Which set should I buy?

[ShaydDeGrai]

1. Haunted House.

2. Tower of Orthanc.

3. Save my money for 2014.

Thanks for any advice!

I would find it hard to go wrong when choosing between The Haunted House and Orthanc. Both are good sized sets that are fun to build, have playable features and/or vignettes to keep things interesting for kids and make impressive display pieces for adults.

Personally, I like the fact that the HH _feels_ complete, like a modular building, and, if you're into modulars can even straddle themes and server as the old abandoned building on the outskirts of modular town and looks quite at home in the background of a large train set-up. Unlike modulars, which have stacked floors allowing for top-down access for play, the HH is hinged (like my sister's doll house used to be growing up) to allow mini-figure eye view access to the interior. I really like this as a feature because it produces the best of both worlds, structurally complete but easy to open for kids' playtime (as opposed to a lot of play sets which employ "hospital gown design" (open in back) and often more fragile as a result ). It was a fun set to put together with a good color palette that is both true to its Monster Fighters roots while at the same time suggesting that there was once a time when the building was a beautiful victorian home.

Now on the Othanc front, I am a big LotR fan from long before there were Lego tie-ins (or even movies) so I know I'm a bit biased. On the other hand, I was disappointed with many of the Lego LotR offerings to date. I'm happy to report that was not the case with Othanc. It's my favorite set of the line (followed by Helm's Deep, if that helps you put my opinion in perspective). As a LotR fan, I can quibble about the "authenticity" of the interior or complain about it being too short, etc, but as a Lego abstraction and play set I think they did a pretty good job.

Orthanc, I think, it the more demanding build which, despite a lot of repeated features on the exterior, didn't feel repetitive. Obviously, it's 95% black so if your eyes are getting a little older (like mine) plan on making sure your workspace is well lit. Unlike the HH, Orthanc open in the back (I would have preferred hinges or stacked floors, but then I'm not trying to play with the thing) and has a low center of gravity that keeps it (relatively) stable despite its height (mine has survived several "cat incidents" to date with only minor damage).

I think I'd give a slight edge to Orthanc from a "play with the kids" factor not so much for the building itself, but for the brick built Ent and the molded giant eagle. I think the Ent adds some scale variety above and beyond the minifigures and the eagle adds a swoosh-ability that you just don't normally have with a building (at least outside of hurricane season).

I know singing the praises of both probably isn't making your decision any easier, but take comfort in knowing that, for the two sets you're looking at, I think it would be hard to choose poorly - they are both wonderful pieces to build and to have in one's collection. It really comes down to personal taste and keeping the kids entertained.

[Scrib]

A couple if days left for Double VIP and I have some cash. What do you think?

1. Haunted House. I have the other Monster Fighters sets so I obviously like the theme. I also like to play with my LEGO with my kids, and enjoy the larger build sets. I really like the Vampyre Castle. The HH seems more of a display piece than a play set. The build does look fun.

2. Tower of Orthanc. I'm a casual Tolkien fan. I've seen and like the movies but I'm not a super fanboy of it. I don't have any other of the LOTR sets. But this looks like a good one for a one-off. Looks impressive (I've seen it at the LEGO store) and the inside looks detailed and fun. As I said, my kids like to play with my LEGO. They don't know LOTR since they're too young.

3. Save my money for 2014. I want to get all of the Batman sets. Plus the LEGO Movie sets sound intriguing. Haven't heard whether there will be a big, exclusive Superheroes set.

Thanks for any advice!

I'd go for the Haunted House. It's an amazing display piece and one of my favorite sets. It sounds like it's more up your alley anyway, what with having the rest of the MF line and liking the theme, yet only being a casual LoTR fan. I don't have the Orthanc set but it looks more fragile, which might be a concern if your kids will be playing with it. The hinged dollhouse-like nature of the HH only adds to its playability.

If you have a large amount of reddish brown 1x6, 1x4, 1x2, and 1x1 tiles you can give all three floors of the house wood flooring. I did this to mine and it looks amazing.

