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Best LEGO replicas: experiences, reviews - the best sets of 2025

Probably no one needs an introduction to the LEGO brand - which in Danish means "leg godt", which means play well - since the Danish company has been producing building sets since 1958. There is practically no other company like this on the market, at least when it comes to creativity and quality entertainment. Or at least it wasn't, until Chinese companies started casting first the replicas in the mid-2010s, and then their own completely unique, but LEGO-compatible sets, which have now reached such a quality that they are comparable to the original LEGO sets. Since the building block sets of Chinese brands are much cheaper than the original LEGO toys, a kind of subculture has developed around them, and people have started not only collecting them, but also giving them as gifts. We will talk about these, we will highlight the Chinese brands, the pitfalls of the order and the legal conditions.

Disclaimer: Our article is primarily intended to be entertaining and educational, its purpose is not to encourage you to avoid or break the rules. Buying alternative LEGO sets always involves some risk, for which you must bear the responsibility. 

contents

LEGO-style sets can basically be divided into two categories: LEGO copies and LEGO-type but completely unique or officially licensed sets. We do not deal with the first category due to legal restrictions and we do not recommend you to buy them either, the latter are much more interesting. You can find these on our list, on a strictly subjective basis. Of course, there's no need to argue about taste, buy the stuff you really like.


These are the best LEGO sets (2025)

The Chinese LEGO sets on our list have been selected based on the following criteria:

  • more than 10 years, based on our own experience as testers
  • we all own several models and love to assemble them
  • gifted based on the experiences of our acquaintances and friends
  • based on individual research, which is based on domestic and international customer opinions
  • based on opinions read in various forums and special groups

Best LEGO imitations: experiences, opinions - best sets of 2025 2

Source: Aliexpress

Desert Eagle .0.50 - And many other pistols

Advantages of the alternative LEGO set:

  • cheap
  • several weapon variations
  • strong pop culture references
  • it has moving mechanics
  • it shoots other LEGO-like elements

Specification

  • Manufacturer: Panlos
  • Type: unique construction kit
  • Series: weapons
  • Product code: N/A 
  • Age group: N/A 
  • Quantity of stock: 360 pieces (for Desert Eagle 0.50)
  • Box: comes with it
  • Assembly instructions: printed
  • Material: ABS
  • Sizes: variable
  • Quantity sold: 600+
  • Rating average: 4,6/5
  • Ratings: 105 pcs (many capable)

Who we recommend it to

In our opinion, the film Blöff should be presented to few people, as the Desert Eagle 0.50 scenes too. But for those who might not like it, the good news is that other iconic pistols are also available on the link, for example the Glock G18 or the M1911 used by the US Army, but the Beretta M92 can't exactly be called a noname either. We recommend the set to those who want a different set of building blocks equipped with moving parts.

Why is it out of stock?

Several pistols are available on the link below, but we have included the Desert Eagle's data among the specifications. What is interesting about these sets? That they have a lot of movable parts, such as the firing key, and other elements can also be fired with it, since the weapon can be pulled back and stored. They sold a lot of it on Aliexpress, the rating is great and there are good reviews. Not to mention, it's surprisingly cheap considering it's an interactive set.


Best LEGO imitations: experiences, opinions - best sets of 2025 3

Source: Aliexpress

Toyota AE86 and Mazda RX7 - Licensed products based on the Initial D anime

Advantages of the alternative LEGO set:

  • cheap
  • these are iconic cars
  • for those who liked the anime, this will be too
  • they ask so little for them that they can all be bought
  • they also have a garage set that can be purchased separately

Specification

  • Manufacturer: CaDa
  • Type: Initial D, licensed product
  • Series: CaDa racing car
  • Product code: C55018W (for Hachi)
  • Age group: N/A
  • Quantity of stock: 66 pieces (for Toyota AE 86 Hachiroku)
  • Box: comes with it
  • Assembly instructions: printed
  • Material: ABS
  • Sizes: variable
  • Quantity sold: 69
  • Rating average: 4,8/5
  • Ratings: 18 pcs (many capable)

Who we recommend it to

I don't think many people know the Initial D anime series here, but the vehicles in it are even more familiar. The Toyota AE86-Truneo - aka Hachiroku or Hachi - is a legendary hot hatch from the 80s, but I don't think the Mazda RX-7 with a wankel engine needs to be introduced to car enthusiasts either. We recommend the set to those who like the 80s and 90s and love iconic Japanese cars.

Why is it out of stock?

The building sets for the Initial D anime series are produced by the well-known CaDa, which represents one of the best quality Chinese products. These sets are much more about the iconic cars than the construction, since they consist of a relatively small number of elements - 66-72 pieces, depending on the sports car - except for the parking set, which has 909 pieces, which is already a decent amount. If you search a bit, you can find some other variants of the cars, as CaDa released them in several versions. And those who would bring the even cooler Hachiroku set of 1234 pieces, which can also be controlled remotely, are press here.


Best LEGO imitations: experiences, opinions - best sets of 2025 4

Source: Aliexpress

Breaking Bad trailer - You gotta do meth, it's so good

Advantages of the alternative LEGO set:

  • famous series
  • the rolling meth lab is black humor itself
  • the top can be opened, stuff can be packed
  • very sick Walter White and Jesse Pinkman figure
  • it is a set with quite a large number of elements

Specification

  • Manufacturer: N/A
  • Type: MOC
  • Series: Breaking Bad
  • Product code: N/A
  • Age group: 18+ due to the theme
  • Quantity of stock: 721 pieces
  • Box: comes with it
  • Assembly instructions: printed
  • Material: ABS
  • Sizes: 22 × 9,5 × 8 cm
  • Quantity sold: 82
  • Rating average: 5/5
  • Ratings: 14 pcs (many capable)

Who we recommend it to

One of the best series of the last decade was Breaking Bad - in Hungarian: Totál Szívás - which was completed with Better Call Saul. It strongly represents the line of black humor, sometimes with a particularly grotesque plot. One of the iconic elements of the series is the caravan used to cook methamphetamine, but the set also includes the main characters and the cooking table. We recommend the set to those who enjoyed the series, who like black humor and are over 18 years old.

Why is it out of stock?

It would have been difficult to single out a better thing from the series than the meth-cooking bus, because at the beginning of the series the plot revolves quite often around the vehicle or in it. The set itself is very funny, the figure embodying Jesse Pinkman and Walter White is itself a caricature. One thing I regret is that they didn't solve the representation of the characters with minifigures, so you can't put them in the camper van, but at least they have to be put together. LEGO avoids such topics, so you will definitely not find this set officially.


