Snap Circuits kits are a fantastic way to learn how electronics work. They are known for their longevity and ease of use. Elenco, the company that produces Snap Circuits, has been around since the 1970s. They have proven their innovation in STEM education for many years.
There are many types of kits with all kinds of features to choose from, the choice can be overwhelming. In this article, we take a look at the best Snap Circuits kits to help you answer ‘which Snap Circuits should I buy?’ Our top picks are featured below.
| Best Value | Best Premium | Best Budget |
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Snap Circuits Extreme SC-750 Electronics Discovery Kit |
Elenco Snap Circuits Bundle |
Snap Circuits 3D Illumination Electronics Discovery Kit |
| See price on Amazon | See price on Amazon | See price on Amazon |
Tips for Buying the Right Kit
- Kit Size
Consider the size of the kit. A kit with a smaller amount of pieces will have more limitations compared to a larger one. All Snap Circuits kits are compatible with each other. This means you can buy extra kits to add to your collection. Smaller ‘upgrade’ kits are also available for some models. - Types of Kits
Although all kits are aimed at those interested in electronics, they all have different features. These range from Robotics, 3D Illumination, Lights, Sounds, and many more. If you are buying for a child, consider what may interest them the most. - Not Just for Kids
These kits are fantastic for children to learn about electronics and how they work. However, many adults enjoy using them too. They are family friendly as they can keep both young and old entertained for hours. - What is the recommended age?
The manufacturer recommends that all these kits are for ages 8 and above. However, younger children can enjoy these toys too, they just might need some assistance. - Are Snap Circuits Safe?
Snap Circuits are very safe to use because there is no soldering of components needed. No tools are needed to use these kits either.
Snap Circuits Extreme SC-750 Electronics Discovery Kit
Best Value Kit – The Extreme Electronics Discovery kit offers a lot at a great price. We picked this kit for ‘Best Value’ for a few reasons. These include its generous size and massive collection of instructions for different projects. If your looking for a kit to give you the best of everything, this is it.
- Great all round kit
- Over 80 pieces
It’s easy to see why this toy has won multiple awards. You are able to build over 750 projects with this kit. It has all the basic components for building as well as a few sophisticated extras. We’ve listed our 3 favorite features below.
Solar Cell
Solar technology is a wonderful addition to electronics. This kit comes with rechargeable batteries, but with a solar panel, you can access the suns free energy. Many projects use the solar panel, including a solar powered car and a solar powered drone.
Audio Amplifier
An audio amplifier (amp) will bring sound to your circuits. Use it in the doorbell project, play music through it or pair it with the microphone to hear your voice. Some of the other sound related features are sound activated switches and sound oscillators to transfer the sound through the circuits.
Computer Interface
Expand your circuit knowledge and connect your design to the computer. This will allow for a greater understanding of the building process. Software to use on your PC is included.
Some of the advanced projects require the circuit to be connected to a computer. This way you can monitor the electrical currents and waves using a scope. It’s great if you or your child is very interested in electrical engineering.
If you have a Mac, you can still use this feature but you will need to run this with compatible emulation software (approved by the manufacturer).
Elenco Snap Circuits Bundle
Best Premium Kit – This huge bundle includes the kit mentioned above as well as the Deluxe Rover, Lights Discovery, and Snaptricity kits. Ideal for those who want to have never-ending options for circuit creations. Budding electronics enthusiasts might want to consider this bundle to give them unlimited creative capacity.
- Ideal for real enthusiasts and families
- Over 220 pieces – 4 kits included
Storage Case
With so many pieces included in this bundle, the storage case will allow for easy sorting and storage. The custom foam inserts are designed to hold the circuit pieces. This also keeps them safe from dust and dirt. You can buy the storage case separately too.
1000+ Projects
There are over 1000 projects included in this bundle. This is sure to provide hours of entertainment. The size of this bundle is ideal if there are multiple people in your household who enjoy Snap Circuits. With over 220 pieces you can build multiple circuits separately without running out of components. Bundle kits are also great gift ideas if you are buying for multiple people.
The Deluxe Rover kit adds cool remote control robot gadgets to your circuit building experience. We discuss this kit separately further down the list.
