Is it safe to buy components from no-name Amazon sellers?
Our position, and the 'commodity components' counterpoint.
Our position
Cheap LEDs and resistors are a commodity and almost any source works. Cheap batteries, multimeters, and power supplies from a no-name seller are a safety issue. A counterfeit 9V battery can leak. A counterfeit multimeter can short when the probe touches the wrong terminal. Stick with brands you recognize for anything that stores or measures real voltage.
Other voices
Reputable sources worth reading before you decide. Labels reflect our honest read of each source's general stance, not direct quotes.
Counterfeit battery incident reports
Broadly agreesCPSC regularly issues recall notices for counterfeit batteries that leak or catch fire. The risk is not theoretical.
EEVblog teardowns of counterfeit meters
Broadly agreesDave Jones has extensively documented counterfeit multimeter teardowns showing safety failures at mains voltage.
Commodity vs. safety-critical distinction
Nuanced / mixedOur actual position: LEDs and resistors are fine from no-name sources; batteries and meters are not. The distinction matters.