Wednesday 22 April 2020

Discovery Mindblown Hydraulic Robot Arm (age 10+) Review (sent by The Essential One).

A lot of online vendors have had to close shop for a while, and obviously we don't have instore shopping right now, but The Essential One are still open for business online. They sell all kinds of products for babies and children, and have sent us two of the toys for bigger kids from the Discovery Mindblown STEM range.

I've already covered the Toy Anatomy 4D Shark. Age 6+ and here is the Discovery Mindblown Toy DIY Robotic Arm with Hydraulics. Age 10+.

Discovery Mindblown Hydraulic Robot Arm box cover

We've never created anything using hydraulics before, so this was an entirely new concept for my 11 and 10 year old boys. We also have our 22 year old engineering student here, so he helped. This is a 176 piece kit, and it's a challenge to a young engineer.

Discovery Mindblown STEM toy Hydraulic Robot Arm kit box contents

The parts are mainly on sprue, and you'll do a better job if you use scissors or snips. You'll need your own basic tools, but they are things you'd tend to have at home - scissors, tape, ruler, screwdriver etc.


Mindblown hydraulic Robot arm parts need to come off sprue

While building your child will start to understand some concepts and will already be learning. Parts need to be oiled, the assembly needs to be watertight, and the robot needs to move.

Discovery Mindblown Robot arm with hydraulics instruction booklet

The instruction leaflet is clear, if a little bit daunting, however my 10 and 11 year old boys had plenty of help. It turned into quite the family project and I think they all enjoyed themselves.

(I know a lot of people search for this post because you have lost the instruction leaflet. I have photographed it and created a PDF. Email me if you would like me to send you a copy...  thebrickcastle@gmail.com )

Robot building family activity pre teen boys

Most of the build is pretty straightforward, but you will need a bit of hand strength to fit some parts - it can be very stiff and a tight fit.

Discovery Mindblown Robot arm hydraulics joints

It only takes a cup full of water to complete the build, and you have a huge range of movement in your robotic arm. It's really impressive and a great way to learn about how to transfer power and use hydraulics to do some quite complex actions. A definite science and engineering win.

Discovery Mindblown Robot arm with hydraulics complete in action

Here's a quick video with my 11 year old demonstrating his new robotic arm...


There a FREE Discovery Mindblown app. that anyone can download, with games, DIY videos and loads more to whet your appetite for exploring STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) skills.

The Discovery Mindblown STEM toys, including The Discovery Toy DIY Robotic Arm with Hydraulics, age 10+ (£39.99) are available in the UK from The Essential One
UK delivery is from £4.95.






We were sent our toys for review by The Essential One 

134 comments:

  1. Robert Mark Ward23 April 2020 at 04:48

    I would use a robot arm to feed me with chocolate biscuits & to defend me from small grandsons who may want to eat my chocolate biscuits.

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  2. Cleaning at the moment, as I feel that is all I do!

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  3. Keeping on top of the housework!

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  4. Wow how cool is this. It's Brilliant. xx

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  5. I would use mine for cleaning the oven, I hate that job

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  6. I would try it doing the hoovering.

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  7. Now that would be handy for keeping the kids amused - can't think off hand what it would be used for though.

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  8. Doing the housework - especially the ironing.

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  9. I'd use it to feed my baby; I can't shovel the food in fast enough for him!

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  10. A 'real' robot arm would be incredibly handy. What would you use yours for?

    to give all my friends and family more virtual hugs

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  11. with 3 border collies it could throw the ball for them

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  12. i would get it to make me a cup of coffee x

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  13. I would use my robot arm for good.

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  14. Carrying my cuppa, after making it, obviously!!

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  15. Hanging the washing out, a chore I'm not a fan off.

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  16. Doing the laundry

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  17. To change my babies nappy 😂😂

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  18. this is so cool, but I will be giving it to my nephew who will prob find a 100 things to do with it

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  19. To tidy up toys 🙂🌈🙂🌈🙂🌈🙂

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  20. I always tickle my husbands back when we go to bed and sometimes it makes my arm hurt! This would be perfect!

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  21. I'd get it to give me massages!

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  22. reaching things on high shelves

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  23. I'd use mine to bring me cups of coffee all day x

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  24. Turn the pages of my book when I'm sunbathing!!! :-)

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  25. For washing the windows and dusting

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  26. I'd use it for weeding the garden

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  27. Cleaning, Cooking, Building, Getting Read, Holding Items, Typing, Writing, Hugs, Playing Toys, Back Rubs, Waving! - Rachel Smith 💜😁

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  28. To do the ironing would be great

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  29. I’d use it for doing the cleaning, especially the toilet and cat litter tray 😂

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  30. Litter picking. It would have to be long enough to pick up litter and put into a bag without constant bending over as I've got a painful back right now. :-)

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  31. Fantastic giveaway, my grandsons would love this

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  32. Cleaning the dreaded oven would be great for me

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  33. holly harmsworth29 April 2020 at 17:10

    i would use my robotic arm to make myself something scrummy to eat

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  34. getting things out the oven without fearing burning myself!