Lights Discovery
The Lights kit really brings another element to circuits. There are several different types of lights in this kit including LED. One of the more exciting features of this kit is the ability to plug into your MP3 player, phone or music playing device. The circuit lights are activated by different types of music playing from your device.
Snaptricity
The Snaptricity kit provides circuits based around electricity and magnetism. Some of the components in this kit include an electrical meter, an electric motor/generator, lamps, switches, and a compass. It introduces users to the more basic traditional electronic circuits.
Snap Circuits 3D Illumination Electronics Discovery Kit
Best Budget Kit – This 3D Illumination Discovery kit offers all kinds of fun. Ideal if you are starting out with Snap Circuits and don’t want to break the bank.
- Great starter kit
- Over 50 pieces
Build visually exciting circuits with 3D illumination and light features. Create over 150 projects such as a projector that displays images, 3D house or a light tunnel. Use colored lights, 3D glasses, mirror circuit pieces and vertical snap wire to build circuits upwards.
We think this kit is great value as it provides a lot of creative play at a very affordable price.
Light Technology
Operate your circuits in the dark to get the full effect of the lights. If using the phototransistor component, you will need plenty of light. This is because it requires light in order for it to work. The phototransistor works by triggering other parts of the circuit.
The Light Discovery kit would compliment this set well if you are looking to expand on it in the future. However, it is compatible with all the Snap Circuit kits.
Snap Circuits Alternative Energy Green
The Alternative Energy kit encourages the discovery of ‘Green’ energy. It’s designed to demonstrate alternative energy methods and how they work. We love this kit for it’s forward thinking and that it inspires conscious thinking about energy consumption and the ways it can be generated.
- Green energy focused
- Over 40 parts
Build 125+ projects using various energy strategies. Use components like a solar cell, hand crank, water wheel, FM radio, windmill or the liquid holder. These pieces are durable and made with longevity in mind.
Science and Learning
A real element of science is brought to life with this set. Some of the types of energy you can create using this kit are wind, solar, and hydroelectric. Learn about energy transfer, liquid batteries and much more.
An educational manual is included in this kit too. It explains different types of green energy sources and how they can be used. Education for children around these types of energies is hard to come by. However, Snap Circuits has made a hands-on learning experience that is easy to understand and is sure to inspire.
Snap Circuits Deluxe R/C Snap Rover Electronics Discovery Kit
This Rover Electronics Discovery kit brings Snap Circuits and robotics together. If you have ever wondered what it might be like to build a robot or a remote control toy, this kit is for you.
- Robot building kit
- Over 50 pieces
Over 40 project instructions are in this set. These include the RC Rover, Electronic Metronome, Car Alarm, RC Disc Launcher, Martian Monster Sound Generator, Power Generator and many more.
Remote Control
Command your creations by using the remote control. The Rover itself is not built for speed but is great for learning how electronics and mechanics can work together. For best remote control performance, operate the vehicle on smooth surfaces.
We featured the Rover kit in our article on the Top Toys for 10 year old Boys.
Snap Circuits Jr. SC-100 Electronics Discovery Kit
The Junior Electronics Discovery kit is designed for beginners. It’s a great set to get started and was created with them in mind. Beginners won’t be overwhelmed with too many pieces. It’s very easy to follow the instructions for creating circuits. You’ll learn the basics of electronics using the motors, switches, and batteries.
- Perfect beginner kit
- Over 30 pieces
Although this kit only has 30 pieces, there is a good range of components. With these limited pieces, you can still create over 100 different circuits. Build time varies between projects with some of the simpler ones taking around 10 minutes to complete.
It’s a good buy if you’re wanting to see how Snap Circuits work or if you want to keep the cost down.
The set includes some interesting pieces such as an alarm circuit, a music circuit, and a speaker. Build a water detector, a voice activated sensor or launch a fan into the air. Just like all Snap Circuits kits, you can add to it as you advance your building skills.
Conclusion
Hopefully, we have made it easy for you to decide on which Snap Circuit is right for you. You can’t go wrong with any of the kits we have mentioned above. They all offer something for everyone to enjoy, whether you are a beginner or more advanced and want to add to your collection.
We didn’t discuss every Snap Circuits kit that is available, only the ones we deem best. One not in this list is the Snap Circuits coding kit we featured in our gifts for tweens post.
If you think there is a kit that should be on our list, let us know in the comments below.
