6 complicated Raspberry Pi project kits that any LEGO adult can pull off

Published Sep 27, 2026, 6:00 AM EDT Tim has been covering technology for almost 20 years, in that time spanning a broad range of topics from security to product reviews. He is especially focused on the Apple ecosystem, productivity, and consumer advice. Over the years Tim has written thousands of articles, reviews, and round-ups in addition to producing video content and original photography. A graduate of journalism, he found his footing as a freelancer with a laptop and loves how he is able to work from practically anywhere. Now a Senior Editor for iPhone, Mac, and Smart Home at How-To Geek, Tim still loves to write. He can also be found crafting round-ups and productivity posts for the Zapier blog. Earlier in his career Tim spent nearly a decade as a writer and eventually Apple section editor for MakeUseOf. Tim currently lives in Brisbane, Australia. Outside of work he loves to hike and work out, play video games, and spend quality time with his wonderful partner and two cats Inka and Roger. Do you prefer working from a sheet of instructions and a box full of parts, rather than assembling everything yourself from scratch? Just because a project is straightforward doesn’t mean it can’t be complex or challenging in all the right ways. Here are some Raspberry Pi-based project kits that will test your skills and help you develop new ones. Zynthian music workstation A do-it-all hardware music production suite Zynthian is a box of tricks that functions as a synthesizer, keyboard expander, audio effects unit, MIDI processor, groovebox, and self-contained digital audio workstation. It has more than 30 synth engines modeled on classic hardware like the Yamaha DX7 and Roland Juno-60. It also includes more than 500 effects, amplifier and effect pedal modeling, cabinet emulation, multi-track audio recording, live looping, a sampler, and more. Best of all, it’s an open-source community-driven project that is totally configurable and hackable. You don’t have to buy a kit to build one; you can build from scratch if you want, but the easiest way to get started is to buy everything you need. Kits start at €395 without the Raspberry Pi 5, microSD card, battery, and power supply. The kit takes between one and three hours to build, and you can take a peek at the assembly instructions and some build videos before you buy to ensure you’re up for the task. PicoBricks robot kit Pi-powered robotics Credit: PicoBrick PicoBricks is the product of a group of Turkish students who wanted to bring robotics to everyone. The company produces a range of robotics kits aimed at both adults and children. These kits include everything you need to build and get started programming your robot (including the Raspberry Pi). If you’re wondering where to begin, the Zero to Hero Kit is a $132 all-in-one starter that includes all manner of sensors, motor drivers, relays, LEDs, an OLED screen, buttons, a robot arm, and more to get you started. Once you’ve built the kit, you’ll be able to get started with video projects and eBooks, perfect for all skill levels. Erica Synths Pikocore XL Build your own lo-fi music mangler Erica Synths is a company that produces music hardware for use in modular setups and on desktops, often with an educational spin. The company first caught my eye with the  New">Bullfrog, an educational musical instrument that can help newcomers learn the basics of subtractive synthesis. While the Bullfrog comes preassembled, much of the Erica Synths lineup is available in kit form. The Pikocore XL is a Raspberry Pi Pico-based lo-fi music mangler capable of holding eight minutes of 8-bit 33kHz mono audio. It includes real-time effects, tempo-synced mangling effects, a 128-step sequencer, and an aluminum case in a pocket calculator form factor. Some soldering is required; take a look at the English May 6, 2025">manual before you buy to find out what you’re in for. Raspberry Shake personal seismograph Detect earthquakes Credit: Raspberry Shake The Raspberry Shake project brings professional-level high-precision seismographs into the home. Ideal whether you live in an earthquake zone or not, the company produces a variety of pre-assembled models and kits that offer varying degrees of seismic activity monitoring. With a Raspberry Shake station online, you can contribute data to the wider StationView project, which gathers data from users all around the world. The cheapest way to get started is with the RS1D. For $385, you’ll get a Raspberry Shake PCB, motion monitoring sensor, an enclosure, and a microSD card that’s programmed and ready to go. You just need to assemble this and provide your own Raspberry Pi 3 or 4 to power it. Spend more, and you’ll get more advanced sensors and even an infrasound monitor. PiFinder astronomy telescope guide Just add telescope Credit: PiFinder The PiFinder is a Raspberry Pi-powered telescope attachment that uses plate-solving technology to determine where your telescope is pointed. By taking photos of the sky, the PiFinder identifies the star patterns and then uses that information to guide you towards its database of nearly 150,000 objects. Search by name, type, and visibility to find interesting things to look at. The PiFinder Kit costs $300 and includes everything you need to build a PiFinder apart from the Raspberry Pi 4 and an external battery or power supply. Take a look at the build guide to figure out how it all goes together. Freenove Raspberry Pi robot kits Turn your existing Pi into a robot Freenove is a brand that builds a vast range of robot kits that are powered by the Raspberry Pi and similar hardware. Prices vary anywhere from around $170 to $50, with models coming in the form of robot dogs, tanks with tracks, light-tracing cars, bipedal robots, and quadraped walkers. The kits require that you provide your own Raspberry Pi hardware, with each kit stipulating what is required. This ranges from full-fat Raspberry Pi 4 and 5 units to cheaper Zero 2 and Pico boards. There are also a range of ESP32 and BBC micro:bit projects. Looking for even more Raspberry Pi projects? Add more functionality to your SBC with one of the many capable HATs.