Physics Professor Analyzes Whether No-Name Batteries Are a Better Value Than Duracell, Energizer | Moneyland | TIME.com

Duracell? Energizer? The cheapie packages of AAs at the dollar store? Tired of dumping money blindly on batteries for Wii remote controllers, flashlights, Nerf guns, and the like, a physicist decides its time to investigate which batteries truly give the most bang for the buck.

... , had gotten into the habit of buying batteries based strictly on price. Mostly, this meant skipping the Duracells and Energizers of the world and purchasing cheapie off-brands at dollar stores instead.

In recent years, buying generic has proved to be a hit among money-conscious consumers, many of whom have learned that ...

But what about batteries? Is buying no-name batteries a no-brainer, in which the consumer gets the same performance at a fraction of the price? Or do pricier name-brand batteries offer more juice, and therefore more value?

If it wasnt clear before, now you and I are fully aware of why were not physicists—and why we usually just go with our guts to figure out what batteries to buy. Or we just buy whatevers on sale, or whatever batteries are handy, without thinking too much about it.