The Best Lego Sets for Adults [November 2020]

The Creator series isn’t the only collection of sets Lego has aimed at older builders. The Technic series is seriously cool stuff, especially if you’re into pneumatics. 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.

As cool as this kit is, it isn’t cheap. Although it originally retailed in the $300 range, it’s increased in price over the last few years as it’s become harder to buy. Still, 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.

We promised a ton of Star Wars sets, and Star Wars is what you’ll get. There’s few sets as iconic as the Death Star and with the power of that image, this set promises to be as much a nostalgia trip as a challenge to build. Constructing the 16″x16″ round orb of doom will take plenty of time. With over 4,000 pieces to construct and assemble, you won’t just be building the outer shell. This kit includes a full 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. As you can imagine, something with so much intricacies and detail doesn’t come cheap: those 4,000 pieces will run you a cool $700, an ever-increasing price now that the set is discontinued. It might sound expensive, but for the Star Wars fan in your life, this is a must-have gift.

Okay, we’re leaving discontinue sets behind for a bit to focus on some newer kits. For the Star Wars lover in your life, there’s nothing hotter than The Mandalorian, the first-ever live-action Star Wars show and a global phenomenon thanks to its central star. No, not Pedro Pascal—although he’s certainly a star in his own right. We’re talking about Baby Yoda, the cute troublemaking Force user the show centers around. Although he might not be cute a cuddly, the Lego version of “the Child” is super cool, and at only $80, one of the cheapest sets on this list. You aren’t losing out on a tough build, though. At over 1,000 pieces, this isn’t something you’ll finish in under an hour. Plus, he makes for the perfect collectable.

Let’s escape from space and back onto Earth. We’re back with the Technic line to take a look at the Porsche 911 GT3 RS model, combining what we loved above the Ferrari series but with the moving parts included in Technics. The GT3 RS 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. Also included: a working gearbox—complete with a movable steering wheel—gearshift paddles, detailed seating, a glove compartment, and a unique serial number.

This thing is gorgeous, and a total collector’s item, as you’d expect for more than $600. Thankfully, you do get some cool collectable stuff with your kit, including a full-color book detailing the history of both the Lego Technic series and the Porsche GT line. It’s expensive to be sure, but now that it’s discontinued, Porsche lovers will need to jump on this before it disappears forever.

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 of the company’s sets—you can still find the second-gen version of this classic ’70s bus for the low price of $119. If you thought the outside was cool, be ready to be amazed. It’s the interior of this bus that makes it so special, complete with a 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.

If you’re a car guy, but not necessarily a car guy, this is the set for you. Tim Burton’s 1989 film Batman is iconic, from the costumes to the actors playing each role. The film quickly became one of the highest grossing movies of all time upon its release, and is still considered the best Batman film by a lot of comics fans. If you loved Burton’s gothic take on the Caped Crusader, you’ll love Lego’s 1989 Batmobile, a sleek and stylish take on one of the most famous movie vehicles of all time. With a slide-open cockpit, pop-up machine guns, and three included minifigures, this is a must-have set for the nerdy dad in your life. Or, you know, yourself. We won’t judge.

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 $400, you’re dropping some serious cash for the ability to build a pretty cool set.

Still, with 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, all spread over 2,300 pieces, 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. If you’re looking for something a bit more realistic, 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!