Duracell is one of the leading brands when it comes to batteries, but that doesn’t mean they are the only option. Costco has an amazing selection of high-quality name-brand products, but they also have a wide range of their exclusive brand, Kirkland Signature.
Most of us choose a brand that we’re familiar with, but which one is better? Here is our comparison of Kirkland batteries vs Duracell, and which one might be a better choice for you and your family.
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Related: Who Makes Costco Kirkland Products?
Kirkland Batteries vs Duracell Batteries
Before we dive in, Duracell is the brand behind Kirkland Signature batteries. While Kirkland Signature is Costco’s exclusive brand, they do count on big-name companies to create these products.
This does not mean that the two are exactly the same. Let’s check out the main differences between Kirkland Signature batteries and Duracell batteries.
Price
Kirkland takes the trophy when it comes to affordability. Of course, name-brands will always cost a bit more, but Kirkland Signature offers the same high-quality product at an affordable rate.
For instance, a 40-count of Duracell AAA batteries is $20.99, while a 48-count of Kirkland Signature AAA batteries is only $15.99.
Size Range
Unlike price, Duracell is the winner when it comes to the size range of batteries. Kirkland Signature only has two sizes, AA and AAA, while Duracell has five sizes: AA, AAA, C, D, and 9V. While they are all 1.5V alkaline batteries, Duracell has a larger variety.
Longevity
Longevity is a crucial factor when choosing batteries, and when it comes to Kirkland batteries vs Duracell, Duracell is the winner.
We found a graph on Reddit that compares the longevity of 11 different battery brands, so you don’t have to. Duracell led the charge as the longest-lasting battery compared to them all, with Kirkland Signature coming in second, averaging 15% less than the name brand.
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Power Output
The amount of power a battery offers is another big factor, and this time Kirkland wins.
Duracell batteries deliver an average of 1.28 volts while Kirkland gives an average of 1.62 volts according to some tests. This is definitely enough to notice for some devices.
Warranty
Most power equipment comes with a warranty, and these two brands feature standard examples. For Duracell batteries, you receive a two to five-year warranty depending on the type and quantity of battery you purchased.
Kirkland Signature batteries come with a 36 month warranty, and you must present the purchase receipt to access the warranty. Both warranties do not cover damage caused by carelessness or accidents, only manufacturers’ defects.
Both do claim a 12-year shelf life now, so this one we’d say is a tie.
Environmental Impact
What about the batteries’ eco-footprint? This could be another huge reason why you would want to shop for one brand versus the other.
While Kirkland Signature does not have an environmental policy, they do make an effort to create environmentally friendly products with recycled packaging and mercury-free batteries.
Duracell, on the other hand, has made several movements to reduce its environmental impact with its closed-loop program, which has the company recycling its batteries. They’re also partnered with Call2Recycle to help consumers recycle their batteries more easily.
Since both products are actually made by Duracell we can’t really call a winner on this one.
Customer Reviews
When it comes to reviews between Kirkland batteries vs Duracell, consumers tend to be slightly happier with the name brand. But it’s extremely close.
And this doesn’t mean Kirkland Signature batteries should be ignored as they do still receive a lot of praise from Costco customers. Many shoppers opt for Kirkland Signature batteries at Costco due to the cheaper cost. Plus, they are still high-quality batteries.
Ultimately, it’s up to the customer to choose what matters most. Both battery brands will get the job done, so you must pick what works for your household and budget.
Read More: Top Household Items You Should Buy at Costco to Save Money
What’s your go-to battery brand when shopping at Costco? Let your fellow shoppers know in the comments!
And for those savvy shoppers who want to stay up-to-date on high-quality savings, keep checking back at Costco97 where we explore hidden price-tag deals, discounts, and best picks at Costco.
7 Comments
The AAA & AA batteries are rated at 1.50 volts and my tests show they are actually 1.62-1.65 when new. They are never 1.25 or 1.28 volts unless they are worn out. In addition the Kirkland batteries are guaranteed a shelf life of 12 YEARS, not 36 months. There are some problems with the test source you quoted so nothing is credible in that report.
Good to know, thank you!
After having Kirkland batteries leak and destroy a couple of items, I went back to Duracell and will never try Kirkland again. Not worth it.
I initially used AA & AAA Duracell or Energizer, which I bought at Walmart. Then I decided to try Rayovac, since they were at least 25% cheaper. To my surprise, they lasted just as long as the other two, sometimes longer. Totally unscientific, but I do keep track of how long batteries last. Unfortunately, Rayovac raised their prices to almost match the other two. I now buy Duracell at Costco, when they are on sale.
Oops! Bert is spot on. Too many mistakes in this article make the analysis invalid. AA and AAA alkaline battery is a global standard of 1.5 volts. Most come in a little over as there is only so much you can do with this chemistry. In the voltage section of the article, you say in one paragraph that Duracell wins and then Kirkland is better. Makes no sense looking at the numbers you reported. There is little of value in this article.
Thanks for pointing that out, Vic! We goofed. We updated the article with some new data and neglected to change that line re: Duracell winning. We’ve updated the article. Appreciate your input!
What is considered “damage caused by carelessness or accidents” for the warranty? I don’t recall anything that would considered that, unless you call leaving the batteries in a flashlight for two months being careless.
A (long) while back, the Kirkland and the name brand batteries used to leak and corrode inside the battery compartments of everyday things like flashlights, clocks, etc. For the pricier stuff, we’d write to Duracell and they’d either send a check (if you could show a receipt) to replace the damaged items or send coupons for more of their batteries. Even the Kirkland batteries had a bad leaking problem (some in the actual package for unused/brand new/not expired batteries) that when you went to return the bad batteries, the return desk actually had packages of the batteries to swap out for the bad ones! Some posts said that the problem batteries were manufactured in China and they had moved production to other countries.
I think he newer batteries may be built better, so less leakage. But after those past fiascos with leaking batteries in the compartments, we always remove batteries for items we don’t use daily/weekly or at least once a month, which is a pain.