Active Surplus

Facing a broken router, and, Never having fixed a piece of electronics in my life, I read on the internet what I needed to get. When I went to Active, they set me up with the part I needed and told me how to solder the part onto the board. An hour later, my router was back up and running… thanks mostly to their patience and assistance! I’m looking forward to my next project just so I have a reason to go here!

Active Surplus is the best. So many random electronics parts for whatever project you have in mind. This is basically what a surplus store should be. I would imagine this is what radio shack used to be like way back when (before they became a glorified headphones store).
Pyrex bottles? Rubber stoppers? CPR test dummies? Cables? Wiring? Dentistry equipment? Sure, why not?

As a kid, my dad would bring me to this magical store filled with everything from doll eyes to giant magnets. It’s still one of my favourite Toronto places (though I miss the sprawling main-​floor location) and as a teacher, I send curious kids there whenever possible.
The staff are particularly helpful to beginners putting together their first circuits. Please ask if you’re at all confused. I’ve never encountered anyone dismissive or rude here.
The only downside us that you can’t always find exactly what you’re looking for, though I suppose that is part of the appeal.

Basically a junk store, Active Surplus is many things to many people. For me, it’s interconnect heaven. Need cables to connect stuff? Look no further as Active has what you need for cheap. I wanted to plug in a usb audio interface to an amp and instead of going to Steve’s or Moog, I simply walked a little further down Queen St. and found what I needed for $ 3.95 instead of $ 20+ at Active. Even if you’re not building a combat robot, it’s also a great place for arts and crafts fans, with some imagination for re-​purposing things. Make sure you leave yourself some time if you haven’t been before as there’s plenty to look at.

really awesome shop for anything and everything you need, or things you didn’t know you needed!
looks like it wouldn’t be something big on the outside, but defiantly massive on the inside.
this should be on everyone list to come see
whether a tourist or a person living in toronto

This is what a surplus store is supposed to be.
Lots of random electronic components. Things that make you wonder what you could do with them.
Random bits and pieces. Some old test equipment (think 70s-​80s). A pretty solid assortment of cable and wire. Grumpy old guys working there.
My only complaint is that they don’t have a branch in the bay area.

Great store to find that hard to get electronic part. Selection varies from month to month, as a lot of product moves through. Prices are usually cheaper than the big box stores. Fun to browse too.

The greatest retail store in Toronto. From doll baby arms, to usb cables, to broken machinery, if you need inspiration to make something crazy, or just need an adapter for your phone, active surplus has you covered.
I’ve been coming to active surplus since I was a kid. I’m a nerd as an adult, so maybe that’s why I spent so much time there, but seriously, it’s a great place to take your kids and let them discover random things they might want to use to build something.
You do have to be a little careful when you buy things like motors, leds and electronics. Just because they have 100+ of them, doesn’t mean any of them actually work. Either ask the guys at the front or actually test them in the store.

For anyone with even a vague «Do It Yourself» itch Active Surplus is a must see. It’s got virtually everything imaginable from (literally) nuts and bolts, to random electronic components and cables, to laboratory grade glassware to novelty glasses. For one thing, this is pretty much the only place I ever buy A/​V and computer cables, like HDMI, VGA, USB, or RCA-​to-​whatever as the prices are unbeatable. Check it out and see for yourself. It’s only a matter of time before some evil genius assembles a time machine in this store.

Update: I wanted to update my review after my most recent visit after not being there for years. I’m disappointed by their current stock of ‘stuff.’
Now maybe my eyes aren’t what they used to be — but I found VERY LITTLE of interest there a few days ago. I used to find this place so fascinating — with the coolest stuff. I guess this place is still unique — but does anybody else feel it doesn’t have the great selection of cool stuff they used to have?
…
Initial review:
If you’ve never been to this place you’ve GOT to check it out. It is cool.
They have the most random stuff you’ve ever seen — and the stock is ALWAYS changing. There is tons of new stuff every time you visit.
But be warned — if you are a hoarder you will be in big trouble if you visit this place.
But I bet you a zillion that you can’t go through the whole store without finding SOMETHING you NEED.
They have a zillion different odds and ends that you won’t find anywhere else.
If you haven’t been here yet — what are you waiting for?
You can get video and computer cables MUCH cheaper here than at the rip off box stores.
And there are a thousand other things you will have a fantistic time finding that you never could have imagined.
This place and Rotblott’s are the coolest ever.

A ‘real’ surplus store in the spirit of the electronics junk stores I used to visit on Canal St. in NYC in the 80s and 90s. Reminiscent of the Silicon Valley electronics junk stores. It also reminded me a lot of the American Science and Surplus stores (used to be JerryCo) in the Chicago area.
Real random assortment of stuff; not too expensive, but not dirt cheap either (I assume rents in Toronto are not cheap).
If you are into electronics or just ‘junk’, you owe it to yourself to check this place out (as well as the other branch of Active Surplus on Steele in Markham).
It can be hard to find parking here, as in all of downtown Toronto.

