Amazon EEEEE store - is it any good?

[avibag]

Hi friends

Has anybody here tried the assortment kits from the EEEEE store on amazon (https://www.amazon.com/stores/EEEEE/page/0DDAEA46-863D-4737-92DE-C8CDFAB4A93E)? They seem to sell really useful kits in wonderful packages. But I want to make sure I get high quality products - I had enough problems with cheap Aliexpress products...

Any thoughts / insights / warnings?

[schmitt trigger]

I haven't, but the prices are low enough that I might order a kit or two and determine if it is worthwhile. Or not.

There is a saying that one can trade-off money and time. If you don't have time to spare to complete a project, then you pay full price from a reputable vendor. But if you have time to spare and willingness to learn, these low cost offerings are always welcome.
When I was a student in the early 70s, companies would sell bags of unmarked transistors, something like 100 for $1 US, but one would have to painstakingly sort them out and with a meter figure them out whether they were NPN/PNP. There were some duds included, but overall it allowed me to enjoy my electronics hobby on a shoestring.

[ledtester]

I'd like to buy the storage containers they use.

[J-R]

The general warning is that Amazon has a problem with fake reviews.  Also, a lot of sellers will find a listing that has good reviews and change it to another item entirely in order to more easily dump their junky product.

There is also a high likelihood of fake/counterfeit components.

However, that is a general comment and I can't speak from experience on that company.


There are a couple sellers here in the US that have grab bags of components that I've used to fill up my stash of spare parts:

https://www.jameco.com/c/Passive-Component-Grab-Bags.html

https://theelectronicgoldmine.com/search?q=surprise&sort_by=relevance
https://theelectronicgoldmine.com/search?q=assortment&sort_by=relevance

[wraper]

Literally fake parts on their photos. I consider buying such stuff on Amazon to be Aliexpress + extra stupid tax.

[SteveThackery]

I agree with @wraper, et al: you are almost certain to be buying fake parts.

I wouldn't touch the electronics stuff with a bargepole. However, the fasteners look a much better bet. The concept of "fake" doesn't have much meaning when it comes to nuts and bolts, because you can see immediately if the M4 x 20mm bolt is, in fact, an M4 thread and 20mm long.  I guess the only risk is if you want high tensile bolts with a specific yield strength - you can't establish that by looking. But honestly, if I wanted bolts with a specific yield strength then I would get them from a reputable supplier.  For all other purposes these should be just fine.  I'm going to order some.

[SanctePieDecime]

Smart or stupid, I bought myself some of these kits a few months ago and I have no complaints. Specifically, I bought the analog ICs Kit, the MOSFET Kit, and the Inductor Kit. The containers are really nice and have the pinout for the analog ICs. I have used a number of the op-amps and comparators as well as the 555 timer, and optocoupler so far of the analog ICs and the have worked as expected. I am not sure that I would recommend the inductor kit personally since it only goes up to 10 mH and the current ratings listed are not the greatest, but that is to be expected of such small inductors. Also, the inductors do have a 10% tolerance listed which is probably okay for most breadboarding but would not necessarily cut it if you are trying to design a high precision circuit. I have given some of the MOSFETs a try and am currently using the p-channel MOSFET in a power latch prototype circuit.

So, I don't know if they are "fake parts" or if they 100% match the actual specifications of the part numbers they claim to be, but the parts I have gotten have worked just fine for any application I have needed them for. I would recommend them if you just need them for prototyping and breadboarding, but I cannot say for sure when you get into higher precision circuits. Ultimately, I have been very pleased with them.

[Old Printer]

I buy a good bit on Amazon but it is no place to look for quality or name brand components. Most of the stuff seems good enough for learning circuits but I wouldn’t by things like op amps there. Jelly bean components and basic transistors are probably ok but for the most part it’s like Ali Express just faster, at least in the US.

[wraper]

I bought the analog ICs Kit, the MOSFET Kit, and the Inductor Kit. The containers are really nice and have the pinout for the analog ICs.

