13 Worst Car Battery Brands to Avoid

Shopping for car batteries is one of the least exciting parts of owning a car. It can often feel like a tedious process, and it usually occurs after something has gone wrong with the current battery in our car. Yet without those batteries, we can’t go anywhere.

While it might be tedious, picking the correct battery is crucial. Many options are on the market, ranging from a manufacturer’s original batteries to trusted aftermarket options, but not all are reliable.

We’ve compiled 13 of the worst car battery brands to avoid in the United States. These brands are ranked based on their reliability, how long they last in a car, and their poor value for money compared to more reliable brands.

Everstart

Everstar is Walmart’s brand of batteries, one of the most affordable brands on the market. Walmart sells its batteries for less than $100, depending on the type, and it even sells kits to replace the batteries in your car, as well as jump/booster cables.

Sadly, despite their excellent value for money, that isn’t represented in their quality. Everstarts batteries are a compromise, offering fantastic prices but for less reliability. Some of the warranties are only a year long on some batteries, and buyer reviews suggest reliability issues. While saving money for something such as our personal car is excellent, sometimes it is good to spend a bit more.

DieHard Advanced

DieHard’s batteries are some of the best-known on the market. Depending on your needs, they come in various grades, from red to platinum. While they are more expensive than Walmart’s batteries, the extra cost doesn’t come with extra reliability.

According to Consumer Reports, they tested two DieHard Advanced Gold 50748 battery samples in the Group 48 category and failed their tests after six and seven weeks. This wasn’t even halfway through the testing regime, and two examples bought for retesting also failed. That is a sign that sometimes more expensive doesn’t mean more quality.

Interstate

Interstate batteries are available at many independent shops throughout the United States, including Costco and Interstate All Battery Centres. They are generally of reasonable quality. However, they are an amalgamation of various manufacturers that simply share branding.

This leads to the need for more consistency and quality, mainly when batteries under one name are produced at multiple factories. You may have an Interstate battery in your car that lasts forever. But a friend might have one that barely lasts a few months, so it’s hard to recommend a brand when you aren’t 100 percent certain what you will get.

Braille

Braille makes its batteries in Sarasota, Florida; at first glance, they have some plus points. Their compact size means they can fit in all kinds of vehicles, and their lightness makes fitting them easier. Carrying a heavy car battery around can be grueling, but despite this, Braille batteries are not without their problems.

On a Subaru STI forum, one said they had bought a lightly used Braille battery from a fellow forum member and initially had no problems with it. However, one day, their car struggled to start, and then the battery died the day after, and the vehicle needed jumping. They are not alone; some customers have even seen their batteries cause erratic headlights dimming.

AAA Batteries

Another big name that sells batteries in the USA is AAA. However, AAA suffers the same fate as Interstate in that many of its batteries are produced at different factories by different companies and sold under the AAA banner. Several users online have reported issues with AAA batteries, with one user reporting how they got stranded thanks to their AAA battery.

There are caveats to this. Some users have stated they are pleased with their AAA batteries, which have lasted a long time. A bit like with Interstate, it would appear to be the luck of the draw what you get, but there are enough complaints on the internet that suggest you should be wary of AAA batteries.

Optima Batteries

Seeing Optima batteries on this light came as a surprise, as Optima was one of the most respected battery suppliers in the United States. However, according to Worst Brands, the quality of Optima’s batteries took a big hit when the company moved production to a new plant in Mexico.

Batteries struggling to hold their charge are among the most common issues, leading to owners stranded on the roadside. Experience mechanic and YouTuber Scotty Kilmer also discussed why you shouldn’t buy Optima batteries, backing up what Worst Brands has said.

Exide

Of all the battery brands on this list, Exide is one of the better ones. Worst Brands says that they are not “outright bad” but that, despite their longstanding history in producing batteries, there are question marks over their reliability and longevity.

According to Worst Brand, the problem is that Exide’s experience comes from storage and inverter batteries. Products that sell very well and seem reliable, but its automotive batteries have not followed in that regard. So, while it isn’t the worst brand of batteries in the United States, they seem to be another worth avoiding.

SuperStart

Various options are available for those on a budget, including SuperStart. One of the most budget-friendly battery brands available, SuperStart batteries are exclusively available at O’Reilly Auto Parts stores. But while that is one plus point, Glenn Said discusses several issues with the SuperStart brand.

The website states that product reviews paint SuperStart batteries in a bad light, with them often dying well before their expected lifespan. Searches on the web and websites such as ProductReview back that up. Some of the main issues are the below-average cold cranking amps and a lack of overall build quality.

Duracell Batteries

Ask anyone to name a battery brand, and Duracell is likely the name they will pick. Duracell is one of the biggest producers of batteries in the world and has done so since 1924. While it is currently in the automotive battery segment, several things could be improved with what they offer.

According to Mechanic Base, Duracell batteries often suffer from charging issues. Customers have struggled to keep them charged, although that could be down to a bad alternator. Deep discharge failures are another problem, which could cause a strong cyclization from the battery and shorten its overall life.

AutoCraft

AutoCraft is another battery brand that will treat your wallet kindly. You can only find them at Raleigh, North Carolina-based Advance Auto Parts stores. Founded in 1932, there are around 5,000 stores that sell AutoCraft batteries.

Their batteries have some plus points. Consumer Reports states that some AutoCraft products have excellent life and great cold-cranking scores. Problems, though, include the average reserve capacity of the batteries, a lack of a handle that can make installation a nightmare, and premature failure, proving that they are not bulletproof.

LifePo4 Lithium Ion Phosphate Batteries

Another battery that seems to have trouble is those from LifePo4, with their lithium-ion phosphate batteries coming under fire from Worst Brands. Unlike some brands here, this isn’t down to a fundamental battery issue, but that they are not well suited to motor vehicles.

The website claims that LifePo4 batteries are better suited to electric vehicles or boats thanks to their lithium-ion phosphate consumption. However, that composition means they don’t have enough power to crank an engine effectively, an issue exacerbated in colder weather. So you will love this battery if you have a boat or an electric car! Otherwise, it’s best to look at another brand.

ACDelco

Like Optima, ACDelco was once a go-to choice for car owners due to its high quality and reliability. Yet Worst Brands goes on to state that, like Optima, ACDelco batteries have also seen a sharp drop in their quality, especially with more reliable competition in the market.

Trust Pilot gives ACDelco a review rating of just three stars and an average score of 2.8/5. This is due to inconsistent battery performance and shorter lifespans, enough to turn many customers away from ACDelco’s products. The last thing that any car owner wants is an inconsistent performance from one of a car’s most essential components.

Summit

Summit batteries are the in-house brand of Summit Racing, and according to Glenn Said, they are absolutely suitable for basic applications. However, despite their racing name, the website reports that Summit batteries have their fair share of issues.

One of the most annoying for owners is the short warranties. Owners suffering from life-expired batteries after a warranty has expired is not uncommon, but it is particularly irritating when that warranty is short. Glenn Said also states that Summit batteries suffer from fast corrosion and, remarkably, that batteries sometimes require replacement every year.