GAR Monster Starter Kit for Arduino - Robotics & IoT Development| Comprehensive 5-Board Set: Uno R3, Mega 2560, Nano V3, ESP32 WiFi+BT, ESP8266 NodeMCU | 25 Sensors, Tutorials & Organizer Toolbox

Finally, after examining many Arduino kits, I ended up picking this one because of the great variety of things it offers. It’s pricier than most kits but for the number of things that you get, it's worth it. One of the first I noticed when I opened it, was how everything was sorted. It was nice to find that most of the sensitive components were inside of anti-static bags. This a true sign that they care about what they are selling. One thing that you have to know is that this is a clone Arduino, nonetheless, since Arduino is open-source there is nothing illegal here. Make sure you follow the steps in the documents inside the USB stick that will find in the kit. This is a CRUCIAL step because you will have to install the proper drivers for the Arduino to work. This is because like I already mentioned, this is the clone version. You can either download the Arduino software from the internet or use the one included in the USB stick. I recommend the first option so you will have the latest update. I'd highly recommend checking the other files in the USB drive too. It has tons of different documents. You will find very useful projects in there. Also, there is a folder where you will find the datasheets for the different sensors and accessories. This is super helpful as you won’t have to spend a lot of time looking for them online to meet the requirements of your project. However, they missed to include the datasheet for the servo, and I had a problem with the thermoresistor datasheet. It shows three different versions of the thermoresistor. But the component doesn't have any markings on it nor is the part number specified in the description. Those are really the only issues that I ran into, and you most likely will find the other components' datasheets. Besides that, another thing that really surprised me was that there was also a folder with a lot of different pdf books to learn Arduino. Some of them have over 200 pages! However, my personal preference is the book written by Jeremy Blum, "Exploring Arduino", which you can find here on Amazon. After opening the kit, the first thing I did was to test my new Arduino board by running a simple code that turns an LED on and off. It worked flawlessly. So far I've been running different codes to tinker with the different accessories such as the photoresistor, motor driver IC, servo, potentiometer, LEDs, speaker, etc. I was impressed to find that one of the ICs (Integrated Circuit) was from Texas Instruments and not from an unbranded seller. For those who don't know, that company has a very high reputation in the electronics world in which NASA has used their products. Although I can't tell the quality of the rest of the kit, this is a huge plus for me because it speaks of quality. There is no doubt that the amount of things that you can do with this kit is unlimited. There are so many different components that, as a matter of fact, I even had to split the kit in another container because it was so compacted. The only thing that they missed to include in the kit were jumper wires, but this is still a great kit and it well deserves a five-star rating. I highly recommend it.

This starter kit has a good selection of sensors, motors, boards etc. to play with, and learn or teach, or both. On Linux things worked out of the box. Occasionally a code example was a little out of date, but it is easy to get support from GAR themselves, or on the official Arduino website or message boards. I do have to mention support by GAR on this product is great. They are very helpful with any issues you might have, they really make an effort. Great service!

This kit is legendary. There is alot of tutorial documents inside and it seems more projects are being added. All the components were there and in good condition and the toolbox case is solid. I tested the uno and mega boards and they seems to work fine with the Arduino program, just needed the driver. I havent had the time to try all the projects but so far the RFID and gas projects work. There are also datasheets for the components which is interesting. I have some minor experience with arduino but should be a fun kit for a newbie too. Theres a warranty card period of forever, not sure how that works but from other reviews, it seems GAR respects their customers. Very impressed, thanks!

Lots of cool micro controls great for learning thanks to the flash drive with all the links that seem to keep going. Over all a great for learning. As you can see I’ve only scratched the surface.

I liked the value and the fact that this company seems to really care about providing a quality service with lots of ways to get help and learn! Highly recommend!