Gift for Makers Products
Discover the best gift for makers products and tools we actually use. Each item tested in real-world scenarios with honest, detailed reviews.
Arduino UNO R4 WiFi
UNO R3 form-factor board built around a 48MHz Renesas RA4M1 with onboard ESP32-S3 Wi-Fi/BLE, USB-C power, Qwiic connector, and a 12x8 LED matrix—ideal for connected prototypes without stacking extra shields.
Renesas RA4M1 plus ESP32-S3, USB-C, Qwiic, and the built-in LED matrix keep the UNO R4 WiFi my go-to IoT board—just budget for higher idle draw and the occasional AVR library tweak. Read full review.
Genmitsu 3018-PRO CNC Router with 20000RPM Spindle
Desktop CNC kit with a 300 x 180 mm work envelope, GRBL control, ER11 spindle, and keyed wiring that let makers engrave PCBs, plastics, and hardwood alongside their 3D printing projects.
Pre-wired limit switches, a cooler 20K spindle, and GRBL compatibility keep the 3018-PRO my go-to desktop router for PCB prototypes and hardwood inlays. Read full review.
Hakko FX-888DX Digital Soldering Station
70W temperature-controlled station with the new rotary encoder interface, T18 tip ecosystem, and rapid thermal recovery for dependable assembly and rework.
Rotary encoder controls, fast thermal recovery, and Hakko’s T18 ecosystem keep the FX-888DX as my go-to station for everything from connector swaps to fine-pitch rework. Read full review.
Raspberry Pi Pico W
Compact RP2040‑based microcontroller board with 2.4 GHz Wi‑Fi for affordable embedded and IoT projects.
Perfect for IoT projects. Built-in Wi-Fi incredibly convenient for connected projects. RP2040 chip surprisingly powerful for price. Used for home automation sensors to weather stations. Rock solid. Great value. Read full review.
Rigol DS1102Z-E Digital Oscilloscope
100 MHz, 2‑channel digital oscilloscope with deep memory for capturing and analyzing electronic signals during debugging.
Invaluable for electronics projects and debugging. 100 MHz bandwidth perfect for microcontroller work. Deep memory captures complex signals beautifully. Intuitive interface. Worth every penny. Read full review.
RTL-SDR Blog V3 USB Radio
USB software‑defined radio (SDR) receiver covering a wide frequency range for exploring and decoding radio signals.
Fascinating addition to tech collection. Frequency coverage impressive - explore AM/FM radio, weather satellites, digital signals. Mature software ecosystem with free tools. Great value for radio exploration. Read full review.
Fluke 117 Multimeter
True-RMS digital multimeter with integrated non-contact voltage detection, low-impedance mode, and compact design for electricians and electronics workbenches.
True-RMS accuracy, LoZ ghost-voltage protection, and Fluke build make the 117 my trusted daily multimeter. Read full review.
GeeekPi Raspberry Pi Cluster Case
Clear acrylic six-layer case that houses four Raspberry Pi boards with active cooling, cable management, and easy access for homelab clusters.
Keeps my four-node Pi cluster cool, accessible, and organized—best acrylic stack I’ve used for k3s and homelab work. Read full review.
Elenco 130-in-1 Electronic Playground and Learning Center
An expanded electronics learning kit with 130 experiments that teach advanced circuit concepts including oscillators, amplifiers, digital logic, and integrated circuits through hands-on projects without soldering.
Expanded electronics learning kit with 130 experiments covering advanced circuits, digital logic, and integrated circuits. Perfect progression for kids ready to move beyond basic electronics. Read full review.
Elenco Electronic Playground 60-in-One Experiments
A hands-on electronics learning kit with 60 experiments that teach kids the fundamentals of circuits, resistors, capacitors, transistors, and more through interactive projects without soldering.
Hands-on electronics learning kit with 60 experiments that teach circuit fundamentals through interactive projects—perfect for kids who want to understand how electronics work. Read full review.
Raspberry Pi 5 Starter Kit PRO
Starter kit including Raspberry Pi 5, power supply, case, and cooling—everything needed to set up a capable single‑board computer.
Excellent Raspberry Pi 5 starter kit with everything needed to begin single-board computing projects. Perfect for DIY makers. Read full review.
Elegoo Smart Robot Car Kit
Elegoo’s V4.0 Arduino-based smart car kit bundles ultrasonic, IR, Bluetooth, and FPV Wi-Fi sensors with keyed wiring, a 2000mAh Li-ion pack, and step-by-step tutorials for hands-on robotics STEM projects.
Plug-and-play connectors, rich tutorials, and plenty of sensors make the Elegoo car a bargain STEM platform that you can extend well beyond the stock line-follow demo. Read full review.
xTool D1 Pro Laser Engraver
Diode laser engraver/cutter for engraving and light cutting of materials like wood, leather, and acrylic with fine precision.
20 W diode power, LightBurn support, and xTool’s accessory ecosystem make the D1 Pro a killer maker workshop engraver. Read full review.