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LEGO ended Mindstorms at the end of 2022, and LEGO Education stopped selling SPIKE Prime and SPIKE Essential on June 30, 2026. For most families the best replacement is a Makeblock mBot2, with VEX IQ for teens who want a bigger snap together build system.
LEGO's newest robotics kit, Computer Science and AI, is sold to schools, not families. Buy a Makeblock mBot2 for a first coding robot that works with LEGO bricks. Buy a used EV3 only if the price is low and you are fine with community software.
Answer the 4 questions and your best matches show up here.
| Kit | Price | Ages | Builds like LEGO? | Coding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Makeblock mBot2 (mBot Neo) | about $150 | 8+ | Works with LEGO bricks, seller says | Blocks, then Python (mBlock) |
| VEX IQ Education Kit | about $500 | Grades 5 to 8 | Snap together pieces, its own system | Blocks, Python, C++ |
| LEGO Mindstorms Robot Inventor 51515 (used) | about $385 used | 10+ | Yes, it is LEGO | Free Pybricks Python |
| LEGO Mindstorms EV3 31313 (used) | about $160 used | Not stated | Yes, it is LEGO | EV3 MicroPython on a microSD card |
| ELEGOO Smart Robot Car Kit V4.0 | about $66 to $80 | 12+ | No, a car kit with modules | Included code, app control |
| SparkFun Inventor's Kit v4.1.2 | about $100 | 10+ | No, breadboard and wires | Arduino |
| Petoi Bittle X robot dog kit | about $319 | 10+ | No, servos and screws | Blocks, Python, C++ |
Prices change. We may earn a small commission, your price stays the same.
The closest family friendly swap for Mindstorms. A seller lists it as compatible with LEGO bricks, so old LEGO pieces get a second life. Kids start with blocks in mBlock and move to Python in the same app. The maker shows sale prices well under $150 at times.
Skip it if your child wants to build a big new robot shape every week. mBot2 is a car first, not a full build system.
Check price on AmazonThe best match for the full Mindstorms feel. It is a big set of snap together plastic parts with 4 motors and over 750 pieces. You code it with blocks, Python or C++ on a tablet or computer.
Skip it if you want a gift under $200. VEX sells mainly to schools, and the maker lists it for grades 5 to 8.
Check price on AmazonA low cost way to keep a Mindstorms fan building. It follows lines, avoids walls and drives from a phone or tablet. The code comes in the box.
Skip it if your child is under 12 or has never wired anything. The maker says beginners do better with someone guiding them.
Check price on AmazonMindstorms hid the wiring inside the brick. This kit shows it, with no soldering. It builds 16 circuits on a breadboard and ends with a robot that avoids objects.
Skip it if your child only wants to build with bricks. This is wires and code, not a construction set.
Check price on AmazonFor the kid who built Mindstorms animals and wants a real walking robot. It comes as a kit with servos, a board, a battery and a screwdriver. You code it with blocks, Python or C++.
Skip it if you want a robot that changes shape. Bittle is always a dog.
Check price on AmazonBuilder Club turns a kit into real learning: one step at a time, with progress you both can see.
LEGO launched Mindstorms in 1998. EV3 came out in 2013, and the last set, Robot Inventor 51515, came out in 2020.
In October 2022 LEGO said it would end the Mindstorms line at the end of 2022. LEGO said it was "redirecting our MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor team" to other work. It pointed builders to SPIKE Prime instead.
Today the Robot Inventor page on lego.com is marked "Retired Product". The school version of EV3 stopped selling on June 30, 2021.
Not from LEGO Education. It ended sales of SPIKE Prime and SPIKE Essential on June 30, 2026. Both product pages on education.lego.com now say "Retired".
Sets you already own keep working. LEGO says the SPIKE app gets support until June 30, 2031. FIRST LEGO League teams can use SPIKE through the 2027 to 2028 season.
LEGO's new kit, Computer Science and AI, is built for classrooms of students working in groups of four. Reports put it at $339.95 per kit and up, for grades K to 8. It is not sold as a family toy.
You may still see leftover SPIKE boxes from other sellers. Check the price and that the hub is included before you buy.
Sometimes. A used EV3 set (31313) sells for about $160, per BrickEconomy, down from $349.99 new. A used Robot Inventor set sells for about $385.
The catch is software. LEGO said its EV3 app would stay available to download until July 31, 2026. After that, plan on EV3 MicroPython, which runs from a microSD card and is coded in Visual Studio Code on a computer.
The free Pybricks project already supports Robot Inventor and SPIKE Prime hubs. It is working on new EV3 firmware too.
Match the kit to what your child loved about Mindstorms. Prices change often, so check before you buy.
We email you when these kits drop in price. One email per drop, nothing else.
Yes. LEGO ended the Mindstorms line at the end of 2022. The last set was Robot Inventor 51515, and lego.com now lists it as a retired product.
LEGO pointed fans to SPIKE Prime. But LEGO Education stopped selling SPIKE on June 30, 2026. Its newest kit, Computer Science and AI, is sold to schools, not families.
Yes. LEGO kept its EV3 app available to download until July 31, 2026. You can also run EV3 MicroPython from a microSD card and code it on a computer.
Yes. LEGO promised app support until at least the end of 2024. The free Pybricks project also lets you code the Robot Inventor hub in Python.
Yes. A seller lists the Makeblock mBot2 as compatible with LEGO bricks. It costs about $150 and is for ages 8 and up.
VEX IQ. It is a large snap together build system with motors and sensors, coded with blocks, Python or C++. It costs about $500 and is sold mostly to schools.