Review: 76428 Hagrid's Hut: An Unexpected Visit
Posted by CapnRex101,
Although it is hard to believe, almost five years have passed since the last rendition of Hagrid's Hut was released, so another design is probably due. The latest version, 76428 Hagrid's Hut: An Unexpected Visit, comprises many more pieces than its predecessors.
That is perhaps surprising, from official images, but can seemingly be attributed to the model being fully enclosed from all sides. In addition, this set contains new versions of Hagrid, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Norbert, plus Fang, who has never appeared in LEGO form before, so there is massive potential here!
Summary
76428 Hagrid's Hut: An Unexpected Visit, 896 pieces.
£64.99 / $74.99 / €74.99 | 7.3p/8.4c/8.4c per piece.
Buy at LEGO.com »
Despite its expensive price, this is comfortably the best LEGO recreation of Hagrid's hut
- Impressively detailed and accurate
- Great interior, with easy access
- Amazing range of characters
- Fang is available, at last!
- Occasional gaps in the walls
- Quite expensive
The set was provided for review by LEGO. All opinions expressed are those of the author.
Minifigures
Hagrid rarely appears onscreen without his massive coat, so only three versions of Hogwarts' beloved gamekeeper have been released since 2018. This minifigure is the fourth, inspired by the scene of Norbert's hatching and wearing an apron over a dark red shirt, which corresponds with the film. I like the green stains on the apron and the tattered band around Hagrid's waist.
The body component is dark tan, with printed areas of dark red. Fortunately, the quality of this printing and its positioning is pretty good, with only a narrow gap between the shirt and the left arm visible from behind. The dark brown hair element looks excellent too, featuring outstanding texture and lining up nicely with the head underneath, as always.
While the minifigure itself is fantastic, I think the accessories are even better, as Hagrid comes with a pair of printed oven gloves! These are represented by 1x1 rounded tiles and the pattern looks superb, matching the source material. Surprisingly, the oven gloves are not really shown off in official images, but I am pleased they are included.
LEGO has produced over 150 Harry Potter sets, but none have included Fang, until now. This figure was definitely worth waiting for though, as it is significantly larger than other LEGO dogs, reflecting Fang's huge size in the films. Moreover, the shape of this figure is accurate, but Fang lacks a printed collar, unfortunately.
However, the decoration on his face looks splendid, featuring wrinkles around the eyes and a downturned mouth. Dark brown would probably be a more suitable colour than reddish brown, relative to the films, although using a darker shade would doubtless obscure the printed details, so the decision to use reddish brown is understandable.
Unlike Fang, Norbert has appeared a couple of times before, including in 4707 Hagrid's Hut from 2001. While the original piece has a nostalgic appeal, this design is much more detailed and more faithful to Norbert's appearance onscreen. I particularly like the textured wings, even incorporating tiny claws, while olive green was an appropriate colour choice for the dragon.
Exclusive versions of Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger are also provided, originating from the scene of Norbert's hatching, like Hagrid. All three minifigures are accurate when compared with the movie, other than the white collar under Harry's jumper, which should be blue. The green jumper looks perfect though, with a nice pattern across the front and back.
The stripes on Ron's jumper also correspond with his attire in the film, while Hermione's blue jumper and dark blue jacket look great too. The intricate pattern along the edges of the jacket shows particular attention to detail, even including a series of tiny buttons. Maybe fabric cloaks could have been supplied for complete fidelity to the original scene, but these minifigures are brilliant without them.
Draco Malfoy completes the selection of characters, wearing his standard Slytherin robes. The dark green and sand green highlights on his cloak, jumper and tie look good, but Draco actually wears a Slytherin jumper beneath his robe during this scene. Ideally, a new torso would be used here to reflect that, but prioritising new elements for the other characters makes sense.
The blonde hair component and double-sided head work quite well for Draco Malfoy, although I would rather the head featured a cruel smile on one side. Perhaps a smile could have replaced the angry alternative expression, which does not really suit Draco in the early Harry Potter films.
Harry, Ron and Hermione also include double-sided heads. Hermione's updated design is the most interesting, returning from 76423 Hogwarts Express & Hogsmeade Station and featuring an anxious expression rather than the more common scared face, as well as a slightly different smile. The four students are equipped with their wands, of course.