I recently bought an HDMI cable from this place to hook up my Moshi mini adapter to my MacBook Pro. I had been searching for an HDMI cable that would be both reliable and would fit my price range. This place gave me a killer HDMI cable that works like a charm for only $ 11 tax included; Perfectly beautiful picture quality with my standard Samsung HD TV.
If you can get past the simple, cheap looking plastic wrapping that it comes in —which initially makes the product look sketchy and unreliable— you’re in for a pleasant surprise.
Also, their return/​exchange policy allows you to exchange for another cable if the product does not work with receipt.
One star off because the woman at the counter made me feel like an idiot after I asked her where the HDMI cables were located in the store. The man at the counter was nice and helpful though.
My colleague recommended this place to me and I am recommending this place to anyone who is looking for a quality HDMI cable for a good price that is Macbook compatible.

There isn’t anything you can’t find in there. Rotary phones, ps2 converters, serial cables, any jack you’re looking for, any ac adapter you’re looking for, any engine parts you’re looking for, medical equipments, chemistry tools… ANYTHING YOU’RE LOOKING FOR. All here. All cheap. Did I mention CHEAP?
They are also helpful, knowledgeable, and super friendly.
I love this place.

Solid little surplus store with authentic military issue garments and accessories. From hats, to boots, to parkas to handcuffs. Friendly service with great deals if the owner is in a jovial mood. I bought two pairs of german army pants. This is not the GAP so finding sizes and styles are challenging. However, they will help until you are happy. I will not say this is a bargain basement retailer. So be prepared to pay a competitive price for exactly what you are looking for.

I’m going to be making a trip to Active Surplus in a few days so I thought I would finally finish my review… I couldn’t live without electronic surplus shops because when it comes to getting something simple like RCA cables or various adapters then you’re going to get absolutely robbed at other electronic shops like Radio Shack or even Best Buy.
I need to get a specific AC adapter for my Serato box and it’s nice to know that not only will they have what I’m looking for, but they’ll have a variety of models and prices for me to choose from. Only problem is that I will have to wander the aisles a little bit because I can never seem to find what I’m looking for due to the store’s somewhat randomness. Or maybe I am just getting old and can’t navigate like I used to.
I will likely ask for help, which is something I don’t really like doing here because they sort of make me feel like an idiot. I get this feeling they judge you based on what you’re purchasing, sort of like snobby record store clerks or getting pad thai at a Thai restaurant. But I will still go here for my extension chords, A/​V cables and other knick-​knacks I didn’t think I needed when I walked in the store.

I can’t write a review for Active Surplus without calling attention to the «ACTIVE SURPLUS; YOU’LL NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU’LL FIND» though I find it inaccurate. What he should be barking is: «ACTIVE SURPLUS; YOU’LL PROBABLY FIND WHAT YOU’RE LOOKING FOR!»
Example the first: A while ago, I threw a Halloween party and naturally thought we should do raspberry sour puss shots from vials or test tubes complete with cork stoppers. Active Surplus had them in the «Chemistry» aisle.
Example the second: The following year for my Halloween costume, I went as V.I.C.I. (yes, that’s Voice Input Child Identicant aka Vicki from Small Wonder
. I needed a computer motherboard to add to the robotic feature of my costume and BAM, Active Surplus for the rescue for cheap!
Example the third: I want to bake a cake that has something spinning on it so went to search for a small motor and an enclosed battery compartment with a switch. You guessed it, I found it at Active Surplus.
After climbing a narrow staircase, the store is fairly large and broken up into appropriate aisles. The place does require some careful searching and you might be there longer than you intend but it is well-​organized.
Do not make this your last resort spot for finding those little essential material for whatever your project is at the moment. Whatever you’re looking for, you probably will find it… eventually.

Active Surplus You never know what you’re going to find.
Know what I found? A cordless phone. When I returned it, I got a store credit. Know what I found then?
Dental Mirror
5 packs of AA batteries
Pen with random logo
Ear buds
Sleeves for CD storage
more batteries…
Antenna for the TV– it got returned (you can’t steal cable)
Nails
small tooth wood saw
more batteries.
Thanks gorilla.

It’s funny because I’ve walked by this place so many times without ever going in. All I could remember was this dude out front who would shout ‘YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU’RE GONNA FIND AT ACTIVE SURPLUS’ and slight variations therein.
Turns out he was right. I really didn’t know what I would find when I first sauntered up the steps to the 2^nd floor store.
There is so much shit in this place that based on volume alone you couldn’t possibly walk around and not find something that you didn’t realize you needed. Even if you don’t intend on buying it’s worth having a peruse.

I defy you to not find what you’re looking for (as well as stuff you didn’t know you were looking for in the first place) while trolling the aisles in Active Surplus. There is a perplexing amount of ‘stuff’ in this store. I have no idea what 95% of it is used for — cables, wires, spark plugs, bulbs, bits, etc. — but I’m sure someone has a use for it.
Essentially you can approach the counter with only the vaguest of descriptions of what you’re looking for and the staff will be able to point you to exact section of the store where you can find it. «I need one of those things that lets me listen to my iPod on my stereo… you know??»
You can also find things like iPod chargers, network cabling and outlet covers for DIRT CHEAP. Way cheaper than at a computer or hardware store. Check here first!

Mostly an electronics surplus store, Active Surplus does really sell a lot of random things. The store is best represented by the completely RANDOM gorilla (no, not a real one) they have outside of the store which kind of gives you an idea of how random this store is!
But if you‘re looking for the random capacitor to infrared diode to army men, lights, random connections and wires, then this is the place to go!