Containers indeed look nice, however if they sent you what's shown on their pictures, you got boxes filled exclusively with counterfeit parts.

[Siwastaja]

Yeah, avoid MOSFETs and ICs (and other semiconductors) because the performance of the counterfeits is too far from real things, it really ruins your hobby. For example I have got regulators which had completely different output voltage to what was printed, and MOSFETs with like 5x worse current capability compared to the real thing.

Resistor kits are usually OK-ish, and stuff like pin headers usually acceptable.

[Zenith]

No experience of the Amazon kits but I suspect they are manufacturers rejects or otherwise not top flight. They are convenient and probably OK for messing about, where it doesn't matter whether an op amp falls short of the spec, or the 5% resistors are at both extremes of +/- 5%.

Respectable suppliers, such as RS, have sold own brand parts which fell a little short of the spec of the maker's branded part.

If I'm buying parts (especially electrolytic capacitors) for an important project or repair, I prefer to go to Farnell, Digikey etc and buy new. Sometimes I go to an established hobbyist supplier, who can have items the big suppliers don't, especially recently obsoleted things. I've occasionally held my nose and bought from ebay - risky, but I haven't been bitten yet. I don't buy parts from China. I have bought bags of components at swapmeets which are old. I haven't had any particular problems with them and they are cheap.

[wraper]

No experience of the Amazon kits but I suspect they are manufacturers rejects or otherwise not top flight. They are convenient and probably OK for messing about, where it doesn't matter whether an op amp falls short of the spec, or the 5% resistors are at both extremes of +/- 5%.

They are a convenient way how to get pain in the ass troubleshooting and questioning your own sanity. They are either different parts with fake marking or recycled e-waste, counterfeiters even cut old terminals off and weld new ones instead. Real rejects are extremely rare, at best you will get a genuine low grade part relabeled into a better grade.

Respectable suppliers, such as RS, have sold own brand parts which fell a little short of the spec of the maker's branded part.

Nonsense, rebranded parts are exactly the same parts.

[SanctePieDecime]

I bought the analog ICs Kit, the MOSFET Kit, and the Inductor Kit. The containers are really nice and have the pinout for the analog ICs.

Containers indeed look nice, however if they sent you what's shown on their pictures, you got boxes filled exclusively with counterfeit parts.

Do I care if they are counterfeit parts so long as they get the job done? Of course, if I were putting out a product I would use a more "reputable" supplier to have greater assurance of repeatability, but for prototyping these do the job for my purposes.

Yeah, avoid MOSFETs and ICs (and other semiconductors) because the performance of the counterfeits is too far from real things, it really ruins your hobby. For example I have got regulators which had completely different output voltage to what was printed, and MOSFETs with like 5x worse current capability compared to the real thing.

Resistor kits are usually OK-ish, and stuff like pin headers usually acceptable.

Then the company would really be shooting themselves in the foot by listing the current ratings, V_DSS, and V_GS right on their [reusable] packaging where even the most inexperienced users can easily verify that their components are not up to spec.

Maybe you are all correct in saying that thes kits are "fake". But even if they are, you have no facts yet to back up your claim. While the generalization that most semiconductor products that you can buy on Amazon are fake might be a reasonable claim to make, you cannot draw a conclusion about any given supplier unless you have experience with that supplier.

I have had some experience with this supplier's parts, and while it has not been extensive it has been more than anyone else's here so far. I would actually be interested if someone more experienced than me gave these kits a more thourough test.

I am not going to say that you should buy from them necessarily because maybe other suppliers like Digikey suit your needs better, but I am saying that I currently have no problem buying from them. Until someone presents more conclusive data, it is calumny to just apply a generalization to a specific supplier without any sort of facts about that specific supplier to back up the claims.

