Purchased a set as a gift, would expect it to come in a box. Instead it came in a plastic bag with Chinese writing. Also the soldering iron does not have a UK plug - again just put in an old plastic bag
Hi Lou, sorry to hear you're not happy with your purchase. There is nothing in the product listing to suggest that any of the products came in a gift box. Many electronics kits are shipped in minimal packaging (such as the high-quality, waterproof padded mailing bags that these kits are shipped in) to keep the product costs low and enable us to offer free shipping. If we were to ship them in a gift box, the cost of the box would have to be added to the cost of the product. Furthermore, a box is far more costly to ship than a small packet so we would not be able to provide free shipping. Taking these points into consideration, the FM radio kit would cost about £3 sterling more for the box and then an additional approx £8 sterling for shipping... a waste of money for unnecessary packaging that adds little or no value to the product and that you just throw in the bin. We are considering offering all products with a gift box option in the future for those who would like to pay the extra to receive it that way. I'm sure whoever you bought it for will get as much enjoyment building it regardless whether it was in a box or not. With respect to the soldering iron, the product page clearly shows the plug that it is shipped with. The voltage is rated for the EU and most of the EU use the two pronged plug... the soldering iron can be used in the UK with any readily available, inexpensive adapter, that you may already have in your home. There is a very detailed manual for the kit that can be downloaded from the product page, or you can just email us to receive a copy - info@thesciencehut.com.
The Valentine’s Heart kit is a marvel. Once turned on, the completed kit offers a light show that is sure to dazzle anyone who sees it.
The soldering is easy for anyone with a reasonably steady hand, but older eyes may in addition require magnification. The surface mount parts should not be a problem if you follow the recommendations in the instructions – just use a light touch when positioning them.
The greatest care needs to be exercised when inserting the 40-pin chip. If you have not done this sort of thing before, search the web for a visual guide. Your time will not be wasted.
The instructions provide a warning about soldering wires to the battery terminals. If you place the terminals in the battery box, bend the tabs over, then remove the tabs, you can solder the wires to the tabs without worrying about melting the plastic. Once the soldering is done, just place the terminals back in their slots and proceed.
Hi Paul, thank you for this review, and we're delighted you're happy with the product. Very useful tip about how to avoid melting the plastic and our Technical guys are fully on-board with your recommendation, so much so, that they've taken note to include this instruction with the next revision of the instruction manual. So, thank you for that! The team have commented on your amazing eye for detail, catching minor things and providing insight and advice that they didn't think of themselves... we're always open to hearing how we can improve our products or service, so we really appreciate everything you've shared with us over the last number of months.
The 4-digit digital clock kit is a nice-looking finished project. I like the temperature and calendar features particularly. The clock will, if you wish, alarm and/or chime as you wish.
So far, I note that this clock keeps better time than the 6-digit version. I have no explanation for this right now.
A word of warning: It is easy to make a costly mistake when inserting a chip into a socket. If you have not done this before, search the web for a visual guide. Your time will not be wasted.
The voice of experience: When you are ready to set up your clock, read the instructions carefully, starting at the very beginning. The process for some functions is different from others. I failed to start at the very beginning, and was in some distress for two days until the Science Hut advisors set me straight. Again, be meticulous!
Hi Paul, thank you so much for your review, as always packed with useful info for other purchasers of the product, which we really appreciate. Glad we were able to support you with the set-up; as you know, we're always just an email or social media message away and always happy to offer any support we can.
I buy a lot of electronics STEM kits from here for spending quality time with my son. We sometimes have questions that we can't find the answers to on Google, but when we email customer support here, they are always super helpful. Most recently, we had a question about some code we're writing for an Arduino project, we just couldn't figure out why our code was giving us an error... customer support had a response for us within an hour that not only completely resolved the issue with the code, but provided us a detailed explanation of why our code wasn't working. Fantastic, you just don't get that level of support anywhere else these days.
Hi Ernest, thank you for taking the time to leave us this review, we really appreciate it. We pride ourselves in the level of customer support and technical support we offer to our customers, so thank you for highlighting this. Glad to know you’re working closely with your son on these projects; with all this hands-on experience, he’ll no doubt be one of the top in his class if he is inspired to take the electronics engineering or computer programmer career route.
I've ordered from here many times since I first found the store about a year ago... never disappoints, items always delivered much faster than they state in their Shipping Policy, customer service is fantastic, responses within minutes most of the time, and a great selection of products with regular new additions, all of this keeps me coming back. Keep it up guys (",),/"
Hi Sean, thank you for taking the time to leave this review, we really appreciate it! We state 7-21 days shipping time to allow for some complex distribution channels to certain countries, but you’re right, we typically have items delivered much faster (average 7 days from all our 2024 data, globally). Delighted to hear you’re being kept engaged with the new products; we have about 15 new items planned for Q1, 2025 so there’ll be a lot for you to explore.
