Duracell 379 Silver Oxide Battery Review: 8.2/10
“Just put my first battery in and it died 2 weeks later” sits awkwardly beside a 4.6/5-star average and a chorus of people calling it “the best value.” That tension defines the conversation around Duracell 379 Silver Oxide Button Battery—a tiny purchase that can feel either like a steal or a surprise headache depending on the watch and the specific cell you pull from the pack. Verdict: 8.2/10.
A big part of the appeal is economic: buyers compare it to mall kiosks, jewelers, and big-box retail markups and feel like they’ve found a loophole. One Amazon reviewer exclaimed: “wow ! i was surprised when i actually got 6 of these batteries in the box !” and contrasted it with paying “$ 6 . 00 with tax” for a single battery at Walmart.
But the feedback isn’t blindly glowing. Digging deeper into the reviews, a recurring pattern emerged: most users are happy when the battery “works” and fits, yet a smaller group reports unexpectedly short lifespan—sometimes dramatically short. That contradiction matters most for people who are buying 379/SR521SW cells specifically to avoid frequent replacements.
Quick Verdict
Yes—conditional. The value and convenience are heavily praised, but a minority report premature failure (including “dead in 2 weeks”), and some users still see shorter runtimes in older watches.
| Decision factor | What users say | Who it’s best for |
|---|---|---|
| Value vs retail | “best value i have seen yet” (Amazon review) | DIY watch owners avoiding kiosk pricing |
| Convenience | “didn’t have to leave the house” (Amazon review) | Anyone who hates store trips |
| Fit/compatibility | “perfect fit for wives watch” (Amazon review) | People who know they need size 379/SR521SW |
| Longevity (best case) | “still have yet to replace any of them again” (Amazon review) | Users with lower-drain watches/devices |
| Longevity (worst case) | “it died 2 weeks later” (Amazon review) | Risk for people needing dependable runtime |
| Replacement economics | “replacing every 6 months… is certainly cheaper than the $ 20 / battery change” (Amazon review) | Frequent replacers, multi-watch owners |
Claims vs Reality
Claim: Long-lasting power and stable performance.
Marketing descriptions emphasize “long lasting power,” “stable discharge voltage,” and suitability for miniature devices with “relatively high current drains” (Amazon specs/product descriptions). On the ground, many buyers agree—at least in everyday watch use. An Amazon reviewer gave a minimalist endorsement: “works,” while another said it was a “good product” and that the batteries were “correct for my needs.”
Digging deeper into user reports, though, “long-lasting” is where reality diverges. One Amazon reviewer reported an extreme early failure: “just put my first battery in and it died 2 weeks later.” That kind of experience hits hardest for users who bought specifically to avoid frequent replacements and service fees—exactly the people attracted by silver oxide’s reputation.
Claim: Great value (especially multi-packs).
The strongest real-world alignment is on price-to-quantity. A recurring pattern emerged around pack size and savings: an Amazon reviewer wrote, “this is the best deal that you can ask for,” and another highlighted the shock of receiving six batteries for about the cost of a single retail replacement: “when i got 6 duracell for practically the same price of 1 walmart battery i was amazed.”
But even here, the feedback adds nuance: value is sometimes framed as “cheap insurance” rather than premium longevity. One Amazon reviewer noted: “they’re lasting about 6 months in one of my older watches,” yet still concluded it beat paying a jeweler: “certainly cheaper than the $ 20 / battery change.”
Claim: Guaranteed storage life (3–4 years depending on listing).
Official listings commonly mention storage guarantees (e.g., “guaranteed for 3 years in storage” in Amazon-style product descriptions, and some other retail-style listings mention 4 years). Users don’t directly discuss storage-life performance in the provided data, but they do focus on whether the battery is alive and performing on install. When a buyer says a cell “died 2 weeks later,” it raises the practical concern that, regardless of storage claims, some customers experience variability once installed.
