Are Dollar Tree Batteries A Good Deal?

Are cheap batteries as good as the name brand? I went through a phase in my early twenties where I thought cheaper was always better. I was entirely wrong. With some products it makes sense to spend a little more. Dollar tree batteries are one of those things. Trust me, Dollar Store batteries are not worth the hassle. Go ahead and buy one of the name brands like Duracell.

Does Dollar Tree Sell Batteries?

Yes, dollar tree sells batteries. Believe it or not this is a common question floating around the internet. I don’t know what to think about this. Are people so skeptical of even the existence of a pack of batteries that would only cost $1.25? Does this on its own indicate that the quality is probably horrible? Let’s find out.

Are Dollar Store Batteries Any Good?

The Dollar Tree offers two battery brands. Panasonic and E-circuit. Both of these brands have a super heavy duty and alkaline battery option.

Before digging into the topic, I figured the marketing people thought that by putting in the phrase “heavy duty” people would think the product was actually good. Then they added “super” to take things to the next level. This is of course, a joke.

Who Makes E-Circuit Batteries?

E-circuit batteries are known as the Dollar Tree brand. Honestly, I am not sure who is actually the manufacturer. It is safe to assume that they are produced in China. This is the case for most batteries.

Dollar Store Batteries Options – Choose Wisely!

Here are some of the Dollar Tree AA battery options you can find:

• 6 pack of E-circuit AA Super Heavy Duty batteries
• 4 pack of E-circuit AA Alkaline batteries
• 2 pack of Panasonic AA Super Heavy Duty batteries
• 2 pack of Panasonic AA Alkaline Plus Power

Related: Save Money With Rechargeable Eneloop Batteries

Are E-Circuit Batteries Any Good?

The Dollar Tree sells E-circuit Super Heavy Duty batteries and E-circuit Alkaline batteries. What is the difference between a heavy duty battery and an alkaline battery? Alkaline batteries are known as manganese dioxide batteries and perform better than heavy duty zinc chloride batteries. Alkaline batteries have up a twice the amount of energy capacity. According to Reader’s Digest, the super heavy duty batteries (aka carbon-zinc batteries) that discount stores sell “don’t last as long as the alkaline name brands”.

So are E-Circuit batteries any good? Let’s take a look at both their super heavy duty and alkaline products.

Dollar Tree Batteries Review – Moment Of Truth!

Okay, now to the moment you have all been waiting for. There is extensive information online about the quality of off brand battery performance. This is because it is such a common household item that gets purchased again and again and again. Many reputable sources recommend to stay away. I have seen that batteries frequently top the list of products not to buy at the Dollar Tree.

The biggest problem is that people buy the wrong product. They don’t understand the difference between super heavy duty and alkaline batteries. They just buy the bigger pack. This is a mistake. For example, let’s say you need some Double AA batteries. In most cases, you should buy the 2 pack of Panasonic Alkaline batteries for $1.25 rather than the 6 pack of E-circuit Super Heavy Duty batteries. Panasonic is a better brand than E-circuit. And the alkaline battery type is better for high drain devices.

How Long Do Dollar Tree Batteries Last?

The experts at Kiplinger point out that Super Heavy Duty E-Circuit and Panasonic batteries at the Dollar Tree should only be used in low drain devices. Not only do they not last, they have the potential to leak and create additional issues. This type of Dollar Tree Battery only lasts seven minutes for high drain devices. Users on Reddit suggest they are only good for TV remotes. That makes sense. That is the type of low drain device that super heavy duty batteries are designed for!

What Happened To Dollar Tree Sunbeam Batteries?

I use to buy Sunbeam batteries at Dollar Tree back in the day. I swear these batteries wouldn’t even keep my portable CD player running for a few minutes. It’s almost as if you would have to remove them from any device between use just to conserve the juice. It looks like Sunbeam batteries are no longer on the Dollar Tree website. I did see that Sunbeam emerged from bankruptcy in 2002 and was acquired in 2004. Dollar Tree must have ended their relationship with this manufacturer.

Dollar Tree 9V Battery

Before we wrap up, let’s talk about the 9V Dollar Tree batteries. I was not able to find a 9V Panasonic battery at the Dollar Tree. I could only find the E-circuit variety. And of course it was the super heavy duty battery type. You get one 9V battery for $1.25. If you want to be frugal you can get away using these in devices like smoke detectors. But I would suggest researching high quality rechargeable options.

Do Dollar Tree Rechargeable Batteries Exist?

According to my research, Dollar Tree does not currently offer rechargeable batteries. This is not surprising, taking into account that Dollar Tree items only cost a $1.25. But trust me, you wouldn’t want rechargeable batteries from the Dollar Tree. The whole purpose of rechargeable batteries is to save money over a long period of time. This means you need to invest in quality. We recommend Panasonic Eneloop Rechargeable Batteries.

If you must buy cheap batteries, and you refuse to invest in quality name brand rechargeable batteries. Then I recommend getting the Kirkland or Amazon Basic batteries in bulk. They may not be the best quality, but they are acceptable.