[SMC]

I would not say Orthanc is fragile, considering the size I think its very well put togther. I don’t have Haunted House but do really like the look of it the one thing is if you ever take it apart I don’t think it’s the most usefull of color for bricks but thats just me, I love black.

[AncientDayz]

I know it's not much help, but were I in your position, I'd pick up the Robie House _today_ and use the two month delay before the restaurant comes out to save, plan, mentally prepare the wife for yet another Lego expense, etc. and pick that one up as well early next year.

Thanks for the post. I was going to follow your advice, but my wife actually made my decision for me (she rocks). I came home from work, and she already picked up the house for me - she said that I/we couldn't pass up the set or the price, AND she told me to go ahead with a Parisian restaurant and second GE still at the end of the year. Sweet!

[Drock]

Thanks for the advice and well thought out answers! I ended up getting Orthanc. The LEGO store didn't have the Haunted House on the shelves anymore. (I didn't ask if they had done in back, but I had pretty much made up my mind by then anyway).

My sticker sheet was creased (it had gotten folded over the instructions in the cardboard backing), and a few if the stickers aren't really usable so that kind of soured it. :(. I will call LEGO today and hopefully they'll send me a new one.

[GandalfofHoth]

I've been wanting to get a cheaper Architecture set (I've been looking at 21006, 21013, 21015), but I'm open to other suggestions, any ideas?

[ShaydDeGrai]

I've been wanting to get a cheaper Architecture set (I've been looking at 21006, 21013, 21015), but I'm open to other suggestions, any ideas?

Of the three you mention, I'd say my personal favorite is the White House (21006) it packs a lot of detail into a high fidelity model for its size. It's an enjoyable build and a nice display model from all angles.

My second preference from your list would be the Leaning Tower of Pisa. As a display model it's okay (a little awkward scale-wise if you have the full collection - it looks a little out of place). It's not _bad_, but its just okay, not great. Although there are some interesting structural choices as to how the tower is put together, I found the actual build to be a little tedious - not a lot of variety part-wise but enough changes from one tier to the next to preclude being able to rapidly produce sub-assemblies to get through it faster.

With respect to the London Clock Tower ("Big Ben" - or technically Big Ben's outer casing) I must admit that I actually bought two of those, not because I really liked the set, but because I didn't like the proportions of the finished model and needed spare parts to "fix" it. It's the only model in the Architecture line that I felt compelled to MOD. I liked the subject matter and texture technique used on the building itself, but out of the box the finished model just didn't look right to me.

In general, if you're considering dipping into the Architecture line, you might also consider the Brandenburg Gate (21011 - currently $23 in US Amazon) or the Guggenheim Museum (21004 - currently $38 on US Amazon) These are both nicely sized display models that are fun to build and have a lot of character. Personally, I'd rank both of them after the White House and ahead of Pisa, but that's really just a matter of taste, YMMV.

[JeagerEX]

70803 Cloud Cuckoo Palace

70804 Ice Cream Van

Some LEGO Movie minifigs

All Chima Legend Beasts

A bricklink order of some minifig parts and LEGO Movie minifigs from every expensive sets

Then I'll save some money..

[Risgrynsgrot]

I got two questions.. First, I've heard that they're ddiscontinuing the first wave of LOTR Lego. What set of those should I pickup before its too late? I got helms deep, urukhai army and shelob attack, what else in that wave is cool?

I also need an idea for what friends set to get my girl for christmas. It needs to be awesome, so whats the best LEGO friends set out there? Shes already got the riding camp..

[Cwetqo]

Weathertop is really nice set, but it could be hard to find.

[Gryphon Ink]

I got two questions.. First, I've heard that they're ddiscontinuing the first wave of LOTR Lego. What set of those should I pickup before its too late?

I also need an idea for what friends set to get my girl for christmas.

I would look for Weathertop. It's a nice "scaled down" model with useful parts and includes the Nazgul and horses, which no LOTR collection is complete without.