[wraper]

Do I care if they are counterfeit parts so long as they get the job done

I would care if a MOSFET I use drops 5x more voltage than it should and therefore heats 5x as much too. Also I would be quite concerned about shitty vregs that do not handle maximum voltage and fail short, not to say oscillate. I would rather just buy a cheap genuine part with 5x less current spec than use that cat in a sack. Just two recent threads where people waste their time due to fake parts: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/beginners/p-channel-mosfet-voltage-loss-between-d-s/msg5555899/#msg5555899
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/projects/lm317-output-voltage-drop-out-of-spec-(maybe)/msg5562793/#msg5562793

Of course, if I were putting out a product I would use a more "reputable" supplier to have greater assurance of repeatability, but for prototyping these do the job for my purposes.

Or you could just order a bunch of cheap parts from LCSC that do not pretend to be something they aren't.

Then the company would really be shooting themselves in the foot by listing the current ratings, VDSS, and VGS right on their [reusable] packaging where even the most inexperienced users can easily verify that their components are not up to spec.

Those who buy that garbage usually don't know any better and often don't ever look into datasheet, not to say measure specs or understand what they mean. So selling this garbage pretty much goes unpunished.

But even if they are, you have no facts yet to back up your claim.

The fact is all semiconductors with manufacturer logo on the pictures from particular seller are 100% fake.

[Old Printer]

A few years ago I bought a 1/4 watt resistor kit from Amazon, took a good bit of heat here for doing that too, whatever. There were 2600 pcs, 130 values from 1 to 3meg. They were marked 1% but I ignored that. I checked a bunch while organizing them and all were easily within 5%. My goal was to have literally any reasonable value at hand quickly for bread-boarding various learning circuits as I ran across them. I got a bunch of clear plastic baseball card loose leaf binder sleeves and put each value in its own pocket. Now I can quickly find most any value I need in a few seconds. Mission accomplished. The leads are thin and bend easily going into a solderless breadboard, but they work. If I build something that rates soldering I usually get good components from Mouser etc, and I have quite a few on hand, but often not what I need, so for $15 this assortment has paid off in spades for me. YMMV

[madires]

To understand why there's so much cheating (we call it fraud) by Chinese sellers you need to know a bit about Chinese culture. There is a lovely proverb which sums it up perfectly: 能骗就骗 - If you can cheat, then cheat. They do it inside China, as well with foreign customers.

[SanctePieDecime]

Do I care if they are counterfeit parts so long as they get the job done

I would care if a MOSFET I use drops 5x more voltage than it should and therefore heats 5x as much too. Also I would be quite concerned about shitty vregs that do not handle maximum voltage and fail short, not to say oscillate. I would rather just buy a cheap genuine part with 5x less current spec than use that cat in a sack. Just two recent threads where people waste their time due to fake parts: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/beginners/p-channel-mosfet-voltage-loss-between-d-s/msg5555899/#msg5555899
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/projects/lm317-output-voltage-drop-out-of-spec-(maybe)/msg5562793/#msg5562793

Well then, lets see the numbers. You do have numbers to back up the claim that this specific supplier sells products that are way out of spec as you have been claiming this entire time, don't you?

But even if they are, you have no facts yet to back up your claim.

The fact is all semiconductors with manufacturer logo on the pictures from particular seller are 100% fake.

What facts? I don't see any facts. All I see is fallacy of division: claiming that just because "most amazon suppliers" sell fake parts that are not up to specifications means that this specific supplier must sell fake parts. Surely you have not bought from every seller of electronic components on Amazon and can verify that it is 100% true that anyone who sells components on Amazon must be selling fakes? And since you have not shared your personal experience from buying from this seller I assume you have never bought from them or used any of their products and thus cannot legitimately make any claims about their products. I on the other hand have provided what experience I have had. I even was specific to say that, while I have had not problem with them, someone who might want to push the components to the edge of the their specifications might find them out of spec.

*Begin Edit*
Additionally, what sort of photos would you look for from authentic suppliers? I am not sure what makes thes photos so "obviously fake". Is it just because they remove the background? Plenty of other authentic suppliers do. Is it just becuase they depict them all together as a group? What do you expect when they are selling it as a group.
*End Edit*

I don't care if they're a "big business" in your eyes. It does not make it right to calumniate them without any sort of facts to back up your claims.