Poor customer service. Asked to return an item that did not arrive in time for our Christmas celebration because we were visiting family. Items were unopened. When we returned I asked to return and they denied me.. I had asked to cancel my order prior to shipping as well when it had not arrived!!! So disappointed.
Hi Nicole,
Unfortunately, orders cannot be cancelled once they are dispatched as we do not have a mechanism for recalling them. Your order was placed on 12 Dec 2024 and arrived on 21 Dec 2024, so it did in fact arrive before Christmas. We advised you to visit the couriers website and arrange alternative delivery time that worked for you if you weren't going to be at home. As per our Returns and Refund policy, we offer the statutory 14 days after delivery of your order to return it. Since it has been 23 days since your items were delivered, unfortunately, we are unable to process a return. Had you requested a return within the 14 days, we absolutely would have accepted your return request without question.
Have been shopping here for the last 6 months or so, especially for the electronics stem kits, find soldering electronics very therapeutic! I’m always amazaed at how far out of their way the customer service and technical support team at the Science Hut go to ensure that you’re satisfied. I’ve bought things in the past from other stores that I’d have paid several hundred to several thousands dolalrs for and I wouldn’t get the same level of after-sales support from those company’s that The Science Hut gives for 20-30 dollar purchases. It’s what keeps me coming back here time and time again, business like this one deserve to be supported. I also really love what they stand for... promoting scientific education, knowledge, and awareness for people of all ages! Indeed, my 14 year old son enjoys making the electronics kits with me, and he’s got his eye on a few of the other kits here for Christmas too!
Hi Donald, thank you so much for taking the time to review our store, we really appreciate it. Thank you for your kinds words about the quality of our after-sales care, we really do try our best so it's reall nice when someone takes it upon themselves to highlight it! You're a regular customer and of course that would entitle you to loyalty rewards, so if you're planning on ordering something for your son for Christmas, touch base with us first so we can arrange a loyalty discount and/or send you something additional as a gift from us to your son! All the best...
Lots of interesting things to buy here... I get electronics kits for myself and some of the science toys for my little brother. Shipping is fast enough and is nearly always free, it depends on the product you're ordering, but most of them are free shipping. Products always come well packaged - they don't always included instructions but they seem to have very detailed instructions for all their products that can be downloaded from their site. I contacted them for some guidance on the final steps of assembling the bluetooth speaker I had and their customer support team stepped me through it, even recorded a video and sent it to me. You can't ask for more than that - you wouldn't get that kind of support from most stores even if you purchased something that costs hundreds or even thousands of euro... the bluetooth kit was only €25 or something like that. Very interested in some of the newest electronics kits that have been listed recently, so be expecting another order from me soon :)
Hi Lucasz, thanks so much for taking the time to review our store. Delighted that you're enjoying our products and nice to hear you're buying STEM toys and kits for your brother, it's very thoughtful of you! I've checked our system and noted you still have a 10% sign-up discount that you never used - we've emailed it onto you again as a reminder, you can use it for your next order :) If you're having difficulty using the voucher, just pop us an email on info@thesciencehut.com and we'll get that sorted for you. Have a lovely weekend!
I've been shopping at The Science Hut for about four months and have been delighted with every purchase. I love how they focus on the educational benefits of their products, which helps me choose items that align with my teenagers' interests. My kids adore the products, especially the electronics kits, which we build together. This not only benefits them but also provides quality time for us as a family.
The customer support is fantastic; they regularly send shipping updates and recently gave me a personalized discount voucher as a thank you for my frequent purchases. I will use it to buy an Arduino development board kit which I am told they will be selling soon.
It's rare to find this level of service in online shopping today, where many stores are nothing more than money-grabbers selling junk and provide no customer support. So, thank you, The Science Hut, for a wonderful shopping experience.
Hi Henry, thanks so much for your wonderful review, it's heartwarming to hear how our products are helping you to bond with your teenagers. Great that they are so engaged too, many teenagers these days can't pull themselves away from their phones for more than a few minutes to try doing something else. They'll reap the benefits of building electronics kits and playing with STEM toys in a few years when they are sitting secondary school exams or pursuing a science/technology-based course in college. Delighted to be able to give you a loyalty discount voucher, and yes, you're right, we're currently evaluating a range of products that are compatabile with the Arduino project - these should hit our store within the next 2 weeks.
I bought the light sensitive robot kit. It came in the mail. Directions where in Chinese so that was useless. But what really upset me is that most of the parts were bent or broken. The IC leads where twisted and broke. The small motor leads were twisted and or half broke. The IC holder leads were also bent. Like sombody packed it without caring.
Hi Vincent. Thanks for your purchase and sorry to hear you were not satisfied. If you had contacted us with your concerns, we'd have made it 100% right and completly to your satisfaction; we always do. And of course, we still will make it right if you wish - just email info@thesciencehut.com and we'll look after you there.
