You’ll be giving or receiving battery-powered gifts this season, maybe a pile of them. With “batteries included” rare, you’ll face what can be an alarming expense.

Luckily, the days of the cheap 25-cent carbon-acid batteries are gone. They lost a charge rapidly and leaked acid into our gear, often destroying it. Modern batteries are more “green,” and the greenest of all are rechargeable.

If you buy batteries more than once a month, rechargeables will save you money. You will need a charger (about $25). Instruction manuals will tell you what size battery to buy, but you will be confronted with up to seven types at the store. Here’s a look at batteries:

NiCad: Nickel cadmium, old-fashioned rechargeable, toxic (requires special disposal), eventually will fail to charge completely, about $2.50 each.

NiMH:  Nickel metal hydride rechargeable, replaces NiCads, longer lasting, always charges fully, best all-around rechargeable, good for digital devices. Note: They self-discharge (lose power when not used), so do not use in flashlights, smoke detectors and other emergency gear, about $3 each.

Alkaline: Wears out quicker than NiMH, OK for non-digital toys and clocks, non-toxic (may be thrown out in household trash). More voltage than NiMH but should not be used in high-drain devices, about $2.50 each.

Oxyride: Updated alkaline, more powerful, lasts longer but non-rechargeable, good in high-drain gear including digital, toys, toothbrushes, personal digital assistants. Might be hard to find in stores, about $2 each.

Lithium: Lasts seven times longer than alkaline with a good amount of power, performs in extreme temperatures. Good for digital gear, especially media players and cameras. Cannot be recharged. Never mix with other battery types, about $2.50 each.

Heavy duty: Zinc chloride and carbon zinc, the name disguises an obsolete battery once the standard. They wear out quicker than any other battery and will leak acid, about 50 cents each.

The Repository (Canton, Ohio)