For electronics buffs, a quick measure of whether a particular brand or model is any good often comes down to a simple question: does it have tantalum capacitors? That tantalum has become this sort of bellwether, even if within the confines of a special use, is a feat that few other elements can boast about. To avoid the risk of boring you with technicisms let’s just summarize and say that capacitors are a sort of battery whose charge is discharged all at once and is a key component on any circuit board which in turn, of course, is common to all electronic devices. Tantalum capacitors are renowned for their long service life but, the metal being expensive, cheap electronics will often start cutting corners by substituting with capacitors that may last only a few years before crapping out.

Unfortunately, all it takes is a single component on a circuit board to become damaged for the entire unit to fail and it’s typically the capacitor that is the first to go… thus the selection serving as a gauge of the manufacturer’s intent and the expectations of the longevity of the device in question. Half a century ago there was a profession known as “TV repairman” but nowadays if your TV bites the dust half an hour after the warranty ends chances are excellent it’s going in the garbage to be replaced as soon as your Amazon guy shows up again. Despite their protestations to the contrary this clearly suits the manufacturer’s interests as well as its shareholders.

Well, and on that happy note let me present to you this ampule with enough tantalum to make a bucketful of capacitors!