Best LEGO imitations: experiences, opinions - best sets of 2025 5

Source: Aliexpress

Red Bull RB19 Formula 1 Car - Everyone loves racing

Advantages of the alternative LEGO set:

  • popular motorsport
  • can also be pushed as a small car
  • great reviews on Aliexpress
  • relatively small size, 1/24 scale
  • stickerable models, according to real supporters

Specification

  • Manufacturer: Rastar Toys (licensed)
  • Type: MOC
  • Series: racing car
  • Product code: 92500
  • Age group: 6+
  • Quantity of stock: 340 pieces
  • Box: comes with it
  • Assembly instructions: printed
  • Material: ABS
  • Sizes: 22,7 × 8,5 × 5 cm
  • Quantity sold: 600+
  • Rating average: 4,9/5
  • Ratings: 123 pcs (many capable)

Who we recommend it to

There are a lot of Formula 1 fans in our country, and LEGO also took up the topic, but Red Bull's cars are not licensed by them, but by Rastar Toys. According to my experience, Formula 1 is the sport that everyone knows, some are fans of it and watch it biting their nails, while others sleep well under it. Basically, we recommend it to fans, but it can also be a great gift, especially since the younger age group also plays with it.

Why is it out of stock?

There are several types of vehicles on the link, but we are now focusing on racing cars, fortunately here you can choose from at least four types of Formula 1 wonders. It's a great Christmas gift, but it can also be given to fans and looks good in a display case on the shelf. They also add a box and stickers, so the appearance of the 1/24 scale four-wheelers can be shaped like real cars. The price is not bad either, especially compared to the original LEGO sets.


Best LEGO imitations: experiences, opinions - best sets of 2025 6

Source: Aliexpress

CaDa remote control car - Penny set that can be steered on a BT basis

Advantages of the alternative LEGO set:

  • BT-based control
  • excellent reviews Alin
  • several models, similar prices
  • programmable routes from the app
  • you can also buy a physical remote control

Specification

  • Manufacturer: CaDa
  • Type: CaDa City
  • Series: remote control car
  • Product code: C51073W, C51074W
  • Age group: 6+
  • Quantity of stock: 289/325 pieces
  • Box: not included
  • Assembly instructions: printed
  • Material: ABS
  • Sizes: N/A
  • Quantity sold: 68
  • Rating average: 4,7/5
  • Ratings: 11 db

Who we recommend it to

CaDa is a well-known company that produces alternative LEGO sets, which has two sets that are cheap enough, small, but can be controlled remotely using your phone or a separate controller. Since these are also app-based solutions, the models can be programmed, so a unique route can be planned for them. Basically, we recommend it to those who not only want a LEGO set, but also want to learn the basics of programming. It is also an excellent gift for children. 

Why is it out of stock?

CaDa's sports car models run under several product codes, as there is a blue Bugatti Veyron-like one, and a yellow and a red "I don't know", but they all look good. This is also why you see multiple values ​​in the data, because one car consists of several parts and runs under a different code. Both can be diverted on a BT basis, from an app, but that's not the joke, but the fact that Boolean algebra is logical and/or etc. can also be programmed based on its operations. For those who don't want to mess with the phone, there is also a physical remote control in the box.


Best LEGO imitations: experiences, opinions - best sets of 2025 7

Source: Aliexpress

Boston Dynamics robot dog – A remote-controlled wonder that walks up and down

Advantages of the alternative LEGO set:

  • good big model
  • BT-based control
  • excellent Mold King quality
  • programmable routes from the app
  • 936 pieces, a long assembly experience

Specification

  • Manufacturer: Mold King
  • Type: MOC prototype
  • Series: remote control robot dog
  • Product code: 15066
  • Age group: 14+
  • Quantity of stock: 936 pieces
  • Box: comes with it
  • Assembly instructions: printed
  • Material: ABS
  • Sizes: 33,7 × 18,5 × 19,3 cm
  • Quantity sold: 11
  • Rating average: 5/5
  • Ratings: 2 db

Who we recommend it to

Besides CaDa, Mold King is the other top manufacturer that sells very high-quality, particularly large and complex models, but not very cheap. Boston Dynamics' robot dog was also depicted in an alternative LEGO set that comes and goes, can be programmed, and can even be controlled by voice commands. Basically, we recommend it to those who not only want a LEGO set, but also want to learn the basics of mathematical logic, and also want to experience mechanical movement.

Why is it out of stock?

Mold King is particularly creative in the design of unique kits and MOCs, and their models are also quite advanced. Their robot dog can move with the help of several motors, can be controlled by phone, and you can even give it voice commands. Like the LEGO Technic sets, the legs are moved by mechanics, which means that you will have to fit the gears from the set to the dog's body. A status LED on the back shows what is happening. The model is available in two colors, you can wear either yellow or red.


Best LEGO imitations: experiences, opinions - best sets of 2025 8

Source: Aliexpress

Landing set - Historical events come to life again in the form of a construction set

Advantages of the alternative LEGO set:

  • Sluban delivers great quality
  • LEGO does not make such sets
  • popular military theme with minifigures
  • numerous combat vehicles and diorama-type sets
  • several sites - German, American - are also represented

Specification

  • Manufacturer: in Slub
  • Type: unique set
  • Series: landing
  • Product code: variable
  • Age group: 6+ (18+ due to theme)
  • Quantity of stock: 765 pieces (for the beach hotel set)
  • Box: not included
  • Assembly instructions: printed
  • Material: ABS
  • Sizes: variable
  • Quantity sold: 35
  • Rating average: 5/5
  • Ratings: 4 db

Who we recommend it to

Sluban is also a good quality manufacturer, who typically travel in all kinds of vehicles and cover topics that LEGO does not deal with at all, such as the military line. Few more well-known events in warfare took place than the Normandy landings, which Sluban put together in the form of several construction sets. Basically, we recommend it to those who like the military line and are also interested in the sets that LEGO doesn't touch.

Why is it out of stock?

The series of the Sluban Normandy landings is not a single model, but different vehicles of the American and German sides and a "diorama" in which the event itself was modeled. There is a bunker, a landing craft, a cannon, and a lot of good-looking minifigures, in which the Chinese competitors are usually weak. Let's say how the Leopard 2A5 MBT got into the series, I don't know, because it comes from the 90s, but at least it looks good.


