Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I bought this kit when I was a college sophomore about 14 years ago (gasp!). And yes, it was precisely the same product being sold here today. I'm not entirely sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing, since there doesn't seem to have been any improvements - but hey, if it ain't broke, right? After forgetting about it for many years, I recently found it again in a box in the attic and was thrilled to discover I hadn't lost it, or given it away, or burned it with all the rest of my school things. I had always got a huge kick out of playing with it in school, and of course, I started playing with it again immediately! Gotta admit, it's hard to put down - kinda like catnip for nerds, which I guess makes me one. Memory Lane aside, it's a solid little set, and includes the following pieces: 28 Hydrogen (white) 14 Carbon (black) 8 Oxygen (red) 8 Chlorine (green) 4 Nitrogen (blue) 2 Bromine (orange) 2 Iodine (purple) 40 Single bonds (space-fill) 40 Single bonds (open) 12 Double bonds (open) Of course, some of the pieces above can be used in a pinch to represent atoms that aren't listed, but I rarely (if ever? *scratch head*) found that necessary in my basic chem classes. Overall, it was an excellent tool, and well worth the somewhat inflated price. I can remember buying many a text book that cost many times more - few of which proved as helpful as this kit, and none of which were as entertaining. If I had to cite a negative, I'd have to admit they were a bit stingy with the carbon molecules - and sadly, the only other pieces that rival carbon's chiral-yumminess are the nitrogens, which are also in short supply. Besides, your molecule looks stupid with bunch of blue nitrogens pretending to be carbons - and who wants a stupid-looking molecule when your trying to be all brainy and stuff!? Consequently, I couldn't quite make some hydrocarbons of medium complexity, including my very most favorite molecule of all time! ...which shall here remain nameless. However, this is all easily remedied! And in a way, that's what brought me to this page on Amazon to begin with. After all these years I'm going to buy another set just for fun! HA! With two of these babies, I'll be able to make almost ANYTHING. Mwa ha ha ha ha ha ha!