Should you buy tantalum caps from Aliexpress? Here's What I Found!

As a former manufacturing executive from a well known supplier, let me explain. You are paying for lot traceability documentation not the parts. All manufacturers can supply and verify, if necessary authenticity. Only buy from authorized franchise distributors. Unless you like buying garbage and wasting your time. And no, do not send your garbage parts in for verification. It won’t happen. Send in lot numbers for verification which you will not get from AliExpress. This is true for all products, not just caps. Sorry, no free lunch.

LCSC is part of the same company as JLCPCB. If you choose the service to have SMD components prepopulated on the ordered PCBs, the parts are sourced from LCSC.

Sponser block was amazing 😂❤

Price + Quality combination wise, LCSC is the clear winner! Thanks for the video, as a beginner electronics enthusiast on a strict budget, this was very helpful!

It's not even about the components being cheap, it's about being able to get it shipped to your country. If I need 5 caps for some projects, I can't pay 30$ of shipping.

I'm suprised that ESR meter was able to semi-accurately read those caps. Glad to see you confirm what we've been saying about trash binned caps being sold on ali. The ones that didn't meet the 10% or 20% specification to be sold by mouser or digikey. And that LCSC is legit. I've been reccomending them as the most affordable option that is still quality, being a sister company of JLCPCB who wants a good rep. What I find even more worrying is the other specs. Like lifetime or leakage current. If capacitance is that far off, can you trust the voltage rating? Or that they'll meet the 1000hr @ 105C endurance? I don't think so!

I wonder when reviewers will stop treating AliExpress as a supplier while it is a marketplace with individual sellers. One may sell junk, another may sell legit. Same as Amazon or eBay. It's up to your attention, common sense and gut feeling to avoid scam.

Doing the important work for the little guys 👍 Can't thank you enough.

For most of my DIY projects, I buy stuff from Ali. Yes, sometimes you get lemons, but on average I get good price/quality and I prefer that to pay 10x to a big reputable supplier. Ali allows nowadays access to tons of affordable modules and components that otherwise most of us wouldn't be able to afford.

Excellent work! Thanks!

Your comments are hilarious. Thanks very much for making this video. I appreciate your rigorous testing and re-testing when you realize your methodology might be wrong.

As someone who's bought several things through AliExpress, it's often a good idea to check on who the seller at AliExpress is. I've had purchases go wrong in the past where something akin go 80 kg of product was supposedly delivered, yet never showed up, and the seller advises to go to the carrier and have them check to see if it's just in the back room or something. that's not generally how things are handled in the US, and nothing they provided included tracking numbers for any carrier in the US. On the whole, most of what I've bought through AliExpress has worked as advertised. but yeah, there are occasional stinkers, and when you go back, you often find that there are 3 or a dozen other sellers with similar products with about the same price, sometimes better. That said, I don't often buy tantalum caps, and don't claim to have the test equipment for that. Pretty sure that Mouser and Digikey are not going to be worried about parts sourced through them being used as comparison references. 🙂

Awesome video mate. Keep it up.

You’re funny dude, and I enjoyed the video. I just subscribed 👍

I ordered from LCSC for the first time a couple of weeks ago and so far everything has worked - looks like a good option indeed. But for more serious projects I always go to Mouser and Digikey. I don't think those measurements can be 100% accurate but it's pretty clear that Aliexpress sold you junk. Oh, and first time here, you've got a new sub :)

Good video. I didnt think EE could be this amusing. 🎉

Best sponsor ad ever! 😂

Thanks for detailed video 👌🏻

Farnell and RS are also a great component suppliers.

Never had any problems with LCSC components in many years. Of course no problems with Mouser or Digikey either, but they're much more expensive.