MEL Chemistry is a subscription box for kids ages 10-16+ from parent company MEL Science that sends all of the materials you need to complete 2-3 chemistry experiments every month. This is perfect for kids who are interested in science or for homeschool students!
This is a review of MEL Chemistry (for ages 10-16+), which costs $34.90 per month.
ACTIVE DEAL: Use code FREEBOX to get your first box free w/new subscription
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This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we review boxes.)
Check out our reviews for MEL Physics (ages 8- 14+) and MEL Kids (ages 5-9+) to see what else MEL Science has to offer!
First Impressions
I loved how neatly this box was packaged up with all of our materials labeled and bagged up. Of course, as usual, I was disappointed to see that this project did not include the batteries we would need, but I always have some on hand anyway, so that was easy enough to grab.
Starter Kit & More
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Before we get into this month's box, I want to quickly highlight a few of the extra features that we have access to. Firstly, your free starter kit (valued at $50.00) will come in your first shipment. It includes all of the equipment you'll need to conduct your experiments each month and even includes some accessories for your tablet or smartphone to help you access all of the information they provide in their apps. To see more details about everything we received in our kit, you can check out our Starter Kit review here!
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Also included with our Starter Kit was this virtual reality headset. This cardboard headset folds up easily and then you slip your phone into the slot and use their free MEL VR app. The VR app opens up in a lab where we have the opportunity to learn about different molecules and atoms and explore them closely. This is so great for gaining a deeper understanding of what happens throughout our experiments and is a fun extension to our lessons!
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While they provide individual cards for each experiment, we also have the option of accessing the directions through the app, which provides a more interactive way to complete the experiments. Here is a look at how the app is set up. It's well organized and easy to use with information on safe disposal, some troubleshooting tips, and a scientific description of what happens during the experiment. You can even set a reminder to start the experiment.
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The app gives so much detail about each of the reagents including a description, hazards, precautions, and even a link to the Wikipedia page for further information. So thorough! And it's even more fun if you interact through the VR app! Now let's get to this month's box!
What's Inside the Box
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The outside of our box has information all about our reagents, a table of contents, and several safety warnings.
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While we needed to grab a few things from our starter kit, they provided the reagents, some measuring spoons, gloves, wooden sticks, a syringe, a petri dish, a battery pack, and some different elements all bagged up neatly.
Experiment 1: Electricity vs. Iron
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Our first experiment was "Electricity vs. Iron" and we were using sodium ascorbate, sodium chloride, and some of our iron sticks.
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I added the number of scoops required of each reagent to the beaker and stirred them into some water. Then I bent our iron sticks in half and placed them over the edge of the beaker. Next, I added batteries to the pack and clipped one of each alligator clips to either iron stick.
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Then it was just a matter of watching and waiting as our iron corroded into a pretty purple color! This was a nice almost instantaneous result to observe.
Experiment 2: Rust Protection
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The next experiment was "Rust Protection" which is a great one to discuss in regards to real-life situations. We used Phenol Red, Sodium Chloride, and Potassium Hexacyanoferrate along with some copper wire, iron nails, and magnesium strips.
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I mixed up our solution in the beaker and then I placed one nail on one side of our divided Petri dish and then placed another nail which was attached to a magnesium strip by copper wire on the other side.
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I poured our solution in and then waited and observed! There was a little bit of corrosion going on.
But when I cut the copper wire between the two, things really started happening. It looked so cool!
Value - Was This Box Worth It?
The Cost: $34.90 per month
ACTIVE DEAL: Use code FREEBOX to get your first box free w/new subscription
CODE: BOGO
This month our experiments were super easy and very quick. Since this was the case, I really would have liked to see one more experiment in this box to add to the value!
Key Takeaways
The experiments within MEL Chemistry always provide such great observable reactions and everything is so well organized. I love that it's an educational box that allows us to do chemistry safely in our own home, but this month I would have liked to see just a little bit more from this subscription!
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To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? Yes, it is possible that you will receive this set. From MEL Chemistry:
"The topics are looped such that the start date of your subscription does not matter; you will eventually receive all the experiment sets."
ACTIVE DEAL: Use code FREEBOX to get your first box free w/new subscription
CODE: BOGO
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