Best Lego sets for adults 2023 - Our top picks

best lego sets for adults


best lego sets for adults

If you're looking for the best Lego sets for adults, we've got you covered right here with our top picks.

The world of Lego is a vast and exciting one, where building practically anything in miniaturised form is possible.

This can range from landmarks, such as the Colosseum in Rome, to a Nintendo Entertainment System or an entire Millenium Falcon, which we'd consider to be one of the best Lego Star Wars sets in itself.

Lego sets for adults are a little more intricate and difficult to build compared to the more traditional sets for children and are likely to come with thousands of pieces that may take longer to put together.

But it's definitely worth the time and effort because they should result in some of the best Lego models money can buy today.

Many people will have differing opinions on what makes a great Lego set, so these are simply a selection of our favourites that we believe are a must-have.

We've taken a look at what's available on the market today that aligns with what we think makes a fantastic Lego set for adults, and selected a number of options based on everything from specs to reviews.

So, let’s get to it – here are some recommendations for the best Lego sets for adults out there today.

Best Lego Sets For Adults

Best Disney Lego Set For Adults - LEGO The Disney Castle

best disney lego set for adults
expand image
Credit: Lego
Set Number: 71040 | Pieces: 4080 | Recommended Age: 16+ | Dimensions: 74 x 48 x 31 cm | Number Of Mini-figures: 5

For those Disney fans in your life, the LEGO The Disney Castle is likely to be a truly magical choice.

This is a set with over 4000 pieces to it that can help you to build a scale model of Cinderella's Castle, or the castle featured in the Magic Kingdom park in Walt Disney World, Florida, complete with five floors to build.

Standing at 74cm high, the LEGO The Disney Castle is quite a large set, and is sure to be the centrepiece of your setup, especially considering you can also get display cases to sit it in.

Read more: Best Gundam model kits

It's an intricate set too, not only from the perspective that it needs a lot of work to build, but the castle has been rendered in meticulous detail with the ornate spires on the outside and decorated walls on the inside, for instance.

This set does also come with five minifigures with everyone from Mickey Mouse to Daisy Duck, and one of the floors even comes with two stud shooters to mimic a fireworks display.

Best Gaming Lego Set For Adults - LEGO Nintendo Entertainment System

best gaming lego set for adults
expand image
Credit: Lego
Set Number: 71374 | Pieces: 2646 | Recommended Age: 18+ | Dimensions: 23 x 24 x 16 cm | Number Of Mini-figures: 0

The LEGO Nintendo Entertainment System, or NES, is a complex Lego set that allows you to build one of the most legendary game consoles of all time.

It not only allows you to build the console itself, but also a retro TV, complete with flat 8-bit Mario figure, and a games controller.

Read More: Best 3D printer for miniatures

The LEGO NES isn't just a static model and also features a cute little opening slot for the Game Pak to go in, as well as an action brick to scan with the separate LEGO Mario figure that causes him to react to on-screen enemies and obstacles, as he would within Super Mario Bros.

It's worth noting that the set also comes with 2646 pieces which, for the smaller stature of this set, is a fair amount, and allows you to build an incredibly detailed scale replica.

Best Car Lego Set For Adults - LEGO TECHNIC Land Rover Defender

best car lego set for adults
expand image
Credit: Lego
Set Number: 42110 | Pieces: 2573 | Recommended Age: 11+ | Dimensions: 22 x 42 x 20 cm | Number Of Mini-figures: 0

Picking out a motoring-related LEGO set is quite difficult, given the variety on offer, but the LEGO TECHNIC Land Rover Defender is definitely a great option.

LEGO TECHNIC sets have always been more detailed than more traditional models, and this particular offering acts as a brilliant exhibition of this, given it features Lego's most complex functional gearbox to date on a TECHNIC car, as well as an in-line 6-cylinder engine with moving pistons, and working steering.

The LEGO TECHNIC Land Rover Defender also has a true-to-life set of bodywork and accessories, complete with the Defender's rims as well as a removable roof rack, ladders and traction mats for a day's offroading.

Best Football Lego Set For Adults - LEGO Old Trafford - Manchester United

best football lego set for adults
expand image
Credit: Lego
Set Number: 10272 | Pieces: 3898 | Recommended Age: 16+ | Dimensions: 19 x 39 x 47 cm | Number Of Mini-figures: 0

The LEGO Old Trafford set is likely to be a hit with football fans, even if it's only a scale replica of Manchester United's infamous ground.

The set comes with nearly 4000 pieces and is highly detailed, giving you not only a 1:600 scale model of the stadium when completed but also access to little details such as the players’ tunnel and a statue of Sir Alex Ferguson.

