This page is full of reviews will compare the K'NEX sets so if you are planning to
get someone K'NEX, this will help you decide! I will try to put
them in order from easiest to hardest. Please Note I will only do the sets I have, or can find some information on.
I believe that the Micropower is the easiest pack out there.
All you have to do is take the rod that goes through it and turn it
around against the pack or make the car ect. go backwards
with the wheels touching the ground. Then watch start going!
Power Pack
I believe that the 2nd easiest motor pack is the Power Pack. It's
simple, put a K'NEX piece in the hole and turn it on. It does
require 2 AA batteries . You can reverse the direction of the motor too.
Motor Pack
Read the name & take a guess. All this pack is a motor but useful. Plug it into
a socket and you're fine. Just connect a special white gear that comes along
with it to the part that spins. Then stick a piece through it and watch it turn. It
will only go one way. Turn it on & off by plugging it in and unplugging it. I'd recommend it for the eight year old or higher.
Solar Pack
If you know what solar means, you know what this does.
The Solar Pack takes light and makes energy out of it, then uses it to spin a rod in which
you connect things too. The motor is reversable. The Solar Pack only
works with the sun, or a very small light. Don't worry, it says on the box &
directions. There are 2 sets, the big one or the small one. The only
difference is the bigh one comes with more K'NEX and more directions to
things than the small one.
Rubberbands
The rubberbands are similar to the micro power motor. Except a few ways,
well, it just has the same output plus more. The rubberband, if you want to
use it in a motor (car, jet, ect.) follow the instructions carefully when putting
on the rubber band. It will look kind of weird so pay close attention to make
sure it looks exactly the same, until you move the car ,jet, ect. backwards
forcing the rubberbands to wrap around the K'NEX piece. Then set it down, let
go, and watch it do the exact opposite of what you did, go forward. The other
way to use this is like a chain to spin things. You can connect it to the wheels(not the
tire) rather than gears.
No Motor, What do I do?
Simple, use the directions to the same thing without the motor.
What if there isn't? Use your imagination. Change the part where
the motor is a little and use your hand to turn a crank. That can almost always be
a motor!! If you can't figure out how, you could buy one, too.
The Helicopter is a pretty easy model. It was the very first thing that I ever made.
It doesn't include very many pieces, but it gives you what you need to make the model. It's not a very fancy
model, it's just a helicopter. Not some war helicopter, but an everyday helicopter. I had help from my dad
making it, but then again, I was about five years old. It's one of the cheaper K'nex sets that you can
get. I would recommend this kit for somebody interested in starting k'nex or if the person is young.
Bulldozer
The bulldozer is a set that you feel pride in after you finish. The bulldozer is a
very tough thing to build for a solo model. It requires that you have tough, strong fingers when building
the chain, which take the place of wheels. This kit would be best for an eight or nine year old with possibly some help.
The kit has a total of 400 pieces, most of which are blue rods and grey connectors.
The Rubberband Racers kit is a good kit that uses cars and rubberbands.
The cars are like dragsters and you stretch a long rubberband from the front to the back.
There are two little front wheels and two large back wheels. The rubberband spins the back
wheels. If you stretch it really far back, the dragster will fly forward. Don't lift the back wheels off the ground while winding it up though,
you might let the wheels unwind so then the winding would have to be redone. I'd recommend this
kit for ages seven and up. They'd be able to do this without too much difficulty. It comes with two
different models that you can build. They only give you enough k'nex to build one at a time, so you can't
build both unless you have extra k'nex. If you do have extra k'nex, you can build them both and race a friend!
Turbo Racers
Turbo Racers are very similar to the rubberband racers. You have to wind both of them up,
but Turbo Racers doesn't use rubberbands, instead it uses MicroPower. The cars that the kit includes
models of are somewhat short. They have those box-like things on the back of the car that the
fast cars have for weight so they don't flip over. The kit comes with a total of three different
models. All three of them are similar, but have minor changes between them. It's easy to build
and fun to play with. I'd recommend this for kids ages seven and up. It's also one of the cheaper
models. However, you can't build more than one of the racecars at a time.
Ultra-bots
Ultra-bota are a tad more expensive, but they're a tad cooler too. It comes
with about nine different models that you can build. Each bot does something totally
different from all of the other bots. They require that you have a motor. This kit comes with
more pieces than all of the other kits that I've mentioned above. Ultra-bots are
a little tougher to build, but an eight year old could do the job without too much difficulty.
This kit could spark many new ideas of what you build, and don't forget that you don't have to
follow the instructions. You could make some little or big changes to the models.
This set of K'nex I skipped over. It would be a good set to start with for beginners. I'd recommend this for the
6 year old kid, or older. The set has 375 pieces. There is a total of 20 simple different models to begin your k'nex skills with. It's a
good start if your new to K'nex.
Intermediate Set(Launcher)
This was my first k'nex set that I ever got. It includes a booklet of things you can build and has 25 different models ranging
from 2D houses to Ferris Wheels. It has at least 500 pieces of rods, connectors, wheels, gears,
tires, and the MicroPower motor. It totally boosts how much k'nex you have if your just starting and how many things
you can build. You have more K'nex if you get this so you can just make stuff up and have the K'nex you need to
do it. You can't go and build a sixteen foot long suspension bridge, but you're not stuck with
the tiny stuff anymore. I'd recommend this set for kids at age 7 or more.
