I sometimes need LR44 button cells. You can buy Boots own brand for
£2.99 for one, or two Duracell (from Boots) for £4.30.

These are obviously ridiculous prices, so I would order 10 from (or
through) Amazon for £6 or so.

Recently I bought a card of 10 Suncom brand from a local hardware store
for £1.99.

I fitted a couple into two analogue clocks; the first one has just
failed after three months, which is the time the Duracell ones last.

So, *sometimes* cheap, unknown brands are good value.

Here endeth the lesson.

--
Max Demian

Max Demian <max_demian@bigfoot.com> wrote:
> I sometimes need LR44 button cells. You can buy Boots own brand for
> £2.99 for one, or two Duracell (from Boots) for £4.30.
>
> These are obviously ridiculous prices, so I would order 10 from (or
> through) Amazon for £6 or so.
>
> Recently I bought a card of 10 Suncom brand from a local hardware store
> for £1.99.
>
> I fitted a couple into two analogue clocks; the first one has just
> failed after three months, which is the time the Duracell ones last.

I bought a strip of 10x Maxell brand CR2032s from ebay... I got Chinese
'daVinci' brand ones instead (seller 'three-eagle'; ebay refunded). They
appeared to have fingerprints on them in the sealed packaging. Put one of
them in an Ikea smart bulb controller and it failed before I managed to pair
the controller with the bulb. I suspect they're dead cells that have been
'recycled'.

Also, it turns out fake Maxell batteries are a thing. I think I'll be
buying from Amazon themselves (not Marketplace) in future...

Theo

Max Demian <max_demian@bigfoot.com> posted
>I sometimes need LR44 button cells. You can buy Boots own brand for
>£2.99 for one, or two Duracell (from Boots) for £4.30.
>
>These are obviously ridiculous prices, so I would order 10 from (or
>through) Amazon for £6 or so.
>
>Recently I bought a card of 10 Suncom brand from a local hardware store
>for £1.99.
>
>I fitted a couple into two analogue clocks; the first one has just
>failed after three months, which is the time the Duracell ones last.
>
>So, *sometimes* cheap, unknown brands are good value.
>
>Here endeth the lesson.

I buy cards of button batteries from Poundsaver etc. Typically 30 of
mixed types for £2 or something. Variable lifetime (I assume they are
manufacturers' rejects or old stock) but useful for things like watches
and car remote locking keys (CR2032).

--
Algernon

On 16/12/2022 12:46, Theo wrote:

> Also, it turns out fake Maxell batteries are a thing. I think I'll be
> buying from Amazon themselves (not Marketplace) in future...
Too many fake or poor quality Maxwell branded batteries out there.

I no longer buy Duracell - they no longer last like they used to do and
will always leak when nearly dead.

--
mailto : news {at} admac {dot} myzen {dot} co {dot} uk

On Fri, 16 Dec 2022 12:08:07 +0000, Max Demian
<max_demian@bigfoot.com> wrote:

>I sometimes need LR44 button cells. You can buy Boots own brand for
>£2.99 for one, or two Duracell (from Boots) for £4.30.
>
>These are obviously ridiculous prices, so I would order 10 from (or
>through) Amazon for £6 or so.
>
>Recently I bought a card of 10 Suncom brand from a local hardware store
>for £1.99.
>
>I fitted a couple into two analogue clocks; the first one has just
>failed after three months, which is the time the Duracell ones last.
>
>So, *sometimes* cheap, unknown brands are good value.
>
>Here endeth the lesson.
>

I might be able to get cheaper but for years I've bought from the
Small Battery Company, eg
https://www.smallbattery.company.org.uk/sbc_lr44.htm?lr44,various%20manufacturers,LR44

Price: �1.75 for a pair. �1.50 per pair if you buy two or more pairs.
P&P included.

They always seem to provide good brands and they arrive quite quickly
in the post (strikes permitting).

It is worth looking at the sr44 as an alternate - read the blurb on
the website.

Other (to be avoided brands at supermarkets etc) batteries often come
as the Industrial version which clearly are better.

YMMV.

--
AnthonyL

Why ever wait to finish a job before starting the next?

