diff --git a/doc/source/merging.rst b/doc/source/merging.rst
index 274bad618cb3d..7128e2dd82d6c 100644
--- a/doc/source/merging.rst
+++ b/doc/source/merging.rst
@@ -130,9 +130,9 @@ behavior:
 
 .. ipython:: python
 
-   from pandas.util.testing import rands
+   from pandas.util.testing import rands_array
    df = DataFrame(np.random.randn(10, 4), columns=['a', 'b', 'c', 'd'],
-                  index=[rands(5) for _ in range(10)])
+                  index=rands_array(5, 10))
    df
 
    concat([df.ix[:7, ['a', 'b']], df.ix[2:-2, ['c']],
diff --git a/pandas/core/common.py b/pandas/core/common.py
index 1e3d789ce206b..31dc58d1870e0 100644
--- a/pandas/core/common.py
+++ b/pandas/core/common.py
@@ -2110,11 +2110,6 @@ def _count_not_none(*args):
 # miscellaneous python tools
 
 
-def rands(n):
-    """Generates a random alphanumeric string of length *n*"""
-    from random import Random
-    import string
-    return ''.join(Random().sample(string.ascii_letters + string.digits, n))
 
 
 def adjoin(space, *lists):
diff --git a/pandas/io/tests/test_pytables.py b/pandas/io/tests/test_pytables.py
index c097f82c6bd2f..da9d39ae82617 100644
--- a/pandas/io/tests/test_pytables.py
+++ b/pandas/io/tests/test_pytables.py
@@ -198,8 +198,8 @@ def test_long_strings(self):
         # GH6166
         # unconversion of long strings was being chopped in earlier
         # versions of numpy < 1.7.2
-        df = DataFrame({'a': [tm.rands(100) for _ in range(10)]},
-                       index=[tm.rands(100) for _ in range(10)])
+        df = DataFrame({'a': tm.rands_array(100, size=10)},
+                       index=tm.rands_array(100, size=10))
 
         with ensure_clean_store(self.path) as store:
             store.append('df', df, data_columns=['a'])
diff --git a/pandas/tests/test_common.py b/pandas/tests/test_common.py
index 5e91adbe1a2fa..0d13b6513b377 100644
--- a/pandas/tests/test_common.py
+++ b/pandas/tests/test_common.py
@@ -274,11 +274,6 @@ def test_repr_binary_type():
     assert_equal(res, b)
 
 
-def test_rands():
-    r = com.rands(10)
-    assert(len(r) == 10)
-
-
 def test_adjoin():
     data = [['a', 'b', 'c'],
             ['dd', 'ee', 'ff'],
diff --git a/pandas/tests/test_format.py b/pandas/tests/test_format.py
index 7d4ee05a1e64f..89d08d37e0a30 100644
--- a/pandas/tests/test_format.py
+++ b/pandas/tests/test_format.py
@@ -1201,9 +1201,8 @@ def test_pprint_thing(self):
 
     def test_wide_repr(self):
         with option_context('mode.sim_interactive', True, 'display.show_dimensions', True):
-            col = lambda l, k: [tm.rands(k) for _ in range(l)]
             max_cols = get_option('display.max_columns')
-            df = DataFrame([col(max_cols - 1, 25) for _ in range(10)])
+            df = DataFrame(tm.rands_array(25, size=(10, max_cols - 1)))
             set_option('display.expand_frame_repr', False)
             rep_str = repr(df)
 
@@ -1227,9 +1226,8 @@ def test_wide_repr_wide_columns(self):
 
     def test_wide_repr_named(self):
         with option_context('mode.sim_interactive', True):
-            col = lambda l, k: [tm.rands(k) for _ in range(l)]
             max_cols = get_option('display.max_columns')
-            df = DataFrame([col(max_cols-1, 25) for _ in range(10)])
+            df = DataFrame(tm.rands_array(25, size=(10, max_cols - 1)))
             df.index.name = 'DataFrame Index'
             set_option('display.expand_frame_repr', False)
 
