9 Electronics Hobbyist Gifts for Tinkerers, Makers, and More

Many of us have friends and family members who love to tinker, here are some suggestions for electronics hobbyist gifts. Whether it’s fixing up home appliances, building a PC from scratch, or prototyping on a breadboard. Often called makers, these crafty electronics hobbyists are bound to enjoy interactive, hands-on gifts to help with their projects.  

If you’re looking for electronic gift ideas for the tinkerers in your life, you’ve come to the right place! We’ve assembled a list of our favorite electronic gifts for makers. From soldering gift ideas to robotics, breadboards, all-in-one electronic kits, and more.

Best Electronics Hobbyist Gifts: ElectroBoom X Circuit Specialists Electronics Kit

If the tinkerer in your life is just starting out with electronics, or if their supplies are in desperate need of a refresh. Then we highly recommend the ElectroBoom x Circuit Specialists’ custom all-in-one electronics kit. Which includes a powered breadboard, multimeter, and more than 500 electronic components.

The kit is especially great for those who are fans of ElectroBoom, a popular YouTuber that focuses on prototyping and electronics. Each kit comes with 2 vinyl ElectrBoom stickers!

Most importantly, this kit stands out by providing both a multimeter to test prototypes and a powered Breadboard. The PBB-272C came with a built-in power supply and digital LCD displays for voltage and current output! Most standard electronic kits don’t include test equipment or convenient built-in power supplies. 

What it includes:

• 15V powered solderless breadboard with 2390 tie-points,  2 LCD digital displays, and adjustable power
• Handheld digital multimeter tester with AC/DC voltmeter and 2 test probes
• Wire jumper kit with 325 pre-cut and pre-formed 22 AWG wire
• 275-piece essential electronic components kit
• 2 Electroboom vinyl stickers

Best for Prototyping: 15V Powered Breadboard Kit 

If you love the powered breadboard but could do without the electronic components and multimeter that come in the ElectroBoom kit. You can always consider gifting the feature-packed 15V breadboard as a standalone.

Unlike your standard protoboard, the PBB-272C Breadboard comes with a built-in power supply. Which includes 5V (1 AMP) constant power and both negative and positive 0-15V of adjustable DC power. The 1 AMP constant power is especially great for prototypes involving servomotors or DC motors.

What’s more, the board features two LCD digital displays showing voltage and current. There are no additional tools required to view essential prototyping power consumption. Beyond the built-in voltmeters and power supply, the breadboard also stands out for its large size, offering 2890 tie-points, 3 base panels, and 5 bus rails. This will also help with prototyping multiple projects on one board! Which makes this one of the most creative electronics hobbyist gifts.

Best Portable Multimeter and Oscilloscope: Hantek 2d72

A multimeter is an essential tool for testing prototypes and repairing (or tinkering) with electronics. If you have a friend who loves restoring old radios or inventing gadgets from scratch, then the Hantek 2D72 handheld multimeter is a fantastic option.

The compact device includes a protective, rubber casing that improves durability and lends to its rugged appeal. As if it wasn’t portable enough, the multimeter also comes with a tactical safety case for safe storage and travel.

At 70Mhz, the multimeter may not be able to handle the same projects as heavy-duty multimeters. However, the included oscilloscope and waveform generator features help make up for its limitations. In particular, if the person you’re purchasing it for is relatively new to electronics and needs to test multiple projects.

Best for Car Enthusiasts: HANTEK DSO3064 Kit Automotive Oscilloscope 

Do you know someone who’s constantly fixing up their car or restoring old automobiles? The HANTEK DSO3064 Kit Automotive Oscilloscope might be right up their alley.

Unlike other Hantek oscilloscopes and test equipment, the DSO3064 is limited to automotive testing. But the niche, focused nature of the oscilloscope is its advantage: it’s packed with all sorts of features to help you diagnose automotive issues. 

