Ms. Rachel Tonie vs Sharper Image RC Robot Combat Set

These are not really rivals. The Ms. Rachel Tonie is a 50-minute audio figurine for a Toniebox, aimed at ages 1 and up, and it needs that speaker to work at all. The Sharper Image set is two remote-control fighting robots for ages 5 to 6, played with on their own. Buy the Tonie for a toddler who already has a Toniebox; buy the robots for an older child who wants a physical, two-player game. Owners rate the Tonie far higher, and the robot set draws complaints about units that fail and flimsy plastic.

• Choose the Ms. Rachel Tonie if your child is around 1 to 3, already has a Toniebox, and you want songs and routines that build speech and feelings vocabulary.
• Choose the Sharper Image RC Robot Combat Set if you have kids around 5 to 6 who want to battle each other with remotes and don't need a separate speaker.