Just with respect to your review of this product, the silkscreen on the PCB very clearly shows where every component needs to be soldered, and this is generally all someone needs to complete the kit. However, where someone is new to electronics or needs more instruction, detailed English instructions can be downloaded from a link on the product page - indeed, detailed instructions can be downloaded from the product page for the majority of the kits we sell. We also have a free blog and Youtube channel that provides lots of tips and advice for assembling electronics kits.
With respect to the components being bent, they all include long, thin wire stems which are very easily bent during shipping and handling, but this in no way affects their functionality. Indeed, the bent stems are snipped off and thrown away as part of the assembly. We pack the components into bags and ship them in bubble-wrapped padded mailing bags which are more than adequate for these types of products. If we were to pack in a protective box (which is completely unnecessary), the customer would end up with a higher cost for the product and most likely have to pay for shipping too. The way this product is packed means we can sell it for only $14.95 and include free shipping for that low price. We want to keep our prices as low as possible because we want to make our products easily accessible for anyone interested in learning about science. Avoiding inflating prices with unnecessary packing costs helps us to do that.
As mentioned earlier, feel free to reach out to our customer support email above if you wish, they are there to help you.
Loving the electronics kits. Great selection on offer. Great and easy to follow instructions that can be downloaded from the product pages. Free shipping and the speed of delivery is excellent, far better than stated in their shipping terms page. Haven't had to contact customer support yet, but I'm looking forward to doing so when the need arises based on the many other positive comments I see written about the customer service here. Thanks a lot - this store helped me find a great new hobby! Looking forward to receiving my next electronics kit.
Hi Dean - thanks so much for your review, we really appreciate you taking the time to write it. Glad you're enjoying the kits, we are always adding new products, so be sure to keep an eye on our store from time to time. And of course, we're also looking forward to serving you if you find you have a customer support or technical question - just contact us anytime using our contact form on https://thesciencehut.com/pages/contact or just email us at info@thesciencehut.com - thanks for your custom (',)/'
Love the products on this store... I've bought a few things for myself here and find it a great store to come back to buy gifts, there seems to be something for everyone, and they are always adding new niche products. Would love to see even more electronics STEM kits, would be especially nice if ye started selling Arduino kits. The service is excellent, customer support always seem to have the right answers to questions, whether they be pre-purchase or post-purchase. They go out of their way to ensure you're happy - I get the impression that this store is truly in it for the customers rather than just in it for the money. Keep up the great work team!
Hi Edward - thanks for taking the time to review our store; it's very much appreciated. We're delighted that you're left with such a positive impression after shopping with us and it's heartwarming to hear how you feel about our customer-centered focus. In fact, we are currently evaluation some Arduino products so you may see them hit our store in the coming weeks and months. Keep an eye on your emails; when we do list these products, we'll do some introductory price offers exclusively for our returning customers, of which we note you are one :) Best regards!
I've used this store to buy electronics kits for the last few months now, I really enjoying building them, it's a hobby I enjoy very much, so I'm delighted to have found this store. They have a really finely curated selection of electronics kits and other science-based products for all ages, from 3-100. The customer service here is amazing. A response is guaranteed within 24 hours, but I've always had a response to my questions same day. The agents are so friendly, courteous, and go above and beyond to ensure you are taken care of and are satisfied with the response. Unlike many other stores or Amazon where you just get generic copy-and-paste responses to your questions that don't actually provide the information you're seeking, the ScienceHut team really know a lot about the products they sell and can answer any question about them. They have a technical team to support technical questions and help troubleshoot issues you might be having. They have a great free blog that is regularly updated with useful information. They keep you posted with shipping information while your orders are in transit... what more can I say, other than this store comes with my highest recommendation. Thanks for all the ongoing support, and looking forward to my next delivery! Mike
Hi Mike, thanks so much for taking the time to write this fantastic review, we really appreciate it! We're delighted that you're happy with our level of customer support, we do aim to please with every customer interaction. Our product procurement team are currently evaluating another 10-20 products that should hit our store this summer, so do keep an eye on our collection if you're looking for new electronics kits! Best Regards
So far I have only purchased one kit from this company. I got the kit assembled and ran into an issue with a 3rd party’s web server. I wrote to the Sciencehut and explained the issue. WOW, I got a reply in just a about an hour. They duplicated my problem in their lab and formulated a solution to the issue I was having They had my problem solved in 2 days. Customer service like this is so rare these days and the Sciencehut puts everyone else to shame in this aspect of business. I am very proud to recommend the Sciencehut for all your kit building needs.
Guys, it has been a real pleasure doing business with you. My only dilemma now is which kit do I order next.
Wow, thanks for this amazing review, Gary; the team are really chuffed with it! It was our pleasure assisting you in resolving the issue and thanks for your patience while we worked through it together. We're always just an email away if there's ever anything else we can help you with. Best regards :)