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  35. Getting rid of spiders for me lol.

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  36. could i train it to use a laptop---and enter competitions for me?

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  37. A back massager! my husband tries but he gets distracted by something on tv and leaves me stranded

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  38. Massaging my back

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  39. I'd use mine to clean the oven - it's my most hated job!

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  40. Margaret Clarkson
    Cleaning, definitely

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  41. Sian Buckingham5 May 2020 at 14:08

    I'd use a robot arm to keep hold of the remote, it's always going missing! 😂

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  42. cleaning the oven the worst job in the world i think

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  43. Picking things up

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  44. To help me carry my shopping.

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  45. Doing my hair, whilst I did my make up with my other arms!

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  46. Robot arms are fascinating things. I suspect this would be educational for me, let alone the kids!

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  47. I would want / expect my robot to be able to complete more than one task. Mainly Butler type tasks :- Such as answering the door ( when door bell rings). Treat guests / people politely and with Respect. Answer the telephone. Present meals and drinks with dignity and courtesy.

    If only one robot :- I would want the robot to cook, and clean, do the shopping ( storing items away appropriately). Book Events, Theatre Shows, holidays, travel, Entertainment, etc. Bring in the mail / post /parcels.

    Book Complementary Therapies

    With busy lives it's likely that we would all benefit from having a robot :- To ease the lot / load. Improve our quality of life.

    Rachel Craig

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  48. Unloading the dishwasher

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  49. oh it would help me with housework and maybe even help me weed the garden flower beds

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  50. To help Carry my heavy shopping bags for me ! :)

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  51. doing the ironing

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  52. Getting "stuff" from down the back of the radiator

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  53. lifting all the heavy stuff around the house

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  54. I would use it to open jars that are stuck!

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  55. Making me cups of tea and massages!

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  56. My grandsons would probably get it to tidy their rooms!

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  57. This looks cool

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  58. i would use it to lead a machine revolution to destroy their human overlords

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  59. Cleaning would he amazing!!

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  60. To make lunch and dinner

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  61. To water my plants on the allotment - taking me ages!

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  62. The two jobs I really hate.....ironing and cleaning the oven

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  63. This is so cool. I would use it to do everything because I'm lazy.

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  64. Get me drinks from the Fridge.

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  65. To give my oven a good scrub as it is a disgrace x

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  66. For reaching food on the top shelf of the fridge that I can't reach!

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  67. To do my ironing which would be wonderful

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  68. It feeding me grapes or chocolate would be great!

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  69. feeding the baby so i can eat hot dinner! ;D

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  70. I would use it to do the cleaning and the ironing!

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  71. Has to be doing the washing up.

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  72. Pauline Burroughs16 May 2020 at 19:42

    I'd use it to clean the oven

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  73. Chopping all of the vegetables when I cook to save my arm and hand from aching and it would be quicker

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  74. Helping me put all the clothes away as it seems this is all I do, even in lockdown. It's neverending haha

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  75. I would use it for cleaning Windows.

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  76. to pick up things on the floor, would be a wonderful blessings!!

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  77. I would use a robot arm to do the dishes for me, so I wouldn't have to!

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  78. Cleaning the loo, will the robotic arm fit around the bend??

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  79. It could help me with the housework and run little errands for me

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  80. I'd use a robot arm for getting rid of spiders! No way on this earth I'd touch one!

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  81. I’d use mine to play knockdoor runaway on the neighbours. I’d have to learn how to wind it in quickly though :-)

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  82. cleaning the house!

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  83. I'd utilise it to presh the F5 button when I'm trying to buy tickets to Glastonbury 2021.

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  84. for repairing laptops, phones and other precise things

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  85. Washing the floor and skirting boards. How do they get so grubby?

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  86. Cleaning, washing & gardening

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  87. I would use to help with the house work and catch spiders

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  88. To take care of the ironing my most hated job

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  89. Going to get something from another room, when I'm working and don't want to lose my train of thought!

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  90. I would use it to open jars that are hard to open.

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  91. I would get my robot arm to be prodding my son to concentrate on his school work

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  92. Hi that’s awesome! A friend need the instruction manual. Can you help by scanning the manual and send it to me. Or know where I can download the manual..? Thank you 😊

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    Replies
    1. Hiya. If you email me thebrickcastle@gmail.com then I can send you photos of the manual :)

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    2. We lost our instruction also We need one where we can get it??!!

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    3. Hiya Roj, the same to you - if you email me at thebrickcastle@gmail.com I can send you a PDF copy - it says so near the bottom of the post :)

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Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment. I read every one and try my best to reply!