6 products with the best battery life – uncovered by rigorous Which? testing

A long-lasting battery can make all the difference, whether you're listening to music on the go, mowing the lawn, tackling DIY jobs or tracking your fitness. The less time you spend charging your devices, the more time you can spend actually using them.

To find the products that go the distance, we've analysed battery life results from our tests. Among the standout performers are cordless lawn mowers that offer around an hour of cutting time, laptops that last for around 20 hours of web browsing and smartwatches that can keep going for more than 500 hours on a single charge.

Keep scrolling to find out which products delivered the best battery life in our tests, along with links to our full reviews and the latest deals.

1. Wireless headphones with the best battery life

Wireless headphones can be incredibly convenient, but our in-depth lab tests prove battery life varies hugely from model to model. In fact, while some pairs will keep playing for days between charges, we've seen others struggle to last through a long journey or working day.

That's why we don't simply rely on manufacturers' claims. In our independent lab tests, we continuously play audio through every pair of Bluetooth headphones and measure exactly how long it takes for the battery to run out. We also test the impact of active noise cancelling (ANC) on battery life and assess how much listening time you can get from a quick 15-minute charge.

Our experts have uncovered headphones that last more than 80 hours on a single charge, alongside models that run out of power after just a few hours. One Which? Don't Buy pair managed a dismal 3 hours 8 minutes before needing a recharge – bad news if you're planning a long train journey or flight.

The table below reveals some wireless headphones that impressed in our battery life tests:

You can join Which? to see our guide to the best wireless headphones that last longest on a single charge.

2. Cordless lawn mowers with the best battery life

Running out of battery halfway through mowing the lawn is frustrating enough. But for larger gardens, poor battery life could make it impossible to finish mowing without needing a recharge.

There's another reason to pay attention to battery performance, too. Lithium-ion batteries gradually lose capacity over time, so it's worth choosing a mower with a replaceable battery. In fact, we won't make a cordless lawn mower a Which? Best Buy unless spare batteries are available from the manufacturer.

The good news is that some cordless mowers have enough staying power to cope with bigger lawns on a single charge. The models below impressed our experts, with two of them offering around an hour of cutting time.

The table below reveals some cordless lawn mowers that impressed in our battery life tests:

You can join Which? to see our guide to the best lawn mowers that last longest on a single charge.

3. Cordless drills with the best battery life

Whether you're assembling furniture, putting up shelves or tackling a bigger DIY project, the last thing you want is your drill running out of power halfway through the job. A longer-lasting battery means less time waiting for a recharge and more time getting things done.

But battery capacity isn't the only thing that matters. A cordless drill also needs enough power to get through tougher materials such as brick and metal, while remaining comfortable and easy to control. That's why our experts assess drilling performance, speed, ease of use and battery life when putting drills through their paces from brands such as Bosch, DeWalt, Makita and Ryobi.

The best cordless drills combine strong all-round performance with impressive battery life. We've tested plenty of models that keep going for 50 minutes or more before needing a recharge, with one lasting for more than an hour in our battery tests.

The table below reveals some cordless drills that impressed in our battery life tests:

You can join Which? to see our guide to the best cordless drills that last longest on a single charge.

4. Smartphones with the best battery life

Most of us rely on our smartphones for far more than calls and texts, so a mobile that runs out of power before the day is done can quickly become a headache. In some situations, it could also leave you without access to maps, travel tickets or a way to contact someone in an emergency.

Manufacturers aren't afraid to make bold claims about battery life, but our rigorous lab tests reveal how phones actually perform in everyday use. We use a robotic arm to mimic tasks such as making calls, watching videos, using the camera and navigating with map apps, measuring exactly how long each handset lasts before the battery runs flat.

The best performers can keep going for surprisingly long periods between charges. In our tests, the strongest smartphones lasted around 55 hours or more before running flat, giving you far more breathing room than models that need topping up every day.

The table below reveals some smartphones that impressed in our battery life tests:

You can join Which? to see our guide to the best smartphones that last longest on a single charge.

5. Laptops with the best battery life

Unlike a smartphone, which most of us charge every night, a laptop with excellent battery life can sometimes go several days between charges. That's particularly useful if you regularly work on the move or don't fancy carrying a charger everywhere you go.

Battery performance isn't always easy to judge from the spec sheet alone, though. In reality, two laptops with similar-sized batteries can deliver very different results, and our hands-on testing has found some manufacturers' battery-life claims can be difficult to replicate in real-world use.

That's why Which? independent testing is so important. We test every laptop's battery life in a range of everyday scenarios – including streaming YouTube videos and browsing the web – until the battery runs out. We also repeat our tests to make sure the results are consistent.

The table below reveals some laptops that impressed in our battery-life tests:

You can join Which? to see our guide to the best laptops that last longest on a single charge.

6. Smartwatches with the best battery life

A smartwatch isn't much use to you if it's constantly sitting on a charger or running out of power during workouts. Many people wear theirs round the clock to track exercise, monitor sleep and receive notifications, so strong battery life can make a big difference to the overall experience.

To find the models that go the distance, we assess how long each smartwatch takes to charge from empty, how much power it gains from a quick 30-minute top-up, and how long a full charge lasts during typical day-to-day use. We even simulate real-world scenarios, such as making phone calls and receiving messages throughout the day.

Battery life will vary depending on how you use your smartwatch, but we've uncovered Best Buys that can last for around 500 hours on a full charge.

The table below reveals some smartwatches that impressed in our battery life tests:

You can join Which? to see our guide to the best smartwatches that last longest on a single charge.