Energizer MAX AA Batteries (16 Pack) Review: Reliable
A buyer summed it up bluntly: “they are aa batteries. they work well”—and across platforms, that plain reliability is exactly what people keep paying for. Energizer MAX AA Batteries (16 Pack) earns a community-driven verdict of dependable everyday power with a few value/packaging gripes. Score: 8.6/10.
Quick Verdict
Yes (Conditional) — a strong pick for remotes, clocks, toys, and routine household use; less compelling if you’re highly price-sensitive or primarily powering high-drain devices.
| What shoppers agree on | Evidence from user feedback | Who it matters to | Where it shows up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long-lasting in common devices | “seem to last longer than other brands” | Families, offices, anyone tired of frequent swaps | Best Buy (reviews), Amazon (reviews) |
| Reliable brand reputation | “the name speaks for itself” | Buyers who default to trusted staples | Best Buy (reviews) |
| Leak resistance praised | “i like that fact that they don't leak” | Protecting remotes/controllers/flashlights | Best Buy (reviews) |
| Great for toys + controllers | “last a long time in the kids oculus controllers and the xbox controllers” | Parents, gamers | Best Buy (reviews) |
| Packaging can frustrate | “inside a way too large cardboard box” | Online shoppers, gift buyers | Amazon (reviews) |
| Price sensitivity exists | “priced too high… i wouldn’t buy again” | Budget shoppers, bulk buyers | Best Buy (reviews) |
Claims vs Reality
Claim 1: “Designed to protect your devices against damaging leaks for up to two years after fully used.”
Digging deeper into user reports, leak resistance isn’t just marketing copy—it’s one of the few technical points people actually mention unprompted. A Best Buy reviewer highlighted peace-of-mind directly: “these batteries are built to last a long time ... i like that fact that they don't leak.” For households cycling batteries through remotes, kids’ toys, and flashlights, that comment reads less like a feature and more like insurance against ruined battery compartments.
That said, most reviews don’t describe dramatic “before/after” leak incidents—more a quiet absence of problems. TheGunZone’s community-style writeup leans into that same theme of not seeing corrosion issues: “i’ve never experienced any leaking or corrosion issues,” framing durability as the baseline expectation for the brand. Source: TheGunZone review.
Claim 2: “Holds power up to 10 years in storage.”
Official listings emphasize long shelf life (“hold power for up to 10 years in storage” on Amazon.com; Amazon.de similarly references up to 10 years). In day-to-day feedback, people rarely measure storage life directly, but they do describe the behavior you’d expect if shelf life is solid: buying less often and having backups ready.
A Best Buy reviewer captures that “always prepared” logic: “this time we went all out and got the 16 pack. have enough for the flashlights and the remote.” Another says, “i don’t have to buy these very often. seem to last longer than other brands,” which blends runtime and reserve-stock confidence. Source: Best Buy reviews (E91TP-16 page).
Claim 3: “Longest-lasting… dependable power” (brand positioning).
Here the story becomes more nuanced depending on device type. People consistently describe strong performance in low-to-medium drain gadgets—remotes, clocks, mice, and household electronics. TheGunZone writeup stresses that in those contexts, voltage feels stable until end-of-life: “maintain a relatively stable voltage output… devices work effectively until the batteries are depleted.”
But lab-style scoring from CHOICE paints a split: strong low-drain results (“performance (low drain) score 83%,” “endurance (low drain) score 91%”) and weaker high-drain outcomes (“performance (high drain) score 52%,” “endurance (high drain) score 58%”). While many users praise longevity, CHOICE’s data suggests the “dependable power” reputation aligns best with low-drain reality, not necessarily the most demanding devices. Source: CHOICE review.
Cross-Platform Consensus
Universally Praised
A recurring pattern emerged: people don’t romanticize these batteries—they praise them because they disappear into the background and “just work.” On Amazon, one reviewer basically shrugs their way into approval: “they are batteries,” then clarifies the core point: “they work well, and they seem to be well-made.” That’s the kind of feedback you see when a product is meeting expectations rather than surprising anyone.
