The Best Lego sets

Polygon is home to some truly seasoned Lego Maniacs who have spent a lot of time snapping little plastic bricks together. And with properties like Dungeons & Dragons and The Lord of the Rings joining the Lego catalog in 2024, that isn’t going to stop anytime soon.

If you’re looking for a fun project to fill that void on your shelf, we’ve assembled a list of some of the best Lego sets that currently occupy our office shelves. While we can’t help you find any extra space, we’ve sorted all of our favorite sets by price to help you find an awesome Lego set that will fit your budget. And if you’re specifically looking for a set to take you to a galaxy far, far away, you might want to check out our recommendations for the best Star Wars Lego sets after.

The best Lego sets under $50

Lego Lamborghini Countach

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The iconic Italian sports car has been immortalized in Lego form with this set that features 262 pieces. The modestly sized set comes with a driver Minifig, complete with an authentic Lamborghini jumpsuit and crash helmet. This set is currently available for $19.99 from Lego, Amazon, and Target.

Lego Retro Camera

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An awesome kit for any shutterbug, the Lego Retro Camera is actually three sets in one. The 261-piece set can be assembled into an analog camera, a digital video camera, or a retro TV set. This $19.99 set is available from Lego, Amazon, and Target.

Lego Majestic Tiger

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An outstanding specimen of Panthera tigris tigris. This 755-piece Lego tiger features fully posable limbs and an articulating tail to be displayed in a variety of ferocious poses. The set also comes with a tiny jungle oasis complete with a tropical bird. This $49.99 set is currently available from Amazon, Lego, and Best Buy.

The best Lego sets under $100

Lego Millennium Falcon (25th Anniversary)

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Made to commemorate 25 years of collaboration between Lego and the Star Wars franchise, the latest version of the Corellian freighter that made the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs features a total of 921 pieces. The 25th-anniversary edition of the Lego Millennium Falcon is currently available for $84.99 from Target, Walmart, and Lego.

Lego X-Men X-Jet

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An X-Men Lego set so authentic that you can practically hear the theme song. This 359-piece set features a re-creation of the Blackbird jet from the X-Men animated series and includes Minifigs of Rogue, Cyclops, Wolverine, and Magneto. You can find the Lego X-Men X-Jet at Lego, Amazon, and Walmart for $84.99.

Lego Horizon Forbidden West Tallneck

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Currently, the only Lego collaboration based on a PlayStation property, the Lego Horizon Forbidden West Tallneck features a loving re-creation of the robotic beast alongside a Minifig of Aloy and a tiny Watcher figure for scale. The 1,222-piece set is available from Amazon for $89.99.

Lego NASA Apollo 11 Lunar Lander

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The Lunar Excursion Module for the NASA Apollo 11 mission (The Eagle) is available as a 1,087-piece Lego set. Made to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing, this set features a detailed re-creation of the LEM along with a pair of astronaut Minifigs and a model of the lunar surface. This $99 set is available from Amazon.

Lego Super Mario Piranha Plant

Graphic: Alice Newcome-Beill/Polygon | Source images: Lego, Nintendo

The adjustable stalk, leaves, and mouth of the 540-piece carnivorous plant will allow you to model the li’l guy into a variety of emotive poses. While we all know the favorite snack of the Piranha Plant is red-clad Italian plumbers, this set also comes packaged with a pair of gold coins to feed it, in case it gets peckish. The Lego Piranha Plant is currently available from Lego, Amazon, and Walmart for $59.99.

Lego Flower Bouquet

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While there’s no replacing a traditional floral arrangement, this 756-piece Lego bouquet will last forever. Even if you have to put this one together yourself, this is an inexpensive and thoughtful gift for you or a loved one. The traditional floral bouquet normally costs around $60 but is available from Amazon and Target for around $48.

Lego Insect Collection

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This 1,111-piece Lego set is ideal for any fan of creepy-crawlies. It features Lego versions of the blue morpho butterfly, Hercules beetle, and praying mantis, all displayed in their natural habitats. This set is available for $79.99 from Amazon, Walmart, and Target.

The best Lego sets under $200

Lego Dune Atreides Royal Ornithopter

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The 1,369-piece model of the House Atreides Royal Ornithopter from Dune is an amazing build with articulating wings and landing gear. However, one of the best parts of this set is the eight Minifigs based on characters from the movie. The set includes Gurney, Duke Leto, Stilgar, Chani, Paul, Liet-Kynes, Lady Jessica, and an absolutely massive Baron Harkonnen. This $164.99 set is available from Amazon, Lego, and Walmart.

Lego Pirate Ship

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The Lego Pirate Ship is actually three different sets in one. The 1,260-piece set can be assembled into a pirate galleon, a shoreside tavern, or an island hideout. Each assembled set includes a remarkable amount of detail that will check the boxes for any swashbuckler. The Lego Pirate Ship is available for around $108 from Amazon.

Lego Super Mario 64 Question Mark Block

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The massive Super Mario 64 Question Mark Block is a 2,064-piece tribute to the iconic plumber’s inaugural three-dimensional adventure. The Question Mark Block set cleverly flips open to reveal several miniature replicas of environments and characters from Super Mario 64, including King Bob-omb, Big Mr. I (yes, that’s his name), and even more awesome secrets and Easter eggs for fans of the franchise. It can be a little tough to find, but is available on backorder from Lego for $199.99.

The best Lego sets under $400

Lego Batcave

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The Lego Batcave is an outstanding tribute to the hideout of the Dark Knight. The 3,981-piece set includes a scale model of the Tim Burton Batmobile in addition to Minifigs of Batman, Max Shreck, the Penguin, Catwoman, Bruce Wayne, Alfred, and Batman. This massive set can be wall-mounted or unfolded into a double-wide diorama. The $399.99 Lego Batcave is available from Lego.

Lego Batman: The Animated Series Gotham City

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There’s no Batman better than Kevin Conroy’s Batman from the ’90s cartoon. The Lego version of the Gotham skyline from the animated series that shaped a generation features a total of 4,210 pieces and includes Minifigs of the Joker, Harley, Catwoman, and, naturally, the Dark Knight. This $299.99 set is available exclusively from Lego.

Lego Jazz Club

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This 2,899-piece Lego set features a scale model of a jazz club that’s absolutely dripping with ambiance. It features a fully modeled interior of the jazz club and the pizzeria next door. Inside the jazz club, you’ll even find a collection of scale-model instruments and a dressing room. The $229.99 set includes a total of eight unique Minifigs and is currently available from Lego, Target, and Barnes & Noble.

Lego Dungeons & Dragons: Red Dragon’s Tale

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The first official collaboration between Lego and Dungeons & Dragons is a massive 3,745-piece set with tons of fun details. The set features a riverside inn placed beside an ancient fortress, complete with a watchtower and dungeon below. In addition to the massive red dragon, the set includes models of a trio of skeletons, a beholder, an owlbear, a displacer beast, a mimic, a gelatinous cube, and a tiny pair of myconid sprouts. This set is available in limited quantities from Lego or Kohl’s for $359.99.

Lego The Lord of the Rings: Barad-dûr

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The fortress of the dark lord Sauron is finally available in Lego form. The 5,471-piece set is 32.5 inches tall and has a fully modeled cutaway interior. The tower also comes packaged with 10 Minifigs, including Sauron, the Mouth of Sauron, an orc, Frodo, Sam, Gollum, Gothmog, and more. The $459.99 set is available in limited quantities exclusively from Lego.