The weekend is approaching and our Raspberry Pi stares at us from the desk. What can we do with it? What new idea should we explore? There are many projects to develop through software, but the mini computer reaches its full potential when we combine it with a wide selection of components. Fortunately, it's not hard to find Raspberry Pi kits that include dozens of parts at a very reasonable cost, and today we're going to present a humble selection.
The most advanced experiments involving the Raspberry Pi usually have dedicated sensors, a good dose of robotics, and a basic grasp of languages like Python. At the end of the day, it's not enough to connect components to the mini computer; we need to find a way to “talk” to them. But beyond tutorials, step-by-step guides, and copy-pasted Python scripts that make life easier, we need to have those components in our arsenal.
The Best Raspberry Pi Kits
The good news is that they aren't too expensive, especially when we buy them in the form of Raspberry Pi kits, and with the general use of GPIO, their compatibility extends to all versions. At the same time, the kit concept also reaches those who don't own a Raspberry Pi yet and want to buy everything from scratch. Below we present a selection of kits that cover both cases and will surely meet your expectations.
Freenove RFID Kit for Beginners
Dozens of passive components, motors, relays, a joystick, servos, an RFID sensor with a fob and a compatible card, a power module, two LED matrices, an LCD screen, a keyboard, cables, a breadboard, and an excellent GPIO extender are just a fraction of the impressive RFID kit sold by Freenove. Don't be fooled by the 'RFID' label here. The kit is very flexible, which makes it a solid starting point for any enthusiast.
Kookye Starter Kit with Remote Control
Perhaps a bit simpler than the previous one, but no less interesting. Among all Raspberry Pi kits, Kookye's option leans toward infrared technology with a motion sensor, a dedicated receiver, and a remote control. It also includes a DHT11 humidity sensor, a BMP180 atmospheric pressure module, three GL5516 photosensors, 24 LED lights, and more than 50 resistors to start working on the breadboard. Everything comes in a handy plastic case, along with a CD with several projects.
Kuman 38-in-1 Sensor Kit
Why settle for three or four isolated modules when we can have... almost all of them? The 38-in-1 kit from Kuman practically leaves no stone unturned. Pressure, temperature, movement, infrared (emission and reception), light, touch, encoder, joystick... let's say it would be hard to believe if your project doesn't come to fruition with this battalion of sensors as allies on your workbench. (Kuman also offers an Arduino variant)
Globmall ABOX Kit for Media Center
The three kits we've seen so far have something very important in common: they don't include the Raspberry Pi. If you've come this far empty-handed and are looking for a good base, the answer is the Globmall ABOX kit. It brings a Raspberry Pi 3B, case, three heatsinks, 32 GB microSD card, USB card reader, HDMI cable, and a 2.5A power supply with a switch. Not bad for 80 euros, but don't forget there are other case alternatives out there.
Vilros V-Kits with Raspberry Pi 3 B+ for Retro Console
The previous kit uses the standard Raspberry Pi 3B, and its distributor presents it as an optimal way to turn the mini computer into a Media Center. But what happens when the priority is a retro console? That's when the Vilros V-Kits steps in, with a Raspberry Pi 3B+ (quad-core at 1.4 GHz), a case that mimics the Nintendo NES, two heatsinks, a 32 GB card, USB reader, power supply, HDMI cable, and two compatible gamepads. Its description indicates that RetroPie is already loaded on the card, but nothing stops you from replacing it with Recalbox. A great option among Raspberry Pi kits.
PiHut Zero Essentials Kit
Some of our readers might think we aren't talking enough about the Raspberry Pi Zero, and that's something I intend to correct with this small kit. The PiHut Zero Essentials brings the mini computer in Zero W version with WiFi, HDMI and USB adapters, a tin case that reminds us of Altoids candies, GPIO pins to solder, four rubber feet... and that's it. It's not called 'Essentials' for nothing, and although we must add a memory card and power supply, the initial investment is only 25 euros.
EG STARTS 2 Controls Kit for Arcade
Retro console? How about a full-size arcade machine replica, with joysticks and buttons like the ones we used before? The Raspberry Pi not only makes that possible, but there are also kits like the EG STARTS 2, with two joysticks, two low-latency USB encoders, and 20 buttons to press and pound like crazy. The kit suggests using MAME, but with minimal configuration adjustments, both RetroPie and Recalbox will work fine.
That's all for now. If your search for Raspberry Pi kits brought you here, I hope I've helped. If you plan to start from scratch, there are three options to choose from, and if you plan an arcade cabinet at 1:1 scale, I just ask you to share some pictures because I want to see it finished. Good luck!