The Completed Model
Hagrid's hut changes between The Chamber of Secrets and The Prisoner of Azkaban, both in location and appearance. This model depicts its original design, comprising a single octagonal building, with only one room inside. While the structure is fairly simple, this rendition of Hagrid's home is exceptionally detailed, with wonderful brick-built texture across the walls and the roof.
That texture accounts for much of the disparity in piece count between this model and 75947 Hagrid's Hut: Buckbeak's Rescue. After all, the new hut and the main building of its precursor seem relatively close in size, but the previous set included far less detail and an open back for interior access, whereas the 2024 equivalent is fully enclosed and hinges open.
The combination of light and dark bluish grey parts across the walls is effective, with a few 1x1 tiles and 1x2 ingots scattered around for greater realism. Furthermore, this rough texture helps to disguise seams between the walls of the hut. I wish the base extended slightly further around the back though, mirroring the terrain outside the front door.
Past models of Hagrid's hut have sometimes struggled with the roof, but this example is very detailed and its shape is impressive. I love the use of 2x8 spike parts nestled between wedge plates, as well as the sand green and dark green moss across the roof, which perfectly reflects the onscreen building from the original two films.
I am a little less convinced by the stonework around the door. The combination of 1x1 tiles and ingots looks good, but these highlight the 1x8 tiles on either side, which are the only plain area of the entire hut. However, the mushrooms and foliage around the base look lovely, including a couple of currently exclusive reddish orange leaves. The tree stump also serves a practical role, so Draco can peer through the windows.
The roof can be detached in a single section and is only connected with four studs, although it feels secure when in place. Even so, the angled panels comprising the roof are not completely locked in position, so I wish the structure was more tactile for removal. Personally, I have found the dark green ingots on the front and back to be the best places to grip the roof.
Removing the roof provides fair access, but the back of the building opens in two sections as well. This design is great for play because all areas of the hut are readily accessible and there are plenty of accurate details to discover inside, comfortably surpassing past models of Hagrid's hut in that regard.
The candles flanking the entrance look great, with Hagrid's pink umbrella stored in the barrel underneath. I like the cabinet against the wall too, although its flame yellowish orange front is perhaps too bright. Ideally, the items on the shelves would be brick-built instead of represented by a sticker, but this cabinet is necessarily shallow to save space.
Occasional gaps are visible where the walls meet the floor, including beside the cabinet shown above. These are obviously awkward, but they are small and most are hidden behind furniture. Speaking of which, my favourite piece of furniture found inside is Hagrid's huge chair, which is cleverly designed for the half-giant's minifigure to lie down.
A smaller armchair is also included, alongside another cabinet containing Hagrid's keys. Since the character's full job title is Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts, I like the inclusion of a sticker showing those keys. The stickered fireplace also looks superb and houses a cauldron to warm Norbert's egg before hatching, while a printed portrait of a witch hangs on the wall.
Norbert's intact egg is not included, unfortunately, but the broken shell on the table looks good and Norbert can stand inside. Moreover, I like the circular rug beneath the table, matching that under the armchair and adding more colour to the interior. The sideboard is a welcome addition too and this one features opening doors.
Inside is a second collectable portrait, depicting Godric Gryffindor. These portraits are found in three of the new Harry Potter sets and distributed at random, with fourteen possibilities in total. Godric Gryffindor is instantly identifiable, holding his sword, but the witch pictured above is not as recognisable. Maud Montague has been suggested, but there is little resemblance between her portrait from the films and the LEGO design.
As presented in The Philosopher's Stone and The Chamber of Secrets, a wood store stands beside Hagrid's hut. I think that structure has inspired Fang's dog house, which bears a clear resemblance to his owner's home and looks very nice. However, this uses a significant number of pieces and I am not entirely convinced it was needed, despite originating from the movies.
Overall
Some sets genuinely feel as though no expense has been spared and 76428 Hagrid's Hut: An Unexpected Visit is one. This model is incredibly detailed inside and out, improving on the four previous minifigure-scale versions of the hut in every way. Furthermore, the variety of exclusive minifigures and animals is exceptional, particularly with Fang making his debut, finally!
Of course, those many qualities come at a price and £64.99, $74.99 or €74.99 feels expensive, given the model's size and comparisons with 75947 Hagrid's Hut: Buckbeak's Rescue. I think a minor reduction in detail and therefore the price would have resulted in a more appealing set for all Harry Potter fans. Even so, this is undoubtedly my favourite rendition of Hagrid's hut to date.
