The search for the right electronic component shouldn't stop your next big DIY electronic project. Thanks to the internet, you can go online and have them delivered to your doorstep. Before you head off to China (or Amazon), start your search with these three search engines for electronic parts.

You don't have to rummage among dusty boxes. Just type in the keyword and hit search.

Start your search with the part number. The vertical search site indexes inventories from 875+ verified suppliers. There are few search engines that come with an uncluttered interface. Component Search is your one-stop shop for the latest parts and even obsolete bits that you haven't found elsewhere.

Component Search

Some of the world's largest authorized distributors are included in the index. Each search hit includes real-time pricing and updated datasheets on the parts sourced. Register on the site and get access to a mailbox for tracking queries sent to the suppliers.

2. Octopart [No Longer Available]

Octopart is another vertical search engine that aggregates electronic parts data from leading distributors like Allied Electronics, Digi-Key, Mouser, and Newark InOne. Twenty million parts is a lot to dig through. You can use advanced search functions like wildcards, phrase matching, and Boolean operators. Bring all the filters available to narrow down your search to the right part.

For example, you can search for lead-free components by ticking one of the filters or pick halogen-free ones.

Octopart

A tool for managing bill of materials along with Google and Excel add-ins make this search engine a complete package for sourcing parts. Don't forget to see the complete Help section for some tutorials and FAQs on the site.

3. Parts.io

The last electronic parts search engine on our list is a visual delight. It displays a few visual cues that makes it easier to check a component and compare it against competitors. The graphics aim to simplify the discovery of the right parts. It starts with a natural language search and then goes on to the more visual data in the results page.

parts.io

Focus on features like Risk Rank and Composite Price to make purchase decisions easier. You can search the site unrestricted without logging in. Signing-in opens up the ability to save lists of parts, upload BOMs, add parts as favorites, and access the community. Do check out the Parts.io blog too.

Searching…

Your electronic project idea may be big or small, so get organized from the get go. Searching for electronic parts is far more time consuming than a Google search. But it is the first step to source the right electronic part at the right price.

Have you used a search engine to locate an electronic part? Have they proved their worth? Name any other parts search engine in the comments.

Image Credit: Santoshi T via Tookapic