DURACELL Duracell 21/23 12V Alkaline Battery 4 Pack

Curated from 64 real Reddit conversations

Refreshed on: March 1, 2025

DURACELL Duracell 21/23 12V Alkaline Battery 4 Pack

Brand: DURACELL
Price: $5
Snoop Score:
5.4
Sentiment
2.7
Popularity
1.2
Technical
7.4

Snoop's Take

The Duracell 21/23 12V Alkaline Battery is a specialized power solution designed to keep key fobs, car alarms, GPS trackers, and a variety of electronic devices running smoothly. It offers a stable 12V output and is built to work across multiple high-powered devices. Consumers are split on its merits: while some claim, “I think it's a better battery,” praising its longevity under light load, others lambaste it with scathing remarks like ‘They are garbage and do yourself a favor and throw them away!’ Reviews also note issues with potential aged stock and fit problems in rechargeable versions, painting a picture of a product that doesn’t consistently hit the mark. Overall, despite its strong specifications and trusted brand lineage, the mixed feedback—with a notable tilt towards negative experiences—suggests buyers should proceed with caution and weigh alternatives in the category.

Not for you? Check out our other rated 12V

I think it's a better battery.

Positive Feedback

They are garbage and do yourself a favor and throw them away!

Negative Feedback
Product
5.4
DURACELL Duracell 21/23 12V Alkaline Battery 4 Pack
Home Security Devices
10 / 10
LED Lighting Systems
7 / 10
Automotive Accessories
10 / 10
Emergency Backup
7 / 10
See how this compares to all 12V

What it does well!

Key strengths users can’t stop talking about.
Duracell battery delivers reliable performance
I think it's a better battery.
I mean, when you don’t need it to turn an engine over, a battery can last a long time.
it did fine for the six additional months I had the car.

Where it needs some work!

Areas to watch—feedback on possible improvements.
Poor product quality
They are garbage and do yourself a favor and throw them away!
Questionable rebranding practices
Dare I say it... "Boost" their sales...
Potential battery failure from aged stock
I think that is Jan 2020 since this battery was sold a few months ago, and has failed very quick as if it was old/bad when sold.
Time to replace the battery.
Rechargeable batteries are too large and have poor fit in devices
I had the exact same problem with the exact same batteries, and now I am afraid to put any rechargeables in there.
do these batteries seem overly tight or do they fit in the same manner as the alkaline batteries that came with the controller?

Compare On All Talked About Dimensions

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NOCO GC020 12 Volt Plug 2-Way Splitter, Red and BlackNOCO GC020 12 Volt Plug 2-Way Splitter, Red and Black$24
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Core Power Plays

The specs and strengths that make it shine.
Varied lifespan of OEM 12V batteries
Still running the original from 2015.
changed mine after 5 years just to be proactive.
Um…my 2013 still has its original.
still going in year 6.
Debate over Power Boost ingredient and battery chemistry
I am sorry the website hasn't updated with information on Power Boost Ingredients.
So, it sounds like chemistry from the 2019 Duracel Optimum had been leveraged to the other battery lines.
lol this is the craziest shit I ever read.
Power Boost is trademarked by Duracell 5 months ago.

Buyer’s Cheat Sheet

What to check before you click ‘Add to Cart.’
Proactive 12V battery replacement timing
Nice idea. I thought I would do the same once I reached the 2-year mark mainly because of the stories I've read about these 12v batteries.
doesn't seem to be a mileage thing but age thing.
One never knows when any 12V car battery might need a jump and these packs are so much more convenient than using jumper cables.
Cheap insurance.
Discussion on battery pricing and warranty tradeoffs
Duracell slightly cheaper but 3 year warranty.
Terminal compatibility observations
The battery you linked in one of the comments has terminals that are not for cars, its for mobility wheelchairs.
It’s a really really small battery for a car. Like the width and height of a cellphone basically.
Advice on alternative battery options for Power Wheels
i would go with the biggest 12v that fits.
It’s just a 12v sealed lead acid battery.
That cheap alternative battery is totally fine.
Power wheel batteries are fused, either internally or on the battery.

Cautionary Callouts

Know the pitfalls before they catch you off guard.
OEM battery failure issues and limited warranty support
It seems like there’s a rash of 12v issues recently.
Confusing date code labeling
Surprisingly a quick search didn't turn up a duracell document explaining this.
I am not sure if the third character is a Zero or the Letter O.
I could not find documentation to confirm the date code nomenclature.
It’s bad and I need to replace it, just curious how old it is.
Alkaline batteries are not designed for effective recharging
NEVER charge an alkaline in a regular charger (especially Duracell batteries). It will at best leak and destroy your charger or explode causing a real mess.
You can recharge charge them to some extent.
Just don't, as most mentioned there was a time and for special cases this is possible (>75% SOC to a little bit more).
General criticism of alkaline battery performance and leakage risks
All alkalines have pretty poor performance under higher loads and the potential to leak.
Personally I see no reason to buy alkaline cells at all.
Lack of accessible technical charging specifications
I figured finding a spec sheet online would be easy... Well, I was pretty much wrong about that.

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