Special Edition(Fun Tub)
The Fun Tub is another great set. It's somewhat like the Launcher, or Intermediate, Set.
It has 25 different models and is about $30. However, these models are different from the Launcher set.
For example, a submarine is in the Fun Tub, but there isn't one in the Launcher set. It has about the
same number of pieces as the intermediate set, but the types of the pieces are different. This set will have
more of one type of piece, just like the Launcher will have pieces more of a different type. All
in all, this is another good set to have to have some fun! This is pretty much the same as "K'nex 400 piece Building Set," even same price!
Explorer(Challenge)
This is for the person after they get the intermediate set. There's 1,000 pieces
and a booklet for 40 different models, without as much 2D models that the intermediate set gives you.
It costs about $40. The models in the back of the booklet require you to have motors if you'll build them,
however, with a little bit of thought, you could replace the motor with a hand crank. I'd recommend
this for kids at age 7 or higher.
Master Millenium Building Set
This set is the big one. The Master. Sure, it's about $50, but it's one huge set. It has the most pieces,
and comes with the most models which is fifty. This set can boost everything up that you have. This set is similar to the "Master
Building Set" or "K'NEX 50 Model Building Set." Same price, Same number of models, same cover. However, I don't know if the models are the same and if there are the same number of pieces, but I think there are.
I would not recommend buying this challenge only because you can get a better
ferris wheel in the Big Ball Factory, but the Big Ball Factory really isn't available anywhere anyway. The two ferris wheels are about the same height, but when comparing pictures, I personally
like the one that came with the Big Ball Factory. The kit costs about $50 and has 1,000 pieces. The Ferris wheel is 3' (three feet)
tall. It also includes instructions for two other carnival rides, but one of them I believe is in included in the Big Ball Factory, but since I
don't own this kit, I am unsure. It comes with it's own motor and requires two(2) AA batteries. I'd most likely get this for the nine year old
or older.
Big Ball Factory
My very first big set was the Big Ball Factory. It's 5 feet tall and
has four different paths that the balls will go down. It has over 1500 pieces which are mostly
for the structure, or support. Most of the pieces are blue rods, blue connectors, purple connectors,
and yellow rods. It is very difficult to build, especially if you flip the frame in the third step. (whoops!)
It needs a motor pack to work, but it also comes with directions if you don't have or don't want to use a motor
by making a hand crank. Personally, I'd recommend this for the person of age 11 or more.
Power Tower Crane
Power Tower Crane comes with it's own motors. Both motors can go clockwise and counter-clockwise. One of the motors is used
to spin the crane, while the other is used to drop down the string. When the crane picks up a ball, you lift it back up to
over a hole. Then you finish pulling it up as high as it can go, and the part holding the ball will open allowing the ball to fall into the hole.
Then it will go through a small course as if it were the Big Ball Factory. I'd recommend this set for the kid of age 11 or more.
Hyper Space Command Outpost
Hyper Space Command Outpost stands to be five feet tall,
but doesn't have as many pieces of as the Big Ball factory. On this kit, you need the motor, and stuff spins, little guys pull levers and stuff,
and cars go in a circular path. This kit I'd recommend for the nine year old or more. All in all it makes a great set and a great spot to hide easter eggs.
I had a little bit of trouble finding one in this set.
This kit is pretty awesome.... and tall. It's 6 feet tall so you can look at it and say, "Oh my Gosh! That's Huge!!"
It's a lot like the Hyper Space Command Outpost. It requires the same motor, and does many of the same types of things,
except its cooler and there are more. If you want to be able to build this, you need to be tall. It probably has about 200 more pieces than the
Hyper Space Command Outpost, however, I can't really be sure. I'd recommend this for an 11 year old or older. If your younger, I hope your tall,
but if you aren't, don't worry, just ask a taller sibling, your mom, or dad to help you put the last few parts.
Control-a-bot
This kit is just like a set, except you control it. I believe it requires 4 AA batteries for the motors, and 1 9V battery for the controller.
This kit is extremely cool. You can build robots to hold things, take your pizza to you, orr whatever you want. The kit comes with a head that lights up when you turn
it on, a remote control, motors, and metallic colored pieces. You can walk away and talk into the remote control while pressing a button, and the robot will speak what you say,
and it will sound like you too!
Cyber K'nex Ultra
This kit is just like a set, except you program your creations. I believe it requires 4 AA batteries and 4 AAA for the motors, and CPU.
This kit is extremely cool. You can build robots to do many things. It's all in your control. The kit comes with a CPU, motors,
light sensors, touch sensors, metallic colored pieces, and even talks!
Trampoline Tower
This monster comes with instructions for three towers, at or almost six feet tall, each! There are approximately
2,600 pieces. The balls can go through many different complex courses, sometimes bouncing from one platform to the next. Hence, Trampoline Tower.
This kit I would recommend for anyone tall, or if your 10 years or older.
