Big Bots, Little Bots, Rolling Bots, and Climbing Bots. You name it, there are probably several robots in our lab that can do it. We may not own every robot on the market (yet), but the ones we do own keep things fun around here.
Our robots are divided into three categories – pre-assembled, assembly-required, and discontinued robots. Anytime we find that one of our bots has been retired, we’ll move it to the discontinued section.
Note: Sphero’s RVR is an all-terrain robot that can be used right out of the box and it’s customizable. That makes RVR the best of both worlds. As Sphero so aptly puts it on their website – “Code with it, build on it, and hack the robot of your dreams. With RVR, you can go anywhere and do anything.”
Pre-Assembled Robots in Our Lab
Pre-assembled robots can provide your kids hours of fun straight out of the box. But are they the best option? Check out our Buying the Perfect Robot post to weigh the pros and cons of a pre-assembled robot.
Cozmo
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Digital Dream Labs
- Anki’s Cozmo Release Info: 2016 – 2019
- DDLs’ Cozmo 2.0 Release Info: early 2022
- App-Enabled: Yes
- Skill Level: 8+
- Controller: Compatible iOS/Android Device Only
- Programmable: Yes
RVR

- Release Info: 2019 –
- App-Enabled: Yes
- Skill Level: 8+
- Controller: Compatible iOS/Android Device Only
- Programmable: Yes
Bolt

- Release Info: 2018 –
- App-Enabled: Yes
- Skill Level: 8+
- Controller: Compatible iOS/Android Device Only
- Programmable: Yes
Assembly-Required Robots in Our Lab
Assembly-required robots are great for the little engineers in your family since they’re more likely to enjoy the experience of building their robot as much as controlling it. Check out our Buying the Perfect Robot post to weigh the pros and cons of an assembly-required robot.
RVR

- Release Info: 2019 –
- App-Enabled: Yes
- Skill Level: 8+
- Controller: Compatible iOS/Android Device Only
- Programmable: Yes
Robot Inventor
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- Release Info: 2020 –
- App-Enabled: Yes
- Skill Level: 10+
- Controller: Compatible iOS/Android Device
- Programmable: Yes
Discontinued Robots in 0ur Lab
Several robots in our lab have been discontinued or retired from production, but we still plan on creating fun content for them as we have time. However, you will want to do additional research before making a purchase, if you find one of them for sale. Check out our Buying the Perfect Robot article for the pros and cons of purchasing a discontinued robot.
BB-8

- Release Info: 2015 – 2018
- App-Enabled: Yes
- Skill Level: 8+
- Controller: Compatible iOS/Android Device Only
- Programmable: Yes
R2-D2
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- Release Info: 2017 – 2018
- App-Enabled: Yes
- Skill Level: 8+
- Controller: Compatible iOS/Android Device Only
- Programmable: Yes
BB-9E

- Release Info: 2017 – 2018
- App-Enabled: Yes
- Skill Level: 8+
- Controller: Compatible iOS/Android Device Only
- Programmable: Yes
Droid Commander Set

- Release Info: 2019 – 2021
- App-Enabled: Yes
- Skill Level: 8+
- Controller: Compatible iOS/Android Device
- Programmable: Yes
EV3

- Release Info: 2013 – 2021
- App-Enabled: Yes
- Skill Level: 10+
- Controller: Remote Control or Compatible iOS/Android Device
- Programmable: Yes
NXT

Uses Two 2nd Generation Mindstorms Robotics Kits
- Release Info: 2006 – 2013
- App-Enabled: No
- Skill Level: 10+
- Controller: PC/Mac & NXT Intelligent Brick
- Programmable: Yes