15 of the Best Lego Sets for Adults – August 2018

Lego's Technic line is a series we haven't mentioned in this list up to now, but it's worth taking note of if you're seriously into pneumatics and building what amount to movable puzzles. In addition to the standard Lego pieces that you expect from the block company, their Technic line—originally called Technical sets when it was created in 1977 before being renamed in 1984—utilizes a series of interconnecting plastic rods and parts to build vehicles and other movable machines that are really fun—and challenging—to create. If you've ever used a Mindstorms Robotic series, you'll know what the Technic line is similar to, without the additional programming involved in robotics. This Mercedes-Benz Arocs set is one of the coolest kits we've ever seen: it features modular cylinders, valves, gears, and pumps, along with an engine and a power box to power the on-board crane that can reach up to 57cm in the air. Seriously, this thing is cool—and at more than $300, it isn't cheap either. But the entire kit includes over 2,700 pieces, making it one of the largest and highest-detailed kids on our list. If you're looking for something to experiment with, this Mercedes-Benz set will keep you challenged for weeks as you assemble and build a movable pneumatic structure.

As we mentioned up top, using Lego sets to connect with your kids as you build and assemble sets and series can be a ton of fun for both you and them. One major problem with our sets so far: some kids might just not be interested in cars or architecture. It's only natural for children to grow into their own interests as they age, so if you want to try connecting with something almost every child loves at some point, you should try some of our Lego Star Wars sets we've collected within this list. The first of our three entries involves one of the most notable, important ships from the entire franchise: the Millennium Falcon. Han Solo's classic light freighter was recreated when Star Wars: The Force Awakens came out, and this particular set includes figures for Han, Chewie, Rey, Finn, and everyone's favorite droid, BB-8, plus a couple other characters you might remember from a fun scene within the film. The set's a bit pricey at over $200, but with over 1,300 pieces, it'll keep you busy for hours to come. Bonus: if you can find it for a reasonable price online (read: under $1,000), the Ultimate Collector's Millennium Falcon was a limited-run item from a few years ago that was massive and came with over 5,000 pieces. It's neat, but for the price, you're better off with the cheaper model.

Another great entry in the Lego Star Wars series, the Death Star set promises to be just as much an exercise in nostalgia as in patience and puzzle-solving. Constructing the 16"x16" round orb of doom will take plenty of weeks, with over 4,000 pieces to construct and assemble as you build not just the outer shell protecting an entire planet-destroying laser, but also the interior, complete with plenty of Lego figurines and small details familiar to the star Wars super-fans inside of all of us. With over 23 mini-figures, a control-room for the laser, hangar bay with a movable launch rack, and even a detachable TIE Fighter for Lord Vader, the Death Star set is one of our favorite Star Wars sets ever constructed. It's no secret when it comes to Lego kits, it's the little details that count, and the Death Star is full of hidden easter eggs that'll leave even the most dedicated fans of George Lucas' space opera series giddy with glee. As you can imagine, something with so much intricacies and detail won't come cheap: those 4,000 pieces will run you a cool $499, one of the more expensive sets still in production from Lego. It might sound expensive, but for the Star Wars fan in your life, this is a must-have gift.

Our mid-range kit, for those looking for some additional complexity over the Millennium Falcon while also enjoying a set from the original trilogy of films, Lego's star Wars TIE Fighter set is a relatively-expensive kit, coming in at $199 for about 1,700 pieces. It's not exactly a deal, but for those fans of the evil Empire, the TIE Fighter will bring back dozens of memories of watching Empire Strikes Back on lazy Sunday afternoons—and it'll look great on your shelf, too. This is an incredibly detailed set, something we've come to love and appreciate about the time Lego puts into building their sets. And while it might not be 4,000 pieces like what you get with the Death Star set, 1,700 pieces is the perfect number to hold your attention for weeks at a time while not absorbing your entire life into one brick-themed nightmare. The TIE Fighter comes with an included stand, along with a beautiful card to go along with your display. It's the perfect size for a project to build with your kid, so long as they remember that the Collector's series of Lego sets, of which this falls into, aren't typically meant to be played with—they're just too fragile.