Best LEGO imitations: experiences, opinions - best sets of 2025 9

Source: Aliexpress

How honey is made - Incredibly cute, Honey Workshop and "meat shop"

Advantages of the alternative LEGO set:

  • completely unique sets
  • the cutest children's sets are produced by LOZ
  • very low price compared to a huge number of items
  • a playful, super-gamified look like no other
  • not so LEGO style, which can be both an advantage and a disadvantage

Specification

  • Manufacturer: LOZ
  • Type: unique set
  • Series: animal sets
  • Product code: variable
  • Age group: 6+
  • Quantity of stock: 1242 pieces (for Honey Workshop)
  • Box: can be requested separately
  • Assembly instructions: printed
  • Material: ABS
  • Sizes: 18,5×10,5×12,5 cm (for Honey Workshop)
  • Quantity sold: 8
  • Rating average: 5/5
  • Ratings: 3 db

Who we recommend it to

LOZ is one of the eccentrics among the companies producing LEGO-style building block sets, as they push very unique, slightly oriental, slightly funny, but basically animal sets onto the market. On the one hand, the building sets are sold because of their cuteness, and on the other hand, they have "minifigures" in the form of animals, which you cannot find anywhere else. Basically, these are sets intended for children, but due to the large number of elements, parents can also get involved in the construction.

Why is it out of stock?

LOZ sells two sets in this cute category, one of which is the Honey Workshop, where you can follow the bees' honey-making habits with cute decorations that will bring a tear to everyone's eye. The other is the piggy butcher shop, where the Chinese modeled the transformation of animals into food. A bit morbid, but a very spectacular and detailed set, ridiculously cheap compared to the fact that there are thousands of items involved.


Best LEGO imitations: experiences, opinions - best sets of 2025 10

Source: Aliexpress

Japanese streetscape from CaDa - LEGO City-like models in Far Eastern style

Advantages of the alternative LEGO set:

  • CaDa quality
  • completely unique sets
  • LED lighting for houses
  • There are many building models to choose from
  • very good reviews, high number of units sold

Specification

  • Manufacturer: CaDa
  • Type: unique set
  • Series: LEGO City-like buildings
  • Product code: variable
  • Age group: 6+
  • Quantity of stock: 800-1200 pieces
  • Box: can be requested separately
  • Assembly instructions: printed
  • Material: ABS
  • Sizes: variable
  • Quantity sold: 3000+
  • Rating average: 4,9/5
  • Ratings: 419 pcs (many capable)

Who we recommend it to

It is not by chance that so many CaDa sets made it to our list, on the one hand, their quality is excellent, and on the other hand, they launched a lot of unique building sets on the market. The LEGO City series is very popular, they rode this as well, only with the Japanese streetscape, which means several buildings at the same time. The number of items varies between 800 and 1200 pieces, which is quite a lot, but still not indigestible, and the goods are still half of the original LEGO sets. Basically, we recommend the buildings to those who love Japanese culture, and to those who have already liked the LEGO City sets.

Why is it out of stock?

You can find five different types of houses on the link, but there are still 10 selectable models on the page, the reason for which is simple: you can request the building kits with or without a box. These are good little sets, they even put the electric pole in the models, and in fact, one of the sets contains a Japanese "cookery". In semi-darkness, you can pop in the USB LED, which brightens up the overall picture with pleasant mood lighting. The sides of some houses can also be opened, so you can see their interior layout. I have one heartache: you won't find minifigures in the box.


Best LEGO imitations: experiences, opinions - best sets of 2025 11

Source: Aliexpress

Mechanical shark and crocodile - This also makes children want to become mechanical engineers

Advantages of the alternative LEGO set:

  • several animals
  • luminous parts
  • mechanics move the models
  • the mechanical parts can be freely inspected
  • very good reviews, high number of units sold

Specification

  • Manufacturer: MXWToy
  • Type: unique set
  • Series: Technical in nature
  • Product code: 13054
  • Age group: 6+
  • Quantity of stock: 1000+ pieces
  • Box: can be requested separately
  • Assembly instructions: printed
  • Material: ABS
  • Sizes: variable
  • Quantity sold: 5000+
  • Rating average: 4,9/5
  • Ratings: 25 pcs (many capable)

Who we recommend it to

MXYToy is not a well-known manufacturer, but the mechanical line with sharks, crocodiles and water monsters is very interesting. The best part is that their movement is solved by mechanics, which are completely free, so everything is visible. Basically, we recommend it to those who, in addition to assembling, enjoy following the movement of mechanics and gears.

Why is it out of stock?

On the link you can see 3 different animals, all of them are built according to the same logic: the limbs can be moved with the help of an auxiliary frame and a rotating handle. The look is a bit techno, but that's okay, these are certainly unique models. The number of items in the sets is around 1000, and there are plenty of image reviews, so everyone can see what kind of stuff they are getting in reality.


Best LEGO imitations: experiences, opinions - best sets of 2025 12

Source: Aliexpress

Mega Pokémon jungle trip - Franchise products are also available in Hungary

Advantages of the alternative LEGO set:

  • Available at Alza
  • Set of 1362 pieces
  • licensed Mega products
  • good quality, varied models
  • extremely fast delivery, domestic account

Specification

  • Manufacturer: Mega (Mega Construx)
  • Type: licensed set
  • Series: pokemon
  • Product code: N/A
  • Age group: 9+
  • Quantity of stock: 1362 pieces
  • Box: of
  • Assembly instructions: printed
  • Material: ABS
  • Sizes: variable
  • Quantity sold: N/A
  • Rating average: N/A 

Who we recommend it to

The Mega construction kit manufacturing company has been owned by Mattel since 2014. Accordingly, they produce their products at a particularly high quality, and pay the royalties for each franchise. That is why their sets based on the Pokémon world were created, which can also be bought in Hungary, for example at Alza. Basically, we recommend it to those who are looking for a domestic source of purchase and who like Pokémon.

Why is it out of stock?

Mattel embraced Mega and its sub-brands - Mega Bloks, Mega Construx - because they produced one of the best quality alternative LEGO sets. They have countless figures belonging to the Pokémon world, so they don't just make locations. In this case, the adventure takes place in a jungle environment, which suggests that the set is aimed at young people. Since the owner is an American manufacturer, the price is quite close to the original LEGO sets, in exchange you get it from our country, with extra fast delivery. In the link below, you can view all of Mega's sets available in Alza.


Which didn't make the list, but is worth noting

The number of LEGO-type sets is almost endless, and since these can also be organized into subgroups, it is very difficult to find out who likes what. If you are a Pokémon fan, your interests will be completely different from those who are looking for LEGO flowers, which by the way has a big cult following. The same is true with LEGO Duplo packs, as they are intended for a much younger age group than LEGO Technic sets. In other words, feel free to search, for example, on Aliexpress, if only because these are offered more frequently within the framework of the webshop's Choice offers, which provide extra discounts, as shown by In our Aliexpress explainer we also wrote

For those looking for a domestic source, we recommend the Product Finder, for example Sluban sets you can also get it at home.


