MEL Science (MEL Chemistry (10–16) / MEL Kids (5–10)) review 2027

What problem does MEL Science solve, and who is it for?

MEL Science is the kit for a child who has outgrown baking-soda volcanoes. The experiments are real reactions with real equipment, and the explanations made our 11-year-old want the next box. That is the benefit in one line: a subscription that teaches chemistry and physics rather than just entertaining for an afternoon.

It suits science-keen 10–16-year-olds. The Chemistry and Physics lines are written for that age band, while the separate Kids line covers ages 5–10. Our 7-year-old was too advanced for the Chemistry line, so the age split matters when you choose a line.

The trade-offs are parent effort and price. An adult needs to be alongside for most experiments, and at $34.90 a month it is the most expensive subscription in this test. That combination is why it sits behind KiwiCo overall despite scoring 8.4.

How did MEL Science score across our five criteria?

We scored every kit out of 100 across five weighted criteria. MEL Science finished on 8.4 overall, third of the eight kits tested.

• Learning value — 29 out of 30. We measured what the child could explain about the science afterwards, and whether the kit teaches or just entertains. This was the strongest result in the test.
• Engagement — 17 out of 20. We tracked whether the child returned to it unprompted and how long a session held attention.
• Build quality & safety — 15 out of 15. Component quality, missing parts, small-part and chemical safety, and age accuracy. A full score.
• Parent effort — 10 out of 15. Setup time and how much adult help each activity needed at the stated age. This is where the kit gives points back.
• Value — 13 out of 20. Price per hour of activity, and whether it keeps giving after the first use.

The pattern is clear: MEL wins on what the child learns and loses on what the parent has to put in.

What did MEL Science do best in our testing?

The experiments stuck. Our 11-year-old could explain tin dendrites, chemical clocks and a zinc-carbon battery afterwards — not just describe what happened, but why. That is the difference between a kit that teaches and a kit that entertains.

The starter kit arrives with real goggles, beakers and a phone macroscope, so the equipment feels like lab gear rather than toy plastic. Every reagent comes with safety data and disposal instructions, which is why the build quality and safety criterion scored full marks.

The app and VR lessons explain the chemistry at molecular level, and they are optional rather than required. A box gave us 2.5 hours of activity across 2–3 experiments.

How do the VR and app lessons actually work?

The app and VR lessons are optional, so the kit works without a screen. In plain terms, a molecular lesson shows the same reaction the child has just run at the bench, but zoomed in to the level of atoms and bonds. Instead of reading that a reaction swaps one ion for another, the child sees the particles rearrange. That is the whole idea: connect the visible fizz or colour change to the invisible rearrangement causing it. The lessons sit alongside the physical experiment rather than replacing it, and the reagents in the box are the real thing.

What comes in the box, and how is it built?

MEL Science is a monthly subscription covering chemistry, physics and biology. The Chemistry and Physics lines run from ages 10–16; the Kids line covers 5–10. Each box holds 2–3 experiments, which took our tester 2.5 hours.

The starter kit includes goggles, beakers and a phone macroscope. Equipment is reusable; reagents are not, so the consumables run out and the next box supplies more. A screen is optional — the app and VR lessons are there if you want them. On the annual plan the price starts from $29.90 a month, with the starter kit and equipment included.

How does MEL Science compare with the other kits we tested?

MEL Science scored 8.4 at $34.90 a month. Snap Circuits Jr. SC-100 scored 8.9 at $34.99 list, often around $22, and covers electronics for ages 8+ with 101 projects and no screen. It is a one-off kit rather than a subscription, and it is reusable indefinitely.

KiwiCo Crates scored 8.7, from $23.95 a month, with 1–3 projects per crate across ages 0–16 and no screen needed. It is cheaper per month and needs less adult input, which is why it finished ahead of MEL overall.

Thames & Kosmos CHEM C500 scored 8.2 at $39.95 list: a one-off chemistry kit for ages 10+ with 28 experiments, real reagents and no screen. Its equipment is reusable but its reagents run out, the same pattern as MEL.

Against all three, MEL is ahead on learning value and safety, and behind on price and parent effort.

Where does MEL Science fall short?

Parent effort and price are the two reasons it did not finish higher. At $34.90 a month it is the most expensive subscription here, and most experiments need an adult alongside. Our parent effort score of 10 out of 15 reflects that.

It is also line-specific: our 7-year-old found the Chemistry line too advanced, so younger children need the Kids line instead. And because reagents are consumed, the kit only keeps giving if the subscription continues — the equipment lasts, the chemicals do not.

Is MEL Science worth the price?

MEL Science costs $34.90 a month, or from $29.90 a month on the annual plan with the starter kit and equipment included. That buys 2–3 experiments and 2.5 hours of activity per box, plus reusable goggles, beakers and a phone macroscope in the starter kit.

Our value criterion scored 13 out of 20. The equipment keeps giving after the first use; the reagents do not. Whether that price is worth it depends on how much you value the explanations — and on this kit, the explanations are the product.

Who should buy MEL Science?

It is still right for science-keen 10–16-year-olds. If your child has moved past demonstration kits and wants real reactions with real equipment, and you are willing to sit alongside for most experiments, this is the kit that delivered the most science per box in our test.

If you want a cheaper monthly crate with less parent involvement, KiwiCo is the better fit. If you want a one-off electronics kit, Snap Circuits Jr. costs less and needs no adult supervision at the stated age. But for a child who asks why the colour changed, MEL Science is the one to choose.