Electronic Vendors (Online, NYC, STL and SFO)

(work in progress)

Online


Electronics Goldmine
http://goldmine-elec.com/

Lots of surplus components, gadgets, adapters, etc. Prices are generally exceptionally good, though they sometimes permanently run out of stock — so don’t base large production runs on parts you can only source here. One of the first places I look for parts because of the price.

Digikey (of course)
http://www.digikey.com

The “standard” for buying new components. Prices are generally reasonable (though while an undergraduate I never felt I could afford to buy from them, especially as they tack on $5 “handling” for orders under $25). You can find most components from major manufacturers here.

Mouser
http://www.mouser.com

Another good place to find new components. Prices are sometimes better, sometimes worse than Digikey though they don’t have the under-$25 charge. Mouser carries some lines that Digikey does not (and vice-versa); if you can’t find something that’s fairly mainstream @ Digikey, try here.

All Electronics
http://allelectronics.com

Great prices on breadboards ($4) though now a little more expensive than Pololu (below). Otherwise a good mixture of components and random electronic devices.

Circuit Specialists
http://circuitspecialists.com

I find Circuit Specialists to be a good source for cheap soldering tools (e.g. hot air workstation & tips that fit Hakko irons). Haven’t bought any test gear from them, but they sell lots of it.

Trossen Robotics
http://semiconductorstore.com

Plenty of really cool components, though they’re largely too expensive for me. They have the Nordic nrf2401, etc wireless chips for reasonable prices though.

Ada Fruit Industries
http://adafruit.com

Good place for Arduino stuff, hobbyist kits, etc. I like to support Limor especially ‘cuz she does some really cool open source hardware.

Polulu
http://pololu.com

Cheapest breadboards I can currently find (though prices jumped a little right after Raj posted about the prices on my blog). General robotics parts, sensors, etc.

Mengjin Su
http://www.geocities.com/mengjinsu/

Good source for cheap protoboards (I built & used one of his AT8A boards as a serial-based Arduino for classes much of my first semester). You need to email your requests. Good prices and I’m very happy with the quality.

New York City


Leed’s Radio
68 North 7th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211
(718) 963-1764
(718) 963-1963 FAX
sales@leedsradio.com
http://leedsradio.com

I still haven’t been in Leed’s, located in Williamsburg. I stopped by about 2:30 one Friday afternoon and they were closed (padlocked roll-down door & everything). Apparently that’s not uncommon — admittedly they do state the best time to *call* is 10am-2pm, though they really don’t have any pointers on when to stop by on their site. This despite the fact that they suggest biking in from the city.

I’ve heard they always have an interesting selection of parts. Hopefully I’ll make it over at the right time one of these days.

Radio Shack 781 Broadway, NYC
http://radioshack.com
781 Broadway Street #1
New York, NY 10003
(212) 228-6810

This RS is one of the worst stocked I’ve come across with regards to components — which is really kinda dumb since they’re just 2 blocks from ITP, and could probably be making a killing on sensors, connectors, etc. They don’t even carry wire wrapping wire (while that might not seem odd to most people, even RS’s I’ve been to in the middle of nowhere have always had wire wrapping wire). Very hit & miss, mostly misses. Sadly since (other than the NYU computer store) they’re about the only place to try buying components near ITP, I still go in fairly regularly. Hope springs eternal.

NYU Computer Store
http://www.bookstores.nyu.edu/computer.store/
242 Greene Street
New York, NY 10003
(212) 998-4672
(212) 995-3779 FAX

Lots of great goodies for ITPers (though missing some important things like good wire & PCB); sensor collection is great and they carry Arduinos, etc. Please, please though if you’re not an ITP student don’t be greedy; we really do need a lot of the stuff and if you buy up the stuff we’re screwed. Especially precious are Arduino boards around midterms & finals.

For a university computer store, the electronics parts are mostly prices surprisingly well.

Bay Area


HSC Electronic Supply
3500 Ryder Street
Santa Clara, California 95051
(408) 732-1573
(408) 732-6428 FAX
http://www.halted.com/

I wasn’t incredibly impressed with HSC when I first moved to the Bay Area, but it grew on me a great deal when I started working nearby. Largely surplus equipment, but also many bins of components reasonably well organized. Plenty of cables, adapters, etc. Don’t expect incredible bargains, but for general prototyping and for odd things to play with it’s definitely worth a few trips. Prices are much better than e.g. Fry’s on most things.

St. Louis

Gateway Electronics
2220 Welsch Industrial Ct.
St. Louis, MO 63146
314-427-6116
800-669-5810
http://www.gatewayelex.com/

This is a really nice general hobbyist store; I stop by pretty much every Christmas when I’m in town. Lots of kits, random bins of capacitors, resistors, knobs, etc. PCB etch chemicals, ICs (ICs are fairly expensive as with most hobbyist electronic stores), project enclosures, kits, amateur radio books, plus lots of random surplus equipment in back. Good place for cheap connectors. Store is a bit hidden; make sure to mapquest it before you go.

The Electronics Exchange
9216 Saint Charles Rock Rd
Overland, MO 63114
(314) 426-4263
http://www.electronics-exchange.com/

The bargains aren’t quite what they used to be, but still a great place for surplus electronics gear. Everything from radios to old laptops to random stepper motors, even some medical equipment thrown in for good measure. Components are very poorly organized; much more of a place to go for serendipidous finds. Sometimes still get amazing bargains on equipment.