TechCrate (ProTechTrader)

What's in the box: A single breadboard electronics project with all required components, step-by-step build instructions and educational guides, backed by online videos and schematics.

TechCrate is a monthly electronics subscription from ProTechTrader, the US retailer best known for its component kits built for Charles Platt's Make: Electronics books. Each month you get one curated project with all the parts, breadboarding instructions and learning guides. The idea is that you skip the hunt for the right resistor values or a schematic you can actually follow. The monthly plan is listed at $14.99, which is low for a hardware box. The site says the first month ships November 1 and includes a free gift. The product page also has build videos, schematics and a gallery of resources, which matters for beginners who get stuck. ProTechTrader's background with the Platt kits is a real strength, since those kits have a long record of teaching electronics fundamentals step by step. TechCrate is still new, though. The product page shows only a handful of reviews, and there is little public history of past boxes to judge how varied or challenging the projects will be. The site mentions optional add-ons such as a starter upgrade, but it does not clearly say what the base box assumes you already own, such as a breadboard or basic tools. Check that before subscribing if you are starting from nothing.