Everything you need to know about Chinese LEGO sets

I don't think we need to introduce LEGO or the LEGO building toy - in English the words building blocks, bricks, but also sets and pieces are used for it, since we all played with the models of the world-famous company in our childhood and adulthood. For those who don't have the company, the LEGO company was founded in 1932 in Denmark, in the carpentry workshop of Ole Kirk Christiansen, who started producing wooden toys. In 1947, he switched to the production of plastic toys and In 1958, he patented the LEGO brick we know today, which, thanks to its special connection system, fits the additional elements extremely stably.

The LEGO company has continuously expanded its product range, with thematic sets and role-playing series, such as LEGO City, LEGO Technic, and has also entered into countless franchise collaborations, think of the LEGO Star Wars or LEGO Harry Potter sets. Over the decades, the company has become a major icon, embedded in pop culture, and created the LEGO movies, video games, and even LEGO theme parks.

In other words, he created his own market, where he made a lot of money with sets released under the LEGO name. What made LEGO so popular? Mainly because of the following:

  • extremely good quality and durability (they are difficult to break, pleasant fitting feeling)
  • high quality assurance (incomplete sets are very rare, items are dimensionally accurate, etc.)
  • creative and free construction opportunity
  • themed sets (Star Wars, Marvel, Harry Potter, etc.)
  • educational value, excellently develops creativity and fine motor skills
  • powerful community and cultural effect
  • adaptation and innovation

Another important element of the LEGO cult is that the design of their blocks has become a kind of standard. That means it is Made of ABS plastic made elements work with a very precise fit and always uniform size.

The basis of the classic LEGO cube is the "2×4" cube, the dimensions of which are as follows:

  • 31.8mm*15.8mm*9.6mm

The basic unit of the bricks is the so-called "LEGO unit", which is 8 mm - that's one stud, i.e. the diameter of the stick -, i.e. a 1×1 LEGO cube is 8 mm wide, 8 mm long and 9.6 mm high. Of course, this does not mean that they do not produce elements of all kinds of row*column sizes. The exact size of the cubes is extremely important, as it allows for a perfect fit between the parts, which gives the pleasant "clicky" feeling as the elements click into each other.

Sometime in the early 2010s, the Chinese envied the success of the LEGO company, and companies producing similar toys were founded one after the other. At first, LEGO sets were copied - we call them that for a replica and this runs into legal problems - and then roughly 6-7 years ago manufacturers started to launch their own models. These LEGO-like, which uses the LEGO system - can be connected along the same connection logic - but self-designed and manufactured sets, which you can no longer call them replica LEGO sets.

The common feature of these is that they are available from China for a fraction of the price of original LEGO products - one third, one quarter. The real terrain for such sets is Aliexpress, where you can find an amazing number of all kinds of vehicles, minifigures, buildings and the like. Since it is difficult to distinguish these from the original LEGO building toys, for lack of a better name, everyone refers to them as "Chinese LEGO", "alternative LEGO" or "LEGO imitation", so we will use these names for the sake of simplicity.

Why can anyone make LEGO bricks at all?

The original patent of the LEGO brick It was registered in 1958, when the company introduced the new system of interlocking elements that made LEGO famous worldwide. This patent is for LEGO's unique connection mechanism, the so-called "tube in the cube" - originally: stud-and-tube coupling system or more simply tube inside the brick – referred to a system that ensures a strong, yet easy-to-disassemble fit of the cubes.

However, patent protection only lasts for a limited time. The original LEGO patent It was valid for 20 years, so it expired in 1978. After that, any company could legally manufacture LEGO-compatible building blocks, as the technology patent was no longer valid. For this reason, many companies started to produce similar building blocks, since with the termination of the LEGO patent, they had free access to the design of the block. Although I couldn't find a convincing source, other important patents supposedly expired in 2008, which made it easier for everyone to produce LEGO-like products.

However, it is important to note that although LEGO's patent has expired, elements of the company's image are still trademarked, such as their logo and brand name. The company tries to prevent the spread of fakes, that use designs too similar to LEGO products.

What is IP? What was the Lepin v. LEGO case

To understand what Lepin v. LEGO was about, we first need to clarify the concept of IP. The IP is English intellectual property, that is intellectual property abbreviation, we used to do this in a not very professional way as a trademark to translate, but since this is not a legal forum, let's stick with that term. The LEGO company has trademark protection for their various self-invented building sets, which means that anyone who copies, distributes, etc., commits an offense against the protection. What IPs are there and what is the difference between them? An IP can refer to:

  • own product series, which LEGO found and developed in-house, such as LEGO City or Ninjago, for example
  • egy for a franchise product, whose rights are licensed by LEGO - third party IP - like Star Wars. In this case, the trademark belongs to Disney, but they made a contract with LEGO, based on which SW building sets can come out.
  • to the so-called MOC sets which created by fans, and the design and assembly instructions are their intellectual property.

LEGO MOC stands for "My Own Creation", which means "my own creation" in Hungarian. This is a term used by LEGO enthusiasts when someone builds their own unique LEGO building from the elements found in sets or from LEGO bricks purchased separately, without following a pre-designed guide. MOCs are therefore unique and creative constructions that reflect the imagination and building skills of LEGO fans.

It is important that the intellectual property of the MOC belongs to the person who created it. There is also an assembly guide for such sets, so by definition this can also be stolen and passed off as your own set.

The rise and fall of Lepin

Lepin was a Chinese manufacturer that appeared around 2016 and continued to operate until 2019. Lepin produced hundreds of replicas of different LEGO sets, as well as MOCs, LEGO Ideas sets - official LEGO sets that are released based on ideas from fans - that LEGO did not eventually produce. They also produced some of their own, unique products, but the number of these was negligible compared to the original LEGO set replicas. And here they made a big mistake, as the parent company did not look favorably on this. At the same time, Lepin cornered the market so much with these that all LEGO copies - in English knock-offs, abbreviated as "KO sets" - they simply called me Lepin.

Lepin became quite popular in those three years, mainly because it gave people what they wanted - affordable, high-quality replicas of discontinued LEGO sets, as well as cheap replicas of current LEGO sets. By the way, Lepin pushed it very cheekily, not only the sets, but also the image elements were stretched, so their logo was practically a redrawn LEGO emblem.

Source: Brickfact

 

At first, it seemed that LEGO did not see Lepin as a threat, they saw the company as just another manufacturer of fakes, such as Sheng Yuan – which, by the way, already existed before Lepin – or the Decolleted. However, later seeing the success of Lepin, LEGO filed a lawsuit in 2016 against Lepin and some other counterfeiting companies. More in 2019 after a three-year delay and a few insignificant fines A Lepin official was arrested, allegedly the CEO of Lepin, Li Haipenet to 6 years in prison, while the company to pay USD 14 million were obliged, and the company also had to face factory closures. From then on, there was no question that direct LEGO set copies were not so worth forcing.