On 16/12/2022 12:46, Algernon Goss-Custard wrote:
> Max Demian <max_demian@bigfoot.com> posted

>> I sometimes need LR44 button cells. You can buy Boots own brand for
>> £2.99 for one, or two Duracell (from Boots) for £4.30.
>>
>> These are obviously ridiculous prices, so I would order 10 from (or
>> through) Amazon for £6 or so.
>>
>> Recently I bought a card of 10 Suncom brand from a local hardware
>> store for £1.99.
>>
>> I fitted a couple into two analogue clocks; the first one has just
>> failed after three months, which is the time the Duracell ones last.
>>
>> So, *sometimes* cheap, unknown brands are good value.
>>
>> Here endeth the lesson.
>
> I buy cards of button batteries from Poundsaver etc. Typically 30 of
> mixed types for £2 or something. Variable lifetime (I assume they are
> manufacturers' rejects or old stock) but useful for things like watches
> and car remote locking keys (CR2032).

Most of the button cells on those cards are sizes I never need. I buy
the cards of coin cells from so-called pound shops (which, nowadays sell
things for all sorts of prices), as they have CR2032s and CR2016s. They
also have CR2025s but I don't use them.

--
Max Demian

On 16/12/2022 12:08, Max Demian wrote:
> I sometimes need LR44 button cells. You can buy Boots own brand for
> £2.99 for one, or two Duracell (from Boots) for £4.30.
>
> These are obviously ridiculous prices, so I would order 10 from (or
> through) Amazon for £6 or so.
>
> Recently I bought a card of 10 Suncom brand from a local hardware store
> for £1.99.
>
> I fitted a couple into two analogue clocks; the first one has just
> failed after three months, which is the time the Duracell ones last.

Duracell have been trading on their brand name for about a decade.

Their batteries are something I avoid like the plague - overpriced and
under performing frequently found to have leaked in kit and in date too.

Even Everyready and Panasonic make better batteries now.
(those two are my favourites)
>
> So, *sometimes* cheap, unknown brands are good value.
>
> Here endeth the lesson.

You can often get exotic rare button cells in ones or twos on market
stalls that will offer to fit them in a watch for £3 or £4 all in.
Battery on its own is cheaper and they have some rare ones!

If you do a lot of watch repair the ~24 for £1 in Poundshop don't last
as long but at that price do you really care. Still good for a year or
more provided that you use them fairly quickly. Shelf life is less good.

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

On 16/12/2022 14:47, Martin Brown wrote:
> On 16/12/2022 12:08, Max Demian wrote:
>> I sometimes need LR44 button cells. You can buy Boots own brand for
>> £2.99 for one, or two Duracell (from Boots) for £4.30.
>>
>> These are obviously ridiculous prices, so I would order 10 from (or
>> through) Amazon for £6 or so.
>>
>> Recently I bought a card of 10 Suncom brand from a local hardware
>> store for £1.99.
>>
>> I fitted a couple into two analogue clocks; the first one has just
>> failed after three months, which is the time the Duracell ones last.
>
> Duracell have been trading on their brand name for about a decade.
>
> Their batteries are something I avoid like the plague - overpriced and
> under performing frequently found to have leaked in kit and in date too.

Yes. I have had a number of Duracell batteries leak. Didn't they used to
advertise them as leakproof?

> Even Everyready and Panasonic make better batteries now.
> (those two are my favourites)

Ever-ready have been good for me recently.

I've not tried Panasonic for a while, but do remember them as being very
good - however, that was decades ago. As a teenager, I bought a game for
my sister. It was very like Simon, but had 12 coloured buttons and came
from Tandy. It was quite heavily used over a few years and then left in
a cupboard. Over 12 years later, I found it ... and it still worked on
the original Panasonic batteries!

On 16/12/2022 14:32, Max Demian wrote:
> On 16/12/2022 12:46, Algernon Goss-Custard wrote:
>> Max Demian <max_demian@bigfoot.com> posted
>
>>> I sometimes need LR44 button cells. You can buy Boots own brand for
>>> £2.99 for one, or two Duracell (from Boots) for £4.30.
>>>
>>> These are obviously ridiculous prices, so I would order 10 from (or
>>> through) Amazon for £6 or so.
>>>
>>> Recently I bought a card of 10 Suncom brand from a local hardware
>>> store for £1.99.
>>>
>>> I fitted a couple into two analogue clocks; the first one has just
>>> failed after three months, which is the time the Duracell ones last.
>>>
>>> So, *sometimes* cheap, unknown brands are good value.
>>>
>>> Here endeth the lesson.
>>
>> I buy cards of button batteries from Poundsaver etc. Typically 30 of
>> mixed types for £2 or something. Variable lifetime (I assume they are
>> manufacturers' rejects or old stock) but useful for things like watches
>> and car remote locking keys (CR2032).
>
> Most of the button cells on those cards are sizes I never need. I buy
> the cards of coin cells from so-called pound shops (which, nowadays sell
> things for all sorts of prices), as they have CR2032s and CR2016s. They
> also have CR2025s but I don't use them.

