain heavy metals which leak into the ground and eventually pollute the water system – aquatic life and battery juice don’t mix particularly well. Thankfully, mercury is no longer used in battery production, which is definitely something that we should be thankful for. Even though many larger shops have a battery recycling point, the actual percentage of batteries that get returned is rather low – we must do better! Duracell’s own environmental policy is pretty impressive however, and the company has been at the forefront of removing dodgy substances from their alkaline batteries. Similarly, the company uses biodegradable and renewable packaging materials, with 85% of their alkaline batteries using 100% recycled cardboard. That said, the company is currently owned by Procter & Gamble, who themselves are never far from controversy.

THE DURACELL AA ALKALINE – Description & Appearance + Other Options

Duracell manufacture a number of different batteries, each one aimed at powering a particular category of device – this short section takes a look at the non-rechargeable models available, and describes their usage.

Firstly, Duracell's ‘PowerPix’ are special devised for digital camera use and are supposed to provide extended shooting for those who demand a large number of snaps before your camera gives up the ghost. It's a battery that I personally haven't used, and therefore can't comment on its effectiveness. Secondly, the Duracell ‘Ultra’ (used to be called ‘Ultra M3’) is designed for all-round use, suitable for both low and high-drain devices. This battery features a battery-check feature to determine how much ‘juice’ is left in each one. I've used Duracell Ultras on a number of occasions, and find them to be long-lasting and impressive. Finally, there’s the Duracell Standard / Duracell Plus type (MN 1500) which have now merged into one variety. These are the standard alkaline cells (which I am reviewing today) that are for everyday use in devices which don’t require extreme power. The batteries are rated as 1.5 volts, and are of the classic Duracell look, featuring a black body with a copper coloured top. The design itself is undoubtedly iconic and hasn’t changed a great deal over the last thirty years. That said, nowadays, the bottom of each Duracell battery is colour coded, so you know which is the correct size for your needs. AAA is green, AA is yellow, C is red, D is purple, and the square 9V variety is blue. In terms of their batteries life-span, Duracell have what’s known as a ‘freshness guarantee’, which lasts for seven years and guarantees performance during that time.

Unlike some other brands of battery, the package is really easy to open - one quick tear (that's 'tear' as in 'ripping, rather than 'tear' as in crying) and you're done. It's actually a different packaging design to the image shown in the picture, as nowadays there is no plastic wrap to get through - just cardboard. This is particularly pleasing, as there's nothing worse than the frustration that builds up from struggling to open something!

PRICE & AVAILABILITY – Buy your batteries here

Duracell batteries are without doubt one of the easiest products to get hold of, seemingly available in every supermarket, newsagent, pound-shop, garage, toyshop, and chemist throughout the country. Of course, the aforementioned shops also sell batteries from other brands which can usually be picked up for a lower price. In the past, Duracell were traditionally the most expensive battery brand, yet I have noticed the differential between themselves and other makes has narrowed in recent years. At present, the cheapest place to buy your Duracell Alkaline AA’s is online, with a twenty pack currently costing £7.59 on amazon.co.uk (equating to 38p per battery). Personally, I think that this is a highly competitive price and extremely good value for money. Unfortunately the supermarkets aren’t quite as cheap, with Tesco’s twenty-four pack currently costing £13.99 (58.3p per battery). Nevertheless, this still represents a decent option for those who plan to use a lot of batteries, and like me, have many devices to power.

THE TEST – Duracell vs Energizer in high-drain use: which is best?

A perfect test for Duracell’s Alkaline AA batteries cropped up last week at the Isle of Wight Festival. The pocket Canon camera that I use for gigs and festivals is particularly battery hungry, and as I had forgotten to charge up my rechargeables, I had no option but to use the disposable variety. I purchased both a four pack of Duracell alkalines, and also a four pack of Energizer alkalines, and was interested to see which ones would last the longest. For the record, both batteries are 1.5V, although the Energizers were 50p cheaper. On the Saturday I used the Duracell brand, whilst the Sunday was reserved for Energizer – so which ones were able to take the most shots? Well, the Duracells managed two-hundred-and-twenty, whilst the Energizer took two-hundred-and-forty (all shots were taken without flash). Of course, my test wasn’t especially scientific, and a difference in temperature, and / or a number of other factors may have been the actual reason for the result – however, I did expect the Duracells to be the outright winners. To be honest, both batteries took a respectable amount of photos, although the figures do look a little modest when I mention the fact that my regular NiMH rechargables are usually able to take around twice that amount. When it comes to low-drain devices, Duracell alkalines are all you’ll ever need. My point is illustrated precisely when I say that I’ve used the same set of Duracell batteries in my television remote control since I bought the TV three years ago – and that’s particularly impressive.

FINAL WORD – A battery to buy, or one to avoid?

So, what’s the final verdict on these black-and-copper classics? Well, at the end of the day I would always recommend Duracell – their products represent solid quality, even if they are more expensive than the rival brands. However, Duracell’s standard alkaline batteries really aren’t for me - yes, they’re excellent in low-drain devices such as television remote controls and children’s toys, yet for digital camera use they don’t quite cut the mustard. At the end of the day it all depends on what you’re intending to use them for, and if you’re someone who likes to take a number of photos, I would recommend the excellent Duracell Ultras (that’s if you plain refuse to use a rechargeable brand). If you requirements stretch only as far as powering the old TV dobber, then these bad-boys are perfectly acceptable. Finally, I can’t write a Duracell review without mentioning the Duracell Bunny – the little pink bugger has been doing the rounds for over thirty years, and shows no sign of retiring.

ADDITIONAL INFO - Website

For more information about the entire range of Duracell batteries, take a look at www.duracell.com/uk where you’ll find a wealth of information relating to the brand and its products. The site features Duracell's current promotions, and its environmental policy in full - there's even a complete list of TV adverts in which the Duracell Bunny has starred - although that's not something i'm particularly interested in... honest!

*As usual, I have also published this review on dooyoo.co.uk under the username JJJJ*