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33 comments on this article
Better than the 2000s version with the cloth roof
@R1_Drift said:
"Better than the 2000s version with the cloth roof"
It's also better than the 2010 version. (Never forget they did poor Aragog dirty in that set. Never forgive!)
It's weird. The price-per-piece ratio is more than perfect, but the size of the build doesn't quite feel worth $75.
Wouldn't those oven gloves look better when you attach them on top of the hands (thus covering them up a bit)?
This is my favorite location in the HP universe, so it's wonderful to see that they probably made the ultimate version of it. Though I think I still prefer the original Norbert. ;)
I expected this. Not caught off guard at all.
I had 4754 growing up and my brother had 4738. I never really liked them as they didn't resemble the two-chamber design of Hagrid's hut in Prisoner of Azkaban, my favourite Harry Potter film. I didn't realise until this year that the single-chamber design was accurate to Philosopher's Stone and Chamber of Secrets. I'm glad that Lego has now given us both versions, and this latest one is probably the best, but 75947 is still my favourite.
@PurpleDave said:
"I expected this. Not caught off guard at all."
Ok, but what about . . . the Spanish Inquisition?!!!
Looks really nice, but I'm happy I sold off every HP set I had, HP sets in minifig scale have never really delivered I think, they're good enough, but not much more.
I'm good with 76419 being my only HP-set.
@R1_Drift said:
"Better than the 2000s version with the cloth roof"
That was actually laminated paper, not cloth.
All these Hut releases are great fodder for expanding a medieval village.
I like the set, but I dont like that Fang is wrong color. It should have been Dark grey or sand blue.
LOVE new Dragon mold, I hope we will get A LOT of them in different colors...
Personally prefer Jabba's hutt.
@ForestMenOfEndor said:
" @PurpleDave said:
"I expected this. Not caught off guard at all."
Ok, but what about . . . the Spanish Inquisition?!!!"
NOBODY EXPECTS THE SPANISH INQUISITION!!!!
@ForestMenOfEndor said:
" @PurpleDave said:
"I expected this. Not caught off guard at all."
Ok, but what about . . . the Spanish Inquisition?!!!"
To be fair, I was preparing for a Gathering next, so not really.
@ohrmazd said:
" @ForestMenOfEndor said:
" @PurpleDave said:
"I expected this. Not caught off guard at all."
Ok, but what about . . . the Spanish Inquisition?!!!"
NOBODY EXPECTS THE SPANISH INQUISITION!!!!"
That is their greatest weapon, surprise and fear, their two greatest weapons!
@lordofdragonss said:
"I like the set, but I dont like that Fang is wrong color. It should have been Dark grey or sand blue.
LOVE new Dragon mold, I hope we will get A LOT of them in different colors..."
It's licensed, you know we won't. So many good animals wasted on a license that's relevance holds in the balance, wavering year by year.
@AverageChimaEnjoyer said:
"It's weird. The price-per-piece ratio is more than perfect, but the size of the build doesn't quite feel worth $75."
Loads of tiny pieces drive up the piece count without adding much to the size.
sweet christmas this is $25 more than the last version and doesn't even have buckbeak?
@Rowia said:
"It's licensed, you know we won't. So many good animals wasted on a license that's relevance holds in the balance, wavering year by year."
Wondered when we'd start getting these comments again.
I only want this to add to my Viking or Medieval villages. The dog and dragon are good too.
@Rowia said:
" @lordofdragonss said:
"I like the set, but I dont like that Fang is wrong color. It should have been Dark grey or sand blue.
LOVE new Dragon mold, I hope we will get A LOT of them in different colors..."
It's licensed, you know we won't. So many good animals wasted on a license that's relevance holds in the balance, wavering year by year."
We've seen animals like owls and more clearly licensed accessories like wands and lightsaber hilts, even Harry Potter's distinctive hair appearing in other themes. The original Norbert mold made many appearances outside of Harry Potter, not sure why this generic little dragon wouldn't enjoy a similar fate.
@Murdoch17 said:
" @R1_Drift said:
"Better than the 2000s version with the cloth roof"
It's also better than the 2010 version. (Never forget they did poor Aragog dirty in that set. Never forgive!)"
You're no doubt referring to Aragog Scissor-Legs?
