Miko Mini
Limited evidenceRead the findings →Miko's smaller wheeled learning robot for young children, telling stories, playing songs and answering questions. It's a hit with kids who love stories and dancing. It sometimes mishears them, though, and songs can cut out mid-way.
Updated
See the alternatives below, or switch market.
Where it sits in Miko’s range
- Miko MiniThis model
- Miko 2Earlier Miko learning robot for children
- Miko 3Bigger Miko with roughly double the claimed play time
Feedback
What we know
Mumsnet tested the Mini over several weeks with children aged five and seven. They enjoyed the stories and dancing, but it sometimes misunderstood requests and stopped songs without warning. The review didn't measure battery life or cover months of use. It's a useful picture of one family's experience, but one test isn't enough for an overall review label.
Mumsnet, hands-on, Several weeks (Tested with children aged 7 and 5)
Stories and dancing kept children hooked
Mumsnet's children, aged seven and five, both loved the Dance Master feature and the stories, from short tales with a moral to the Story Coach, where they built their own. The robot also taught them facts, about starfish, planets and the electromagnetic spectrum, partly through songs. The Easter-egg commands listed in the app underwhelmed them. Expect the stories and music to do the heavy lifting.
It doesn't always understand
Mumsnet found the Mini sometimes misunderstood instructions. The reviewer admits that was partly two children yelling at it at once, but once or twice it simply didn't understand. Songs in Dance Master also kept stopping abruptly, mid-song, even when fully charged. Get children to speak one at a time, and expect a few false starts.
Give it room to dance
Mumsnet found that dancing needed clear space: the robot could reverse into nearby furniture and topple. Let children use it on a clear, level floor, follow Miko's instructions and keep it away from stairs or drops. Even a big table still has an edge for a moving robot to fall off.
Parents stay in charge
Setup uses two apps: a parent app for settings and controls, and a companion app for games, videos, stories and puzzles. Mumsnet found setup quite straightforward, though syncing the robot with the app only worked after plugging it back into the mains. The reviewer liked the physical camera shutter and mic mute button, and the ability to call your child through the robot. Miko adds a parent dashboard with usage limits Miko.
Only one independent hands-on review counts: Mumsnet's family test over several weeks.
Our take
Should you buy the Miko Mini?
Best for: Children aged five and over who enjoy stories, songs and games. Skip it if: You need dependable voice commands every time.
buy it for a child of five or more who likes stories and songs, and set it up yourself first. The bigger Miko 3 claims longer play, but its one reviewer found it limited without Miko Max.
The Miko Mini is the smaller of Miko's two robots for children, about 16cm tall, with a screen face, a camera that recognises your child, wheels for dancing about and microphones for listening. Children can ask it questions, hear stories, make up their own with the Story Coach feature and dance to songs, while parents set limits in a separate app. Miko sells an optional Miko Max plan for premium content.
Mumsnet's reviewer used it for several weeks with a family and found the children loved it, but it sometimes misheard their requests and songs stopped abruptly part-way through. It also needs space, or it can reverse into furniture while dancing. Miko says it gives up to three hours of active play and doesn't store identifiable voice recordings.
Before you buy
The questions people ask about this one
Does it need a subscription to keep working?
Miko says Max is optional. But Mumsnet doesn't make clear whether the family had a subscription or trial when they tried the branded content. Check which stories and features work free, which need Max, and what disappears when a trial ends.
What does it record, and where does that go?
It has a camera and microphones. Miko says it's COPPA-compliant and kidSAFE-certified, uses encryption and stores no identifiable voice recordings the specifications. Mumsnet points out the physical camera shutter and mic mute button on the robot, which let you cut both off without an app.
Is it OK for young children?
Miko designs it for ages five to ten the specifications, and Mumsnet's five-year-old and seven-year-old both enjoyed it. It sometimes didn't understand them, especially when they shouted at once, and it can topple over if it dances into furniture, so give it space.
How long does the battery last?
Miko claims up to three hours of active play and about 90 minutes to charge the specifications. Mumsnet charged it from the mains and didn't report running short, but that review didn't time it. Songs did cut out mid-way in that test even on a full charge.
Alternatives
Other companion robots to compare.
Miko 3
Why consider it: Miko's bigger robot with a claimed six to seven hours of play and video calls through the robot.
The compromise: Its one reviewer found the chat slow and the robot pretty limited without Miko Max.
Loona
Why consider it: More of a playful robot pet, roaming the floor and chatting using ChatGPT, according to KEYi.
The compromise: No finished independent review yet, and one owner's ears and hip bearings needed repair.
Eilik
Why consider it: A simple desk robot that reacts to touch, with no subscription, no camera listed and no Wi-Fi needed.
The compromise: It doesn't talk, teach or move around the room.
Specs
Full specifications
Each specification names its source. Manufacturer claims are not independent test results; unconfirmed figures are labelled.
Owner reviews
Do you own the Miko Mini?
Tell people how it’s held up: cleaning, maintenance, faults and support. Owner accounts are shown separately from independent reviews.
Sources
Where this page’s findings come from
Editorial reviews
- Mumsnet: Miko Mini AI robot review ↗Hands-on, Several weeks · Tested with children aged 7 and 5
Sources
Videos
- ToyNotes: Miko Mini AI Powered Robot Toy (Review & Demo) ↗
- Miko Robot: MEET MIKO MINI | THE ULTIMATE AI COMPANION ↗
- Search YouTube for Miko Mini ↗Search results may include company demonstrations or similar models. Check the source and model name; a demonstration is not an independent performance test.