Which site is recommended for purchasing electronic parts?

[ajamesr2]

Hi, just entering freshman year as (hopefully) a future engineer graduate. I've read tutorials online on how to mod the x-box, put together LED switch lights, and other simple projects.

I am realizing that Radio Shack is a little expensive with some of their items and I was wondering which web site people recommended for buying electronic parts.

If someone could send me a link for some other simple projects that'd be great too.

**broken link removed**

 

[ThermalRunaway]

I'm guessing from your lingo that you're American, in which case my favourite suppliers won't be of any help to you.

If you are from the UK, then I can recommend Rapid Electronics, which is where I tend to get most of my supplies. They need to improve their website search engine so that components can be found more easily but their service is good and I've never had any problems with them.

Brian

 

[upand_at_them]

I think there was a list somewhere, but these are the ones I've used:

www.jameco.com
www.digikey.com
www.mouser.com
www.glitchbuster.com (good deal on single items, low shipping)
www.allelectronics.com

Mike

 

[Joel Rainville]

In the US and Canada, Digi-Key, as far as I can tell, is up to snuff.

I know you're looking for online sites, but I think it's worth mentioning : surplus stores are your friends! I visit 2 regularly, and I always find something interesting, at ridiculous prices.

Today I found right-angle PCB mount LEDs, some yellow and some green, at 15 cents a piece. 15 canadian cents at that! I also got some 3.75" x 12" chinese Veroboard knockoffs for $3.50 each. The real deal sells for $28 before taxes around here!... They also have a bunch of fixed and variable voltage wall warts for ridiculous prices.

Their customer service sucks, the store smells, but surplus stores often have by far the best prices.