Great review. Fang is fantastic. Hagrid and Norbert are well done. The hut is nice, but greed-inflated with wee pieces and big profit schemes. The dog house is extraneous.
I have two of the old huts. So, I will comfortably wait for this to reach the inevitable 35-50% discount.
@R1_Drift said:
"Better than the 2000s version with the cloth roof"
Paper. Cardstock.
@StyleCounselor said:
" @Murdoch17 said:
" @R1_Drift said:
"Better than the 2000s version with the cloth roof"
It's also better than the 2010 version. (Never forget they did poor Aragog dirty in that set. Never forgive!)"
You're no doubt referring to Aragog Scissor-Legs?
Great review. Fang is fantastic. Hagrid and Norbert are well done. The hut is nice, but greed-inflated with wee pieces and big profit schemes. The dog house is extraneous.
I have two of the old huts. So, I will comfortably wait for this to reach the inevitable 35-50% discount. "
Indeed, I was. I love that nickname you came up for it, though! I'll have to remember that one...
Fang should've been dark brown and his dog house feels like filler (that still doesn't reach the asking price), but other than that, this is a good-looking one!
@Murdoch17 said:
" @StyleCounselor said:
" @Murdoch17 said:
" @R1_Drift said:
"Better than the 2000s version with the cloth roof"
It's also better than the 2010 version. (Never forget they did poor Aragog dirty in that set. Never forgive!)"
You're no doubt referring to Aragog Scissor-Legs?
Great review. Fang is fantastic. Hagrid and Norbert are well done. The hut is nice, but greed-inflated with wee pieces and big profit schemes. The dog house is extraneous.
I have two of the old huts. So, I will comfortably wait for this to reach the inevitable 35-50% discount. "
Indeed, I was. I love that nickname you came up for it, though! I'll have to remember that one..."
Yes, po' Aragog SL, all he wanted was to find love, trim the verge, and..... drink Ron's blooooood!!!
The stickers are a big letdown, those details could and should be brick built.
'Draco actually wears a Slytherin jumper beneath his robe during this scene.'
To me it looks like the Draco minifig IS wearing a green jumper. Look at the ribbed V underneath the tie, shouts jumper to me :)
@Rowia said:
" @lordofdragonss said:
"I like the set, but I dont like that Fang is wrong color. It should have been Dark grey or sand blue.
LOVE new Dragon mold, I hope we will get A LOT of them in different colors..."
It's licensed, you know we won't. So many good animals wasted on a license that's relevance holds in the balance, wavering year by year."
There have been enough rando pieces that turned up in non-licensed sets and the dragon is generic enough. OG Norbert was also in some non HP sets if I am not mistaken.
@AustinPowers said:
" @AverageChimaEnjoyer said:
"It's weird. The price-per-piece ratio is more than perfect, but the size of the build doesn't quite feel worth $75."
Loads of tiny pieces drive up the piece count without adding much to the size. "
And still enough cut corners with stickers in place of actual key, wool, needles (chopsticks), vegetables, etc.
The new one feels really weird and empty even if things like the chairs are improved.
The build is good and if I design my own Hagrids hut I would rather use this new design as a template but I already got the 2018 set (yet unopened) and it has better figures and accessories in my eyes. The mittens, Fang and Norbert are great but not 80 bucks (or 50 on discount) great. So much repeated or obscure and useless content for my sensibilities, though I also understand the other set looking empty as it's mostly accessories stuck inside.
And I say all this as someone who prefers the more whimsical HP1 and 2 design of the hut over the jarring change they did in HP3.
@Anonym said:
" @Rowia said:
" @lordofdragonss said:
"I like the set, but I dont like that Fang is wrong color. It should have been Dark grey or sand blue.
LOVE new Dragon mold, I hope we will get A LOT of them in different colors..."
It's licensed, you know we won't. So many good animals wasted on a license that's relevance holds in the balance, wavering year by year."
There have been enough rando pieces that turned up in non-licensed sets and the dragon is generic enough. OG Norbert was also in some non HP sets if I am not mistaken."
You are correct. OG Norbert made numerous appearances in Kingdoms and Ninjago.
@TechnicMan said:
"'Draco actually wears a Slytherin jumper beneath his robe during this scene.'
To me it looks like the Draco minifig IS wearing a green jumper. Look at the ribbed V underneath the tie, shouts jumper to me :)"
Yes, but not the completely green roll neck jumper he wears in the film.