@@ -1249,11 +1247,10 @@ def test_wide_repr_named(self):
 
     def test_wide_repr_multiindex(self):
         with option_context('mode.sim_interactive', True):
-            col = lambda l, k: [tm.rands(k) for _ in range(l)]
-            midx = pandas.MultiIndex.from_arrays([np.array(col(10, 5)),
-                                                  np.array(col(10, 5))])
+            midx = pandas.MultiIndex.from_arrays(
+                tm.rands_array(5, size=(2, 10)))
             max_cols = get_option('display.max_columns')
-            df = DataFrame([col(max_cols-1, 25) for _ in range(10)],
+            df = DataFrame(tm.rands_array(25, size=(10, max_cols - 1)),
                            index=midx)
             df.index.names = ['Level 0', 'Level 1']
             set_option('display.expand_frame_repr', False)
@@ -1274,12 +1271,11 @@ def test_wide_repr_multiindex(self):
     def test_wide_repr_multiindex_cols(self):
         with option_context('mode.sim_interactive', True):
             max_cols = get_option('display.max_columns')
-            col = lambda l, k: [tm.rands(k) for _ in range(l)]
-            midx = pandas.MultiIndex.from_arrays([np.array(col(10, 5)),
-                                                  np.array(col(10, 5))])
-            mcols = pandas.MultiIndex.from_arrays([np.array(col(max_cols-1, 3)),
-                                                   np.array(col(max_cols-1, 3))])
-            df = DataFrame([col(max_cols-1, 25) for _ in range(10)],
+            midx = pandas.MultiIndex.from_arrays(
+                tm.rands_array(5, size=(2, 10)))
+            mcols = pandas.MultiIndex.from_arrays(
+                tm.rands_array(3, size=(2, max_cols - 1)))
+            df = DataFrame(tm.rands_array(25, (10, max_cols - 1)),
                            index=midx, columns=mcols)
             df.index.names = ['Level 0', 'Level 1']
             set_option('display.expand_frame_repr', False)
@@ -1296,9 +1292,8 @@ def test_wide_repr_multiindex_cols(self):
 
     def test_wide_repr_unicode(self):
         with option_context('mode.sim_interactive', True):
-            col = lambda l, k: [tm.randu(k) for _ in range(l)]
             max_cols = get_option('display.max_columns')
-            df = DataFrame([col(max_cols-1, 25) for _ in range(10)])
+            df = DataFrame(tm.rands_array(25, size=(10, max_cols - 1)))
             set_option('display.expand_frame_repr', False)
             rep_str = repr(df)
             set_option('display.expand_frame_repr', True)
@@ -1877,30 +1872,31 @@ def test_repr_html(self):
         self.reset_display_options()
 
     def test_repr_html_wide(self):
-        row = lambda l, k: [tm.rands(k) for _ in range(l)]
         max_cols = get_option('display.max_columns')
-        df = DataFrame([row(max_cols-1, 25) for _ in range(10)])
+        df = DataFrame(tm.rands_array(25, size=(10, max_cols - 1)))
         reg_repr = df._repr_html_()
         assert "..." not in reg_repr
 
-        wide_df = DataFrame([row(max_cols+1, 25) for _ in range(10)])
+        wide_df = DataFrame(tm.rands_array(25, size=(10, max_cols + 1)))
         wide_repr = wide_df._repr_html_()
         assert "..." in wide_repr
 
     def test_repr_html_wide_multiindex_cols(self):
-        row = lambda l, k: [tm.rands(k) for _ in range(l)]
         max_cols = get_option('display.max_columns')
 
-        tuples = list(itertools.product(np.arange(max_cols//2), ['foo', 'bar']))
-        mcols = pandas.MultiIndex.from_tuples(tuples, names=['first', 'second'])
-        df = DataFrame([row(len(mcols), 25) for _ in range(10)], columns=mcols)
+        mcols = pandas.MultiIndex.from_product([np.arange(max_cols//2),
+                                                ['foo', 'bar']],
+                                               names=['first', 'second'])
+        df = DataFrame(tm.rands_array(25, size=(10, len(mcols))),
+                       columns=mcols)
         reg_repr = df._repr_html_()
         assert '...' not in reg_repr
 