After a long break, Lepin NUOGAO returned under the name, but very soon new brand names began to be used, especially a KING, but the company's products can be found under the name Queen, with subsidiary brands such as the Jack, the Zebra and the Lion King.

Lepin's sister company a XingBao was, which still exists, and from the beginning focused on MOCs instead of LEGO replicas. Thus, it was not affected by the shutdown, as their designs were mostly original and the patent on LEGO bricks had expired (meaning that any company can legally produce LEGO-compatible bricks as long as they don't copy the original set).

Lawsuits have also been filed against other counterfeiting companies, mainly because they used LEGO's packaging solution and design - the outer packaging that contains the building set. LEGO, on the other hand, cannot sue for something that is not its intellectual property. For example, if LEGO Star Wars sets were copied, a Disney had to sue the Chinese companies, as they own the intellectual property of Star Wars.

It is important to note that the above a They reflect the state at the end of 2019, roughly 5 years have passed since then, so today the situation has changed a lot, the market is clean and there are not really copies of LEGO building sets on the market. Rather, Chinese companies use MOC designs or buy IPs - for example, CaDa bought the IP of Initial D, a Japanese anime series - or design their own sets, which are TOTALLY LEGIT.

LEGO replica or LEGO set: what's the difference?

In the past, many people were afraid to order LEGO sets from abroad, from a non-"original" source, typically from China, and knowing the above, this was not at all unfounded. In Europe, trademark protection works quite well, which is why products that clearly resemble sets released by the LEGO company were picked up by customs, confiscated, and the owner of the package was even punished for trademark infringement. This type of order carried two risks:

  • confiscation
  • legal proceedings due to trademark infringement (in simpler terms: punishment)

Therefore, understandably, most people simply did not order such sets. These are called summaries For LEGO replica sets, or just simply LEGO copies, and their common feature is that you can find the sets in the LEGO universe, and can even often be searched based on their "registration number" in the LEGO system.

LEGO-style building sets

LEGO-like, alternative LEGO vagy Compatible with LEGO games, however, are a completely different set. The common feature of these sets is that:

  • they use the LEGO system, their elements match the original elements
  • nowhere you won't find the LEGO name on them (since the companies cannot even display it), the brand name of the Chinese manufacturer is included in the set instead
  • are uniquely designed, are not included in the LEGO range
  • they are cheaper, like the original LEGO sets (understandably, since the brand and quality are not the same, there is no such serious marketing behind it, etc.)

For example, if you search for CaDa products on Aliexpress with the terms "building blocks" or "building bricks", you will get a ton of models that are NOT included in the LEGO range, but are compatible with the original game:

As you can see, they look eerily similar to LEGO sets, but these are not original models after all. Their main distinguishing feature is that they did not commit trademark infringement by purchasing them, and they will not be confiscated at customs, so they can be purchased with great confidence. We have also bought countless sets over the past years, but it is very important that you check that these are truly unique sets and do not infringe on the trademarks of the LEGO company.

Search among LEGO sets

After reading the above, you may be wondering how to determine whether a LEGO set is original, a copy, a MOC, or a set designed by a Chinese manufacturer.

First of all: every LEGO or LEGO-like product has one or more identification numbers on its box. The most important such number is a product code, or otherwise called a stock number – in English set numbers and is usually preceded by a double cross (#) - which uniquely identify each LEGO set. Based on these, you can find the set's exact name, theme and year of publication. These are the lego.comyou can search by entering the number in the search field at the top right. For example #75397 Jabba's sailing ark release from the Star Wars universe. However, only original LEGO products can be found here, so this is not enough for us.

There are also unofficial LEGO databases and fan sites, of which the following are the most well-known:

  • brick set: one of the largest LEGO databases where you can find detailed information about sets.
  • Bricklink: trading platform where LEGO sets, parts and other items can be exchanged, purchased and provides detailed information.
  • Rebrickable: this page also gives you the opportunity to search for sets and redesign works.

It's worth trying number #75397 above on these as well, it will bring Jabba's sailing ark (except where it was written). It is also worth putting the individual sets in the to Google image search, if it boosts the original LEGO set, if not, you can be happy.

Now you know what the original sets are, but what about the LEGO compatible solutions that are legal but not released by LEGO? To do this, we need to look at what data is displayed on a LEGO product or a set compatible with the LEGO system:

Source: LEGO

  • branding, the inscription LEGO at the top left
  • the name of the series, in this case: LEGO City
  • what object does it embody within the series: apartment building
  • age rating: 6+
  • the product code or set number (set numbers): #60365
  • number of elements in the set: 688 pcs

As you can see, LEGO provides quite a lot of information on the packaging of all its products, but the Chinese brands are not so generous, at least in most cases. It was not by chance that I used CaDa as an example before, they are quasi-premium manufacturers among the companies producing LEGO compatible sets. Let's see what's on one of their products:

Source: CaDa

  • branding as with LEGO, only CaDa here
  • the name of the series, i.e. in this case: Initial D
  • top right, type: AE86 Truneo (better known as: Hachiroku)
  • age rating: 8+
  • the product code or set number (set numbers): C55014W
  • number of elements in the set: 280 pcs

As you can see, the logic in this case is quite similar to that of LEGO, with the difference that you do not have to look for the package on the LEGO site, but on brick4.com-tin. By entering the stock number of the Hachiroku given as an example above – C55014W – on the Chinese site, it also gives the model, which On this link they could view it.

Source: Brick4.com screenshot

Obviously, the user experience of the Chinese websites is nowhere compared to the LEGO website, since:

  • the language is Chinese (but of course it can be translated into English with Google Translate)
  • the interface is pretty funny
  • it only lists the Chinese stuff, not the original LEGO sets

The beauty of the whole thing is that you can only search for the sets produced by the most famous Chinese manufacturers, the ones that have already run are not sure. Here, too, it is clearly visible that the market for Chinese LEGO compatible sets is also polarizing: quality manufacturers are separating from the crappier category, and solutions that infringe on trademarks and copy original LEGO sets are disappearing.

What Chinese brands of LEGO compatible and alternative sets are there?

LEGO compatible sets are produced by many Chinese manufacturers, I think we can mention hundreds of brand names. Brickset previously had a publication called Communist Lego - unfortunately The last number is from 2018 -, which qualified the individual manufacturers according to a number of aspects, but 6 years have passed since then, so we wouldn't call this authoritative. Fortunately, individual brands are discussed in numerous groups and forums, and by mixing this with our own experience, we made a list of the more serious brands that can be considered. We also recommend a Brickfact.com, where there are often comparative analyzes of LEGO vs. LEGO alternative set between manufacturers.