Imagine most of the people I know are hypocritical people (most people I know are not hypocritical, but I know that there are many who find themselves in a situation where almost everyone they know is hypocritical). I cannot conclude based on the little that I know about you specifically that you specifically are hypocritical. I highly doubt you are, but I could be wrong. To ensure no offence was taken I will give another example. Imagine most of the people I know are always honest and authentic. I cannot conclude based on the little that I know about you specifically that you specifically are always honest and authentic.

[wraper]

Surely you have not bought from every seller of electronic components on Amazon and can verify that it is 100% true that anyone who sells components on Amazon must be selling fakes? And since you have not shared your personal experience from buying from this seller I assume you have never bought from them or used any of their products and thus cannot legitimately make any claims about their products.

Surely you need to dive into a pool of shit every single time to actually know it's a pool of shit, despite there being a sign saying "a pool of shit". You can buy genuine parts on Aliexpress, ebay and amazon (latter usually makes no sense as it's the same Chinese sellers with extra cost and less choice). However those components must be hard to counterfeit and still you need to verify everything thoroughly, and only makes sense when there is barely any other choice since you're likely will receive shit. I've seen Attiny24 relabeled as Attiny24A mixed with Attiny24A relabeled into Attiny24A with newer date code in the same batch. Toshiba TA8435 stepper driver IC relabeled into TB6560 stepper driver, that would actually cause a lot of damage if used, I was happy to measure pins with multimeter to find out pinout didn't match. I've seen EEPROM IC relabeled into another, although most of the time just date code and speed grade is faked. Onsemi MOSFETS in DFN package relabeled into a more beefy part.  If it's a part that can be easily substituted and work on a first glance, it will be counterfeited. Honest sellers simply cannot compete on these platforms. 99% of western brand transistors, vreg ICs (ST counterfeits are the most popular, usually have a logo looking more like S7 rather than ST) and opamps are fake, even LM358.

I on the other hand have provided what experience I have had.

Experience like: "I put it in undemanding circuit, it appears to work on a first glance, therefore must be good". Again, I'd rather buy a genuine Chinese component for 1/5 of the cost of western part rather than some random shit that pretends to be from western brand (that may be relatively ok or outright junk).

I don't care if they're a "big business" in your eyes. It does not make it right to calumniate them without any sort of facts to back up your claims.

It's a big business and due to people like you it's hard to buy some obscure, obsolete, or just discounted NOS components without being duped. Because if you sell electronic components, it's basically a requirement to be shady to thrive on those platforms.

[SanctePieDecime]

Still fallacies and no facts.

[SanctePieDecime]

Surely you need to dive into a pool of shit every single time to actually know it's a pool of shit, despite there being a sign saying "a pool of shit". You can buy genuine parts on Aliexpress, ebay and amazon (latter usually makes no sense as it's the same Chinese sellers with extra cost and less choice). However those components must be hard to counterfeit and still you need to verify everything thoroughly, and only makes sense when there is barely any other choice since you're likely will receive shit. I've seen Attiny24 relabeled as Attiny24A mixed with Attiny24A relabeled into Attiny24A with newer date code in the same batch. Toshiba TA8435 stepper driver IC relabeled into TB6560 stepper driver, that would actually cause a lot of damage if used, I was happy to measure pins with multimeter to find out pinout didn't match. I've seen EEPROM IC relabeled into another, although most of the time just date code and speed grade is faked. Onsemi MOSFETS in DFN package relabeled into a more beefy part.  If it's a part that can be easily substituted and work on a first glance, it will be counterfeited. Honest sellers simply cannot compete on these platforms. 99% of western brand transistors, vreg ICs (ST counterfeits are the most popular, usually have a logo looking more like S7 rather than ST) and opamps are fake, even LM358.

That is the generalization you keep making that is not absolute (but you keep treating as if it is absolute).

Experience like: "I put it in undemanding circuit, it appears to work on a first glance, therefore must be good".

