First, re-read the reply by '
Stoof-tabsallday' for the biggest precaution to take. Many people haven't and it often results in problems, and that is using
any battery that is over-sized. Oversized doesn't only mean the battery's length, but also the width and thickness. If over-sized a battery can over-compress the metal battery terminals in the 'drop-on' types. Being too large can also wedge them in the battery compartment, or make it difficult to slide on a battery compartment door. That can result in a cracked / broken plastic door, or wedge a battery so tightly it needs to be pried out.
This can more often happen with a rechargeable battery, but I have seen it too many times with some alkaline batteries as well. You should never have to force a battery into position.
Now, by 'quality' I am, not referring to any specific brand, either. Some batteries are what we might call an 'off-brand' meaning a bulk production or just not long-standing, well-known name. Some are a 'house-brand' battery made for a particular business. Then there are some major names that have production facilities in different parks of the world, and while some do produce a well-made battery with very reliable 'run-times' and performance, there are also many that make an inferior battery. They might be a lower voltage, or have a more variable voltage out of one package, and just not provide an ample 'run-time' .... even though they might have a higher retail price simply because the package has a popular brand name.
So, learn as you go. I don't always make a decision based on where the packaging says a battery was made. But if I find a battery that is not very impressive, I remember the warning signs and don't buy it again. I just remember those that do work Okay, and then I shop for a better price so that I get the best 'run-time' I can at a more affordable price. For example, about October or so I went to the local grocery store. A 'Thriftway' family store that carried Western Family' house brand items, but they had been bought out and the new company, I believe it is called Food Club, had their house-brand items repackaged. As I walked past the Customer Service counter I spied a price-tag on the battery display that read, in big bold numbers,
[size=large]99¢[/size].
Yes, that was for their 9-Volt Alkaline Battery! I had an extra $10 so I bought 10 of them, but that was just an unadvertised 2-Day sale, and I went back the next day and they had been cleaned out.
I've used them before and I knew thy were a proper physical size, and they provided decent performance, so I bought a few extras for my Emergency Battery, Flashlight and Radio Tote,
Just make sure they are a 'proper-fit' size, and alkaline, not a standard or heavy-duty battery. Then be alert for any weak-performing batteries and avoid them in the future.
Monte