Disposable lithium batteries have a shelf life of at least a decade and an extended run time. For emergency/ occasional lights, the extra cost is worth it.
Agreed, though decent alkalines aren't bad. The trick is to make sure the torch is of a design with a physical switch that draws zero current when off. Momentary switches that toggle between low/high/flashing modes suggest that there's a microcontroller drawing some standby current at all times (which if done properly will be less than the self-discharge of most rechargeable batteries, but may not be done properly).
The alternative approach is to try to make sure you use your torches regularly. For example we have a lantern that gets used for car-camping a few times a year, which instead of living in the camping box, lives on a shelf in the living room within easy reach for whenever someone wants a light to look for dropped small objects or whatever. It gets used often enough that the batteries stay charged.
Our alerting system is UPS-fed and will illuminate the front-panel LEDs at full white if it sees you moving in a dark room
[1], which gives enough light to avoid tripping over while you find a torch. But I also have a couple of those little keyring LED torches in strategic places.
[1] Unless it's bedtime, when it just illuminates the route to the loo in full red.
