Arduino – what starter kit should I choose to start my adventure with this minicomputer?

Arduino is the most popular open-source development platform in the world; using a small microcontroller, it offers countless possibilities for designing various hardware and software applications. This is why it is so often chosen by both experienced engineers and hobbyists just starting their adventure in the world of electronics and programming. Numerous manufacturers have prepared interesting starter kits, which are the best way to learn the basics of electronics and programming and to develop your own skills in this area based on the Arduino platform. Each starter kit that is offered for sale online consists of different components and we just have to choose the right one that best suits our expectations and needs. In this article we would like to present some kits that could be of interest to engineering and science students, as well as to do-it-yourself beginners who want to learn the basics of programming electronics and embedded systems and develop their technical skills by combining the pleasant with the useful. Every project, even the simplest but successfully completed, gives incredible satisfaction and motivation to continue working. This article describes the Arduino starter kits available at the Botland store. Each set is unique in its own way and worth attention, but before you decide to buy it, it is worth learning more about the contents of a particular set and checking out the possibilities it offers.

What should I consider when choosing a starter kit to learn Arduino?

Before you choose a kit for yourself or as a gift for your loved ones, it is important that you do some research on the following aspects:

Make sure the microcontroller board is compatible with Arduino Uno R3.

Each set has a different purpose and thus for a specific target project, which is to be built and operated based on it. When you know which project you want to implement, carefully check the electronic components contained in the kit you are interested in. Their number is also important. This way you will know if you need to buy additional parts to realize your project.

If you are a beginner and do not yet know the basics of programming and electronics, make sure that the kit you are considering is supported by the manufacturer with specific instructions and tutorial content to help you learn.

This article mainly aims to introduce the kits that work with the most popular Arduino board with an 8-bit controller – the Arduino UNO R3. We present the list of the eight Arduino starter kits from the Botland Store’s offer, which might be of special interest to you.

Move the mouse pointer over the image or the product title and click to go to its shop page.

FORBOT Kit – Master of Arduino

The starter kit developed by the FORBOT portal contains all the elements you need to learn and perform the exercises from the first two parts of the free Arduino course, also created by FORBOT. This kit contains the original Arduino UNO R3 module with Atmega 328p microcontroller, breadboard, connection cables, resistors, mounting potentiometers, capacitors, LEDs (including RGB LEDs), transistors, buttons, keyboard module, integrated circuits, displays, model-making servo, measuring sensors, a 9V battery with a clip, a 12V power supply, a USB connection cable, elements for mechanical assembly and devices bearing the FORBOT logo. The user receives a unique code that enables them to get immediate help in the FORBOT forum. The entire kit is esthetically packed in two transparent plastic cases. The course is divided into chapters so that the user can learn step by step about such things as: the characteristics of Arduino hardware, starting the programming environment, code syntax of programs written in Arduino, how to communicate Arduino with computers via the UART interface, the use of input/output ports, voltage measurement with an analog-to-digital converter, interrupts, keyboard operations, generating a PWM signal to control electric motors, and collecting data from various measurement sensors. By completing the exercises from FORBOT’s Arduino course, the user acquires practical skills in electronics and programming, thanks to which they can design many interesting devices such as a weather station or lighting control, and even learn how to build robots.

Arduino StarterKit K000007 – official starter kit with the Arduino Uno board

This kit was designed directly by the original manufacturer of Arduino and contains the popular baseboard with a microcontroller, high quality electronic components and a 172 pages guide to the basics of Arduino with instructions for creating various interesting projects. The carefully prepared content of the book encourages the user to think critically when designing electronic devices. The guide illustrates the physical principles of electricity and the design of a universal remote control for a smart home installation. With the K000007 kit, you can create projects such as the control panel of a spaceship, a multi-colored lamp, a mood detector, electronic musical instruments, a crystal ball, a controller for external devices, a door locking system with a code and many more! After you have built, programmed and executed all the projects included in the kit, you will gain an enormous amount of practical and theoretical knowledge that will help you to create many interesting projects of your own idea in the future. In addition to the Arduino baseplate and the book, the kit contains other electronic components such as resistors, capacitors, LEDs (also RGB), LCD display, buttons, sensors, potentiometers, jumpers, connecting cables, breadboard, servos, transistors, drivers for motors and servos and other elements, so that you can not only build the projects discussed in the book included in the kit, but also realize other projects according to your own ideas.

DFRobot Beginner Kit – for beginner users of Arduino v3.0

Thinking of all those who want to start their adventure with electronics and programming, DFRobot has prepared a rich Beginner Kit. It allows you to realize a wide variety of projects, starting from a simple LED control program, to advanced programs that use environmental sensors and programs that control the work of motors or servos. The kit includes a DFRduino UNO R3 board, which is fully compatible with Arduino UNO R3 in terms of hardware and software, and a prototype shield with a breadboard and a USB cable required for communication with a computer. The latest version of Beginner Kit also includes a set of electronic components grouped separately in ziplock bags with a black pictographic sticker, and a guide of 15 projects with a clear description of their implementation. With such support, in case of problems, the user will be able to quickly eliminate potential errors that occur during assembly and project start – and it is well known that the best way to learn is to learn from your own mistakes! Among the electronic components included in the set you will find high-quality connection cables, resistors, potentiometers, LEDs, an infrared transmitter and receiver module, relay, servo, electric motor and fan.

