$7 IKEA LADDA Batteries Beat $21 Eneloop Pros in Flash Recycle Time

We recently shared an analysis that showed how IKEA’s cheap LADDA rechargeable batteries are virtually identical to pricey Eneloop Pro batteries in capacity. But get this: it seems LADDA batteries actually outperform Eneloop Pros when it comes to flash recycle speed.

Wedding photographer Martin Cheung made this 3.5-minute video in which he puts the two battery brands to the test using two Godox TT685 flashes. He triggered the flashes at exactly the same time to see which flash would be ready again first.

As you can see in the video, the flash containing the LADDA batteries recycled noticeably faster than the other flash every single time, even when the batteries were swapped into the other flash to ensure it wasn’t a difference in the flash units. Do keep in mind, though, that Cheung’s didn’t test how many flashes you’re able to fire off with each set of batteries.

IKEA LADDA and Eneloop Pro batteries can currently be purchased in packs of 4 for $7 and $21, respectively. The prices seem to fluctuate a bit, and you can sometimes find them for $5 and $20, respectively, resulting in an even bigger price gap.

But if you’re in the market for rechargeable batteries for your camera gear, it seems like IKEA’s offering will cost you 1/4 to 1/3 the price while having the same capacity and superior performance (for this type of usage, at least).

(via Martin Cheung via DPReview)