When you’re in the market to buy a flashlight, you need to take into account what kind of battery would suit you best depending on the application you have in mind for the flashlight. There are two major categories into which batteries for flashlights or batteries in general, can be divided: disposable and rechargeable. Both categories have different types and their own pros and cons. Each type will bring you different benefits depending highly on your flashlight. Choosing the right battery type based on your application, general use or specific is crucial – otherwise your flashlight won’t be of much use to you other than being a paperweight.

Disposable Batteries

There are various types of disposable batteries but here are the most common ones.

Alkaline Batteries

Many people believe that the alkaline battery is obsolete, a dinosaur, a thing of the past but they are wrong. The alkaline battery is still as popular as ever – and is probably the most widely known type of disposable battery out there. They might be bigger, bulkier and might not have the shelf life that lithium batteries have, but alkaline batteries still pack quite a punch when it comes to charging flashlights. They come in a variety of different sizes and are cheap and can be found anywhere. Their availability and price are their biggest advantages.

Lithium Batteries

Lithium batteries are fast becoming as common as alkaline batteries. They are lighter, longer lasting and more power producing as compared to alkaline batteries but they have one major drawback – they cost almost twice as much as alkaline batteries.

CR123A Batteries

Not common at all, you’ll have to go to a specific store to buy these batteries which are a special type of lithium battery. They are great performers – putting out more power than even other lithium batteries, and last twice as long as an alkaline battery. If your flashlight has higher lumen potential than what it is currently giving you, the CR123A will allow the flashlight to deliver.

Rechargeable Batteries

Rechargeable batteries are great for when you’re on the move and it is more feasible to charge your batteries that to throw them out and go looking for new ones. They are of two types.

Integrated Batteries

These batteries are a part of your flashlight and are mostly used in flashlights made for emergency purposes. These batteries are great in that most can be easily charges by winding or using solar power.

Non-Integrated Batteries

They look like regular batteries but can be recharged. Usually you get a charging station with these batteries that will require you to remove them from the flashlight for charging. This is slowly changing as the world is moving towards USB-charging ports. These batteries come in two major types: the rechargeable 123A battery – which is great for flashlights that us the CR123A battery, and the rechargeable lithium ion battery – a bit more expensive than the 123A but the cost is worth it because of the amount of power they pack.