Which website has the best search capabilities?

Thread Starter

UXLab

Joined Jul 5, 2019
2
Hi, newbie here, I oftentimes have a hard time finding the parts I need for my small projects (sometimes I only have a partial number). I visited some of the well-known sites out there (Mouser, Digikey, Arrow, Newark) their website search feature behaves very different from site to site so I was wondering if the more seasoned engineers among the forums could help me with:
  • Which website(s) do you normally use to search for the part(s) you need, just so you can find the full part number and then maybe do some research on other sites just to find the best price?
  • Any tricks or workarounds that you've learned over the years to find parts?

Thank you guys!
 

jpanhalt

Joined Jan 18, 2008
11,087
I use the DigiKey search engine #1. Mouser is #2. Basically, I use Mouser to find what a fair price is, once I get a part number. Most prices don't differ that much, but for some products, like Kynar insulated single stranded wire, the prices are really different.
 

dl324

Joined Mar 30, 2015
16,845
I oftentimes have a hard time finding the parts I need for my small projects (sometimes I only have a partial number)
Why do you only have partial part numbers for your own projects? If you're designing them, you know what parts you need. If they're circuits from someone else, hopefully they'd document full part numbers. They might leave off prefixes that would be assumed, e.g. putting 4070 4011 instead of CD4011, HEF4011, MC14011, etc., or 555 instead of LM555, NE555, etc.. They could also leave off suffixes that might indicate package type, or speed on memory devices.
EDIT: edited part numbers to match.

At any rate, most search engines on distributor websites will accept wildcards and often provide them when you don't.
 
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Thread Starter

UXLab

Joined Jul 5, 2019
2
Thanks @dl324. Yes, the problem is when they leave off prefixes, sometimes if I go to Digikey their search won't show me any wildcard options, like other sites. I see Mouser and Arrow as you type they provide some suggestions kinda like what Google search does. I read a few post in other forums and people like the Digikey search, but not sure why? if it doesn't help you with displaying other products that may match your part number. Anyway, I appreciated your response.
 

Ylli

Joined Nov 13, 2015
1,086
Most of the major vendors parametric searches are very poor on finding transistors other than the 2N series. Finding anything in the 2S series or MJ parts, or KSC parts or other European or parts from the far east do not seem to be possible in their search engines. Yet if you have the full number (such as KSC992fbu) you will find that digikey, mouser, newark, all have it in stock.
 
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