Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

There are several kinds of electronic learning kits out there. The "Snap Circuits" are too simple, and confine understanding to manipulating black boxes. At the other end, I tried a 300 in 1 kit from another manufacturer that was too advanced to use alone--one needs an instructor in the hands-on skills required even to start to use it. Then there is the boxes of parts and soldering iron approach. But the best approach I have seen is this kind of design--the spring grip connectors remove the need for soldering irons so it is easy to assemble and disassemble projects. It also makes the kit safe for younger learners (or clumsy ones.) You can start as simply as "paint by numbers" and get fairly advanced. Many of the circuits are for entertainment rather than learning, and that is fine--the best instructional kit of this type I have seen, in terms of learning electronics, was also fairly dull. This kit has a good mix, and ranges from basic components up to a couple of small integrated circuits. The only thing missing is a meter. To be fair, the manual says early on that getting a multimeter will make a big difference in understanding, and it does. There is a world more possible to understand when one can see the voltages. In the manual, the only thing really missing is a better description of the function of a transistor. Resistors and capacitors and batteries are easy; diodes can be understood as a "one way street" for electrons--but no kit or manual I have ever seen gives a good description of the transistor in terms of operation--"when you put this many volts here you get this much current there." I have bought several kits, and this is the one I use and teach with. I am very happy with this product overall.