11 items you should not buy at Dollarama — from someone who has made the mistake

Glass containers 

Just like the plastic containers, these Snaptite glass containers from Dollarama don't have a long shelf life.

It doesn't take much to break them. Yes, I know they're glass and therefore delicate, but you would think you could at least stack one on top of the other. Whenever I do that, the glass chips on the sides, and then I have to toss them out.

So with the combined hassle of having to clean up the mess and then the paranoia that there's glass in my food, I won't be buying these again.

Price: $2.50

Travel manicure set 

I know that at $3.50, this set seems like a great deal, especially since it's compact and includes all the essentials you need for an at-home manicure (minus the nail polish).

However, sometimes a low price means the actual product is just straight up cheap. The nail clippers and scissors are unusable. If you want nail clippers that do what they're meant to do, my advice is to spend a few extra dollars and get them at Shoppers Drug Mart or Walmart.

Price: $3.50

Softswabs Cotton Swabs

The name of these cotton swabs is very misleading because there is nothing soft about them. The ends are rough and hard, and cleaning your ears quickly turns painful. The stem also breaks with too much impact. I'll be sticking with Q-Tips from now on, and thankfully, they are also sold at Dollarama.

Price: $1.25

Medicare bandages 

I can be pretty clumsy, especially when chopping up produce quickly for dinner, meaning bandages are a must at my house. I've purchased both of these Medicare bandages from Dollarama, and they are equally terrible. The bandage stays on until you have to wash your hands, and then it's time for a new one.

Price: $1.25

Juliette jewelry set

I don't know why I thought buying jewelry at Dollarama was a good idea, but it wasn't. As you can imagine, the pieces tarnish easily and leave green-coloured marks on your skin. Please save your money or spend it on something that's worth it.

Price: $5

Snaptite plastic containers

I like to meal prep and freeze leftovers when I'm cooking a large batch, so I use a lot of reusable containers.

When I came across these plastic containers at Dollarama, I stocked up because the deal was too good to pass up. Well, that's exactly what I should've done, because they don't stand the test of time. Both the lid and the container have cracked on numerous occasions, and I have found plastic chunks in my kitchen drawer.

I plan on investing in higher-quality containers to store my food.

Price: $2.25

Zipper Seal sandwich bags 

I like to have Ziploc bags on hand at home, whether it's for freezing purposes or for snacks on the go. Typically, I buy the Ziploc brand, but on my last trip to Dollarama, I grabbed these Zipper Seal ones instead, thinking I'd save a bit of money.

I have never used such low-quality plastic bags in my life. At least half of the ones I've used so far have torn as soon as I put something in them.

Price: $1.50

Socks 

Dollarama has incredible deals on socks, and when I saw three pairs for $2.50, I instantly added them to my cart. Unfortunately, you get what you pay for. It wasn't long until these socks tore, and I was left with a bunch of holes.

I haven't sworn off all Dollarama socks, though. I recently found a pack of Nine West socks at the discount store, and so far I have no complaints!

Price: $2.50

Vortex stereo headphones 

Electronics are items I tend to steer clear of at Dollarama because I question how they can be any good for a few dollars apiece. My curiosity got the best of me, and I tested out these Vortex headphones. Not surprisingly, these headphones were not worth the almost $6 I spent on them. The sound quality isn't great, and they're flimsy.

If you need a backup pair quickly, sure, these will do the trick, but if you're planning to use them regularly, I would suggest spending a bit more for a quality pair.

Price: $5.70

Markers 

There are a lot of great deals on school and office supplies at Dollarama, so it's easy to get carried away. However, I would not recommend these Studio markers because they dry out faster than you might expect. I'll be sticking to the Crayola ones for any upcoming arts and crafts.

Price: $2

Plastic clothes pegs

I like to air-dry my laundry outside when I can, and using pegs helps keep my clothes in place. However, these plastic ones from Dollarama break so easily that it's simply not worth buying them.

Price: $1.50