Even the pitch itself is nicely finished with lawn stripes and the inside of the stadium features authentic banners to stick onto the stands, which makes you feel as if you've got the atmosphere of Old Trafford right in front of you.

Best Historical LEGO Set For Adults - LEGO Colosseum

best historical lego set for adults
expand image
Credit: Lego
Set Number: 10276 | Pieces: 9036 | Recommended Age: 18+ | Dimensions: 27 x 52 x 59 cm | Number Of Mini-figures: 0

The LEGO Colosseum is a great set for both fans of ancient history and also of architecture, too.

It's a scale model of the infamous landmark in Rome and features over 9000 pieces to put together, making this one of the most complex Lego sets available today and actually the one with the largest amount of pieces.

Don't let the 9000+ pieces scare you, Rome wasn't built in a day.

This is authentically detailed over three storeys that are adorned with columns of the Corinthian, Doric and Ionic orders, alongside the Colosseum's iconic arches and the outer wall facade, while the attic is decorated with Corinthian pilasters to provide an all-round awe-inspiring amphitheatre.

Best Space Lego Set For Adults - LEGO International Space Station

best space lego set for adults
expand image
Credit: Lego
Set Number: 21321 | Pieces: 864 | Recommended Age: 16+ | Dimensions: 20 x 49 x 31 cm | Number Of Mini-figures: 2

For fans of the final frontier, the LEGO International Space Station set is sure to be a fantastic choice.

This set comes with some clever features such as 8 adjustable solar panels, as well as a possible Canadarm2 to provide the authentic ISS experience.

In addition, the LEGO International Space Station also features a pair of astronaut Minifigures that you can take on spacewalks, as well as a buildable small NASA space shuttle and three mini cargo spacecraft too, so you've got other spacecraft to interact with the Space Station.

Interestingly, this is a set that forms part of the LEGO Ideas collection, which are sets created by people that are voted on to become part of LEGO's range, which is certainly rather cool.

Best James Bond Lego Set For Adults - LEGO James Bond Aston Martin DB5

best james bond lego set for adults
expand image
Credit: Lego
Set Number: 10262 | Pieces: 1295 | Recommended Age: 16+ | Dimensions: 48 x 9 x 28 cm | Number Of Mini-figures: 0

James Bond's Aston Martin DB5 from Goldfinger is an iconic car in film history, and the LEGO James Bond Aston Martin DB5 provides you with a chance to build your very own piece of cinema history.

It features working miniaturised versions of some of the vehicle's most notable gadgets. such as the tyre scythes, revolving number plate and even a working ejector seat roof.

The interior here is also detailed with opening doors, as well as a door compartment complete with a telephone, as well as a concealable radar tracker, so you'll have plenty of features to play around with and keep you busy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Lego sets for adults worth it?

If you have patience and hands that love to keep busy, you'll likely find these lego sets to be more than worth it.

While Lego as a toy has always been more associated with children, the last fear years have seen oodles of more complicated and intricate sets introduced to prove the point that Lego definitely isn't just for children over a wide variety of interest areas from architecture to history and popular culture.

How do I choose a Lego set?

In our view, we'd say to choose a Lego set that aligns with your own interests. If you're a fan of cars, get a Lego set that allows you to build a scale model of your favourite supercar, while if you're big into space, then get a set that will enable you to build the likes of a space shuttle, for instance.

Of course, you can start small with some of the less complex sets and then build up to some of the larger options, or dive right in with the more detailed options.

How much should I spend on a Lego set?

This all depends on the kind of Lego set you're after and sometimes, the specific size of the Lego set you're wanting to pick up.

Some of the smaller detailed sets are likely to run you between $100 and $150 depending on the series it belongs to, and of course the model itself.

Typically, the bigger the model, the more expensive they are given both complexity and number of pieces, and some of these can go for between $300 and $500.

Is Lego Technic good for adults?

Typically speaking, the Lego Technic sets can be some of the most complex ones to build and therefore have a higher recommended age on them, which therefore makes them a great fit for adults.

Specifically, they'll be great for those into engineering or the actual subject of the models, such as cars, given the additional moving parts and interaction they offer compared to a more standard Lego set.

What is the age limit on Lego?

There technically isn't an age limit on Lego apart from the 3+ years use recommendation to eliminate choking hazards. Anyone can technically try any Lego set, meaning adults can try smaller children's sets, and vice versa.

In fact, some lego sets are now advertised as 18+, replacing the previous "Expert" markers used to denote the skill level involved in assembly.

This Article's Topics

Explore new topics and discover content that's right for you!

TechAffiliates