More than 700 million batteries are sold each year in Canada and sales are about to spike with Christmas around the corner.

Consumer Reports just did some battery tests to find out which ones work best in toys and electronic gadgets.

The company tested a dozen AA battery brands, including ones from Rayovac, Energizer and Duracell. The company tested non-rechargeable lithium, nickel oxhydroxide, and alkaline types.

AAs are still the most widely sold battery type, used in many toys, radios, flashlights, and remote controls, and in some digital cameras, though more of those are using tiny rechargeables.

To measure how long batteries last, testers loaded them into identical digital cameras and zoomed the lens in and out while they took photos.

After a 10-minute rest, the test is repeated again and again until the batteries die. The lowest-rated battery, Walgreens Supercell alkaline, took only 133 photos. The Walgreens isn't available in Canada, however it's a good benchmark to show the differences in battery life.

The longest-lasting was the Energizer Advanced lithium, which took 809 photos before dying. But a four-pack costs almost $11.

Lithiums are best for digital cameras, which use a lot of energy. For remote controls and devices that use less power, go with alkalines.

The Duracell Ultra Advanced are the top-rated alkalines and cost around $7 for a four-pack.

And for toys, opt for rechargeable batteries. They'll save you the most.

And if you buy a lot of batteries, make sure you don't throw them out when they're dead. There are lots of places you can drop them off, including most London Drugs stores, Home Depot and Ikea, as well as recycling depots.

Rechargeable batteries are a greener choice than any of the tested types. In past tests, precharged rechargeables from the major manufacturers provided about 300 shots out of the box and about 400 shots on their subsequent charge.

Rechargables last longer but they also have to be recycled. Most contain highly-toxic cadmium, nickel and lead.

There's a great website called Call 2 Recycle that lists where you can recycle your batteries.

Just plug in your postal code and it lists the drop-off locations.

Watch CTV News for the full testing results with Lynda Steele…