Cross-Platform Consensus
Universally Praised
The loudest praise centers on value and the ability to avoid overpriced replacement services. For DIY watch owners—especially those with multiple watches—the six-pack format becomes the story. An Amazon reviewer framed it as a personal win against retail pricing: “last year i purchased a walmart battery for my watch and it cost $ 6 . 00 with tax,” then celebrated the multi-pack economics: “when i got 6 duracell for practically the same price of 1 walmart battery i was amazed.” For collectors or “multi-watch” households, another Amazon reviewer reinforced the stockpile advantage: “the six pack gives you additional batteries for backup or other watches.”
Convenience is the second pillar. People who don’t want to drive to a store—or pay someone else to pop open a watch case—describe the purchase as frictionless. One Amazon reviewer celebrated that it was a “perfect fit for wives watch and didn’t have to leave the house.” That’s a specific kind of benefit for busy families: if the battery fits and works, the whole errand disappears.
There’s also a brand-trust theme. While not a technical evaluation, several buyers anchor their satisfaction in the comfort of a known name. One Amazon reviewer called it a “reliable brand name battery with duracell,” then explained the motivation: avoiding “the mall kiosk or jewelry store” because it “can be very expensive.” For people who are wary of off-brand button cells, “Duracell” itself appears to function like a risk-reducer—even when the product is purchased primarily for savings.
Finally, some users report solid real-world runtime, at least in their devices. One Amazon reviewer said of multiple watches: “still have yet to replace any of them again.” That kind of comment, while not giving an exact duration, signals that for certain watches and use patterns, the battery meets expectations well enough that it fades into the background—which is exactly what many buyers want.
- Common praised themes (Amazon reviews): “best value,” multi-pack savings, “perfect fit,” and convenience (“didn’t have to leave the house”).
Common Complaints
The most serious complaint is premature failure. One Amazon reviewer described an abrupt outcome: “just put my first battery in and it died 2 weeks later.” For users relying on a watch daily—work, commuting, time-sensitive routines—this is the kind of failure that turns a cheap purchase into repeated hassle. It also introduces the fear that the rest of the pack might be similar: the same reviewer added, “hoping they all wont be that way.”
A second complaint pattern is shorter-than-expected lifespan in some watches, especially older ones. An Amazon reviewer offered a more measured but still disappointing report: “they’re lasting about 6 months in one of my older watches.” Importantly, this user reframed the downside as a trade-off, arguing the economics still work when compared with paid service: replacing every six months is “certainly cheaper than the $ 20 / battery change at the local jewelers!” That’s not a ringing endorsement of longevity—but it does show how some buyers rationalize the downside.
There’s also an implied expectation gap created by prior experiences. One Amazon reviewer contrasted the Walmart battery lasting “1 year” and called that “not very good,” adding: “i usually only had to replace it every 3 to 4 years !” For users accustomed to multi-year runtimes, anything closer to months feels like a regression. Even if watch drain varies widely, the emotional impact is clear: the battery is being judged against a remembered “3 to 4 years” baseline.
- Main complaint themes (Amazon reviews): early failure (“died 2 weeks later”) and shorter runtime (“lasting about 6 months”) in some watches.
Divisive Features
Longevity is the dividing line: some buyers barely think about the battery after installation, while others quickly become skeptical. On one side, an Amazon reviewer reports a smooth outcome: “works,” and another says the batteries “fit them perfectly” and they’ve “still have yet to replace any of them again.” For these users—often DIYers who confirm the size match and install correctly—the product behaves like a normal, dependable silver oxide cell.
On the other side are users whose experience is defined by short life. The Amazon reviewer whose battery “died 2 weeks later” is the most extreme example, but even “about 6 months” can feel unacceptable to people who bought silver oxide expecting a longer run. The result is a split where the same purchase is either a no-brainer reorder or a nagging doubt about consistency.
Trust & Reliability
A recurring pattern in the provided “Trustpilot (Verified)” section is that it mirrors Amazon’s review content rather than introducing separate Trustpilot narratives. The reliability picture, therefore, comes primarily from the Amazon review set: many satisfied comments about fit, convenience, and value, plus a smaller but sharper set of negative experiences about lifespan.
