Are Costco's Kirkland AA Batteries Better Than Energizer?

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What kind of AA batteries do you use at home? Based on sales numbers, there's a good chance it's one of the best battery brands you can buy, like Energizer or Duracell. Considering Kirkland is the house brand of one of the largest retailers around, Costco, you may keep Kirkland AA batteries in your junk drawer or emergency kit. While the more common question might be if Energizer batteries are better than Duracell, let's take a closer look at how the pink bunny brand compares to Kirkland batteries.

Kirkland only offers one type of AA battery, whereas Energizer sells several different models that cater to the various needs of users, such as price point, power output, or cold-weather performance. The most common are standard Energizer and Energizer Max alkaline batteries, with Max explicitly designed to offer longer runtime but at a higher cost. After testing several major brands — though not Kirkland — with a custom battery testing rig measuring voltage output and drop, CNET determined Energizer Max outperforms the others.

Consumer Reports found that Kirkland's alkaline batteries significantly outperformed Energizer Max, which had a middling score overall. Consumer Reports tested more brands overall and used two different devices — a flashlight and a toy — though the organization doesn't get into specifics when it comes to how it tested these brands. However, some YouTube channels show exactly how they tested AA batteries. With all this data in mind, Kirkland AA batteries appear to be the better option over Energizer — if you're factoring in price and if you're looking at alkaline batteries only, that is.

One of the most extensive tests of AA batteries currently on YouTube comes from Project Farm, which tried out 16 different models on identical fans. Standard alkaline Energizer batteries only lasted for 4 hours and 43 minutes. Both Kirkland and Energizer Max were in the top 25% of runtimes, with Kirkland running for 7 hours and 29 minutes and Energizer Max going another half hour with 8 hours and 3 minutes.

Project Farm also ranked over two dozen battery models by combining runtime with other metrics, including capacity, voltage output, and subfreezing performance. Based on the scoring system, Energizer Max just edged out Kirkland, though both were in the middle of the pack. Standard Energizer batteries were further down the list. However, when price was factored into the equation, Kirkland ended up two spots higher than Energizer Max for having slightly better value.

YouTube channel Lumencraft used a T3 flashlight to test many different brands, judging runtime by how long a battery could keep the device at 55% of its maximum brightness. Like Consumer Reports, but unlike Project Farm, Lumencraft found Kirkland to be superior, as the T3 lasted 30.45 minutes with its battery, whereas both Energizer Max and standard AAs lasted only 22.2 minutes. While it wasn't the longest-running alkaline battery overall, Lumencraft recommends Kirkland as the best in its class because it came relatively close while offering the most value. That's because Kirkland AA batteries are pretty cheap — they're exclusively available in a 48-pack that costs $16.99. That's a dollar less than what you'd pay for just half the number of Energizer's standard industrial batteries, while a 48-pack of Energizer Max costs $25 — $8 more than Kirkland's AAs.

Kirkland may have an edge over Energizer, but only for traditional alkaline batteries. When other technologies like lithium and nickel are included in the mix, Energizer becomes the clear standout. That's because Kirkland doesn't offer either of these types of batteries. Energizer does, and its lithium batteries outperform pretty much all alkaline models, including its own Energizer Max as well as those from Kirkland.

The difference between lithium and alkaline batteries is the chemicals and mechanisms used to generate current. Nickel batteries also use different technology, but all of these types of AAs are the same shape and can be used for some — but not all — of the same products. Some lithium batteries (like smartphones, tablets, and EVs) are obviously rechargeable, including AA types. However, disposable AA lithium batteries are also available, so it's important to know which type you have.

Though Kirkland scores much better than Energizer Max in Consumer Reports' rankings of AA batteries, Energizer Advanced Lithium outperforms Costco's brand, while Energizer Ultimate Lithium AA tops every other battery tested. Energizer lithium batteries also tied for the second-longest lasting batteries in the fan tests conducted by Project Farm, significantly outperforming the alkaline batteries from Energizer and Kirkland.

Lumencraft names Kirkland its best alkaline battery but also notes that alkaline, as a whole, is an inferior technology. The reviewer included Energizer NiMH and Energizer Lithium batteries in its tests and found that, alongside Rayovac, Energizer's NiMH had the worst performance in its class, though it still outlasted all alkaline models. Energizer Lithium batteries were close to the best but had similar results to more affordable brands, so Lumencraft did not recommend them — just as it ranked Kirkland AA batteries higher than Energizer Max because of the value.