Dollar Tree Lego Knockoffs, THE GRAND FINALE!

This is it! Time to wrap up this look at some shoddy construction toys made of low-grade chinesium. Ten entire sets!

I've mentioned before the quality variance from set to set and how poorly these can compare to real Lego. The instructions in these boxed sets are serviceable, but only just. Some of the designs are surprisingly clever, and some are not. I also noticed a lot of part count inflation with lots of little plates where one plate or brick would serve, too.

Back Row

The first set I built was the excavator, and it was the first of these i have found to be missing a piece. It had five tires and three wheel hubs. Oops! The steamroller is pretty neat, I think. Same for the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and while its round 2x2 plates are of poor quality, I like the design

Middle Row

The police car is boring. The London Bridge seems like half of a set, but if bought as a pair, it could make a nice frame with extra plates as a deck. The fire hydrant is a bit goofy, but I think it also has some charm. The Sydney Opera House has some nice piece usage, but I had to omit a 1x2 plate to make everything work without interfering.

Front Row

I don't think this is a good representation of the White House, but I like the micro-neo-classical aesthetics. The helicopter has some nice ideas, but I can't recommend it as a child's plaything in and of itself. Same with the jet fighter.

Summary

More miss than hit. Still, this has been an oddly fun series for me to write. I hope you enjoyed reading as well. Merry Christmas, and remember, the Dollar Tree is probably still open today if you really want to try these for yourself. But do yourself a favor and buy real LEGO instead if you can.