We love the Raspberry Pi! It’s a great learning tool, can be a part of any DIY home automation setup, is a very capable HTPC, and can help with almost anything else a bright mind and nimble hands can get together and build. If you’re thinking about diving in and tapping into your inner maker, here are a few accessories you might need to get started.
Shut down safely
Geekworm Safe Shutdown Shield
Staff favorite
This battery-powered HAT plugs into your Raspberry Pi 3 B+ or 4B and acts as an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) to give everything time to shut down safely. It works with both a momentary button or a latching switch for customizable power control.
$33 at Amazon
Device storage
Samsung 64GB EVO Select Memory Card
This 64GB Samsung microSD card will give your Raspberry Pi enough storage for the operating system, plenty of project files or media, and best of all, it comes in under $20! You can never have too much storage, in our opinion.
$12 at Amazon
BYOD!
4G / 3G / GNSS HAT Module
Turn your Raspberry Pi into a bonafide mobile device with this HAT. It supports North American LTE, 3G, GLONASS, and GPS through a standard SIM card so you can make calls, send texts, and use your entire data plan if you want.
$79 at Amazon
Keyboard and Mouse
Mini QWERTY Keyboard
If you’ll need to talk directly with your Raspberry Pi you’ll need a way to do it. This mini QWERTY keyboard and touchpad fits in one hand and works with just about anything.
$15 at Amazon
Gamepad
Classic USB Gamepad
The retro style you love with modern USB connectivity makes this gamepad a must-have for all your classic ROMs. It connects via USB to your computer.
$23 at Amazon
Smart Switching
Power Relay Module for Raspberry Pi
A Raspberry Pi can do a lot of things, but if you want to control switches, plugs, or even your garage door opener, you’ll need a good UL listed relay module and some DIY ingenuity.
$24 at Amazon
Power to Learn
Sunfounder Super Starter Learning Kit
The Raspberry Pi was invented to provide young minds a gateway to the world of electronics. This project kit from Sunfounder has everything you need to get your child or even yourself on the path to electronic wizardry.
$44 at Amazon
Tap away
Raspberry Pi 7-inch Touch Display
This full-color 800×480 display is perfect for any project that is suited for a touchscreen rather than a keyboard and mouse. Everything you need to install is included and the price is great.
$65 at Amazon
ICU
IR Night Vision Camera for Raspberry Pi 4B and 3 B+
Plug this infra-red camera directly into your Raspberry Pi and roll your own security or surveillance solution. Or use it in normal mode and have a good, dependable all-around camera.
$19 at Amazon
We love some Pi
We can recommend the pieces and parts you need to get started using your Raspberry Pi to do almost anything! These are the basics you should think about before you start any project but the possibilities are endless.
I’m loving the Geekworm Safe Shutdown Shield because it’s never a good idea to just cut to power on any computer. A few dollars on the HAT and some batteries and I get up to 10 hours of run-time whenever the power goes out.
I also think the IR Camera is pretty slick, and it’s probably my next buy. The camera connector on a Raspberry Pi never sees enough action and the addition of night vision has me thinking of new ways to keep tabs on my pets and the front yard. And you can never have too many microSD cards. Never.
