Get the gizmo of your dreams at these Toronto gadget shops
Ingenious household gadgets don’t quite rank with the discovery of fire or the wheel, but they can make our lives a lot easier. They’re little tools or accessories that speed up tasks and simplify jobs, and these Toronto stores have cherry-picked some of the best.
Play De Record Inc
357 Yonge St, Toronto, ON M5B 1S1Otherwise known as the store where rapper Drake bought his first turntables, this Yonge Street shop has all the gadgets a music aficionado could ever want. They’ve got bags, stands, controllers and mixers for DJs, as well as rack gear, sound cards, wireless light remotes and fog to really put a party over the edge. If you’re just starting out, take advantage of the rental program to see how the gadgets and accessories fit into your life.
Tap Phong Trading
1-360 Spadina Ave, Toronto, ON M5T 2G4Sometimes gadgets need serve no other purpose than to make your life a little more fun. There’s a strong focus on kitchen and food gadgets here, although if you come back often and patiently look through the shelves, you’ll find doohickeys for every purpose. It may not be absolutely necessary to own a set of nine, differently-sized ice cream scoops, but it’s a great conversation starter.
MEC (Mountain Equipment Co-op)
400 King St W, Toronto, ON M5V 1K2Campers, hikers and outdoor lovers know just how important gadgets are to staying safe and travelling light. And if there can only be one store in Toronto that does recreational gizmos, this is the one. Pick up handlebar bags in all sorts of colours, headlamps that use long-lasting LED lights, waterproof camera cases, backpack tethers and everything else that’ll streamline your backpacking or canoe trip.
Gadget Plus
3250 Dufferin St, North York, ON M6A 2T3The name says it all: this store is focused primarily on gadgets to make your life a lot easier. There are some services available, like smartphone repair, but most people shop at this Orfus Road store for the doodads and thingamajigs. Gadget Plus specializes in bargain prices, so bring a big shopping bag.
Lee Valley Tools
7261 11 St SE, Calgary, AB T2H 2S1Gardening, woodworking and outdoor maintenance are hard work, but made easier with the right gadgets. Lee Valley carries a remarkable selection of ingenious gadgets, such as magnetic curtain rod holders, self-watering planters and retractable clotheslines. Many products are imported or exclusive to the store. There’s bound to be something here for everyone on your Christmas list, even if it’s just a tiny can of incredibly useful rare earth magnets.
Henry's
330 Steeles Ave W, Thornhill, ON L4J 6W9Camera buffs use the words gadgets and accessories interchangeably. Whatever your term of reference is, you can bet that Henry’s will not only have it, but carry the best quality in the industry. You might scoff at the idea of photo gloves, but somebody, somewhere thinks they’re indispensable.
Kitchen Stuff Plus
2287 Yonge St, Toronto, ON M4P 2C6Whoever prepares meals in your house will gladly tell you how much preparation is involved. Chances are they’ve learned how to speed up common manual tasks with time-saving kitchen gadgets and might even have a drawer full of specialized tools. The next time you’re trying to slice pizza with a butter knife or open a beer with a screwdriver, come here instead. Get the right tool for the task at one of multiple locations throughout the city.
Tiger Direct
1800 The Queensway, Etobicoke, ON M9C 5H5This store has a reputation for budget-friendly electronics. You’ll find gadgets for just about every HDTV, computer and home audio/video purpose you can think of, making it a candy shop for tech lovers. There are also weekly specials and daily deal slashers so if you’re eyeing a particular product but can afford to wait, sit tight and it might be put on sale.
Spytech
2005 Yonge St, Toronto, ON M4S 1Z8You wouldn’t know you needed a dashcam or camera/video recorder built into a ball point pen until you visit Spytech. The selection of surveillance products here can have practical everyday uses, such as monitoring your house or children when you’re not at home or recording meetings or conversations to play back later. It’s easy to get carried away with the romance of espionage so make sure you’re on sound, ethical ground before using these items.