Long-term durability stories in the dataset skew toward practical ownership rather than dramatic updates. One Amazon reviewer describes a steady, ongoing success case: “my husband and i each have a watch… and these fit them perfectly, still have yet to replace any of them again.” Another offers a durability compromise—less than ideal, but consistent enough to plan around: “lasting about 6 months in one of my older watches.” For users managing multiple watches, that predictability (even at a shorter interval) can still feel “reliable” in a budgeting sense.
Alternatives
Only a few competitor names show up directly in the provided data, mostly through a third-party roundup and cross-references. In that context, Energizer 379 (SR521SW) is framed as a comparable silver oxide option, with the roundup noting “reliable and long-lasting performance” but also that “some batteries may have shorter lifespan” and that packaging can be “difficult to open” (CellularNews). For users who prioritize long shelf life and brand familiarity, the same source claims a “5 to 10 years” shelf life for some Energizer listings—though that statement appears in the roundup content rather than in firsthand user quotes.
The feedback also references Maxell SR521SW as an option in the same ecosystem of 379/SR521SW replacements (CellularNews roundup). That roundup includes a caution that “some customers have reported issues with their watches not working even after replacing the battery,” which matters for users troubleshooting a watch that may have issues beyond the cell.
Price & Value
The strongest value narrative comes from Amazon reviewers comparing multi-pack pricing to retail and service costs. One user described a single Walmart battery at “$ 6 . 00 with tax,” then reacted to receiving six Duracell cells with: “big old wow !” Another explicitly compared DIY replacement to professional service: “replacing every 6 months… is certainly cheaper than the $ 20 / battery change at the local jewelers!”
On broader market pricing, the provided eBay data shows Duracell silver oxide button cells across many sizes and multi-packs, suggesting an active resale marketplace for specialty batteries, though it’s not focused purely on 379. For bargain-focused buyers, the recurring community “tip” embedded in reviews is simple: buy multipacks if you replace your own batteries, because the unit cost and convenience can outweigh occasional shorter runtimes.
- Buying tips grounded in user comments: multipacks for backups (“additional batteries for backup”), DIY install to avoid kiosk/jeweler fees.
FAQ
Q: Do these Duracell 379 batteries actually save money versus a jeweler or kiosk replacement?
A: Yes—if you replace the battery yourself. An Amazon reviewer said mall kiosks and jewelers “can be very expensive,” and another noted replacing every six months was “certainly cheaper than the $ 20 / battery change at the local jewelers!”
Q: How long does a Duracell 379 (SR521SW) last in real watches?
A: It varies by watch and user reports. Some Amazon reviewers said they “still have yet to replace any of them again,” while others reported shorter runtimes like “about 6 months,” and one reported a battery that “died 2 weeks later.”
Q: Is the fit reliable for size 379 devices?
A: Often, yes—when the device truly takes 379/SR521SW. An Amazon reviewer reported a “perfect fit for wives watch,” and another said the batteries “fit them perfectly” in their watches. Fit won’t help, though, if the watch has other issues.
Q: Is buying a multi-pack worth it?
A: For multi-watch households and DIYers, many say yes. One Amazon reviewer wrote, “wow ! i was surprised when i actually got 6 of these batteries in the box !” Another liked having “additional batteries for backup or other watches.”
Final Verdict
Buy Duracell 379 Silver Oxide Button Battery if you’re a DIY watch owner chasing savings, especially if you maintain multiple watches and like keeping backups—one Amazon reviewer called it “the best deal” and another said it was a “perfect fit… and didn’t have to leave the house.” Avoid if you absolutely can’t risk frequent reopens of your watch case; a frustrated Amazon reviewer warned theirs “died 2 weeks later.” Pro tip from the community mindset: even when lifespan is “about 6 months,” some users still prefer that routine over paying “$ 20 / battery change” each time.
