The 4 Best Starter Kits for Arduino Beginners

There are many great projects great projects great projects which you can use to get started, but first you will need an Arduino and some components. Here’s our pick of the top 4 starter kits for any aspiring Arduino enthusiast.

Funduino Advanced Starter Kit ($50)

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This kit includes everything you need to get started with electronics using an Arduino, and lots of things that will take you from a beginner to an enthusiast. It includes all the basic elements: Funduino UNO board, breadboard, cables, LEDs, resistors and pushbutton switches.

But it also has a lot of other things to help you create some really fun stuff: temperature, flame, and infrared sensors; light-dependent resistors; stepper motor; two sizes of seven-segment display; LCD display; and even a joystick.

funduino boards

Funduino is a Chinese company so their instructions are poorly translated and you will need to do some research to find the project instructions. Because of this, a bit of electronics or programming experience can be helpful, but it’s not required. I used the Funduino board to create a timer creating a timer and was able to do so with a little experience and a few online searches. This is the best kit so far, but it may not be suitable for beginners who prefer to walk through the basics accurately.

DFRobot Starter Kit for Arduino v3 ($50)

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On the other hand, this is a great set for beginners. The kit includes numbered project cards that will guide you through the creation of 15 unique projects from a blinking LED to an RGB dimmer. One of my favorite things about this set is something that is very underestimated when it comes to electronics kits — every detail is clearly marked.

Could you choose an infrared remote control sensor, an ambient light sensor, or some type of resistor without help? If not, then these shortcuts will be extremely helpful.

dfrobot-project-maps

While this kit comes with slightly fewer components, you’ll definitely have enough to get you started. LEDs, a micro servo and a small motor, an 8-segment LED, buttons and multiple sensors provide a lot of possibilities.

The kit also includes a breadboard and breadboard, which means you can easily solder one of your creations. solder in a more solid electronic kit.

123D Arduino Basic Kit ($84)

123d whale

While you don’t get as many components as you would if you spent $84 on a cheap starter kit and one or two sensor blocks, the 123D Arduino Basic Kit comes with a high quality project book with some really fun design ideas — you build a musical instrument, build an interface board spacecraft, create a motorized pinwheel, and even create a magical crystal ball.

In addition to all the components needed for these projects, cardboard cutouts are included to make your projects pop. (Maybe it’s meant for kids, but I think it’s great.)

123D-digital-projects

The base kit also comes with access to Project 123D’s online tutorials through their Project Ignite platform. One of the nice things included in this kit is a wooden plate that you can mount your Arduino on and a small breadboard; it’s a great way to join forces and make your projects more portable.

And with over 150 components, you’ll have enough knowledge and detail when you’re done with the included projects to start building your own Arduino devices.

ARDX Experimental Kit ($85)

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Like the base 123D kit, the ARDX package doesn’t include as many parts as some, but it’s hard to beat when it comes to high quality instructions. Not only does it have 11 different advanced projects for you to complete, but it also has breadboards you can cut out and put on your breadboard, showing you exactly where to place cables and components — great for those who worry about wiring things. not properly.

This kit also includes an acrylic holder that you can attach your Arduino and breadboard to — not essential, but definitely nice to keep things organized.

ardx-KIT2

Because the components that come with this kit are pretty basic — although it does include a cool force/touch sensor — you can grow this kit fairly quickly. However, you will be familiar with the basics of Arduino prototyping and programming by the time you read the tutorial, which is, after all, intended for beginners. In fact, it was one of these ARDX kits that our very own DIY editor, James, started working on many years ago.

When you have outgrown it, you can easily upgrade it with a different set of components or an Arduino shield for $30 or $40, which will greatly expand the possibilities.