Thames & kosmos Chem C2000 (V 2.0), Multi Color

I am a retired professional Chemist, and I gave this to my grandnephew this Christmas. It is expensive, but it has a good assortment of quality lab equipment plus plenty of chemicals to perform the numerous experiments. It has everything needed, except for a nine-volt battery, to perform the 250 experiments detailed in the 128-page manual.If you have a child who is interested in science, this is a great way to introduce him/her to the world of Chemistry, and who knows you may cultivate a future Chemist.If this is out of your price range at $147.95, they also offer two less expensive sets, Chem C1000 ($47.48) with 125 experiments, and Chem C500 ($27.49) with 28 experiments. I would recommend the Chem C1000 as a less expensive alternative.

Yes you need to add a number of items from the DIY store (ethanol, steel wool, iodine solution, etc...), but the smile on the face of my daughter when doing the experiments is worth it :)There were very exhaustive instructions, so as long as an adult was around, the experiments could be performed safely and successfully. The equipment was high quality and was easy for a child to handle, except the safety google that were too wide for a child (even for an adult with a narrow head). I bought another pair at the DIY store and kept the one included in the kit for myself.

Fantastic chemistry set - a must for 11 year olds!

The only reason I haven't given this five stars is because we just started the kit and have not gotten very far. The instructions are wonderful and safety is a large component of this kit. However, the safety glasses are useless. They don't stay on a child's or adult's face. So, plan on purchasing those. A lot of materials are not included in the kit and requires you to buy them, which makes this more expensive. (ie. citric acid, ascorbic acid, iodine, gloves, baking soda, plaster of paris, denatured alcohol, steel wool, vinegar, batteries, nails, etc.) There are quite a few more items that need to be gathered in order to complete the experiments, but those are just a few... It does cause some impatience on the part of the child, but also teaches them to do things correctly and thoroughly.

It depends which way you look at this product.In one way there's very little for your £90-£100 when you look at what there is in the box.However it will take a kid a few days to progress through all the experiments safely so it might be a small price to pay for keeping the nipper absorbed.The early experiments are a bit...yawn but it livens up towards the end.The problem is when you have used up some core chemicals. When they're gone, they're gone. After a while it's a bit like having spotted-dick without the custard. Spare ingredients are thankfully available from various sources however but getting Dad open his wallet for the kid to burn, melt or blow up more cash into the atmosphere may prove tricky.