-
-        tuples = list(itertools.product(np.arange(1+(max_cols//2)), ['foo', 'bar']))
-        mcols = pandas.MultiIndex.from_tuples(tuples, names=['first', 'second'])
-        df = DataFrame([row(len(mcols), 25) for _ in range(10)], columns=mcols)
+        mcols = pandas.MultiIndex.from_product((np.arange(1+(max_cols//2)),
+                                                ['foo', 'bar']),
+                                               names=['first', 'second'])
+        df = DataFrame(tm.rands_array(25, size=(10, len(mcols))),
+                       columns=mcols)
         wide_repr = df._repr_html_()
         assert '...' in wide_repr
 
diff --git a/pandas/tests/test_frame.py b/pandas/tests/test_frame.py
index 3efd399450d11..e5064544b292e 100644
--- a/pandas/tests/test_frame.py
+++ b/pandas/tests/test_frame.py
@@ -4734,7 +4734,7 @@ def test_bytestring_with_unicode(self):
 
     def test_very_wide_info_repr(self):
         df = DataFrame(np.random.randn(10, 20),
-                       columns=[tm.rands(10) for _ in range(20)])
+                       columns=tm.rands_array(10, 20))
         repr(df)
 
     def test_repr_column_name_unicode_truncation_bug(self):
diff --git a/pandas/tests/test_groupby.py b/pandas/tests/test_groupby.py
index 0e8b5d68e3fd7..7ead8b30e8671 100644
--- a/pandas/tests/test_groupby.py
+++ b/pandas/tests/test_groupby.py
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@
 
 from pandas import date_range,bdate_range, Timestamp
 from pandas.core.index import Index, MultiIndex, Int64Index
-from pandas.core.common import rands
 from pandas.core.api import Categorical, DataFrame
 from pandas.core.groupby import (SpecificationError, DataError,
                                  _nargsort, _lexsort_indexer)
@@ -2579,7 +2578,7 @@ def test_cython_grouper_series_bug_noncontig(self):
         self.assertTrue(result.isnull().all())
 
     def test_series_grouper_noncontig_index(self):
-        index = Index([tm.rands(10) for _ in range(100)])
+        index = Index(tm.rands_array(10, 100))
 
         values = Series(np.random.randn(50), index=index[::2])
         labels = np.random.randint(0, 5, 50)
@@ -2869,8 +2868,8 @@ def test_column_select_via_attr(self):
         assert_frame_equal(result, expected)
 
     def test_rank_apply(self):
-        lev1 = np.array([rands(10) for _ in range(100)], dtype=object)
-        lev2 = np.array([rands(10) for _ in range(130)], dtype=object)
+        lev1 = tm.rands_array(10, 100)
+        lev2 = tm.rands_array(10, 130)
         lab1 = np.random.randint(0, 100, size=500)
         lab2 = np.random.randint(0, 130, size=500)
 
diff --git a/pandas/tests/test_series.py b/pandas/tests/test_series.py
index 29bdb2c983d61..2d3961a643991 100644
--- a/pandas/tests/test_series.py
+++ b/pandas/tests/test_series.py
@@ -327,8 +327,7 @@ def test_getitem_setitem_ellipsis(self):
         self.assertTrue((result == 5).all())
 
     def test_getitem_negative_out_of_bounds(self):
-        s = Series([tm.rands(5) for _ in range(10)],
-                   index=[tm.rands(10) for _ in range(10)])
+        s = Series(tm.rands_array(5, 10), index=tm.rands_array(10, 10))
 
         self.assertRaises(IndexError, s.__getitem__, -11)
         self.assertRaises(IndexError, s.__setitem__, -11, 'foo')
@@ -3852,11 +3851,10 @@ def _check_op(arr, op):
         _check_op(arr, operator.floordiv)
 
     def test_series_frame_radd_bug(self):
-        from pandas.util.testing import rands
         import operator
 
         # GH 353
-        vals = Series([rands(5) for _ in range(10)])
+        vals = Series(tm.rands_array(5, 10))
         result = 'foo_' + vals
         expected = vals.map(lambda x: 'foo_' + x)
         assert_series_equal(result, expected)
diff --git a/pandas/tests/test_util.py b/pandas/tests/test_util.py
index 76b49a5f976bd..8c56ba0e0f548 100644
--- a/pandas/tests/test_util.py
+++ b/pandas/tests/test_util.py
@@ -59,6 +59,22 @@ def test_bad_deprecate_kwarg(self):
             def f4(new=None):
                 pass
 