Pad out a CR2025 with a bit of aluminium foil and use as though it was a
CR2032. It won't last as long of course, but at least it will have been
used.

--

Jeff

On Friday, 16 December 2022 at 12:08:10 UTC, Max Demian wrote:
> I sometimes need LR44 button cells. You can buy Boots own brand for
> £2.99 for one, or two Duracell (from Boots) for £4.30.
>
> These are obviously ridiculous prices, so I would order 10 from (or
> through) Amazon for £6 or so.
>
> Recently I bought a card of 10 Suncom brand from a local hardware store
> for £1.99.
>
> I fitted a couple into two analogue clocks; the first one has just
> failed after three months, which is the time the Duracell ones last.
>
> So, *sometimes* cheap, unknown brands are good value.
>
> Here endeth the lesson.

Most battery brands differ little. Advertising means jack. There are definitely some below par ones, but most random ones are fine.

The trouble is you just don't know, I've had variable results for the little
chunky ones and the flat inch wide ones.
I find it hard with, for example my Tile locators, to find out when its
gone down too far to work any more so the app can find it.
Brian

--

--:
This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...
briang1@blueyonder.co.uk
Blind user, so no pictures please
Note this Signature is meaningless.!
"Max Demian" <max_demian@bigfoot.com> wrote in message
news:tnhn36$3c744$1@dont-email.me...
>I sometimes need LR44 button cells. You can buy Boots own brand for �2.99
>for one, or two Duracell (from Boots) for �4.30.
>
> These are obviously ridiculous prices, so I would order 10 from (or
> through) Amazon for �6 or so.
>
> Recently I bought a card of 10 Suncom brand from a local hardware store
> for �1.99.
>
> I fitted a couple into two analogue clocks; the first one has just failed
> after three months, which is the time the Duracell ones last.
>
> So, *sometimes* cheap, unknown brands are good value.
>
> Here endeth the lesson.
>
> --
> Max Demian

On Saturday, 17 December 2022 at 10:02:59 UTC, Brian Gaff wrote:
> The trouble is you just don't know, I've had variable results for the little
> chunky ones and the flat inch wide ones.
> I find it hard with, for example my Tile locators, to find out when its
> gone down too far to work any more so the app can find it.
> Brian
>
> --
>
> --:
> This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
> The Sofa of Brian Gaff...
> bri...@blueyonder.co.uk
> Blind user, so no pictures please
> Note this Signature is meaningless.!
> "Max Demian" <max_d...@bigfoot.com> wrote in message
> news:tnhn36$3c744$1...@dont-email.me...
> >I sometimes need LR44 button cells. You can buy Boots own brand for Ł2.99
> >for one, or two Duracell (from Boots) for Ł4.30.
> >
> > These are obviously ridiculous prices, so I would order 10 from (or
> > through) Amazon for Ł6 or so.
> >
> > Recently I bought a card of 10 Suncom brand from a local hardware store
> > for Ł1.99.
> >
> > I fitted a couple into two analogue clocks; the first one has just failed
> > after three months, which is the time the Duracell ones last.
> >
> > So, *sometimes* cheap, unknown brands are good value.
> >
> > Here endeth the lesson.

Many years ago I was working with somebody who had designed rechargeable
battery production lines for many of the manufacturers around the world. His
advice, based on a lot of inside knowledge, was that if I wanted reliability I could
not do better than Panasonic/Matsushita. Sanyo were also very good - they were
subsequently bought by Matsushita.
So when I needed a pack of CR2032s a few days ago I chose Panasonic.

I have had a digital multimeter and a sound level calibrator badly damaged by
Duracell AA cells that leaked before the batteries had discharged, so I don't
consider Duracell to be a benchmark for good quality.

