This opinion article is part of the Narcity Media series. The views expressed are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of his Narcity Media.
Anyone who likes buying electronics and the latest gadgets knows how expensive they can be. You may be able to find some devices on Dollarama, but it’s hard to know if they are reliable.
But I actually found Dollarama electronics to be surprisingly useful. Rather than spending a fortune on a particular item, he likes to go to Dollarama first and see what he can find for a fraction of the price.
The last time I visited a 100 yen store, I walked through the technology aisles to see what they had and was surprised by the selection.
Don’t get me wrong. I know it’s worth paying more for certain electronics, but if I can save money by buying a similar product and the quality isn’t bad, I’ll buy the cheaper version.
Based on what’s in my local Dollarama store in Victoria, British Columbia, the coolest looking items I found to see what the quality is like and if it’s worth buying. I decided to try six.
I ended up with an LED multicolor keyboard, an octopus tripod, an LED light bar, stereo headphones, an LED fill light, and a wireless mouse.
LED Multicolor Keyboard, Octopus Tripod, LED Light Bar, Stereo Headphones, LED Fill Light, Dollaram Wireless MouseAsimina Kantorowicz | Narcity
Each item was less than $5, so I was not only excited about the price, but also excited to try it out and see how well it worked.
Below is how I went about each and what I thought.
Multi-purpose LED fill light
Dollarama’s multi-purpose LED fill light. Right: Multi-purpose LED fill light out of the box.
Asimina Kantorowicz | Narcity
Ring lights are useful for people who shoot videos at home for social media, have work meetings on Zoom, or take photos indoors.
There are countless options for ring lights on Amazon that cost between $20 and $30, but nothing beats this Dollarama version for under $5.
I was pleasantly surprised with this Tech 1 ring light. There are 3 different temperatures (neutral, warm, cool) and you can adjust the brightness.
I took a few photos to try it out and was really impressed with how well the light enhanced the photos.
The only downside is that you can’t adjust the height of the ring light, so you’ll have to put it on top of something to get the height you want, but if you’re still looking for a ring light, it’s worth buying at Dollarama I think!
price: $4.50
led light bar
Dollarama LED light bar. Right: Dollarama’s LED light bar is lit.
Asimina Kantorowicz | Narcity
I was intrigued by this LED light bar when I saw it at Dollarama, and I was once again impressed by its functionality.
The light bar comes with a remote control that allows you to easily adjust brightness, color, and settings.
There are 15 colors to choose from and 4 different modes (Flash, Fade, Strobe, Smooth).
For less than $5, you can add some 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 with Vortex stereo headphones.
Asimina Kantorowicz | Narcity
I was surprised to see these stereo headphones at Dollarama.
I prefer wireless headphones these days, but I couldn’t find them at the 100 yen store, so I decided to try these out.
As it turned out, I was more impressed in the box than I was when I tried it on.
The headphones are quite fragile and seem like they will break easily. It also doesn’t offer the best sound quality, so I wouldn’t recommend it if you plan on using it to listen to a lot of music, podcasts, etc.
Also, as a side note, it probably won’t fit the MacBook Pro’s headphone jack.
price: $4.25
optical usb mouse
Dollarama optical USB mouse.
Asimina Kantorowicz | Narcity
I’m a big fan of minimizing the amount of cords on my office and desk, so I found this wireless mouse at Dollarama.
It couldn’t be easier to use. Simply connect the USB to your computer and you’re ready to use. Considering the price and functionality, we highly recommend this Tech 1 mouse.
The mouse does not come with a battery, so keep that in mind when purchasing.
price: 4 dollars
octopus tripod
Asyming holding the Tech 1 Octopus Tripod at Dollarama. Right: Dollarama’s Octopus tripod.
Asimina Kantorowicz | Narcity
If you like taking photos, a tripod is a very useful tool. This octopus tripod has really cool rubber legs with suction cups.
To be honest, when I opened this product, I wasn’t the biggest impression because the screws came right off and I had to spend some time fixing them before I could use the new product.
I changed my mind after getting it back to working order. Although it looks a little cheap, it performed as expected and was as advertised. And since it’s under $5, you can’t really complain about the quality.
The only downside to this phone stand is that it doesn’t come with a remote control, so you’ll need to use a timer when taking photos. The height cannot be adjusted either.
However, the suction cup works great because you can stick it on a window or wrap it around something to hold it in place at a unique angle.
price: $4.75
LED multicolor keyboard
Dollarama LED keyboard.
Asimina Kantorowicz | Narcity
This LED multicolor keyboard was the coolest electronics I found in this store. It immediately reminded me of a gaming keyboard, and while it’s not a gaming keyboard, it’s a beautiful look for less than $10.
The keyboard is designed for PC and works like a charm. I tested all the keys and different shortcuts and it worked fine. When the room gets dark, the keyboard lights up brightly.
However, be careful as the packaging can be misleading. The keys appear to glow on this box, but they don’t and you have to turn on a desk lamp to see them as you type.
But at this price who would complain?
price: 5 dollars
Apart from electronics, Dollarama also has many other bargains at low prices.
The store has many foods you can’t find cheaply elsewhere, like bread, pasta, granola bars, chia seeds, and even butter chicken sauce.
If you need something new, there’s also plenty of great kitchenware like utensils and containers.
You can truly transform any room in your home with affordable products from Dollarama. That’s why nothing beats this store.
These prices are confirmed at the time of publication but are subject to change at any time. Taxes and fees may not be included.
The cover image on the left side of this article is used for illustrative purposes only.