⌘ K
"The Surface Space Loader LT78 earns a BrickScore of 66 from expert reviewers who find it competent but modest within the Technic range, yet real buyers rate it a 4.75 out of 5 across more than 650 ratings, making it one of those sets where the target audience (beginners, casual builders, and families) gets considerably more out of it than the expert consensus suggests."
The Surface Space Loader LT78 (42178) carries a BrickScore of 66, landing it in Mixed Reviews territory among expert assessors, though that expert hesitation is sharply at odds with owner enthusiasm: 656 owner ratings average 4.75 out of 5 across Amazon, Walmart, Target, and the LEGO store. Owner commentary consistently praises the functional mechanisms, approachable build, and value at the $34.99 price point, while the expert consensus flags it as a set where Technic ambition is slightly undercut by its entry-level scope. The gap between the critical score and the owner delight is the defining tension of this set.
Where they split: The most significant divergence is between the expert BrickScore of 66 (Mixed Reviews) and the 4.75-out-of-5 owner average across 656 ratings. Owners with less prior Technic experience find the mechanisms delightful and the price excellent; critics measuring it against the broader Technic catalog find it falls short of the line's potential. Neither camp is wrong. This is a set that rewards its intended audience but disappoints those expecting more.
Is this a smart buy? BrickPicker's data-grounded investment verdict.
Unlock the Max Profit Opinion: our stance (buy / accumulate / hold / pass), the reasoning, the exact data behind it (eBay + BrickLink comps, CAGR vs MSRP, our retirement model), and whether the reviewer community agrees.
Unlock with Collector or Reseller"It's an good looking little vehicle that's quite dense and interestingly built."
RacingBrick
"Lego has felt like they've moving been moving a little bit away from a function focus in Technic and moving more towards making things that look pretty"
JANG's LEGO Reviews
"reasonably cool surface vehicle with a neat transforming chassis"
Brickset Reviews
"Is it a mighty mouse? You'll have to read on to see!"
The Brothers Brick"It's an good looking little vehicle that's quite dense and interestingly built."
"Lego has felt like they've moving been moving a little bit away from a function focus in Technic and moving more towards making things that look pretty"
"reasonably cool surface vehicle with a neat transforming chassis"
"Is it a mighty mouse? You'll have to read on to see!"
Most owners enjoy the Surface Space Loader as a fun, affordable Technic entry point with clever mechanisms, though a few find the functions poorly executed and the fit and finish lacking.
Amazon4.8Walmart4.6
Target4.6
LEGO.com4.5
