Chemistry Set Stores Review

Chemistry sets include supplies, materials and instructions for experiments that demonstrate principles of chemistry. Chemistry incorporates not only the reactions between different chemicals, but the various properties and states of matter. Modern chemistry sets use innovative supplies and experiments to provide lessons on the things we touch, taste, smell, see and hear in our environments.

We’ve reviewed all the top chemistry set stores online to help shoppers find the best places to buy these multi-use toys. Also be sure to read our articles related to chemistry.

How We Rated the Chemistry Set Stores

General Chemistry Set Selection
First we examined each site’s selection of general chemistry sets. These sets offer multiple types of experiments. Included in this category are the popular CHEM series kits by Thames & Kosmos in four different sizes, as well as basic kits for kids, kitchen chemistry kits that use household chemicals and ingredients and kits that demonstrate basic principles like states of matter and acid/base reactions. This category also includes general science kits that demonstrate principles of chemistry along with other sciences like biology, geology and physics. The CHEM series ranges from the CHEM500, a basic kit with 30 experiments, to the CHEM3000, an advanced kit with 360 experiments.

Specialized Chemistry Set Selection
Next we examined each site’s selection of specialized chemistry sets. These sets offer a single type of experiment. Many of the “make your own” type of kits fall into this category, including kits for making your own cheese, candy, perfume, cosmetics and slime. These kits can be designed to produce something useful or delicious, or just to demonstrate a fascinating or impressive scientific principle while teaching about the chemical reactions involved. Also included in this category are water test kits, Mentos rockets and vinegar/baking soda-powered vehicles.

Website Features
The quality of a website is of utmost importance for shoppers. We looked closely at each site to find the ones with the smoothest navigation, the best methods for searching and browsing products and the most resources for shoppers. We gave preference to sites that make it easy to find, learn about and ultimately purchase a specific item. We also listed whether each site offers a mailing list (which usually includes special discounts for subscribers) and an account creation option (for viewing past purchases, tracking orders and storing personal information).

Help and Support
Shopping online is easier than shopping in person until it comes to making returns or obtaining customer service. In the event that you need to return a product, gather more information or simply contact the company for any reason, we wanted to see which sites make it quick and easy to get in touch with someone. Most sites surveyed offer customer support by phone or email, and a few offer a live chat option. Please note that even sites with live chat may not always have that feature available. In many cases we tested out the customer service ourselves by sending a message with general questions and then keeping track of how long it took to get a response. We give preference to sites that offer multiple ways to contact the company and that promptly answer our inquiries.

Informational Categories
Just for information but not as part of our ratings, we also listed each site’s payment and shipping policies. All the sites offer shipping across the US, but many do not offer international shipping, partly because of the sensitive nature of the chemicals in some of the sets.

Before you buy a chemistry set, keep in mind the age and interest level of the person who will be using the set. Basic chemistry sets are a great way to get young kids interested in science but most of the kits recommend adult supervision. The more complex sets are appropriate for science lovers of all ages. Chemistry sets are also useful for science projects, offering fun and demonstrable experiment ideas and including everything you need to conduct the experiments.

We want your shopping experience to be a pleasant one, and we hope this site helps you choose the kit you want from a store you can trust. Please view our entire lineup of the best chemistry set stores on our list, including Amazon, Discover This and Brain Waves Toys.

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