Ardublock Kit – graphical programming kit for Arduino

For those who have not yet learned to write programs, programming in the C language is not easy. DFRobot decided to help solve this problem and created the ArduBlock kit, which allows you to program microcontrollers in a graphical way – using the block method. The environment is compatible with Arduino IDE and efficiently combines graphical and classical programming when writing the source code. The Ardublock Kit includes the DFRduino UNO base module and DFRobot peripheral systems, which, combined with the dedicated ArduBlock programming environment, is an excellent learning tool for those just starting their adventure with electronics and programming. In addition to the DFRduino UNO baseboard with a microcontroller, the set includes a shield that extends the number of standard input/output ports. Among the peripherals included in the set, you will find light intensity sensors, ambient light, infrared sensors, encoder rotation sensor, sound intensity sensor, LED modules, servo, buttons and a buzzer. The Ardublock Kit is a good choice if you are looking for a gift for electronics enthusiasts, both children and adults. With this kit you will learn how to program electronic circuits in a clear and enjoyable way.

Grove – StarterKit v3 – starting kit for Arduino PL

Grove from Seeed Studio is a modular system that allows for the quick and easy production of prototypes of electronic devices without soldering. The 3rd edition of the Grove StarterKit contains a wide range of sensors that react to light, sound, movement, touch and other stimuli. However, there is no need to connect circuits in the traditional way, using contact plates and separate electronic elements – with this kit from Seeed Studio you can easily connect modules using standard ARK and Molex connectors, turning the process of learning the secrets of electronics and programming into a simpler and more enjoyable experience. The included Base Shield v2 board is a versatile bus that allows you to connect many sensors with a microcontroller to the board. Among the modules included in the kit you will find measurement sensors, LEDs, relays, a buzzer (beeper), push buttons, servo and LCD display. For each of the modules included in the kit there is a complete documentation and the program code, which will certainly help you to understand the principles of its operation. To use the kit, it is necessary to purchase the Arduino UNO R3 board or a compatible equivalent, preferably under the original manufacturer’s license, e.g. Seeeduino v4.2.

Circuitmess Ringo GSM educational kit – for self-assembly + set of tools

Building a mobile phone at home – it sounds a bit abstract, doesn’t it? But thanks to the development of technical education it is possible. Circuitmess Ringo GSM is an educational kit that allows you to build and program a mobile phone yourself – a device that allows you to send and receive voice calls and text messages. In addition, the phone you build with this kit also supports classic phone games known from mobile phones from the late 1990s, such as “Snake” or “Space Invaders”. The board has an ESP32 module that is compatible with Arduino and Arduino IDE, Scratch and Python environments. The set includes an acrylic case, keys, fasteners, strips with gold pins, TFT color display LCD with a resolution of 128x160pix, PCB with tinned solder pads to facilitate soldering, microSD card ( 4GB), antenna, electret microphone, electronic modules with the main processor, a digital-to-analog converter and an output amplifier and a GSM module – all neatly packed in a colorful box. In the second box, the user receives a toolbox with all the tools needed to build a telephone, i.e. a USB soldering iron with a stand, a 230VAC to 5VDC USB adapter to power the soldering iron, tin, a tin extractor, side and straight cutters and a Phillips screwdriver. Just like modern smartphones, the Ringo GSM phone is equipped with a SIM card connector and supports wireless connection via WiFi and Bluetooth. The CircuitMess kit is a good choice if you need a gift for someone who wants to develop their passion for programming.

SparkFun Inventor’s Kit for MicroView

The main element of the MicroView kit is a small OLED display module and a USB programmer for communication with the computer. The OLED display is compatible with Arduino, while the FLASH memory of the Atmega328P onboard microcontroller has a pre-installed bootloader for Arduino UNO that can provide a convenient user interface. In addition, the set includes accessories that allow the user to build eleven different electrical circuits, helping the user to learn the basics of programming – including understanding individual fragments of the source code and their functions, controlling the speed of electric motors, reading data from measurement sensors and tracking voltage measurements on the OLED display. To start the adventure with this small kit, no previous knowledge of programming in the Arduino IDE environment or of assembling electronic circuits is required; however, if the user has such experience, working with the MicroView kit will be even easier. The manufacturer provides a special guide on its website; it contains instructions for connecting sample circuits using the elements of this kit, as well as program codes with explanations and tips to help you solve possible problems when starting up or operating the circuits.

SparkFun Inventor’s Kit – v4.0 + a book

The SparkFun Inventor’s Kit v4.0 is the perfect solution for beginners who want to learn how to program and use the Arduino platform. SparkFun’s starter kit contains all the elements you need to create five different electronics projects with 16 different electrical circuits. The user learns how systems with flashing LEDs and even measuring sensors work. The last project you can realize with this kit is an autonomous robot. Again, no previous knowledge of programming or electronics is required. The included book (in English) is a guide full of instructions, including circuit diagrams and connection tables for each project. The book also illustrates sample source codes of programs used for the projects, and an explanation of the purpose of each electronic component included in the kit. There are also some useful tips for solving problems that may arise during the implementation of the projects. The kit does not require any soldering skills and is recommended for children aged 10 and up who want to enter the world of programming embedded systems and understand how programmable electronic devices work. The kit contains the RedBoard baseboard compatible with Arduino UNO R3, a breadboard, a metal pad, an English language manual, a LCD display (2×16 characters), a servo, a buzzer with generator, a dual channel driver, LEDs, measurement sensors, resistors, buttons, connection cables and a plastic case to store all the contents.