+
+def test_rands():
+    r = tm.rands(10)
+    assert(len(r) == 10)
+
+
+def test_rands_array():
+    arr = tm.rands_array(5, size=10)
+    assert(arr.shape == (10,))
+    assert(len(arr[0]) == 5)
+
+    arr = tm.rands_array(7, size=(10, 10))
+    assert(arr.shape == (10, 10))
+    assert(len(arr[1, 1]) == 7)
+
+
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     nose.runmodule(argv=[__file__, '-vvs', '-x', '--pdb', '--pdb-failure'],
                    exit=False)
diff --git a/pandas/tools/tests/test_merge.py b/pandas/tools/tests/test_merge.py
index d1c6af5743e07..b9c7fdfeb6c48 100644
--- a/pandas/tools/tests/test_merge.py
+++ b/pandas/tools/tests/test_merge.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 from pandas.tseries.index import DatetimeIndex
 from pandas.tools.merge import merge, concat, ordered_merge, MergeError
 from pandas.util.testing import (assert_frame_equal, assert_series_equal,
-                                 assert_almost_equal, rands,
+                                 assert_almost_equal,
                                  makeCustomDataframe as mkdf,
                                  assertRaisesRegexp)
 from pandas import isnull, DataFrame, Index, MultiIndex, Panel, Series, date_range, read_table, read_csv
@@ -913,7 +913,7 @@ def test_merge_right_vs_left(self):
     def test_compress_group_combinations(self):
 
         # ~ 40000000 possible unique groups
-        key1 = np.array([rands(10) for _ in range(10000)], dtype='O')
+        key1 = tm.rands_array(10, 10000)
         key1 = np.tile(key1, 2)
         key2 = key1[::-1]
 
diff --git a/pandas/util/testing.py b/pandas/util/testing.py
index b34bcc3c12890..38057d641fc17 100644
--- a/pandas/util/testing.py
+++ b/pandas/util/testing.py
@@ -193,15 +193,50 @@ def randbool(size=(), p=0.5):
     return rand(*size) <= p
 
 
-def rands(n):
-    choices = string.ascii_letters + string.digits
-    return ''.join(random.choice(choices) for _ in range(n))
+RANDS_CHARS = np.array(list(string.ascii_letters + string.digits),
+                       dtype=(np.str_, 1))
+RANDU_CHARS = np.array(list(u("").join(map(unichr, lrange(1488, 1488 + 26))) +
+                            string.digits), dtype=(np.unicode_, 1))
+
+
+def rands_array(nchars, size, dtype='O'):
+    """Generate an array of byte strings."""
+    retval = (choice(RANDS_CHARS, size=nchars * np.prod(size))
+              .view((np.str_, nchars)).reshape(size))
+    if dtype is None:
+        return retval
+    else:
+        return retval.astype(dtype)
+
+
+def randu_array(nchars, size, dtype='O'):
+    """Generate an array of unicode strings."""
+    retval = (choice(RANDU_CHARS, size=nchars * np.prod(size))
+              .view((np.unicode_, nchars)).reshape(size))
+    if dtype is None:
+        return retval
+    else:
+        return retval.astype(dtype)
 
 
-def randu(n):
-    choices = u("").join(map(unichr, lrange(1488, 1488 + 26)))
-    choices += string.digits
-    return ''.join([random.choice(choices) for _ in range(n)])
+def rands(nchars):
+    """
+    Generate one random byte string.
+
+    See `rands_array` if you want to create an array of random strings.
+
+    """
+    return ''.join(choice(RANDS_CHARS, nchars))
+
+
+def randu(nchars):
+    """
+    Generate one random unicode string.
+
+    See `randu_array` if you want to create an array of random unicode strings.
+
+    """
+    return ''.join(choice(RANDU_CHARS, nchars))
 
 
 def choice(x, size=10):
@@ -743,10 +778,11 @@ def getArangeMat():
 