John

On Sun, 18 Dec 2022 10:24:46 +1100, John Walliker <jrwalliker@gmail.com>
wrote:

> On Saturday, 17 December 2022 at 10:02:59 UTC, Brian Gaff wrote:
>> The trouble is you just don't know, I've had variable results for the
>> little
>> chunky ones and the flat inch wide ones.
>> I find it hard with, for example my Tile locators, to find out when its
>> gone down too far to work any more so the app can find it.
>> Brian
>>
>> --
>>
>> --:
>> This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
>> The Sofa of Brian Gaff...
>> bri...@blueyonder.co.uk
>> Blind user, so no pictures please
>> Note this Signature is meaningless.!
>> "Max Demian" <max_d...@bigfoot.com> wrote in message
>> news:tnhn36$3c744$1...@dont-email.me...
>> >I sometimes need LR44 button cells. You can buy Boots own brand for
>> Ł2.99
>> >for one, or two Duracell (from Boots) for Ł4.30.
>> >
>> > These are obviously ridiculous prices, so I would order 10 from (or
>> > through) Amazon for Ł6 or so.
>> >
>> > Recently I bought a card of 10 Suncom brand from a local hardware
>> store
>> > for Ł1.99.
>> >
>> > I fitted a couple into two analogue clocks; the first one has just
>> failed
>> > after three months, which is the time the Duracell ones last.
>> >
>> > So, *sometimes* cheap, unknown brands are good value.
>> >
>> > Here endeth the lesson.
>
> Many years ago I was working with somebody who had designed rechargeable
> battery production lines for many of the manufacturers around the
> world. His
> advice, based on a lot of inside knowledge, was that if I wanted
> reliability I could
> not do better than Panasonic/Matsushita. Sanyo were also very good -
> they were
> subsequently bought by Matsushita.
> So when I needed a pack of CR2032s a few days ago I chose Panasonic.

Me too and in my case 18650 Li ons as well.

> I have had a digital multimeter and a sound level calibrator badly
> damaged by
> Duracell AA cells that leaked before the batteries had discharged, so I
> don't
> consider Duracell to be a benchmark for good quality.

On 16/12/2022 12:08, Max Demian wrote:
> I sometimes need LR44 button cells. You can buy Boots own brand for
> £2.99 for one, or two Duracell (from Boots) for £4.30.
>
> These are obviously ridiculous prices, so I would order 10 from (or
> through) Amazon for £6 or so.
>
> Recently I bought a card of 10 Suncom brand from a local hardware store
> for £1.99.
>
> I fitted a couple into two analogue clocks; the first one has just
> failed after three months, which is the time the Duracell ones last.
>
> So, *sometimes* cheap, unknown brands are good value.
>
> Here endeth the lesson.

There was a program on BBC Radio 4 in last few days following an
experiment at a school, where the children compared different makes of
AA alkaline cells. IIRC, they used Amazon Basics (cheapest), Duracell,
and Energizer Lithium (most expensive by a long way).

The Amazon basics was the most cost effective by a long way, even though
they lasted the shortest time, but they had the longest period dying as
they gradually lost umph quite a while before they completely died.
Duracell lasted a bit longer, but didn't show any signs of dying until
much nearer end of life. Energizer Lithium lasted longest. I can't
remember the timings, but something like 4, 5, and 6 hours respectively
(running a hand fan continuously).

Not completely scientific, but interesting nevertheless.

Andrew

On 14:01 16 Dec 2022, AnthonyL said:

> On Fri, 16 Dec 2022 12:08:07 +0000, Max Demian
> <max_demian@bigfoot.com> wrote:
>
>>I sometimes need LR44 button cells. You can buy Boots own brand for
>>£2.99 for one, or two Duracell (from Boots) for £4.30.
>>
>>These are obviously ridiculous prices, so I would order 10 from (or
>>through) Amazon for £6 or so.
>>
>>Recently I bought a card of 10 Suncom brand from a local hardware
>>store for £1.99.
>>
>>I fitted a couple into two analogue clocks; the first one has just
>>failed after three months, which is the time the Duracell ones last.
>>
>>So, *sometimes* cheap, unknown brands are good value.
>>
>>Here endeth the lesson.
>>
>
>
> I might be able to get cheaper but for years I've bought from the
> Small Battery Company, eg
> https://www.smallbattery.company.org.uk/sbc_lr44.htm?lr44,various%
> 20manufacturers,LR44
>
> Price: �1.75 for a pair. �1.50 per pair if you buy two or more pairs.
> P&P included.
>
> They always seem to provide good brands and they arrive quite quickly
> in the post (strikes permitting).
>
> It is worth looking at the sr44 as an alternate - read the blurb on
> the website.
>
> Other (to be avoided brands at supermarkets etc) batteries often come
> as the Industrial version which clearly are better.
>
> YMMV.