In general, about the brands that produce LEGO compatible sets

Most companies send their sets from China, which has significant logistics costs. Because LEGO original packaging may not be copied, so they design their own look for the packs, but they either try to fill them completely with parts - smaller boxes than in the case of the original LEGO - or they don't even send it, maybe the original packaging can be requested for an additional fee. This is not a mistake, which is why, among other things, such sets cost so much.

Many companies officially purchase the designs of some MOC creators, for this reason the assembly instructions are not included in the set, but can be downloaded from a link to the model. This is not typical, but we have already seen examples of this. It is also true that the more serious manufacturers – e.g. CaDa – they pay to use the model designs or they buy franchise rights, so these are completely official sets, so you can avoid world-famous car brands - for example, Porsche, Ferrari, Toyota, Mazda, etc. – models to the palette. Bigger brands also have their own design and design team, so these companies produce with completely unique sets (nowadays this is the characteristic, not copying).

Almost everything company has subsidiaries, on the one hand, because the minifigures - mini figs - are sold under a different brand name, and on the other hand, they have children's product lines - such as Duplo in the case of LEGO - which are marketed under a separate name. Of course, there could be a thousand other reasons for messing around with the name - in the case of Lepin, it is that the company was plowed into, since then the company has been called King, but they also sell LEGO-like sets under countless other sub-brands - such as taxation and other smarts, the reasons in this case are almost they are inscrutable.

In other words, the laws of the market also apply to companies producing LEGO sets what is better quality or advertised is more expensive. Of course, compared to the original LEGO sets, the products of, say, CaDa, Mold King or "premium" Chinese manufacturers are still cheap, but what is considered noname in China is really cheap. Naturally, there are more errors here, but the overall quality is much better than even just 5-6 years ago. Moreover, those companies that take themselves seriously enough already have their own R&D department, so they publish completely unique series.

Source: YWOBB screenshot

Some LEGO alternative set manufacturers YWOBB's online store classifies it in "tiers", which primarily means quality and the feeling of use. There are a total of 5 tiers, where tier 1 is the best - and by definition the most expensive - while tier 5 represents the worst quality. We have read in many places that the simplest solution for those looking for a really good user experience is to stay with tier 1 manufacturers, but we also have very good experiences with full noname companies. However, tier 1 companies have also been designated in the descriptions below.

The building blocks for the sets appearing under the names of the individual brands created by large "cube manufacturing companies".. However, there are brands that not only design their models, but also make the elements themselves in-house. The identity of the manufacturer can usually be known from the fact that the manufacturer's print is on the elements (or not, if the customer does not request it). More famous cube manufacturers:

  • CaDa: produces for himself
  • Dark: produces for himself
  • Gobricks: Mold King, Pantasy, Sembo, etc.
  • Dinggao

Of those listed Gobricks stands out with its qualitythey are practically produced in the same quality as the original LEGO bricks, color deviation is rare, and it also has that clicky feeling that gives the right feeling of quality when the elements are put together. Gobrick is a contract manufacturer, i.e. it produces LEGO-like elements for other companies, but the design of the sets - i.e. the design - remains with the given company. CaDa also produces in-house in good quality. Unfortunately, not all manufacturers provide information about where the batteries come from, often you can only find out about them through experience.

Based on the above, let's take a look at the Chinese - and non-Chinese - companies producing LEGO compatible sets, without claiming to be exhaustive, because there are hundreds of them on the market!


These are the best Chinese LEGO building block manufacturers

CaDa (Double Eagle)

Aliexpress list: On this link

CaDa is one of the Chinese animal 1 top manufacturer among the companies producing LEGO compatible sets. They are becoming more and more popular in Western countries, as they create unique sets from the works of different designers - MOC -, have a significant PR presence and an official store. They are considered one of the best Technic parts manufacturers. They make their own designs and have recently collaborated with and own the rights to some popular LEGO MOC designers. They also have parts that LEGO doesn't make.

Their model building instructions and process explanations are sometimes too complicated and not clear enough, and they sometimes make mistakes in printing the instructions and packaging the kits. However, their LEGO elements are of very high quality and they have bought quite a few trademarks, such as the cars in the Japanese Initial D anime series. Because you have to pay for them, CaDa's sets are significantly more expensive compared to noname LEGO compatible sets. Their special series:

  • Inital D: mainly iconic cars, Toyota AE86, Mazda RX-7 and their variants
  • Supercar series: designed by the Western MOC team and featuring models of famous supercars
  • LEGO Technic-type sets: this is the company's specialty, they primarily manufacture vehicles from the already mentioned sports cars to heavy machinery

MOLD KING (MK, Yuxing)

Aliexpress list: On this link

Mold King, a brand of Yuxing Technology Industrial Co., Ltd., was established in 2012 in Chenghai, China's 'Toy and Gift City'. With a 30 square meter manufacturing and packaging facility, Mold King stands out from other LEGO compatible set manufacturers, especially in the field of toy research, production and sales. In addition, they have their own independent R&D department (research and development) and design team, they design most of their sets themselves.

Extremely high quality - animal 1 -, they produce sets comparable to and compatible with the level of the original LEGO sets, but not very cheaply. They have some particularly interesting series:

  • car model series: vintage car models, with realistic mechanical elements and remote control (they have Audi, Mercedes, Ferrari, Bugatti, Porsche, Liebherr licenses)
  • remotely controlled machines: cranes, loaders, with working mechanical elements
  • "Star Wars" sets: there are quite a lot of non-LEGO replica sets belonging to the Star Wars universe in Mold King's range, on which the Star Wars inscription is not displayed (because they cannot do so, because then they would violate rights)
  • "money tree" sets: in collaboration with JMB, they released plants that "grow" money, which means luck and abundance in Chinese culture

Sembo (Sembo Block SY, S (Sunny Day), Dinggao, Wekki)

Aliexpress list: On this link

SEMBO Blocks was established in 2010 and is a professional building block manufacturing company located in Guangdong Province, China. They pride themselves on researching, manufacturing and selling high-quality building block toys, and in return they are not as cheap as their lower quality counterparts.

Similar to Mold King, this company also has approximately 30 square meters of production space, and SEMBO boasts an independent research, design and manufacturing department. Their slogan, "Mini world, big dreams", whatever that means.

Currently, their portfolio includes 2-3 brands, the reason being that they used to produce LEGO replica sets, but when the company "got on the right track", part of the company was sold. This section produced the sets under the names SY and S, which were renamed Sunny Day in order to clean up the name.

