LR44 Battery Equivalents: These May Be The Best Alternatives

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LR44 batteries are a particular variety of button-cell battery. You've almost definitely seen them before; they're those little cap-shaped batteries that you find in small electronics like pocket calculators, laser pointers, children's toys, and perhaps most commonly, watches. Despite their small size, they're generally pretty resilient and long-lasting, which is nice because replacing them can be a little annoying.

Unfortunately, as with any other kind of disposable battery, even LR44 batteries will eventually run out of juice, or in the worst-case scenario, leak and corrode. Devices that take LR44s usually have them pre-installed, and unlike AA or AAA batteries, your local grocery store may not stock them. Even if you can find watch batteries, they may not be the LR44s you were using. The good news is that "LR44" is just one name for this type of battery. In fact, you can replace an LR44 with a variety of other button-cell batteries, so long as they have the right size and voltage. If you can't easily find LR44 batteries, you should be able to find at least one of these alternatives either online or in stores from various battery brands. You can get a 20-pack of compatible batteries from Amazon for dirt cheap.

Broadly speaking, there are two requirements for a button-cell battery to serve as a safe replacement: size and voltage. An LR44 measures in at 0.46 inches in diameter and 0.21 inches in height. As with any disposable battery, the button-cell needs to have a more or less perfect fit in its receptacle in a device, both to safely hold it in place and ensure power delivery. As for voltage, an LR44 has a nominal voltage of 1.5 volts. A replacement needs to hover around there to both deliver the appropriate level of power for a device and not overload it.

With those factors in mind, the best possible alternatives for an LR44 battery would be AG13, A76, and 357 batteries. AG13 and A76 are the same type of battery as an LR44, alkaline to be specific. These batteries use zinc oxide and manganese dioxide to generate the necessary 1.5 volts at a steady drip feed. The only downside is that their voltage gradually drops to around 1.0 volt over time, though LR44s have this same quirk.

357 batteries are slightly different, using silver-oxide compositions to deliver a consistent 1.55 volts. While the voltage is a little bit higher, they're perfectly safe to use in devices powered by LR44s, and are actually better for devices that need a steadier supply of power like a watch or small camera.

Any of these battery types can safely replace the LR44s you were previously using in just about any device. Just remember to safely dispose of the old ones after you replace them.