KEYE-TV: Choose the Right Battery for Your Gifts
Filed under: Earth 911 - December 21, 2007
By Fred Cantu
Choose the right battery for your gifts. If electronics are high on your list this holiday season, you will want to be sure you power them with the right type of battery.
Modern toys cans be high-current items. Digital cameras and MP3 players will literally suck the juice out of a battery.
So how can you save money on batteries?
One suggestion is to buy them in bulk. That saves money right there. Experts also suggest you avoid name brands, and the marketing costs that go with them, and simply buy the type of battery you need.
For most purposes, a good “all purpose” battery will do, preferably an alkaline. These are great for toys and high-drain electronics like digital cameras or MP3 players.
And if you’re willing to shell out a little extra cash, Tom Merritt of CNET.com recommends a lithium battery because the extra-long life will mean fewer trips to the store.
If you’re constantly replacing batteries, you may want to consider buying rechargeables. Look for ones labeled “nickel metal hydride.” But avoid packages labeled “heavy duty.”
Merritt says, “It’s probably a carbon zinc battery and those back in the 70s were a lot cheaper than an alkaline. But the price difference now is negligible and they are so low capacity.”
Another good piece of advice is to consider recycling old batteries. For information go to Earth 911.org.