Thames & Kosmos Chem C3000 (V 2.0) Chemistry Set | Science Kit with 333 Experiments & 192 Page Lab Manual, Student Laboratory Quality Instruments & Chemicals, Multi, 21.3" Large x 7.2" W x 14.6" H (640132)

I generally don’t write reviews but this product exceeds expectations. I was hesitant to purchase this for son’s 11th birthday given the price and consistent disappointment from science kits. This product is worth every penny. My son and I have been going through the book page-by-page. He is constantly wanting more and with every experiment is learning valuable lessons about the scientific method and risk assessment. This is a small chemistry lab. You will still need to purchase items (e.g., certain chemicals, household products, etc). If your kid loves science and you commit the time to supervise, then you will not regret it.

Excellent (Best) set that l I have seen forTeaching/learning real chemistry. My opinion was formerly due to the variety of chemicals and bunsen burner (sadly, not seen much anymore in sets). After purchase, my opinion stands but add newly due to the very educational manual compared to when I was 12y/o with a seemingly similar kit in ~1992. This set had a bunsen burner (fire was a major deciding factor for me in this purchase). This kit has a bunsen burner, so it qualifies as “real” chemistry to me.Word of caution: this is not meant to deter a purchase, but to add some “full disclosure” you won’t read on the box. Buy THIS C3000 set of you can invest an additional ~$150 for chemicals not included but are needed complete some of the 300+ experiments in the manual. Even with the added chemical cost upgrade, it’s worth buying the C3000 set if It’s still your choice after the added chemical budget.Many chemicals are included, but not the five chemicals listed below. Be sure you are achieving the proper molarity (Mol) of the solutions when handled by anyone less than college-educated chem students!Extra chemical costs: kit comes with about 5 empty bottles with accompanyingsticker labels for the chemicals not provided. These are: 1 Mol NaOH, 3% H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide), 2Mol HCL (those are the ones you NEED in proper Molarity (Mol) concentrations or be a very comfortable science person who can handle “dangerous by chemists standards” then very carefully dilute for the 12+ y/o person using the kit.I bought 12M (aka 12 Mol aka 12 Molar) HCL will cause the worst contact chemical burns you might ever hear about and is equally dangerous to the lungs if fumes are inhaled (“work in a hood”) concentrations, so know what you are doing if you order chemicals requiring dilution. Also will need Silver nitrate 1% solution, ammonium hydroxide 5%, ammonium carbonate (“Bakers’ Ammonia”), and 70% or greater isopropyl alcohol for the bunsen burner. The manual explains how to obtain the items I listed under “household names” I have tried to list (like “bakers’ ammonia” etc.)I bought exact concentrations recommended by the manual (in typically 1L quantities except silver nitrate that is lots more expensive...10 mL for the kit is sufficient, but likely to find only in 100 mL bottles) all from Amazon. Cost ~$150 in addition to cost of C3000 Chem set. Worth it anyway, so buy this set if budget allows. (I am not compensated or penalized in any way for my review or opinion of this and similar items).This kit’s manual has so much to teach and illus. are so good that I believe it exceeds the quality of lab manuals of many or all high school chem. lab classes (certainly better illus. Than my college chem manual in 2006). Good stuff! Color illustrations, good explanations, (lots of warnings that likely always seem irritating to chem-experienced supervising adults but will help teach good habits for the budding scientist...and likely mandatory for legal reasons).If I had to explain how dangerous this kit is, I would say that anyone eating or drinkingthe available chemicals (after the empty bottles are filled/labeled) might suffer or die if they consume an INTENTIONAL and significant quantity of the substances available in quantities that would be noxious and probably Require a forceful attempt at ingestion). The kit contains glass in all the places a chemist would hope to have glass (like test tubes etc). This is not a toy, it is a chemistry learning lab without the aforementioned chemicals and without the recommended safety environment that parents are obligated to provide. Best you can do in any home chem lab packaged in a kit by large margins (that I am aware of).Big things for safety to “real world” parents: eye protection (sunglasses) and fire precautions (smoke detector and fire extinguisher in the home) use proper supervision (at very least a teen+) who can properly use a fire extinguisher should be considered necessary. Disclaimer from me: adult supervision recommended/required! I once set my parents basement carpet on fire (intentionally) for about 2 sec. as a kid with my chem set materials using isopropyl alcohol and a spark. Isopropyl fumes burn, but not so much the wick (or carpet) right away. No carpet damage, but I wouldn’t risk my own house now as an adult, so should supervise appropriately. Teens with guts and knowledge can do unthinkably dumb things even when they know how it all works (I sure did). Still, I won’t deprive my kids of the magic of fire in their scientific learning/endeavors, so Istress supervised freedom to experiment safely, and maybe your kid(s) will have a doctoral degree in a science field. I’m a physician, so the scary carpet fire was probably worth it all in the end. :)Be careful, have fun, learn tons from this set!

The very first experiment my son attempted needed ingredients that arent included in the kit, so we are on hold until I can order them. overall, he is happy with the kit but a little frustrated that we are on hold for now.

I was a little skeptical at first because is was very pricey. But after getting it and seeing all the experiments it contains, I was convinced it's learning curve is well worth it. it's really a high school chem class in a box. I feel if you do all the required experiments, it will leave you educated with hands on understanding which to me is priceless.Highly recommend for anyone wanting to up there education in chemistry, this kit will not disappoint.(Side note:) You will need additional things that are not included in the kit, but can get mostly around the house or at the local store. Fun to learn - and thinking is a good thing!

I must congratulate Thames & Kosmos for marketing this. It is a real chemistry set. I should know. When I was a kid I had the best chemistry set available at the time (the Gilbert ChemLab 5), augmented with after market chemicals from hardware and drug stores and hobby shops (back then hobby shops had racks of chemicals you could buy for your chemistry set). Today I still have ten fingers and two eyes and I ended up being an electronic engineer.Unfortunately, the forces of darkness and the minions of the flat earth society want to keep our population as ignorant as possible. Uneducated and ignorant people are easier to manipulate. As Donald Trump said, "I love the poorly educated." These enemies of science call chemistry sets one of the most "irresponsible toys" ever made and "baby's first meth lab". They spread fictitious statements like, "chemistry sets disappeared because of lawsuits."(Joshua) Lionel Cowen, the man behind Porter/Chemcraft chemistry sets died in 1965 and AC Gilbert of Gilbert chemistry sets and "The Man Who Saved Christmas" (look it up) died in 1961. Without their leadership the companies struggled and THAT, not the imagined lawsuits, killed the mass-distributed chemistry sets.You know, it seems like there must be a conspiracy because in 2012 (the year that came up first in my search) there were 722 bicyclist deaths in the United States. Apparently there have been no deaths from chemistry sets in decades. Yet I haven't heard anyone call bicycles an irresponsible toy and there is no indignation that they are legal.Do your children a favor. Get them a chemistry set and DO try this at home. Sit with them and talk to them about safety and caution. Accidents may happen but a chemistry set is far safer than the dangerous bicycles. And with a chemistry set your children will learn facts about the real world that will serve them well as they grow.Attached pictures:The product is well packaged - but it does make some disturbing rattling soundsI provided some samples of the C3000 manual and an old Gilbert manual. There is no comparison. The manual that comes with the C3000 is VASTLY SUPERIOR to anything Gilbert distributed.