 # make index
 def makeStringIndex(k=10):
-    return Index([rands(10) for _ in range(k)])
+    return Index(rands_array(nchars=10, size=k))
+
 
 def makeUnicodeIndex(k=10):
-    return Index([randu(10) for _ in range(k)])
+    return Index(randu_array(nchars=10, size=k))
 
 def makeBoolIndex(k=10):
     if k == 1:
diff --git a/vb_suite/frame_ctor.py b/vb_suite/frame_ctor.py
index 713237779494e..b11dd6c290ae1 100644
--- a/vb_suite/frame_ctor.py
+++ b/vb_suite/frame_ctor.py
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@
 
 setup = common_setup + """
 N, K = 5000, 50
-index = [rands(10) for _ in xrange(N)]
-columns = [rands(10) for _ in xrange(K)]
+index = tm.makeStringIndex(N)
+columns = tm.makeStringIndex(K)
 frame = DataFrame(np.random.randn(N, K), index=index, columns=columns)
 
 try:
diff --git a/vb_suite/groupby.py b/vb_suite/groupby.py
index f9797def4c53b..26311920ec861 100644
--- a/vb_suite/groupby.py
+++ b/vb_suite/groupby.py
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ def f():
 setup = common_setup + """
 K = 1000
 N = 100000
-uniques = np.array([rands(10) for x in xrange(K)], dtype='O')
+uniques = tm.makeStringIndex(K).values
 s = Series(np.tile(uniques, N // K))
 """
 
diff --git a/vb_suite/hdfstore_bench.py b/vb_suite/hdfstore_bench.py
index 47f8e106351d4..a822ad1c614be 100644
--- a/vb_suite/hdfstore_bench.py
+++ b/vb_suite/hdfstore_bench.py
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ def remove(f):
 # get from a store
 
 setup1 = common_setup + """
-index = [rands(10) for _ in xrange(25000)]
+index = tm.makeStringIndex(25000)
 df = DataFrame({'float1' : randn(25000),
                 'float2' : randn(25000)},
                index=index)
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ def remove(f):
 # write to a store
 
 setup2 = common_setup + """
-index = [rands(10) for _ in xrange(25000)]
+index = tm.makeStringIndex(25000)
 df = DataFrame({'float1' : randn(25000),
                 'float2' : randn(25000)},
                index=index)
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ def remove(f):
 # get from a store (mixed)
 
 setup3 = common_setup + """
-index = [rands(10) for _ in xrange(25000)]
+index = tm.makeStringIndex(25000)
 df = DataFrame({'float1' : randn(25000),
                 'float2' : randn(25000),
                 'string1' : ['foo'] * 25000,
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ def remove(f):
 # write to a store (mixed)
 
 setup4 = common_setup + """
-index = [rands(10) for _ in xrange(25000)]
+index = tm.makeStringIndex(25000)
 df = DataFrame({'float1' : randn(25000),
                 'float2' : randn(25000),
                 'string1' : ['foo'] * 25000,
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ def remove(f):
 
 setup5 = common_setup + """
 N=10000
-index = [rands(10) for _ in xrange(N)]
+index = tm.makeStringIndex(N)
 df = DataFrame({'float1' : randn(N),
                 'float2' : randn(N),
                 'string1' : ['foo'] * N,
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ def remove(f):
 # write to a table (mixed)
 
 setup6 = common_setup + """
-index = [rands(10) for _ in xrange(25000)]
+index = tm.makeStringIndex(25000)
 df = DataFrame({'float1' : randn(25000),
                 'float2' : randn(25000),
                 'string1' : ['foo'] * 25000,
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ def remove(f):
 # select from a table
 
 setup7 = common_setup + """
-index = [rands(10) for _ in xrange(25000)]
+index = tm.makeStringIndex(25000)
 df = DataFrame({'float1' : randn(25000),
                 'float2' : randn(25000) },
                index=index)
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ def remove(f):
 # write to a table
 
 setup8 = common_setup + """
-index = [rands(10) for _ in xrange(25000)]
+index = tm.makeStringIndex(25000)
 df = DataFrame({'float1' : randn(25000),
                 'float2' : randn(25000) },
                index=index)
diff --git a/vb_suite/indexing.py b/vb_suite/indexing.py
index 34cbadc2e042b..320f261050e07 100644
--- a/vb_suite/indexing.py
+++ b/vb_suite/indexing.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
                        name='series_getitem_scalar')
 