For families and heavy household usage, the love is practical, not poetic. Best Buy reviewers repeatedly anchor their praise to everyday gear: “good batteries for use in toys and flashlights,” and another spells out modern kid-and-gamer reality: “they last a long time in the kids oculus controllers and the xbox controllers.” In those use cases, longevity isn’t about bragging rights—it’s fewer interruptions, fewer “dead controller” moments, fewer emergency store runs.
Across Best Buy’s smaller review set on the 16-pack listing, the same sentiment shows up as brand trust plus reduced hassle. Best Buy user Huey wrote: “we can always count on energizer batteries for consistent quality and great shelf life.” And when people compare, they often do it in plain language: Best Buy user Stingray said, “they are of good quality and last longer than generic brands.” Source: Best Buy reviews (E91TP-16 page).
After those narratives, the takeaways line up cleanly:
- Dependability: “work as it should” (Amazon review) and “no issues” (Best Buy user USAFRDOC).
- Longevity (especially low/medium drain): “last longer than other brands” (Best Buy user Audi Forme).
- Confidence in the brand: “energizer… always reliable and long lasting” (Best Buy review).
Common Complaints
The most concrete frustration isn’t performance—it’s value and buying experience. One of the sharper complaints comes from a Best Buy reviewer who felt blindsided at checkout: “priced too high… on the rack the price said one thing and when i got to register it was more… i wouldn’t buy again.” That’s not a battery-life critique; it’s a trust moment at the point of sale, and for price-sensitive shoppers it can override brand loyalty instantly. Source: Best Buy reviews (E91TP-16 page).
Packaging and shipping also appear as an annoyance in Amazon feedback, especially when batteries arrive in oversized boxes or loosely packed. An Amazon reviewer noted: “nice compact package (inside a way too large cardboard box),” while another complained about handling in a mixed shipment: “my attitude was tainted by the way the aaa batteries were handled… in the same box without any packing.” For gift buyers or anyone ordering online in bulk, that kind of experience can make the purchase feel sloppy even if the batteries themselves are fine. Source: Amazon customer reviews (B0057A02C4).
There’s also a recurring “it’s just batteries” tone that can be read as faint praise. Best Buy user Burrito called them “just batteries,” and another Amazon reviewer said, “they are batteries.” It’s not negative, but it signals the product wins by being uneventful—so if pricing creeps up, some buyers may switch brands without much emotional friction.
After those narratives, the recurring complaint themes are:
- Price sensitivity: “priced too high” (Best Buy).
- Shipping/packaging waste or poor packing: “way too large cardboard box” (Amazon).
- Low excitement/commodity feel: “just batteries” (Best Buy).
Divisive Features
The most divisive issue is how people interpret “long-lasting.” In everyday devices, buyers often report noticeably better runtime than cheaper alternatives. Best Buy user Big Snoop claimed: “last longer than store brand, duracell and amazon batteries,” and others echo “seem to last longer than other brands.” For parents running through batteries, that perception matters; Best Buy user Moab 461 framed it through kid-heavy usage: “these hold up to their demand. energizer all the way.” Source: Best Buy reviews (E91TP-16 page).
But CHOICE’s lab-style scoring complicates the story: these batteries score much better in low-drain than high-drain conditions. That doesn’t “disprove” user praise—it suggests many reviewers are using them in the exact contexts where they perform best (remotes, clocks, basic household electronics). While buyers describe strong longevity, CHOICE’s high-drain performance score (52%) indicates that “long-lasting” may be less impressive in very demanding devices. Source: CHOICE review.
Trust & Reliability
“Leak resistance” and “consistent quality” form the backbone of trust in the user narrative. Best Buy user Huey said: “we can always count on energizer batteries for consistent quality and great shelf life,” which reads like a long-term habit rather than a one-off impression. Another Best Buy reviewer reduces the purchase decision to brand confidence: “i mean it’s energizer batteries the name speaks for itself.” Source: Best Buy reviews.
On longevity over time, the closest “long-term” signal in the provided data is how people talk about repeat purchasing and not needing to restock often. TheGunZone’s writeup is explicitly framed as repeated buying “over the years,” emphasizing that the experience stayed “generally very positive” and “i never had to worry about them suddenly giving up on me.” Source: TheGunZone review.
