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Head to head
All 7 STEM kits, compared
The whole field in one table, scored on the weighting we publish openly. Below it, 21 head-to-head pages — each one naming the single structural difference the decision actually turns on.
| Kit | Score | Ages | New content | Reuses parts | Needs a parent | From | Visit brand site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 ibrickOur pick | 9.6 | 5-12 | Weekly | Yes | Rarely | $27/mo | Visit |
 CrunchLabs Build Box | 8.7 | 8-14 | Monthly | Partly | Rarely | $24.95/mo | Visit |
 MEL Science | 8.4 | 5-16 | Monthly | Partly | Usually | $29.9/mo | Visit |
 KiwiCo | 8.2 | 0-16 | Monthly | Partly | Rarely | $23.95/mo | Visit |
 Little Passports | 7.9 | 3-10 | Monthly | No | Rarely | $24.95/mo | Visit |
 Green Kid Crafts | 7.8 | 2-10 | Monthly | No | Rarely | $19.95/mo | Visit |
 Lovevery | 7.7 | 0-5 | Monthly | Partly | Rarely | $36/mo | Visit |
Scores are weighted across seven dimensions. See exactly how, and where our bias is.
Against our pick
ibrick vs CrunchLabs
Four builds a month against one very good one
ibrick vs KiwiCo
Reusable machine kit against the category's best age targeting
ibrick vs MEL Science
Weekly engineering you hand over, against monthly chemistry you supervise
ibrick vs Little Passports
Working machines against world stories
ibrick vs Green Kid
The cheapest box against the one that keeps paying off
ibrick vs Lovevery
Two products for two different childhoods
The rest of the field
We publish these even though they never end with our pick, because a comparison site that only compares things to its favourite is not a comparison site.
CrunchLabs vs KiwiCo
One great mechanical build against monthly subject variety
CrunchLabs vs MEL Science
Mechanical engineering against real chemistry
KiwiCo vs MEL Science
Broad monthly projects against deep chemistry
KiwiCo vs Little Passports
Hands-on projects against story-led discovery
CrunchLabs vs Little Passports
Mechanical toys against travel stories
MEL Science vs Little Passports
Serious chemistry against light-touch discovery
Every other matchup
We publish a page for all 21 possible pairings. These ones are built from the same scores and reviews as everything else, but they are quicker reads than the comparisons above.
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