SparkFun Inventor's Kit - v4.0

I am a retiree who has wanted to understand electronics and programming of electronic devices for many years but until now never found a convenient way to approach the subject. This kit, which I purchased a couple of weeks ago, is a great introduction. The projects are fun,and solderless breadboard eliminates drudgery. Instructions could not be clearer. I now feel comfortable using Arduino software and modifying commands. Fritzing diagrams beautifully illustrate each project. At my present rate, it will probably take me a couple of months to go through all projects included in the kit. I am supplementing the projects by doing some "extra" reading on programming the Arduino. Tech support has responded promptly to 2-3 questions I have sent via email. Also, when I called about a small part that was omitted or which I lost, it was mailed out promptly along with some gift items I had no right to expect. My view: a great product and great service. Wish I had discovered Arduino and this kit when I was a lot younger.

This is an awesome kit! I used it in an Arduino class that I taught, and I also recommend it to people who are just getting started with Arduino and electronics. It really is a great way to learn and build up a small set of pieces that you can expand on later, and the projects included with the kit are enough to cover a lot of different areas. It also gives you the knowledge you need to extrapolate and start to come up with your own ideas. The only caveat I have is that there are two versions: one with an actual Arduino Uno, and one with the Sparkfun Redboard. Both are about the same, but the Uno tends to play a bit nicer with certain computers, so if you're concerned about Arudino compatibility, I would keep that in mind.

We used the v4.0 kit for our summer camp with over one hundred students. The kit worked great with the exception of the Ultrasonic Distance Sensor HC-SR04. We had to buy separate SR04s because the units in the v4.0 kits were quite intermittent. Sparkfun has now created an upgraded 4.1 kit with a SR04 replacement in addition to QWIIC expansion capability.

Put together the same thing on adafruit if you feel smart and frugal

This kit is required for all freshmen engineering majors at Northeastern University in Boston to be used in their Cornerstone of Engineering classes. My 5 star review is based on the fact that it was chosen by a major university as a learning tool. I will update later if needed based on my student's experience with kit this year.

I just spent 3 hours trying to get this setup and running. It came with a Redboard. Installed software, updated device drivers, checked all settings, downloaded examples, etc. Searched the internet for troubleshooting tips. Uninstalled Arduino software and reinstalled multiple times. Tried everything. But the details on the Sparkfun website don’t match anything that I’m seeing.“Arduino UNO” doesn’t show up in device manager. But “FT231X USB UART” does. However it doesn’t come with any FTDI drivers. Their website says “If you have an...Redboard, you shouldn’t need” to install FTDI drivers. Well after nothing else worked I tried that too. Still didn’t work.Nothing on their website indicated that they’ve given any thought or attention to working with the Windows 10 (or later) operating system.I’m no dummy. I manage an entire business network. I use to work at Microsoft. But I can’t get this thing to work.So my 12-year-old has now lost all interest. And I wasted $85 and 3 hours of my life. I’m extremely disappointed.

I like everything about it.. I used it for school

Gift.