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I would like to compile a list of all the best electronics Kits you have come across.

"Best" can be because you

  • learnt something from them

  • found them very satisfying

  • had something very cool at the end

Personally I loved the Lilypad Kit - cause it gets you started without actually having to make something specific and the Herbie Kit cause its fun to play with when its done.

Brian Carlton
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mad_z
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  • I'll second the mouse bot - I made a few for my mate while I was at uni, well fun and easy to do - just don't get your light emitters and detectors mixed up! – Jim Jul 21 '10 at 07:12
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    Are you more interested in kits as in projects (Herbie), or kits as in sets of components(Lilypad, sort of)? The question sounds biased towards the project side of things.
    – Kevin Vermeer Jul 23 '10 at 01:27
  • I personally value flexibility (not locked into the instruction manual), expandability( minimum copper pad test points for all signals, firmware source), novelty (learn something new from it) and result usability. – Kevin Vermeer Jul 23 '10 at 01:28
  • Possible duplicate of http://chiphacker.com/questions/1270/electronics-kits-any-requests - I only realized this after looking in the sidebar. – Kevin Vermeer Jul 23 '10 at 18:33

6 Answers6

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TV-B-Gone is cool: http://www.ladyada.net/make/tvbgone/

It turns of all TVs. That is all.

dren.dk
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I always wanted the 8,753,342,552,124,401 in one electronic kits, but I only ever got this one... http://www.apogeekits.com/lab_kit_el301.htm (well, the Radio Shack version of it.) Combined with Forrest M Mims III's book "Getting Started in Electronics," I was well-equipped to start my journey. My dad was very good about letting me experiment and build and replaced the transistors in that kit at least twice. :-)

I bought the exact same kit (Radio Shack doesn't exist in the same form now, but I found the exact kit elsewhere) for my own kids, but so far none of them have really shown interest.

akohlsmith
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    Where can I get an 8,753,342,552,124,401 in one kit? I want it! – Kevin Vermeer Jul 22 '10 at 17:38
  • That's sort of like what Heathkit had available back when I was a kid, but it was way better - more caps and resistors, four transistors, more "i/o" devices. I have not seen any kit since the 1980s that was much better than that one you link to, none anywhere near half as good as the Heathkit. – DarenW Oct 17 '10 at 05:19
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Snap Circuits has some nice ones for kids. Very easy to build is the reason I recommend them to people with kids.

Brian Carlton
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Kits seem to be nasty expensive at most places that I've shopped. However, I've found that Electronix Express has a nice set of educational kits. I've only bought a few prototyping parts kits, which are very well priced.

See their Assortment #1, supplement to Assortment #1, and look for their capacitor, inductor, potentiometer, and resistor kits as well. I haven't used their project directed kits, but they have an incredible selection if you had something in mind. Finally, they package custom kits, both as assortments of components (See the basic electronics kit starter) and as build-this-project kits. I don't know where you're looking to use them, but these would be nice if you're, say, teaching an electronics class. Of course, minimums apply for the custom kits.

Note: I am not affiliated with Electronix Express, just a happy customer.

Community
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Kevin Vermeer
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RadioShack has an Electronics Learning Lab for $70 which is pretty decent for learning both analog and digital electronics. I'm an EE and have one because it is handy for prototyping circuits. Fairly high quality.

As far as actual kits go, SparkFun has some, including a digital oscilloscope kit for $60.

tcrosley
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Creating own electronic projects is really fun...

I divide electronic projects kits based on complexity (basic to advanced level), industry, technology, school level, college level (Engineering students)

Complexity based electronic projects kits: You can choose are build mini circuits based on your awareness over electronic components and circuits. Beginners in electronics, try building/learn some basic level circuits. Intermediate and advanced circuits will be the option for masters.

Industry Based electronic project kits: Plan your mini project based on your interest on any particular industry like (defence, entertainment, robotics etc)

Technology based electronic project kits: We have witnessed a rapid change in technology now a days like (telephone technology to gsm technology, infrared to bluetooth..etc). People curious about new technologies can build or learn from these type of electronic project kits

School level electronics project kits: What your kids do during holidays? i guess watching tv and playing games, Instead encourage your kids to try building some basic level electronic projects, Make them to participate in some local school level competitions and expos.

College level electronics project kits: In India every engineering college will have projects during there final year or final semester. Engineering 2nd & 3rd year students need to practice building some mini projects based on their course or technology for the purpose of fine tuning there skills for final year projects.

People looking for electronic project kits will definitely fall in any one of the above categories. Always try to purchase or learn from genuine electronic kits. Now a days you can find many online sources to find some best project kits. Why late, try planning your sample electronic projects today!

user43240
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  • This appears to be a very poorly translated advert. – David May 22 '14 at 11:42
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    Although the last paragraph gives this a strong flavor of advertising, I'm going to let it stand, since it answers the question. Under current rules, the question itself should have been closed as an off-topic "shopping" question. – Dave Tweed May 22 '14 at 11:50
  • @DaveTweed This question was from the time of [Chiphacker](http://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/65936/what-happened-to-chiphacker-com). My suggestion is lock it because it has historical significance. – Daniel Grillo May 22 '14 at 12:23