Let's escape out of space and back onto Earth, where we'll take a look at a couple categories we've already seen, but thrown together for good measure: expensive sports car models and the Lego Technic series. That's right—we're back with the Technic line to take a look at the Porsche 911 GT3 RS model, one of our favorite vehicle models ever put together by the company best known for bricks. If you thought the Ferrari model listed above was gorgeous, the Technic Porsche takes the cake and devours it too. This thing is complete with an adjustable rear spoiler, fully-functioning headlights and taillights, suspension springs underneath the vehicle, fully-customized rims, and even detailed brake calipers. The gearbox works, complete with a movable steering wheel, gearshift paddles, detailed seating, a glove compartment, and a unique serial number. And, of course, as if we even have to mention it, the hood and doors both open, revealing a suitcase in the front and the engine in the rear of the vehicle. Yeah, this thing is gorgeous, and a total collector's item, as you'd expect for more than $300. But with 2,700 pieces, the piece-to-price ratio is pretty decent here, and you even get a full-color collector's book detailing the history of both the Lego Technic series and the Porsche GT line, so your three Benjamin's go a long way on this one. It's a hobbyist product, to be sure, but so are all of these Lego products, and this Porsche model is one of our absolute favorites.

The Internet was delighted when the Lego Creator line debuted the classic Volkswagen T1 Camper van a few years ago, and it's still one of the most fun and most unique Lego sets we've seen on the market. Though the first series has been unfortunately been discontinued by Lego—as is the standard for most unique Creator products—you can still find these classic '70s busses for the low price of $149 if you look in the right places online, a great price for this 1,300 piece set. The second-series set, meanwhile, is an even cheaper $119, though it comes in a slightly-reworked box design. We've linked to the cheaper second-generation model, but the first is also available on Amazon. The interior of this bus is what makes it so special—with a fully-detailed interior, complete with table, seats, steering wheel, and even a gear shift knob. Both the back and the side doors can open, so you can see the interior in all its glory. Overall, just like with some of the Star Wars sets on this list, this Volkswagen camper van just makes us nostalgic and reminiscent for a bygone period of time. Groovy.

We'd be lying if we said this was our first pick for our favorite Batman-related set, but unfortunately, a large number of Lego Batman sets were discontinued before the release of this year's smash animated comedy "The LEGO Batman Movie." Thankfully, a number of movie-branded sets replaced them, and while most of them were aimed at children, we think the Batcave Break-In set is the perfect kit for parents and kids to build together. With over 1,000 pieces, it's a bit of a challenge for younger children to tackle on their own, but if they're big fans of the animated film, they'll love the task of recreating one of the scenes from the movie—and you'll love building it with them. With plenty of minifigures, accessories, and play-styles, this is one of our best picks for a set that balances complexity with play, making sure that even after the set is built, your child can still play around and recreate the adventures of Will Arnett's Batman right in your own house. If you're a fan of this Batman set, there are a ton of other Lego Batman sets that are guaranteed to create the same amount of fun and enjoyment in your child's eyes—and you'll have fun watching them learn how to build it right on their own.

Lego's Ninjago series has exploded in popularity over the last few years among tweens. After showing a pilot episode in 2011 and releasing some popular sets throughout the year, a companion Lego Ninjago series began airing regularly on Cartoon Network in 2012, and the entire line of Ninjago products exploded with popularity. Since then, there's been nearly a hundred different Ninjago products of varying size and age group status, as well as graphic novel adaptations, several video game adaptations, battle toys outside of the Lego line, and an upcoming feature-length theatrical film feature voice actors like Dave Franco and Jackie Chan. Needless to say, Ninjago has blown up in popular culture—and if you have a son or daughter around the right age, you've probably heard of the products. If you're looking to take advantage of the popularity of the series for something to do with your kid, our favorite Ninjago kit is the Temple of Airjitzu. At over $300, it isn't cheap, but it also has just over 2,000 pieces in the set, along with twelve minifigures. It's not just a great Lego set to build—it's a great playset for your kid, too.