Under the name Sembo, you will find mainly Chinese - with the consent of the Chinese state - military and other vehicles, as well as Chinese buildings such as the "Forbidden City" and similar, extremely tall, animal 1 in quality, because they use Gobricks cubes. They have mesh sets that you have to pay attention to, because they may even be copies of the original LEGO sets and may infringe (but you can check them on the previously mentioned links). They also own licenses such as Digimon, SpongeBob and the like.

Pantasy

Aliexpress list: On this link

Pantasy is a nostalgia LEGO set company that has gone hard on the retro line. They produce models imitating famous figures and toys, such as Saint-Exupéry's Little Prince or Popeye, but anyone who remembers the Metal Slug game in the arcade will also be happy. They also use Gobricks bricks like Mold King and Sembo, so this is the animal 1 category company.

sluban

Aliexpress list: On this link

YOUWOBB, a relatively well-known company producing excellent quality, also has them animal 1classifies it. They primarily manufacture vehicles, from minibuses to motorboats, but they also have combat vehicles. Many of their models come with minifigures that are quite different from the LEGO minifigure line.

Mork (sometimes xMork)

Aliexpress list: On this link

The company Mork basically specializes in buildings, but it does not copy LEGO City models, but designs its own. It's much cheaper than the LEGO City models and they have a couple of really cute sets like the "autumn winery" and the like. The components are manufactured in-house, which are not as good as the Gobricks bricks, but they also match the original LEGO elements. Their sets are very detailed, and they have many of their own rebuilds.

Mega (Mega Bloks, Mega Construx)

Aliexpress list: On this link

An interesting alternative LEGO set manufacturer, which also produces sets of excellent quality, which are said to be comparable to the Danish manufacturer's own. They have been in the market for a very long time and basically produce items compatible with LEGO sets. There were some lawsuits on this matter in Canada in 2005, which Mega Brands won against LEGO. In 2014, the American Mattel bought them, so the brand name belongs to their portfolio. The company licenses certain series, such as the Pokémon and Halo models. In return, their sets are very expensive, their prices are comparable to the original LEGO sets. Mega Bloks includes sets for the very young.

Panlos and Tiger

Aliexpress list: On this link

It's a pretty big brand. Until recently, they mainly produced smaller original or LEGO "inspired" sets of better than average quality. In principle, this too animal 1 manufacturer, at least as far as quality is concerned, because otherwise lopkovics is quite rough. They also have sets that completely violate the LEGO trademark - e.g. the Sanctum Sanctorum of the Marvel series, which is Panlos #613001 runs under product code, the same for LEGO under #76218 - which is pretty bad.

The company makes nice printed parts, but you have to be very careful what you buy from them because of the above, fortunately the LEGO replica sets are dying out, so you will see the "out of stock" indicator in most places, because the products were discontinued due to legal obstacles.

Enlighten (Qman, Keepaly)

Aliexpress list: On this link

The company that originally made LEGO copies is now on a legal path. They have replicas of some cult LEGO sets, or sets that match old popular series (Pirates, Castle), but most of them are officially discontinued, so they are difficult or impossible to obtain. The quality is mixed: some say it's very bad, others say it's very good, but most new reports say the quality of the kits is one of the best in China, so they've probably drastically improved their processes - this too tier 1 manufacturer - since mass LEGO set cloning is not the direction.

The batteries have their logo on them, so they probably make the cubes in-house as well. They also make very nice minifigures. The Qman and Keepplay models are completely original in design and focus on Asian culture. The Keeplay subbrand licenses the Evangelion and Doraemon sets.

Lepin (King, Queen, J brand, Lion King, Zebra Blocks.)

It was originally the largest clone LEGO manufacturer until 2019, when the company was plowed down with court rulings, the managers went to prison, and their factories were closed. Of course, all brands continue to live and thrive in China, just under a different name - Lepin is not even searchable on Aliexpress - which can be inferred from the format of the product code. It is quite possible that in addition to the names listed, they can also be found under other names. At one time, all LEGO clones were called Lepin, so much was the company's turnover.

Since 2019, clone LEGO sets have not been produced much, at least not under the original name, and the quality of the sets has improved drastically. However, this is the company where we would definitely check whether their set is not a LEGO copy set, starting from the times before 2019. As far as we know, they also make their kits in-house, and some of their components are of very high quality.

JMBricklayer

Aliexpress list: On this link

JMBricklayer is a relatively new Chinese building block brand founded in 2022 that offers an alternative to LEGO-like building sets. The company produces high-quality blocks and sets with a variety of themes, including cars, trains, military vehicles and buildings.

JMBricklayer's products are very competitive in terms of price/value: they are cheaper than an average LEGO set, while the quality is almost the same, although according to some opinions the instruction manual is sometimes less clear. The fit of the parts is generally good, although they may be too tight or difficult to fit. The company is constantly developing its products and is in partnership with various manufacturers, they have quite a few co-productions, for example with Mold King.

wange

Aliexpress list: On this link

I included Wange in our list because this manufacturer offers the most LEGO-like elements sold in large batches. They are primarily good for MOCing, but there are a lot of interesting items that they produce that can be used to color your sets. They also have pouch-type packages, so if you've fallen deep down the rabbit hole, visit the Official Store on Aliexpress.

LEGO manufacturers also ran

Let me say a few more words about the still running category. There are many sets on the market that do not have a brand name, or if they do, the manufacturer is not that well known. There are also manufacturers who are relatively famous - for example, the funny names Bela or Jisi, Decool, Becool and Brickcool, etc. – with which we have no experience, but that still makes them good. Their main merits are that they are generally cheap as hell and not bad at all.

In many cases, we also buy these because they are simply so ridiculously priced that it is worth the risk, especially if you are not a faithful, original LEGO fan and you are not bothered by the lower quality and production variance.

Here is a gallery of the sets we have tried so far and how they look:

Invest in LEGO

This chapter is more of a thought experiment, based on how much LEGO sets preserved in their original, intact boxes can be worth. Although originality itself is obviously one of the best value-enhancing factors, the experience is that even for sets that are not made by LEGO, prices increase when a building set is released.

Obviously, it is much more difficult to find these among the small million Chinese brands than to simply buy original LEGO sets, but you can expect that you will have to pay more for a rarer or discontinued set from a Chinese manufacturer. This is even more true for higher-quality products from larger brands. Then time will decide how much these are worth to whom.