Are their button cells noticeably better than the cheap packs of 50
cells?

On Thu, 22 Dec 2022 11:58:25 GMT, Pamela
<pamela.private.mailbox@gmail.com> wrote:

>On 14:01 16 Dec 2022, AnthonyL said:
>
>> On Fri, 16 Dec 2022 12:08:07 +0000, Max Demian
>> <max_demian@bigfoot.com> wrote:
>>
>>>I sometimes need LR44 button cells. You can buy Boots own brand for
>>>£2.99 for one, or two Duracell (from Boots) for £4.30.
>>>
>>>These are obviously ridiculous prices, so I would order 10 from (or
>>>through) Amazon for £6 or so.
>>>
>>>Recently I bought a card of 10 Suncom brand from a local hardware
>>>store for £1.99.
>>>
>>>I fitted a couple into two analogue clocks; the first one has just
>>>failed after three months, which is the time the Duracell ones last.
>>>
>>>So, *sometimes* cheap, unknown brands are good value.
>>>
>>>Here endeth the lesson.
>>>
>>
>>
>> I might be able to get cheaper but for years I've bought from the
>> Small Battery Company, eg
>> https://www.smallbattery.company.org.uk/sbc_lr44.htm?lr44,various%
>> 20manufacturers,LR44
>>
>> Price: �1.75 for a pair. �1.50 per pair if you buy two or more pairs.
>> P&P included.
>>
>> They always seem to provide good brands and they arrive quite quickly
>> in the post (strikes permitting).
>>
>> It is worth looking at the sr44 as an alternate - read the blurb on
>> the website.
>>
>> Other (to be avoided brands at supermarkets etc) batteries often come
>> as the Industrial version which clearly are better.
>>
>> YMMV.
>
>Are their button cells noticeably better than the cheap packs of 50
>cells?

I have never bought a pack of 50 cells. If I did most of them would
be end of life flat by the time I got round to using them in 10yrs.

--
AnthonyL

Why ever wait to finish a job before starting the next?

On 22/12/2022 11:58, Pamela wrote:
> On 14:01 16 Dec 2022, AnthonyL said:
>> On Fri, 16 Dec 2022 12:08:07 +0000, Max Demian
>> <max_demian@bigfoot.com> wrote:
>>
>>> I sometimes need LR44 button cells. You can buy Boots own brand for
>>> бё2.99 for one, or two Duracell (from Boots) for бё4.30.
>>>
>>> These are obviously ridiculous prices, so I would order 10 from (or
>>> through) Amazon for бё6 or so.
>>>
>>> Recently I bought a card of 10 Suncom brand from a local hardware
>>> store for бё1.99.
>>>
>>> I fitted a couple into two analogue clocks; the first one has just
>>> failed after three months, which is the time the Duracell ones last.
>>>
>>> So, *sometimes* cheap, unknown brands are good value.
>>>
>>> Here endeth the lesson.

>> I might be able to get cheaper but for years I've bought from the
>> Small Battery Company, eg
>> https://www.smallbattery.company.org.uk/sbc_lr44.htm?lr44,various%
>> 20manufacturers,LR44
>>
>> Price: ё1.75 for a pair. ё1.50 per pair if you buy two or more pairs.
>> P&P included.
>>
>> They always seem to provide good brands and they arrive quite quickly
>> in the post (strikes permitting).
>>
>> It is worth looking at the sr44 as an alternate - read the blurb on
>> the website.
>>
>> Other (to be avoided brands at supermarkets etc) batteries often come
>> as the Industrial version which clearly are better.
>>
>> YMMV.
>
> Are their button cells noticeably better than the cheap packs of 50
> cells?

No, but most of those will be sizes you don't want.

--
Max Demian