The views expressed in this Opinion article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
Anyone who enjoys buying electronics and the latest gadgets knows how expensive they can be, and while you might be able to find some devices at Dollarama, it's hard to know whether you can trust them.
But in fact, I've found Dollarama electronics to be surprisingly useful. Rather than spending a lot of money on certain items, I like to head to Dollarama first to see what I can find there for a fraction of the price.
On my last visit to the dollar store, I decided to walk through the aisle with tech-type products to see what they had and I was surprised by the selection.
Don't get me wrong, I know certain electronics are worth paying more for, but when I can save by getting a similar product and the quality also isn't bad, I'm buying the cheaper version.
Based on what was in-store at my local Dollarama in Victoria, B.C., I decided to test out six of the coolest-looking items I could find to see what the quality is like and if they're worth buying.
I ended up with an LED multicolour keyboard, an octopus tripod, an LED light bar, stereo headphones, an LED fill light and a wireless mouse.
An LED Multicolour Keyboard, an octopus tripod, an LED light bar, stereo headphones, an LED fill light and a wireless mouse from DollaramAsymina Kantorowicz | Narcity
Each item was $5 or less so I was not only excited about the prices but to also test them out to see how well they worked.
Here's how it went and what I thought about each one.
Multi-Purpose LED Fill Light
A Multi-Purpose LED Fill Light at Dollarama. Right: The Multi-Purpose LED Fill Light out of the box.
Asymina Kantorowicz | Narcity
For anyone who films videos at home for social media, does work meetings over Zoom or takes photos indoors, a ring light can come in handy.
While there are countless options for ring lights on Amazon between $20-30, it's hard to beat this Dollarama version for under $5.
I was pleasantly surprised by this Tech 1 ring light. It has three different temperatures (neutral, warm and cool), and you can adjust the brightness.
I tested it out by taking a few photos and I was truly impressed with how well the light enhanced the pictures.
The one downside is you can't adjust the height of the ring light so you'll need to place it on something to get the height you need, but I still think it's worth buying at Dollarama if you're on the hunt for one!
Price: $4.50
LED Light Bar
An LED light bar at Dollarama. Right: The LED light bar from Dollarama lit up.
Asymina Kantorowicz | Narcity
This LED light bar piqued my interest when I saw it at Dollarama and once again I was impressed with how well it worked.
The light bar comes with a remote control with which you can easily adjust the brightness, the colour and which setting you want it on.
You have 15 colours to choose from and four different modes (flash, fade, strobe and smooth).
For under $5, you can add fun decorative lighting to your office or living room.
Price: $4.75
Vortex Stereo Headphones
A box of Vortex stereo headphones at Dollarama. Right: Asymina holding the Vortex stereo headphones.
Asymina Kantorowicz | Narcity
I was surprised to see these stereo headphones at Dollarama.
While I do prefer wireless headphones these days, I couldn't find any at the dollar store so I decided to try these out.
In the end, they were more impressive in the box than when I actually tested them out.
The headphones are quite flimsy and they seem like they'll break pretty quickly. They also don't offer the best sound quality so I wouldn't recommend them to anyone who plans to use them to listen to a lot of music, podcasts, etc.
Also a side note, they wouldn't fit in the MacBook Pro headphone jack in case that's what you have!
Price: $4.25
Optical USB Mouse
An Optical USB Mouse at Dollarama.
Asymina Kantorowicz | Narcity
I'm all about minimizing the amount of cords I have in my office and on my desk so this wireless mouse was a great find at Dollarama.
Using it couldn't be simpler. All you do is plug in the USB to your computer and it's ready to go. For this price and how well it works, I would highly recommend this Tech 1 mouse.
The mouse doesn't come with a battery so keep that in mind if you decide to pick one up!
Price: $4
Octopus Tripod
Asyming holding a Tech 1 Octopus Tripod at Dollarama. Right: The Octopus Tripod from Dollarama.
Asymina Kantorowicz | Narcity
A tripod is a pretty handy tool if you like taking photos and this octopus tripod looks pretty cool with its suction cup rubber legs.
I'll admit I didn't have the greatest impression when I opened up this product because a screw immediately fell out and I had to spend time fixing the new product before using it.
I did change my mind once I got it back in working condition. While it looks a bit cheap, it does what you would expect and it was as advertised. Also at under $5, you can't complain about the quality.
The only downside of this phone stand is that it doesn't come with a remote so you'll have to use a timer when taking photos. You also can't adjust the height.
However, it offers a cool feature with the suction cups because you can stick it on a window or wrap it around something for some unique angles.
Price: $4.75
LED Multicolour Keyboard
An LED keyboard from Dollarama.
Asymina Kantorowicz | Narcity
This LED multicolour keyboard was the coolest electronic find at the store. It immediately reminded me of a gaming keyboard and although it isn't one, it will give you the aesthetic for less than $10.
The keyboard is designed for a PC and works like a charm. I tested all the keys and various shortcuts and they worked great. The keyboard lights up nicely the darker the room is.
However, keep in mind that the packaging is misleading. The box makes it look like the keys light up, but they don't so you still need to turn on a desk lamp to see the keys when typing.
But hey for this price who's complaining?
Price: $5
Aside from electronics, Dollarama is also stocked with numerous other great finds at a low price.
The store is full of food items that you won't find cheaper elsewhere, including bread, pasta, granola bars, chia seeds and even butter chicken sauce.
It also has a lot of great kitchen products like cooking utensils and containers if you need some new ones.
You can truly transform any room in your house with affordable finds at Dollarama and that's why the store is hard to beat!
These prices are confirmed at the time of publishing, but they can change at any time. Taxes and fees may not be included.
This article's left-hand cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.