This one certainly isn't for the faint of heart, but for fantasy geeks or lovers of J.R.R. Tolkien (or the films based on his work), Lego's Lord of the Rings series has some seriously awesome constructions available for design, and our favorite is the Tower of Orthanc set. This tower will be immediately recognizable to any Tolkien fan who's read the books and seen the movies—it's featured heavily throughout the series, and is an important part of Middle Earth's lore. The price isn't cheap—at around $250, you're dropping some serious cash for the ability to build a pretty cool set. But at 2,300 pieces, six detailed floor designs within the tower itself, a light bright included within the piece, five minifigures, and a tower measure over 2 feet tall, we think this is one of the coolest sets you can buy for your inner nerd, or for someone who simply loves the movies or book series. Lord of the Rings is a series of novels and movies that will never fade from popularity; both are so well-constructed, they'll only grow in popularity throughout the next few decades as more and more people embrace fantasy works. So why not grab a piece of Ring lore, and build the Tower of Orthanc.

We've covered classic architecture builds, amazing sports car models, extravagant toy sets, and so much more throughout this list—but what if you're looking for something with a bit more simplistic, but still realistic, feel, the Lego Creator 10th Anniversary Assembly Square set is one of our absolute favorites, with a complicated build that involves over 4,000 pieces to complete a full city block, buzzing with as much life and excitement as you'd see anywhere else. The Assembly Square set might not be as realistic as the Capitol Building, but it is an expert build—filled with eight minifigures, glossy floor panels, and accessories you won't see in any other set, including mini pretzels, telephones, a baby carriage, a small chihuahua, and beautiful storefront signs. When complete, the set is large enough to stand over a foot tall, a foot wide, and nearly 10" in depth. It might not be as creative or interesting as something like Lego Batman's Arkham Asylum set, but for the right builder, Assembly Square is an intense, expert-only design that will keep you busy building for months on end.

One of the things we love about the Lego Creator Tower Bridge set is how it combines historical and real-world locations with the fun and excitement that comes with a Lego set. It isn't cheap, but the Tower Bridge set, similar to the Assembly Square set above, feels great when you're building it. When it comes to these Creator Expert sets, 4,000 pieces or more seems to be a great balance between scale and complexity, and the Tower Bridge set is no exception. With almost 4,300 pieces, including four vehicles and a completely working drawbridge, this is one of our favorite sets yet. The final set is gigantic, measuring over 40 inches long from start to finish. Needless to say, it might be a bit difficult to find space for this bridge among your collection once you're complete. One note for those looking for something to do with the kids: these Expert sets don't come with numbered bags, since part of the challenge of Lego sets is building it into a gigantic, puzzle-like kit. But if you can get over the hump of working without numbered bags, you'll really enjoy assembling Tower Bridge. We'd love to see Lego branch out and do some additional work on London-themed sets, to build a miniature Lego London. Get on it, Lego!

One more themed set before we finish up our list, and what would we be without mentioning one of the newest Lego sets out, celebrating the new Pirates of the Caribbean movie, Dead Men Tell No Tales. While previous Pirates sets have focused on the set pieces from their respective movies, Lego's flagship (pun intended) set for this year's release is one of the best we've seen yet. Silent Mary is the name of one of the newest ships from the film, and Lego have gone above and beyond in recreating this destructible, decaying set. The entire piece comes with eight minifigures, two ghost sharks (as seen prominently in the trailers for the film), and a rowboat used in the film by Jack Sparrow and his two new friends, Henry and Carina. From the cannons to the three masts of the ship, it's an excellent build, measuring in at 26 inches long and 18 inches high, and including nearly 2,300 pieces for fun building excitement. We're big fans of the appearances of masts and the wrecked sales, so if you're a Pirates fan—or you love ships—you're sure to have fun building this massive set.

We'd be silly to actually recommend you run out and buy the Lego Architecture Taj Mahal set if you're looking for something to do in your spare time; the nearly $1700 asking price basically prices most out of the market entirely But if you have that to drop on a Lego kit, and you want to go all out, the Taj Mahal set is not just a limited-run series, it also features almost 6,000 pieces in the box. Sure, that isn't a great price-to-piece ratio if you're looking at products like the first two on our list, but the Lego Taj Mahal is one of the most magnificent sets we've ever laid eyes on. The set is huge, measuring at over 20 inches wide and 16 inches tall, and weighing fourteen pounds inside the box. Taj Mahal is the largest set ever designed and sold by Lego, and we think some Lego fans are willing to drop the money to get access to such a limited-run set. But for everyone else, you're better off buying a cheaper, smaller set—especially since you could probably use this kind of cash to plan an actual trip to the Taj Mahal in India.