I have quite the proposal for you: send me a diagram for a circuit using at least one of these parts (nothing too fancy) that you deem demanding and then we will satisfy the lacking hard numbers behind both of our claims. I will build the circuit and send pictures of the measurements. If you are right, that is wonderful...at least this time there will be data to backup your claim.

Again, I'd rather buy a genuine Chinese component for 1/5 of the cost of western part rather than some random shit that pretends to be from western brand (that may be relatively ok or outright junk).

That is all quite well, I take no issue with that.

Because if you sell electronic components, it's basically a requirement to be shady to thrive on those platforms.

Why might that be? I don't see why a company like DigiKey couldn't sell products on Amazon as well and totally sweep the Amazon market.
Yes! Yes! Yes! There are tons of fraud electronics suppliers on Amazon, but that does not logically conclude that this specific supplier is one.

[J-R]

Don't support companies that are part of the problem.  For every one EEVblog member that might be able to dodge the iffy stuff on Amazon there are going to be 10 or 100 unwitting buyers of that junk.  Louis Rossman has done some videos on this in the past on crimp connectors and fuses, for example:

[SanctePieDecime]

And...as I was saying: how is that evidence that this specific supplier is a big fraud? Thes claims have all been using the guilt by association fallacy and the fallacy of division.
I literally have the dream offer for the whole question at hand:

I have quite the proposal for you: send me a diagram for a circuit using at least one of these parts (nothing too fancy) that you deem demanding and then we will satisfy the lacking hard numbers behind both of our claims. I will build the circuit and send pictures of the measurements. If you are right, that is wonderful...at least this time there will be data to backup your claim.

Literally, no risk to any of you (they are my components, so I bear the risk). All you have to do is give me the circuit and tell me what specs you want to see measured and BAM there is the conclusive data.

[calzap]

Probably a lot of the reviews of no-name fuses on Amazon are real.   The problem with fuses is they have to “break” to work properly.  So the average purchaser puts no-name fuses in their car, and they seem to work.  If there wasn’t a problem, say they’re adding an inverter or trailer brake, well, everything is working at installation, so no-name fuse must be OK.  If there was a problem that blew a fuse, good chance it’s high current, like a short, and will blow a 25 A fuse as quickly as a 2 A.  So, first fuse is replaced with no-name fuse, and it blows too.  So, after 2 blown fuses, the problem gets fixed, new no-name fuse is installed, and everything seems OK.  Either scenario will leave most customers satisfied.

Mike

[SanctePieDecime]

Good news! I did one test so far and now we have some harder numbers to go on. (not much data yet, but it is something).

I ran the IRFZ44N with a resistive load. The circuit drew 32.8 mA with a voltage drop of 1.3 mV across the Drain and Source. I ran the test at about 5V.
The resistance can be calculated from this using Ohms Law and comes out to be about 40 mOhms.

The specifications listed on the IRFZ44N datasheet specify 22 mOhms Drain-Source resistance
https://pdf1.alldatasheet.com/datasheet-pdf/view/17807/PHILIPS/IRFZ44N.html

I was fairly resigned to the fact wraper was right, but then I checked the datasheet again and saw that it said 22 mOhms at 10V
I thought to myself that it wouldn't make much of a difference, but decided to try anyway.

So I re-did the measurements at 10V (which was a more like 9.77V but close enough). I also had to switch to a higher value resistor because the one I was using was getting too hot.
This time I measured 9.9 mA with a voltage drop that my multimeter picked up as fluctuating between 0.2 and 0.1 mV
That means the new resistance comes out to 20 mOhms at worst, which is within spec.

This is by no means to say that the parts are all for sure up to all the specs since this is the only testing that I have done so far, but it is a very good sign that they might be.

[Siwastaja]

Do I care if they are counterfeit parts so long as they get the job done?

The problem is, they don't get the job done. MOSFET which has one tenth of current rating, or a 3.3V regulator which actually outputs 1.8V are examples I have personally had. They are just utter waste of time.

Sometimes you get lucky and get semi-decent counterfeits but finding them is much harder than just buying good stuff.