Whether you call them A23, 23A or 23AE batteries, these little 12V beauties provide the power behind tons of tiny gadgets, including the likes of security fobs, car keys, doorbells and home security systems.

Therefore, it's essential to have plenty on hand for when your devices run low on juice. Since it's unlikely you'll have many things in your home that you can quickly switch out, as well, unlike with AA or AAA batteries, it's even more crucial to plan ahead and make sure you're stocked up.

And with the Pocket-lint team routinely testing all manner of devices, we thought we'd turn our attention to the little guys keeping everything powered up.

Now, we'd be the first to admit that putting batteries through their paces is a little different to traditional gadgets, which is why we've concentrated our efforts on checking out the most popular and well-known 23A options.

From here, we asked two questions: does it work as you would expect, and is it reasonably priced?

Below are the five battery sets that comfortably answered both of those points - continue on to read a bit more, about what you can expect.

Best 23A battery: Our top pick

best 23a batteries photo 4
Energizer 23A (Five-Pack)
1. Best Buy

Superb power

Power your gadgets with a name and battery you can trust.

Pros
  • Super performance and reliability
Cons
  • Not the cheapest

Being a household name in the world of batteries may not mean that much, but, still, it doesn't hurt to pick up your A23 batteries from a name you're likely to be familiar with.

Things are fairly standard here - this pack will deliver 12V of power to your smaller remotes and keyring gadgets, with plenty of shelf life for the batteries you're keeping in reserve.

In our testing, it was the longest-lasting and offered consistent levels between different cells.

new test collection photo 1
Duracell 23A (Two-Pack)
2. Runner Up

Classic reliability

It might be a little pricier than other options we tested, but you can't argue with the performance.

Pros
  • Reliable and consistent
Cons
  • A touch more expensive

Like the rest of Duracell's speciality battery range, the 23A pair is far from being the cheapest. However, while it lacks that same bit of affordability as others on this list, it does make up for this in its performance.

In use, we found it comparable to Energizer's option, and it also offers up the same claims of five-year storage. We weren't able to test this, naturally, but the long-lasting power of each cell bodes well.

best 23a batteries photo 5
Amazon Basics 23A (Four-Pack)
3. A Top Pick

Great affordability

Keep things wallet-friendly with Amazon's own 23A batteries.

Pros
  • Very affordable
Cons
  • Slightly inconsistent cells

Like the entire Amazon Basics range, things are kept simple with this four-pack of 23A batteries.

In terms of the price per unit, this set is also one of the most affordable on this list, making it a natural pick for those who want to charge their smaller devices without breaking the bank.

Performance was solid, too. Nothing mind-blowing, obviously, these are only batteries, but we will say that you're not sacrificing much in way of overall performance by deviating away from the traditional battery brands.

best 23a batteries photo 3
LiCB 23A (Five-Pack)
4. Strong Contender

Solid pick

Affordable batteries with a solid shelf life to match.

Pros
  • Superb value option
Cons
  • Not the longest-lasting option

With this LiCB pack, you'll be stocked up and ready to power all your smaller gadgets, with each battery offering the potential of more than 100 hours of juice. Like with any battery, though, whether you can eke out anything close to this depends on how you use them.

The 12V alkaline cylinders also have a shelf life of around three years before becoming duds, which means you can keep them stashed away and ready for service at a later date.

best 23a batteries photo 6
Gold Peak 23A (Five-Pack)
5. Also Great

Value meets performance

An affordable way to stock up on 23A batteries.

Pros
  • Easy to stock up
Cons
  • Not top-tier performance

Gold Peak's set of five is another example of how 23A batteries don't have to burn a hole in your wallet, with this set available at a very affordable rate.

The 12V units are able to power all your smaller compatible gadgets for roughly 100 hours, though, like with others, it's about how you use them.

We found, for example, that these batteries offered very good performance and lifespan, despite not being best-in-class.

With plenty of shelf life, though, you can keep a few in the drawer and easily replace outgoing units.

How to choose a 23A battery

As we mentioned up top, there's not actually a whole lot to consider when buying 23A batteries. Design is largely irrelevant and specs are nearly identical across the board, which instead puts the emphasis on price, value and reliability in performance.

Below, we'll answer a few key questions that should help you choose the right batteries for your needs.

Do you need a 23A battery?

While much rarer than AA and AAA counterparts, 23A batteries are still fairly commonplace in certain appliances and gadgets. However, it can be difficult to know what you actually need, since they go by many different names.

If your device is compatible with one of the following battery codes, this is a sign you need one of the 12V alkaline power sources: 23AE, GP23A, V23GA, LRV08, 8LR932, 8LR23, MN21, L1028 or ANSI-1181A.

How can you spot a 23A battery?

Like us, if you have a drawer full of different, loose batteries, you might already have a 23A battery in your arsenal. Aside from the codes - which are always found on the cell itself - it can be handy to know exactly what one looks like.

A 23 battery is cylindrical, measures 28.5mm long, 10.3mm in diameter, weighs roughly 8-10 grams and will come with a voltage of 12V.

How much should you spend on 23A batteries?

Batteries are certainly an area in which it's easy to spend - and, in our experience, price and performance don't necessarily match up. With that said, any set with a single cell costing £0.80 - £1 / $1 - $1.25 is reasonable. From there, it's simply about deciding how many you need in your set.

How long should a single 23A battery last?

As with any battery, deciphering how long a single unit should last is very hard - and often depends on whether the device you're powering is a high drain, medium drain or low drain item. What is a key thing to look out for is the batteries' shelf life, with options typically ranging between three and five years.