I'd like to add a comment. Just to share my own expirience...
TheOtherCliff explained in details how to take care of, use and store the LiPo batteries if you want to use them for years. I completely agree with that. In fact, I use an old small fridge, dedicated solely to store my LiPos.
What my expirience differs here is that I favour and I've got best value for money from Hobbyking
Graphenes,
Nano-Techs and
LiHVs (for multirotor use). Almost all my batteries for the last 3 years are such ones and still perform very well, no one has puffed or degraded noticeably. There were two or three occasions when I've received a bad battery (I remember for one Multistar 5200/3S/15C and one Nano-Tech 2250/3S/65C). Contacted Hobbyking and they immediately sent me replacements without having to pay extra shipping costs or to return the defective ones.
Worths to mention that I do not stress the batteries too much. Usually, when I land, they are only slightly warm. I beware to land with no less than 20% power left in batteries (approx. 3.7V rest voltage).
I do fly 220 size mini quads and use 3S & 4S batteries in the range 1300mAh-2200mAh. Also few Graphenes 5200/3S/15C for long range flights.
I generally use 65/130C ones while the quad can fly well with even weak 20C batteries. It uses 7-10A in normal flight (on 4S) and 60-70A on full throttle for a few seconds. Not a powerful one.
I do not fly race-style. Mostly mild freestyle. This definitely contributes for the longer battery life
As for LiHV ones, I've read a lot of negative comments how quickly they degrade and puff. But they are lighter than corresponding capacity/current rating Nano-Techs and I like this.
I do only have 30-40 flights on my LiHV 1800mAh/4S/65C packs till now and have no complaints so far. But again, I do not stress them much.
I do also like normal
Multistars 10/20C. The perform well but only use them on a plane, well below their rated currents.
On the other hand, all batteries I've bought from ebay, Banggood, etc (cheaper no-names) died after 10-20 flights and didn't perform very well even when brand new.
Zippy
Compacts were a big disappointment for me, I've bought two of them and both puffed after few weeks.
I have some positive expirience with
Infinity branded ones from Banggood. But some time ago Banggood stopped shipping batteries to my country so I switched to HobbyKing as a primary battery source.