I usually get everything for Arduino through Amazon. I'm used to the format, I trust them, everything is quick and easy.
However, is there a trusted website where you can just go fill up a cart with single items for the actual "single unit retail"?
It seems that, on Amazon, If I can get a single component (Instead of 5), It's overpriced. I'd like to just go through a website and just get (for instance) a 555, a motor driver, a Nano board, etc. just by themselves. Even if you had to pick a minimum dollar amount, I get it.
I'm starting to collect a lot of "dupes" that I may never use.
I use Digikey (mostly for ICs) for a lot of my components but there other places too like AliExpress that have a lot of clones for very cheap, the only downside that I don't like is the wait time. It usually takes 2-3 weeks longer to arrive.
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Assuming the U.S. -
I NEVER buy from "unknown" 3rd party Amazon suppliers or AliExpress or eBay, etc. But if you are buying something unique you may not have much of a choice.
Mouser for components. They have a huge selection similar to DigiKey but they don't have a minimum order.
I've also been a Jameco customer for decades.
I haven't purchased a lot of board assemblies but SparkFun and Adafruit are reliable.
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Also RS - formerly Allied Electronics.
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I will buy one from Amazon, but I use AliExpress for bulk purchases. I have never had a problem, and I typically get a few deliveries every two weeks. I have had a few missing deliveries, but got a prompt refund. Some folks think everything there is a fake or clone, but that is incorrect. 18650 fakes are common everywhere, but I found a genuine supplier at a reasonable price. I also use Mouser, Digikey, and a handful of smaller shops at various times when a part is hard to find. eBay is a shipping/return nightmare for a Canadian, so I don't buy.
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Try Digikey, Mouser, Farnell
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Digikey, Mouser, Newark. microchipDirect.com for AVRs.
Single units will be more expensive than if you buy 10, and the "single unit retail price" is likely to be a lot higher than the Amazon dealers that are essentially reselling parts from Chinese sources (or ARE Chinese souces with Amazon storefronts.) And shipping costs might be a shock.
Supposedly, having a stock of common parts is a good thing. Although I've recently had the thought that I have an awful lot of components that I'm never likely to use, too. Especially those "reel of 5000 SMT caps for $5" deals. Sigh.
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Arrow Electronics.
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I never bought a reel of anything!!!
I bought a resistor assortment once and I keep it "stocked". With resistors and capacitors I usually buy several extra just to have on-hand. With regular chips like op-amps I usually buy a few extra or at least one extra.
I always have an extra Uno on hand.
...It's a pain to order one replacement part if you burn-out a part or if you think a part might be bad and you need to try another one.
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Well, when I thought "I should start using SMT stuff", I picked up a few "partial reels" of resistors on eBay for pretty cheap, but most of my reels of stuff were dumpster-dived from the eWaste bins at work, before I retired. (sniff. I miss those bins!)
But I misspoke on the example I quoted. It was a reel of 0.1uF caps (useful!) 10,000 of them. For $2. (from "Weird Stuff Warehouse", before it close. Sniff again.)
0402 package, so I can barely see them, much less solder them, but...
(US penny and grain of rice for scale.)
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- Use to order from Electronic Goldmine.
The Electronic Goldmine | Quality Electronic Components - Explore a Wide Range of Tech Treasures
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I still do. Sometimes they have real bargains, sometimes ... please save me from re-thinking old chips as "vintage components." Sigh.
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If you want components at low prices, the best alternative is Aliexpress (example: an ESP32 S3 N16 R8 < 6 dollars). And by choosing "Choice" items, you are sure to get good components and free shipping... Most sellers on Amazon and on "classic" websites get their supplies from Aliexpress and Alibaba, the only difference is that they resell the products to you 10 times more expensive.
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If your baskets total is more than a certain amount they have free shipping as well.
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Radio Spares.
Used to have an A5 thin catalogue with no branded goods.
Went through a period of business to business only, then, we like private buyers, now have delivery charges so high, designed to put individuals off.
Avoid
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Even in UK, Digikey is good for the depth of stocking.
Take exceptional care with packing and handling, good customer service too.
Hope that Trump's interference doesn't change things.
CPC (offshoot of Farnell) is good as are the many sole traders and backstreet stores.
Miss Maplins.
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I used to have the idea/vision of buying exactly what was needed for a project, a sort of light weight approach, which soon broke down when I realised that having replacement parts on hand was good for initial trouble shooting based on component substitution. Further, I had difficulty paying the same prices for a few resistors from a local retailer as I would for a huge, multi-value selection pack from a Chinese retailer. So I abandoned my original approach and just order stacks of stuff, for any current project and also anticipating future projects years in advance. My problem now is one of storage space. I am now attempting to enforce an own rule that I do not place an order with Aliexpress until the last order has been received, which limits the inflow of stuff to a packet or set of packets every 2 weeks. This leads on to another problem that, for the few items I can't (or won't) get from Aliexpress, I use Mouser but this firm penalises small orders, at least for delivery here, unless these can be bulked up to at least about $55. That also has the effect of me getting a great stack of stuff I'll probably never use as I struggle to climb above the penalty threshold.
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Thanks for everybody's answers. Good information. Good discussions too. Now for some shopping. Lol
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