The Ultimate Kit Guide

Games

coke and mentos kit

Diet Coke and Mentos Kit

Make Kit Reviews

Diet Coke and Mentos Kit

$25

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Reviewed: December 1st, 2011

Recreate the Internet sensation in your own backyard! Fresh from their performance at Maker Faire, the guys at EepyBird hand-crafted replica PVC nozzles just like the ones they use themselves. Each kit contains a variety of nozzle cuts to give you the coolest, highest-shooting geysers. They even throw in a pack of Mentos to get […]

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Gryphon Ornithopter

Gryphon Ornithopters

Make Kit Reviews

Gryphon Ornithopters

$10

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Reviewed: November 14th, 2011

At MAKE Labs we built a squadron of balsa-and-tissue ornithopters for William Gurstelle’s how-to article in MAKE Volume 08. The trickiest part was bending the tiny wire crank that flaps the wings in time. Even with Bill’s clear instructions, that little wire was trial-and-error. This kit spares you that error. The pre-bent crank and laser-cut […]

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The Dice Kit

The Dice Kit

Make Kit Reviews

The Dice Kit

$20

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Reviewed: November 13th, 2011

This is a fantastic introductory electronics kit that comes with your choice of large red or green LEDs and everything else needed (aside from a soldering iron, solder, and flush cutters) to make one electronic 6-sided die. (The manufacturer says: “The name Dice Kit sounds a great deal better than ‘Die Kit’, so we bent […]

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Drawdio

Drawdio

Make Kit Reviews

Drawdio

$20

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Reviewed: November 12th, 2011

Drawdio is an electronic pencil that lets you make music while you draw. It’s a great project for beginners: an easy kit with instant gratification. Invented by Jay Silver, it’s a very simple musical synthesizer that uses the conductive properties of pencil graphite to create sounds. The result is a fun toy that lets you […]

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Meggy Jr RGB Game Console

Meggy Jr RGB Game Console

Make Kit Reviews

Meggy Jr RGB Game Console

$75

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This pixel-scale, portable Meggy Jr game platform is fun for any gamer, especially those who know their way around an Arduino. About the size of a VHS tape, it offers an 8×8 matrix of RGB LEDs and a lot of functionality with very little setup. It comes pre-programmed with Attack of the Cherry Tomatoes, a side-scrolling […]

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Mignon Game Console

Mignon Game Console

Make Kit Reviews

Mignon Game Console

€52 (about $69)

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Reviewed: October 27th, 2011

Although 5×7 pixels aren’t a lot to work with, it’s easy to get lost in Olaf Val’s Mignon Game Kit. This minimalist handheld gaming system is hands-on in more ways than one. The first step is to put it together; second is to hack code for the Atmel ATmega8 microcontroller that powers it; and third, […]

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Simon

Simon

Make Kit Reviews

Simon

$25

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Reviewed: October 26th, 2011

All components are through-hole, making this Simon kit great for beginners. Reviewer Thomas O’Brien from San Antonio writes: “The instruction booklet is very well written and goes step by step with clear explanations. My grandson Ben, 5, helped put components in the holes of the circuit board, then I soldered them, and he clipped the […]

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Karakuri Somersault Doll

Karakuri Somersault Doll

Make Kit Reviews

Karakuri Somersault Doll

$75

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Employing a centuries-old secret technique from the Edo period, this kit has everything needed to create an acrobatic doll, plus a festive kimono and a tiered pedestal on which to perform. You can even adjust the velocity of the doll’s action. The instructions are in Japanese with beautiful illustrations that make it easy to put together.

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Video Game Shield

Video Game Shield

Make Kit Reviews

Video Game Shield

$23

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The Video Game Shield is an Arduino add-on shield to make your own video games, including graphics, text, sound effects, and music! Using the power of open source, this shield allows you to make awesome black-and-white video games on your TV. It supports up to two Nintendo Wii Nunchuk controllers for an easy and familiar […]

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Solar Grasshopper Kit

Solar Grasshopper Kit

Make Kit Reviews

Solar Grasshopper Kit

$12

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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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