 setup = common_setup + """
-index = [tm.rands(10) for _ in xrange(1000)]
+index = tm.makeStringIndex(1000)
 s = Series(np.random.rand(1000), index=index)
 idx = index[100]
 """
@@ -51,8 +51,8 @@
 # DataFrame __getitem__
 
 setup = common_setup + """
-index = [tm.rands(10) for _ in xrange(1000)]
-columns = [tm.rands(10) for _ in xrange(30)]
+index = tm.makeStringIndex(1000)
+columns = tm.makeStringIndex(30)
 df = DataFrame(np.random.rand(1000, 30), index=index,
                columns=columns)
 idx = index[100]
@@ -68,10 +68,9 @@
 except:
     klass = DataFrame
 
-index = [tm.rands(10) for _ in xrange(1000)]
-columns = [tm.rands(10) for _ in xrange(30)]
-df = klass(np.random.rand(1000, 30), index=index,
-               columns=columns)
+index = tm.makeStringIndex(1000)
+columns = tm.makeStringIndex(30)
+df = klass(np.random.rand(1000, 30), index=index, columns=columns)
 idx = index[100]
 col = columns[10]
 """
@@ -84,10 +83,9 @@
 # ix get scalar
 
 setup = common_setup + """
-index = [tm.rands(10) for _ in xrange(1000)]
-columns = [tm.rands(10) for _ in xrange(30)]
-df = DataFrame(np.random.randn(1000, 30), index=index,
-               columns=columns)
+index = tm.makeStringIndex(1000)
+columns = tm.makeStringIndex(30)
+df = DataFrame(np.random.randn(1000, 30), index=index, columns=columns)
 idx = index[100]
 col = columns[10]
 """
diff --git a/vb_suite/io_bench.py b/vb_suite/io_bench.py
index b70a060233dae..0b9f68f0e6ed5 100644
--- a/vb_suite/io_bench.py
+++ b/vb_suite/io_bench.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 # read_csv
 
 setup1 = common_setup + """
-index = [rands(10) for _ in xrange(10000)]
+index = tm.makeStringIndex(10000)
 df = DataFrame({'float1' : randn(10000),
                 'float2' : randn(10000),
                 'string1' : ['foo'] * 10000,
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 # write_csv
 
 setup2 = common_setup + """
-index = [rands(10) for _ in xrange(10000)]
+index = tm.makeStringIndex(10000)
 df = DataFrame({'float1' : randn(10000),
                 'float2' : randn(10000),
                 'string1' : ['foo'] * 10000,
diff --git a/vb_suite/io_sql.py b/vb_suite/io_sql.py
index 1a60982c487d4..7f580165939bb 100644
--- a/vb_suite/io_sql.py
+++ b/vb_suite/io_sql.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 # to_sql
 
 setup = common_setup + """
-index = [rands(10) for _ in xrange(10000)]
+index = tm.makeStringIndex(10000)
 df = DataFrame({'float1' : randn(10000),
                 'float2' : randn(10000),
                 'string1' : ['foo'] * 10000,
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
 # read_sql
 
 setup = common_setup + """
-index = [rands(10) for _ in xrange(10000)]
+index = tm.makeStringIndex(10000)
 df = DataFrame({'float1' : randn(10000),
                 'float2' : randn(10000),
                 'string1' : ['foo'] * 10000,
diff --git a/vb_suite/join_merge.py b/vb_suite/join_merge.py
index eb0608f12a8cb..facec39559ed3 100644
--- a/vb_suite/join_merge.py
+++ b/vb_suite/join_merge.py
@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@
 """
 
 setup = common_setup + """
-level1 = np.array([rands(10) for _ in xrange(10)], dtype='O')
-level2 = np.array([rands(10) for _ in xrange(1000)], dtype='O')
+level1 = tm.makeStringIndex(10).values
+level2 = tm.makeStringIndex(1000).values
 label1 = np.arange(10).repeat(1000)
 label2 = np.tile(np.arange(1000), 10)
 
