The Ultimate Kit Guide

Kit Complexity: 1

(1=Easy, 5=Difficult) Is the kit easy, moderate, or challenging to build for its most likely target audience? Kits clearly aimed at children would, for example, be rated differently from microcontroller kits.

Learn to Solder Merit Badge

Learn to Solder Skill Badge

Make Kit Reviews

Learn to Solder Skill Badge

$3

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Reviewed: November 12th, 2011

Thousands of people mastered soldering for the first time at this year’s Maker Faire events in the Maker Shed’s “Learn to Solder” tents, with the helpful coaching of Mitch Altman, Jimmie Rodgers, and dozens of other hackerspace volunteers. Participants left the Maker Shed with smiles on their faces, new skills, increased confidence, and a cool […]

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Eskimold Igloo Building Kit

Eskimold Igloo Building Kit

Make Kit Reviews

Eskimold Igloo Building Kit

$24

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Reviewed: November 3rd, 2011

This is loads of fun — a way to get the kids out of the house during the winter, or make a cheap little ice fishing house that’s disposable. Any type of snow can be compacted into this nifty device to quickly create hundreds of perfectly formed, slanted, stackable igloo building blocks. The Eskimold differs […]

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Hot Laminator Kit

Hot Laminator Kit

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Hot Laminator Kit

$59

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Reviewed: November 2nd, 2011

I save recipes on cards and always get bits of food or water on them, but laminating them with this hot laminator kit makes wiping them off a breeze. Use it for scrapbooking or for special photos you want to protect, or make your own laminated crafts such as luggage tags, signs, and more. Any crafter […]

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LED Art Kit

LED Art Kit

Make Kit Reviews

LED Art Kit

$20

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Reviewed: October 27th, 2011

This easy-to-assemble, no-solder kit lets you create your own unique LED light show. The only tool needed is a pair of pliers for crimping the wire connectors. The RGB (red-green-blue) LEDs create a slow, ever-changing, multicolored glow that’s perfect for setting the mood of any room. Makes a great nightlight, too!

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Solar Grasshopper Kit

Solar Grasshopper Kit

Make Kit Reviews

Solar Grasshopper Kit

$12

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Reviewed: October 26th, 2011

Build your own life-size grasshopper and explore solar power with this educational mini solar robot kit. The snap-together, attention-getting  Solar Frightened Grasshopper teaches how solar energy can be used to generate electricity. This easy-to-use science kit is perfect for first-time experimenters with little or no experience. Ages 10 and up.

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Wind Up Workshop Robots

Wind Up Workshop Robots

Make Kit Reviews

Wind Up Workshop Robots

$15

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Reviewed: October 25th, 2011

Who would have thought a company that makes pencils and pens could come up with such a cool robotics kit for all ages! Inside the box are five windup mechanisms, plus various arts and crafts goodies to make a veritable army of whirring and walking mechanical denizens. You get some pre-cut stiff paper to construct […]

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