The 4-channel oscilloscope offers 20 different kinds of automotive measurements. Which is designed to test everything from your fuel pumps to ignition systems to your battery and alternators. 

The automotive oscilloscope has USB connectivity and conveniently uses your PC as the digital interface. What’s more, the device comes with a metal briefcase neatly packed with accessories like AC/DC current clamps.

Best for Testing Robotics: Hantek 20 MHz USB Oscilloscope for PC 

Hantek’s invention of the PC-based USB oscilloscope is what made them famous. More than 20 years later, the company’s innovation continues to shine when it comes to USB connectivity. And nowhere is that more evident than the popular Hantek6022Be 20MHz USB oscilloscope! This affordable Oscilloscope is lightweight and uses a USB port to connect to your PC.

Although small, this introductory oscilloscope is incredibly durable and features extruded aluminum casing and rubber shock bumpers at each end. With 2 channels, 20MHz bandwidth, and hassle-free hook-up. The budget-friendly yet feature-packed Hantek6022BE has everything you need to start testing projects, particularly robotic projects. 

Best for Seasoned Solderers: Compact Rework Station CSI948D-2 

Our Circuit Specialist soldering gurus light up whenever someone mentions the 4-in-1 Compact Rework Station with Digital Display. The all-in-one station has everything you could ever want in a soldering station, all in a sleek, modern design.

The station comes equipped with a hot air gun, a soldering iron, a desoldering gun, and a suction pen. The versatile station can also support both surface mounting and through-hole mounting techniques. Customers also like how durable the station is, as well as how easy it is to find or replace parts when necessary. The multi-functional soldering rework station offers a huge selection of accessories and lots of control via the easy-to-use interface. 

Most User-Friendly Soldering: Automatic Solder Feeder Soldering Iron CSI929D-II

The automatic solder feeder is an incredibly user-friendly soldering gun and solder-wire combo. Unlike traditional soldering, the solder wire is attached to the soldering iron. Which will automatically feed the melted solder into the gun with just the press of a button.

This option is great for those with limited mobility or anyone interested in the convenience of one-handed soldering. The automatic solder feeder soldering iron also offers more control than other solder guns. Users might have to go slower with the tool than they would with traditional irons, but this works to your advantage as speedy soldering leads to mistakes. 

A similar item that’s a bit more affordable is the 30W/60W Soldering Gun with Solder Wire Feeder. 

Best for Soldering Beginners: 75W Soldering Station Bundle 

The 75W soldering station is what some of our specialists call the “baby version” of the Compact Rework Station CSI948D-2. Like the rework station, the 75W station is incredibly durable and replacement parts are easy to find if damage does occur.

The programmable station lets users set three different heat settings. In addition, the station has built-in safety settings like auto-shut-off if no motion is sensed after a set amount of time. This feature can be adjusted according to user preference.

While the station isn’t as multi-functional as massive 4-in-1 rework stations, the portability, compact size, and user-friendly design and functionality are ideal for beginners and intermediate solderers (although advanced solderers also appreciate the practicality and plethora of custom features!).

Best for Beginner Makers: OSEPP Stem Kit 1 

OSEPP’s Stem Kit 1 offers the most complete electronics and prototyping kit for anyone who wants to learn robotics and programming but has no prior experience or knowledge. 

The tool—a single but multi-functional circuit board—teaches users how to code in the Arduino Language. Users learn and become familiar with 16 common prototyping components, like push buttons, servo motors, LCD displays, and much more. This is a perfect electronics hobbyist gift for young STEM students.

Everything is pre-installed, and the kit takes a plug-and-play approach, so users can experiment with different inputs and outputs on the circuit board. The package also includes a booklet with specific projects and instructions for those who need a bit more guidance. 

Still not sure what to gift? No worries! Circuit Specialists is here to help. Reach out to us if you have any questions about the items, or simply call and tell us about your tinkerer’s interests and we’ll find the perfect present for them!