What to look for in relation to LEGO compatible sets

To summarize what has been said so far, if you want to buy LEGO compatible sets, pay attention to the following:

  • search for the given set in the LEGO universe and if it is a LEGO copy - so it is clearly theft - do not order it
  • you can search in several ways: using the Google image search engine and using the saved image of the set, by product code, by name; it is worth trying several methods
  • most models do not come in a box - in the original box vagy no retail box there will be an inscription next to them - so if you also need this, write to the seller, but this is usually extra
  • the sets of the bigger brands - CaDa, Mold King - are of better quality, but more expensive, in return in many cases they sell licensed products, which are completely legal, but you have to pay for this in the price
  • not all manufacturers compete in the same category, some only make minifigures, Duplo or Technic-type sets, but there are also brands that only distribute MOC designs or sell spare parts
  • always read up on the specific manufacturer and set, if possible, it's better to be safe, but these days customs don't often pick them up (based on experience), because there are few copy products on the market
  • with regard to alternative LEGO sets, the rule of thumb is that as the size and number of elements increase, the price increases proportionally

Nevertheless, there is no need to exaggerate the matter, the years 2015-2019, when you could almost only run into copies, are over. This market is also starting to mature, there are a lot of original ideas and unique developments, as can be said about many other market segments that the Chinese have taken over, think for example of robot vacuum cleaners, power banks or electric cars.

It's worth reading a little about the subject before ordering, there are great forums for this, with shared pictures, and you should pay attention to the reviews on Aliexpress, there are also a lot of pictures.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do we call LEGO sets not produced by LEGO?

In principle, only the construction sets published by the Danish company can be called LEGO, but since all construction sets imitate them, the term alternative LEGO sets or LEGO-like sets has spread in the common language. Until 2019, there were many LEGO copies and LEGO replica sets, but the company mostly won the legal battles, so the number of such sets is now negligible. Sometimes it turns up at a gold price, because these are models that have never been produced again.

What is the best brand of alternative LEGO sets?

A kind of hierarchy has also developed among Chinese companies, which can be clearly seen primarily from the price. CaDa and Mold King produce particularly good sets, but the cheaper ones are not cheap knock-offs like, say, 10-15 years ago.

Won't customs confiscate my LEGO sets when ordering?

If they are not copies of sets released by LEGO, then no. MOC - short for "My Own Creation" - can also be tricky, where the design is assembled from existing LEGO elements. Their intellectual property belongs to the designer. It is worth searching for them with the Google image search engine and on the LEGO website, based on name and product code.

The safest are custom kits, licensed stuff and purchased MOC designs, these are completely legal, they make up the majority of the market today.

Are these really the same quality as the original LEGO?

Essentially yes for more serious sets. Gobricks bricks and CaDa sets, for example, are of very high quality.

How do you fit alternative LEGO sets? Are you in need?

It varies by manufacturer, for example Gobricks bricks fit very well. Basically, the overall quality has improved over the years.

Do the sets come in a box?

It varies by manufacturer, usually not to reduce logistics costs, but packaging can be requested separately.

Do they have paper assembly instructions?

This also varies by manufacturer, usually yes. In the case of MOCs, it happens that you only get one link where you can access the guide.

Do I have to pay duty and VAT on the alternative sets?

Usually not, never from an EU warehouse, otherwise the same rules apply to them as other products bought from abroad, so it is usually included in the price, in which case the inscription "VAT included" is written on Aliexpress in the shopping cart.

Are there compatibility issues?

They usually don't exist, because the quality has now been honed to a suitable level. It should be noted that under the name "bricks" not only LEGO-sized models are available, but also smaller ones, such as the Lboyu Micro Brick sets. It is almost always indicated somehow in the name that it is a smaller building block.

Do these products contain original LEGO pieces?

Not. They can't even contain them, because that would be illegal. Usually, in the material of the elements there is the manufacturer's print, for example Gobricks.

Can the product be exchanged or returned?

If it is faulty or incomplete, the seller will usually resend the set or the missing parts. Especially if you "threaten" them with a negative rating on Aliexpress.

How durable are the alternative sets?

There is actually no good answer to this, but we do know that the original LEGO sets withstand creasing quite well, as they are made of scratch-, wear- and impact-resistant ABS plastic. ABS, on the other hand, is not UV and heat resistant, so the lifespan of the sets primarily depends on how much you expose them to these effects. From what we've seen, the alternative sets seem to be just as resilient as the original LEGO.

What can be done if a set is missing?

It's mostly to tell the sellers who send additional items, but it's more typical to put more items in the package for safety's sake, rather than less.

How much cheaper is a LEGO compatible set than the original LEGO?

Variable, mainly depends on quality. There are sets that are not produced by LEGO, but have the same quality as them - for example, Mega's models - and their prices are similar to those of LEGO. Sets from CaDa and Mold King are available at roughly half the price, or even less, than original LEGO sets of the same number and size.

1/3 and 1/4 pricing is not uncommon for no-name brands, but their quality falls short of the previous one.

Is it worth buying the noname construction kits as well?

If you are not fanatical and do not want very rough quality, then yes. We have included countless models we have also purchased in the gallery above, where you can view them.

What is MOC?

MOC stands for "My Own Creation" and refers to sets assembled from existing LEGO elements, typically by individuals - that is, fans. MOC is often just a blueprint that can be purchased and assembled from previously purchased kits.

What are the categories of LEGO sets?

Most of the terminology comes from the original LEGO, companies that produce alternative LEGO sets also work according to this logic. Are:

  • Duplo type, sets intended for children, built from larger elements
  • LEGO Citybuildings and vehicles similar to
  • LEGO Technic: these mean complex models, vehicles, machines that include all kinds of rotating mechanisms or can be remotely controlled, many companies specialize in such things
  • mini fig, i.e. companies specializing only in miniature figures (they typically produce figures that are not available in the LEGO universe)
  • spare parts, that is, companies specializing in the production of parts or producing extra elements that do not yet exist in the LEGO universe, but are compatible with them
  • franchise systems, for example, LEGO cooperates with the Star Wars and Marvel universes, while CaDa bought the Initial D anime licenses
  • MOC buyers, these are companies that either buy the custom MOC designs or simply steal them (the latter is less common nowadays)
  • Topics not covered by LEGO, such as war, combat vehicles, LEGO does not make these, but many manufacturers have covered these models nicely. We could also mention the Far Eastern style, which is also popular among Chinese manufacturers

Where do I search between LEGO sets and alternative LEGO sets?

Among the original LEGO sets are the lego.comyou can search by name or product code. Alternative LEGO sets include the brick4.com-tin. You should also use Google image search and check that a Chinese set is not a LEGO copy.

If you couldn't find one of your questions in the FAQ, or if we didn't have a clear answer, then contact us at one of our contact numbers listed on the page or on Facebook. To the best of our knowledge, we try to answer all questions about LEGO alternatives!



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