Lego Mindstorms
Hacker ApprovedThe most recommended of 3 electronics kits
Recommended as a hands-on way to learn programming and robotics, with concepts that transfer to other work. Critics say the line was discontinued without a real successor.
Recommended as a hands-on way to learn programming and robotics, with concepts that transfer to other work. Critics say the line was discontinued without a real successor.
21 people gave an opinion
- recommend it
- 15
- criticize it
- 6
- approval share
- 71%
Recommended in 7 of 13 months
- November 2025: recommended
- December 2025: recommended
- January 2026: recommended
- February 2026: recommended
- March 2026: recommended
- April 2026: not recommended
- May 2026: not recommended
- June 2026: not recommended
- July 2026: not recommended
- August 2026: recommended
- September 2026: recommended
- October 2026: not recommended
- November 2026: not recommended (month in progress)
Why it carries the badge
- 15 people recommend itNeeds 10 or more, met.
- 2.5 recommenders for every criticNeeds 2 to 1 or better, met.
- Recommended in 7 of 13 monthsNeeds 4 or more, met.
The same three rules apply to every product, and the badge can’t be bought. How the badge works
What people say about it
The reasons people give, with the number of comments that give each one. Open a reason to read what they said.
Why people recommend it
Each mark is one comment
Fun, hands-on, nostalgic childhood favorite
“I have fond memories of eagerly awaiting the launch of Mindstorms”
Comment from 13 Jan 2026 in “Going for Gold: The Story of the Golden Lego RCX and NXT” “Having grown up with Duplo, Lego and Mindstorm”
Comment from 9 Jan 2026 in “Lego announces Smart Brick, the 'most significant evolution' in 50 years, no AI” “I had so much fun with Lego Mindstorms as well”
Comment from 8 Mar 2026 in “Dumping Lego NXT firmware off of an existing brick” - Comment from 2 Aug 2026 in “IBM i (OS/400) the Database Operating System”
Later versions praised, EV3 and NXT
“If you can find an EV3, it's the best thing you can get.”
Comment from 14 Feb 2026 in “Ask HN: How to get started with robotics as a hobbyist?” “then came mindstorms and it kept getting better”
Comment from 9 Jan 2026 in “Lego announces Smart Brick, the 'most significant evolution' in 50 years, no AI” “NXT still kicks ass by the way.”
Comment from 11 Mar 2026 in “Lego's 0.002 mm Specification and Its Implications for Manufacturing (2025)” Teaches programming concepts transferable elsewhere
“my fluency with concepts like control flow and values output from one part of the program serving as inputs for another part of the program were largely transferable”
Comment from 9 Nov 2025 in “Ask HN: How would you set up a child’s first Linux computer?” “Windstorms was 100% my entry into programming through 4H.”
Comment from 9 Jan 2026 in “Lego announces Smart Brick, the 'most significant evolution' in 50 years, no AI”
What people warn about
Each mark is one comment
Lacks a successor or lasting ecosystem
“couldn't have kept things in the Mindstorms "ecosystem" even if replacing/new”
Comment from 6 Jan 2026 in “New Lego smart-play system” “had huge potential but then just sort of fizzled out”
Comment from 11 Mar 2026 in “Lego's 0.002 mm Specification and Its Implications for Manufacturing (2025)” “discontinued it with no real replacement”
Comment from 6 Jan 2026 in “New Lego smart-play system” Offers little over digital alternatives
“i'm a little miffed mindstorms and the 'smart/connected' lego stuff didnt take off”
Comment from 25 Oct 2026 in “Lego collaboration with Daft Punk” “I don't see what technic/mindstorm offers over digital”
Comment from 11 Mar 2026 in “Lego's 0.002 mm Specification and Its Implications for Manufacturing (2025)”
Other electronics kits people recommend
The two most recommended other electronics kits, with the same counts for each, so you can compare like for like. The tick on each bar marks the 2 to 1 line the badge needs.
| Product | Recommend | Criticize | Approval | Months | Owned | Badge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lego MindstormsThis page | 15 | 6 | 71% | 7 | — | Approved |
| Beni robot by Microduck | 7 | 0 | 100% | 2 | — | — |
| Snap Circuits by Elenco | 5 | 2 | 71% | 3 | — | — |
What people said
20 of the 21 comments that mention it, newest first. Each links to the original comment.
“i'm a little miffed mindstorms and the 'smart/connected' lego stuff didnt take off”
“blocks so you can't have syntax errors and other silliness”
“Being hands-on with Mindstorms was cool”
“Opening it up that way was encouraging.”
“I don't see what technic/mindstorm offers over digital”
“Not just NX but technics basically was a build things that do stuff mechanically and now isn't that seemingly at all.”
“NXT still kicks ass by the way.”
“had huge potential but then just sort of fizzled out”
“I had so much fun with Lego Mindstorms as well”
“If you can find an EV3, it's the best thing you can get.”
“because it offered quite a lot for the price”
“While I found the visual programming paradigm limiting”
“I have fond memories of eagerly awaiting the launch of Mindstorms”
“Having grown up with Duplo, Lego and Mindstorm”
“then came mindstorms and it kept getting better”
“Windstorms was 100% my entry into programming through 4H.”
“couldn't have kept things in the Mindstorms "ecosystem" even if replacing/new”
“discontinued it with no real replacement”
“I still think the Mindstorms are a better platform for "smart" play.”
“my fluency with concepts like control flow and values output from one part of the program serving as inputs for another part of the program were largely transferable”
Counts come from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026. How we count. Report a mistake.