@@ -91,8 +91,8 @@
 setup = common_setup + """
 N = 10000
 
-indices = np.array([rands(10) for _ in xrange(N)], dtype='O')
-indices2 = np.array([rands(10) for _ in xrange(N)], dtype='O')
+indices = tm.makeStringIndex(N).values
+indices2 = tm.makeStringIndex(N).values
 key = np.tile(indices[:8000], 10)
 key2 = np.tile(indices2[:8000], 10)
 
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@
 # data alignment
 
 setup = common_setup + """n = 1000000
-# indices = Index([rands(10) for _ in xrange(n)])
+# indices = tm.makeStringIndex(n)
 def sample(values, k):
     sampler = np.random.permutation(len(values))
     return values.take(sampler[:k])
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ def sample(values, k):
 
 setup = common_setup + """
 n = 1000
-indices = Index([rands(10) for _ in xrange(1000)])
+indices = tm.makeStringIndex(1000)
 s = Series(n, index=indices)
 pieces = [s[i:-i] for i in range(1, 10)]
 pieces = pieces * 50
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ def sample(values, k):
 # Ordered merge
 
 setup = common_setup + """
-groups = np.array([rands(10) for _ in xrange(10)], dtype='O')
+groups = tm.makeStringIndex(10).values
 
 left = DataFrame({'group': groups.repeat(5000),
                   'key' : np.tile(np.arange(0, 10000, 2), 10),
diff --git a/vb_suite/miscellaneous.py b/vb_suite/miscellaneous.py
index eeeaf01a8b4af..27efadc7acfe0 100644
--- a/vb_suite/miscellaneous.py
+++ b/vb_suite/miscellaneous.py
@@ -24,9 +24,7 @@ def prop(self):
 # match
 
 setup = common_setup + """
-from pandas.util.testing import rands
-
-uniques = np.array([rands(10) for _ in xrange(1000)], dtype='O')
+uniques = tm.makeStringIndex(1000).values
 all = uniques.repeat(10)
 """
 
diff --git a/vb_suite/pandas_vb_common.py b/vb_suite/pandas_vb_common.py
index 77d0e2e27260e..a599301bb53fe 100644
--- a/vb_suite/pandas_vb_common.py
+++ b/vb_suite/pandas_vb_common.py
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 from pandas import *
-from pandas.util.testing import rands
 from datetime import timedelta
 from numpy.random import randn
 from numpy.random import randint
diff --git a/vb_suite/reindex.py b/vb_suite/reindex.py
index 5d3d07783c9a8..156382f1fb13a 100644
--- a/vb_suite/reindex.py
+++ b/vb_suite/reindex.py
@@ -34,9 +34,8 @@
 N = 1000
 K = 20
 
-level1 = np.array([tm.rands(10) for _ in xrange(N)], dtype='O').repeat(K)
-level2 = np.tile(np.array([tm.rands(10) for _ in xrange(K)], dtype='O'),
-                 N)
+level1 = tm.makeStringIndex(N).values.repeat(K)
+level2 = np.tile(tm.makeStringIndex(K).values, N)
 index = MultiIndex.from_arrays([level1, level2])
 
 s1 = Series(np.random.randn(N * K), index=index)
@@ -125,8 +124,8 @@ def backfill():
 N = 10000
 K = 10
 
-key1 = np.array([rands(10) for _ in xrange(N)], dtype='O').repeat(K)
-key2 = np.array([rands(10) for _ in xrange(N)], dtype='O').repeat(K)
+key1 = tm.makeStringIndex(N).values.repeat(K)
+key2 = tm.makeStringIndex(N).values.repeat(K)
 
 df = DataFrame({'key1' : key1, 'key2' : key2,
                 'value' : np.random.randn(N * K)})
@@ -166,7 +165,7 @@ def backfill():
 
 setup = common_setup + """
 s = Series(np.random.randint(0, 1000, size=10000))
-s2 = Series(np.tile([rands(10) for i in xrange(1000)], 10))
+s2 = Series(np.tile(tm.makeStringIndex(1000).values, 10))
 """
 
 series_drop_duplicates_int = Benchmark('s.drop_duplicates()', setup,
@@ -195,7 +194,7 @@ def backfill():
 
 setup = common_setup + """
 n = 50000
-indices = Index([rands(10) for _ in xrange(n)])
+indices = tm.makeStringIndex(n)
 
 def sample(values, k):
     from random import shuffle