Is Value Hobby really a value?
 

Hello everyone. I am new to r/c flying, actually not sure I even began :) I had a Horizon Hobby Super Cub, but it got me hooked. The cost has always been what's kept me from getting into it, but yesterday I came across this site called Value Hobby (valuehobby.com). Everything on the site is really affordable! So i'm thinking, this is perfect! Now I can finally do it! But of course, i'm also thinking, this is too good to be true. Brushless outrunner motors: 6 bucks, LiPo batteries: 15 bucks, servos: 2.50.... and trainer planes at a good price. A lot of GForce products, not sure how the brand ranks. So, of course, i'm also thinking, too good to be true. I did a little research on Value Hobby, and there are good and bad reviews. Seems the bad reviews all revolve around customer service, and some folks getting bad batteries or broken items, but mostly bad customer service. That and shipping, but the shipping is worth it to me if everything is as low cost as it is.



So my question to you guys is, have any of you had any experience with Value Hobby? Are GForce products any good? If not, any recommendations on how and where I might be able to get what I need to start flying without breaking the bank?

GForce outrunner motors are good.

They sell cheap stuff. There will be no quality control and no service if something goes wrong.
Depending on your budget, have a look at some of the Flite Test plans or kits. Their Simple Cub isn't bad for a beginner flying in calm air. I suggest buying good servos, motors, and ESC's. You'll be able to move them from plane to plane as you wear out the foam.

Consider looking for an instructor too. You'll save a lot more money than it costs you to get someone to help you with setup and flight trimming, not to mention piloting skills.

Thanks for the advice! I think i'm going to go ahead and get the Simple Cub kit. Are the Flite Test motors, servos, and ESC's decent quality, or should i be looking somewhere else for those?

I haven't bought them before, but I haven't seen any complaints. They should be fine. Honestly, brushless motors, Lipo batteries, and ESCs are fairly simple and can be mass produced cheaply. Servos and radios are still a bit more sensitive.

I'll say it again though: an instructor and good quality stuff is the cheapest possible way to do this hobby.

do they ship your order from the US or China?

A number of us in my club are buying lots of their motors, ESC's, servos and batteries for our Flite Test foamboard combat airplanes. The planes have a very limited lifespan (lots of mid-airs), so the watchword is "Super Cheap". When we do wreck stuff, we don't care. We've had a couple of motors with bearings going out really fast, a couple of servos that go bad after moderate use, etc. And a couple of items that were bad right out of the box. But the overall fleet is around 40 planes, and for what we've paid, we're all satisfied. Keep your expectations low, as you do get what you pay for. But for what it is, we continue buying from them.
They ship pretty quickly from their home in Ohio.

I've gotten some pretty good deals from Value Hobby. I have a battery charger with 12 volt power supply that I just love. I've also had some pretty good luck with batteries. Keep an eye on them.