(Trustpilot-specific scam patterns and “6 months later” Reddit-style posts are not present in the provided data beyond mislabeled source rows that point to Best Buy/TheGunZone, so this section sticks strictly to the reliability stories that are actually included.)
Alternatives
Competitors come up most clearly when reviewers compare against store brands and other major labels. Best Buy user Lally positioned it as near-parity with a leading rival: “i would recommend energizer just as good as dure cell.” Another buyer went further and made a stronger comparative claim: “last longer than store brand, duracell and amazon batteries.” Source: Best Buy reviews (E91TP-16 page).
For bargain-focused shoppers, Eveready is mentioned indirectly via official-style claims elsewhere (e.g., Walgreens text about lasting longer than Eveready Gold in demanding devices), but the user feedback in this dataset is more about lived comparisons: “generic brands,” “store brand,” and “Duracell.” The practical implication is that many buyers justify Energizer MAX as a small premium for fewer swaps—unless the shelf price feels off, in which case the premium becomes the complaint.
Price & Value
Pricing experiences vary by retailer and context, and the feedback shows two competing truths: people will pay extra for trust, but they resent feeling overcharged. One Best Buy reviewer praised value directly: “awesome batteries at great price,” while another had the opposite experience at checkout: “priced too high… i wouldn’t buy again.” Source: Best Buy reviews.
Resale and market trends (from eBay listings) suggest these are treated as commodity essentials—often sold in bulk lots with expiration dates highlighted. One eBay listing for the 16-pack notes “1934 sold” and lists “manufacturer warranty 10 years” and an “expiration date 2032,” implying buyers care about long shelf-life and bulk readiness when shopping outside standard retail. Source: eBay item listing (115426846916).
Buying tips implied by the community tone are simple: buy larger packs when you’re feeding multiple devices, and watch retailer pricing. As Best Buy user One Duck Toe put it: “we went all out and got the 16 pack… enough for the flashlights and the remote.” Source: Best Buy reviews.
FAQ
Q: Do Energizer MAX AA (16 Pack) batteries actually last longer in real life?
A: Many reviewers say yes, especially versus “generic” or store brands. Best Buy user Audi Forme wrote, “seem to last longer than other brands,” and Big Snoop claimed they “last longer than store brand, duracell and amazon batteries.” CHOICE lab data suggests they shine more in low-drain than high-drain use.
Q: Are these safe for devices like remotes, clocks, and flashlights (leak concerns)?
A: Leak resistance is repeatedly praised in user feedback. A Best Buy reviewer said, “i like that fact that they don't leak,” and TheGunZone review reported, “i’ve never experienced any leaking or corrosion issues.” That matters most for devices that sit unused for long stretches, like flashlights and remotes.
Q: Are they good for gaming controllers and kids’ toys?
A: Several reviewers specifically use them there and report strong results. One Best Buy reviewer said they “last a long time in the kids oculus controllers and the xbox controllers,” and another described them as “good batteries for use in toys and flashlights.” CHOICE suggests high-drain performance is weaker than low-drain, so results may vary by device.
Q: Is the 16-pack worth it, or should I buy smaller packs?
A: Buyers who want fewer emergency runs tend to like bigger packs. Best Buy user One Duck Toe said, “we went all out and got the 16 pack… have enough for the flashlights and the remote.” Value depends heavily on retailer pricing—one reviewer loved the “great price,” another felt it was “priced too high.”
Q: Any common issues when ordering online?
A: Packaging complaints show up more than performance problems. An Amazon reviewer noted the batteries arrived in a “nice compact package (inside a way too large cardboard box),” and another said their “attitude was tainted” by loose packing when shipped with other batteries. The batteries themselves were still described as working “as it should.”
Final Verdict
Buy if you’re the “always needs AAs” household—parents rotating toys, people feeding remotes/clocks, or anyone stocking flashlights for outages—and you value predictable performance and fewer swaps. Avoid if you’re extremely price-sensitive or primarily powering high-drain devices where CHOICE’s testing shows weaker results.
Pro tip from the community: go bulk when you’re juggling multiple devices—Best Buy user One Duck Toe’s simple logic was, “got the 16 pack… have enough for the flashlights and the remote.”
