If you’ve ever held a TV remote, turned on a torch or interacted with a Furby (remember them?) then you have used AA batteries. They are, to all intents and purposes, the batteries that come immediately to mind when we use the term “battery,” and with good reason.

For decades, AA batteries have been the most common form of consumable power cell and are available all over the world in a variety of brands in both single-use and rechargeable formats. They can be used alone or in multiples (most commonly in pairs) to power devices as varied as flying drones, handheld power tools and video gaming systems.

But how much do you really know about the batteries you use every day? Here, we hope to unpack the mysteries and get to the bottom of how they work and why they are so enduringly popular.

Lithium or Alkaline?

Generally speaking, if you type AA battery into Google (News - Alert) then you are likely to be greeted by dozens of online stores such as RS Components selling you standard alkaline batteries. These are used in low-powered consumer devices around the world and are the most cost-effective option.

However, the one major drawback of alkaline batteries is that they can degrade over time and are prone to leakage. This is because they begin to self-discharge if left for a long time. For this reason, if you’ve got a bunch of alkaline batteries lying around you might want to inspect them a little more closely before using them.

Lithium AA batteries, however, are a lot rarer, as lithium batteries are more commonly found as flat and circular or rectangular. These are the rechargeable batteries found in your smartphones and tablets.

AA lithium batteries operate at higher voltages than their alkaline counterparts and are more commonly used in situations where a lot of minimal charge is required for a longer period of time. Such as in a smoke alarm or a digital camera. They have a shelf life of up to a decade and will not leak over time but they are also far more expensive and less readily available.

Recharge my battery

Finally, when it comes to rechargeable batteries you’ll find that they might offer slightly less charge than their conventional counterparts. However, they will also typically be shipped with a bespoke charger that can be used to regenerate potentially hundreds of power cycles. For that reason, rechargeable batteries offer the best bang for your buck though there are drawbacks.

For example, using various rechargeable batteries at different levels of charge and of different ages could lead to power or stability issues. As long as you keep track of the batteries you’re using in each device, however, this shouldn’t be much of an issue.