The views expressed in this Opinion article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
Here are some of my favourite products I've bought at Dollarama that are just really good at their job, great quality and all cost under $5.00.
A power strip
A power strip.
Now, some people will tell you that you shouldn't buy electronics from the dollar store, and while you're free to do whatever you want, I'm here to tell you that this power strip is legit.
I have a few of them in my home and the one in my bedroom does some seriously heavy lifting without ever causing trouble — my air conditioning unit, TV and most of my electronics all use the power bar and I've never once had any electrical issues. An impressive feat, given that they can cost much more at other stores!
Price: $4.75
A sink guard
A hand holding a silicone splash guard.
I live in an older apartment (like, over 100 years old) and I constantly have problems with surfaces and fixtures that don't clean as easily as modern products, like silicone.
My sink in particular is an issue as the water that collects around the faucet causes the surface of the counter to warp, and when I spotted this handy splash guard at Dollarama, I immediately added it to my basket.
It protects the area around the sink perfectly and leads to less scrubbing for me as the metallic bits don't get nearly as dirty or stained from the hard water.
The best part though is that the silicone is so easy to clean — I just take it off, give it a quick rinse in my sink with some cleaner and pop it back on, easy peasy.
Price: $4.00
A silicone sink strainer
A silicone sink strainer.
Much like the sink strainer, this little silicone strainer is a lifesaver for my sink area. I've had wire versions of the strainer before that do help prevent food from getting down the drain, but I find the wire one is prone to getting small bits of gunk like crumbs and coffee grounds stuck in it.
In comparison, the silicone one is super easy to empty into my garbage and nearly nothing gets trapped in the holes. If something does get left behind, it's easy enough to deal with it with a sponge and some cleaner.
Price: $3.75
An ice cube tray
An ice cube tray.
I'm a firm believer that ice is a crucial part of every beverage, and these easy-release ice cube trays just do their job really damn well and only cost a toonie.
Unlike the harder plastic options, it's super easy to get the ice out, and I've been using it for over two years now. I actually have a few different ice cube trays from Dollarama that I use to freeze various things, like leftover coffee to put in my cold brew or mixtures of herbs and olive oil to use in my cooking.
Price: $2.00
A hammer
A hammer.
Like the electronics, some people might naysay buying tools at the dollar store but once again, I've never had issues with this hammer.
I don't have a lot of handy work to do in my home, but every so often I need a hammer to help me put together some furniture I've bought or to knock something back into its place.
Hammers easily cost double the Dollarama price at other stores, and this one has served me well for over a year now, which is honestly more than I expected it to last for.
Price: $4.75
Batteries
Batteries at Dollarama.
I refuse to buy batteries from anywhere other than Dollarama as the prices are just ridiculous elsewhere and there's no loss of quality when buying from the dollar store.
I've bought various sizes of these Panasonic batteries for my electronics and they just do exactly what they're supposed to. I don't think they have a shorter life span than batteries bought at other stores, and for that reason, I think they're super high quality.
Various prices.
Oven Mitts
Oven Mitts.
My partner does a lot of baking, so having a quality product to protect his hands is key and these mitts have never let us down.
They may not be the cutest pair of oven mitts you can get, but for $3.50, they do their job perfectly and no one has ever been burned in our house while using them, which is a testament to their quality.
Price: $3.50
Kitchen shears
Kitchen shears.
I have no idea why anyone would buy a pair of kitchen shears anywhere other than Dollarama as they can cost over a dollar if not ten dollars more at other stores.
I've had these scissors for longer than I can remember and all I can say is that for under $3.00, they do their job with no fuss and in fact are better quality than other shears I've purchased elsewhere.
Price: $2.75
A shoe rack
A shoe rack.
And lastly, this shoe rack is seriously impressive, particularly given its price point. When I first moved into my new apartment over a year ago, we were tight on space and needed a shoe rack right away to prevent, which led to us purchasing this $5.00 item from Dollarama.
The shoe rack has lasted through two Canadian winters and all of the grossness, salt, and sogginess that comes with the season, which is likely the highest praise I can give to any product.
Price: $5.00
And there you have it! Those are some of the best quality items I've ever found at Dollarama, and I'll only ever buy them from that retailer, because why spend more if you don't have to? Happy shopping, folks!
These prices are confirmed at the time of publishing, but they can change at any time. Taxes and fees may not be included.
