Holiday gift guide: $50-$100
Posted by Huw,
To round of our week of recommendations in the $50-$100 price bracket we have not one but five selections for you today. First, Brick_387 picks a City set:
60258 Tuning Workshop is the perfect set for any fan of cars, or the Lego City Adventurers TV show. This model, which retails at $99.99 USD is packed with all sorts of fun play features for you to discover!
It includes 4 different cars, plus a motorcycle which allows for families to act out races together.
The main build of this set is the workshop itself, which includes a sliding door on the front of the garage, to allow easy access to cars. Also featured, is a functional crane for replacing the engine of the hot rod included in the set. Other side builds include a doghouse for Jowls the bulldog, and a small trailer. This really is a fabulous set for its price, and one I’m sure would bring a smile to any kid’s face.
21052 Dubai by Tyarador:
One of the biggest discussions about these skyline sets of course is which buildings to put into them. For this set in my opinion they made a good choice.
It had to include the largest building in the world, the magnificent Burj Khaliffa and its fountains. The details on the Burj Al Arab are amazing on this small scale. It clearly shows the heliport and the special curved shape of the building. The least interesting building are the Jumeirah Emirates Towers as these don’t seem very special or haven’t got any real meaning.
But, all-in all a great build and you can always try to substitute one building for another one you build yourself if you don't like any of it!
80104 Lion Dance by lauris727:
80104 Lion Dance is a great way for a group of people to bond while enjoying the LEGO building experience. Think of it as a jigsaw puzzle alternative or an option for game night. Online and downloaded instructions allow for multiple copies of building guides.
Each person has a bag (or bags, depending on group size) of elements to assemble and the first one to finish is the winner. Since the number of pieces in each bag can vary, an alternative objective is for each “player” to build one of the lions. Elements for each lion can be sorted and distributed or placed in a pile. And, for the winner? Bragging rights, of course, and perhaps the entire set!
42107 Ducati Panigale V4 R by Snazzy_Bricks:
42107 Ducati Panigale V4 R is perfect for gearheads and bikers alike. You get to build a working gearbox, and a functional V4-style engine. You don't have to be a Technic wizard to build this, my prior experience consisted of 42093 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 and I did just fine.
It contains a model of the most powerful racing bike in the world, and a small paddock stand for when you aren't out on the track ;)
Flick the lever down and you're in 1st gear! Spinning the back wheel drives the pistons. Shift to the middle and you're in neutral. No piston movement here. Finally, you can upshift to 2nd gear. The pistons move approximately 1.5 times more per rotation than 1st gear.
The exterior shell of the bike is removable, so you can inspect the engine. All of the panels can come off, excluding the fuel cap, seat back, and windshield section. At the back, you have a chain connecting the rear wheel to the engine. The rear wheel also has functioning suspension. The front wheel can be steered by using the handlebars, and has two brake disks, one on each side. Just like the rear wheel, the front wheel has functioning suspension.
The downsides of this set are few; consisting of the quantity of stickers (around 20,) and the material used for the windscreen. It's rather milky, instead of being totally clear.
Overall, I think this is an excellent set, riding at around $70. If you can find it on a discount, even better. It's a set that's sure to please almost everyone!
75318 The Child by The Wacky Wookiee:
Perhaps the reason for the success of the wildly popular ‘Mandalorian’ series was the character of The Child, colloquially known as Baby Yoda, who quickly became a breakout character and Internet meme sensation. However, the lack of merchandise around the character required a long wait for many fans of him.
Fortunately, by mid-2020, that wait ended with clothing, Funko pops and stationary of The Child being snatched up by collectors. This excellent buildable character, akin to last year’s 75255 Yoda and May’s 75278 D-O, is one of them. It might not look perfect, but this series only focuses on the gift guide, so it doesn’t have to be.
Everything that is loved about the character is included, from his adorable smile to his favourite toy ball, built with an excellent array of techniques. While the main build is the most eye-catching part of the set, also take notice of the minifigure version of The Child, allowing the character to appear in your Star Wars minifigure displays.
If you know anyone who instantly loved the character or is a Star Wars fan in general (of which most people fall into at least one camp), then this beautifully designed figure of The Child is the perfect gift for them!
This is the way!
I'll publish the staff picks in this category tomorrow before we move into in the final week of >$100 sets.
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8 comments on this article
Woah, are these all last-minute entries? There’s a lot today, much more than we’ve seen in a single day so far!
I didn't want to leave anyone disappointed by not publishing their submission.
I had completely missed the tuning garage! Might jump on it at the next sale, this is the perfect kind of set to add to a modular lineup, with all the cars, fig, and other details!
@Phoenixio said:
"I had completely missed the tuning garage! Might jump on it at the next sale, this is the perfect kind of set to add to a modular lineup, with all the cars, fig, and other details!"
It looks like a great set! It's one I've had on my wanted list for some time but just haven't pulled the trigger on it yet.
Never thought of turning Lego into a game/competition!
No Ecto review??
@imemine98 said:
" @Phoenixio said:
"I had completely missed the tuning garage! Might jump on it at the next sale, this is the perfect kind of set to add to a modular lineup, with all the cars, fig, and other details!"
It looks like a great set! It's one I've had on my wanted list for some time but just haven't pulled the trigger on it yet. "
At this moment, Amazon US has the 60258 Tuning workshop set on sale for 20% off at 79.99. Great time to pick it up if you want one. As always, use the Brickset links to such sets to help Brickset out
@elisewong18 said:
"Never thought of turning Lego into a game/competition!"
That’s interesting. When I was about seven, we’d build LEGO cars at the birthday parties of myself and my brothers, then test them on a ramp.
It’s actually quite a novel idea. I might have to see what I coul do with others.