For Friends, I'd recommend the school. A great set with lots of things to do and great minidolls. Alternatively, if you can still find Olivia's House at a reasonable price, it's a must-have with beautiful interior detailing and the only adult male minidoll in the theme so far.

[Risgrynsgrot]

Yeah, thats probably what I want the most out of remaining sets.. Gonna pick it up on a sale since its pricey here in Europe. The Mines of Moria set looks bland, way too many stickers, the troll looks ugly.. Also its way overpriced here. Sure I miss the exclusive Boromir and Pippin but I'd rather bricklink them. The orcforge looks similarily crappy, and Im not interested in Gandalf arrives since I already got both minifigs.. Anyone that disagrees with me?

[Pandora]

I got two questions.. First, I've heard that they're ddiscontinuing the first wave of LOTR Lego. What set of those should I pickup before its too late? I got helms deep, urukhai army and shelob attack, what else in that wave is cool?

I also need an idea for what friends set to get my girl for christmas. It needs to be awesome, so whats the best LEGO friends set out there? Shes already got the riding camp..

I wouldn't have come here if I hadn't seen your post in the Friends discussion thread.

Anyway, the Riding Camp is the biggest set Friends has produced so far, so it's impossible to beat in terms of size. I would say it really depends on what your daughter enjoyed about the Riding Camp, as there were a number of really lovely sets released this summer, along with the original wave. If she liked the modular style build then I would recommend Olivia's House (even though it was one of the first sets) as it really is a landmark set, and it's got many of the fun features in the build that the Riding Camp has. Similarly Heartlake High from the most recent wave is another modular build with a lot of detailing and a fun build, but it's a little smaller than Olivia's House. I have reviewed all three of these sets for Eurobricks, so I have pretty good knowledge of them and their comparisons. My thoughts are detailed here: 3185 Summer Riding Camp, 3315 Olivia's House, 41005 Heartlake High.

If your daughter liked the horse/ animal side for things, then my next recommendation would be the Dolphin Cruiser - it impressed a hardened pirate (who shall remain nameless) when he built it at the EB event this year. Here's Oky's review of 41015. There are a number of other horse-related sets, like the horse trailer and the stables and the vets, but although those sets are great, you indicated you wanted a "wow" set. If you want to just go left-field, then I can really recommend the new Downtown Bakery (review by Hinckley) as it's a great build with loads of detailing and loads of playfeatures for your daughter.

For more information about the Friends sets have a look at the Friends Review Index for other people's insights.

[Risgrynsgrot]

Thanks for the input everyone! I found Olivias House on Amazon for just under 50 british Pounds, so I got it! Partly because, it might vanish soon. Plus, she really likes dollhouses, so a Lego Dollhouse will be great! The Dolphin Cruiser was a close second, but that's a new set so it will not disappear soon. Plus, her birthday is in a mere 4 months..

[Risgrynsgrot]

So, do you guys think that it'd be wise to get the remaining sets from the first LOTR wave BEFORE I get the big Tower Of Orthanc?

I'm currently missing Mines of Moria, Weathertop, Gandalf Arrives and Orc Forge..

[Faefrost]

I got two questions.. First, I've heard that they're ddiscontinuing the first wave of LOTR Lego. What set of those should I pickup before its too late? I got helms deep, urukhai army and shelob attack, what else in that wave is cool?

I also need an idea for what friends set to get my girl for christmas. It needs to be awesome, so whats the best LEGO friends set out there? Shes already got the riding camp..

For LotR's a lot will be what are you looking for in terms of characters or build. Honestly as side from Helm's Deep it's pretty much all about the Minifigs. The builds are pretty meh. Weathertop is probably the most complete seeming display piece. It is an entire coherent build. Plus it has the Nazgul. On the downside it is very undersized from the movie. But it displays well. Mines of Moria has the best fig selection and the awesome cave troll. But the set itself is a wall, a door, a coffin and a well. In other words, immediately broken down for parts. Granted it's a nice door... If you want more Orc's then grab Orc Forge. The build is okay, the figs and accessories great. If you skipped the first wave if Hobbit sets also grab The Unexpected Gathering set. Bag End is on par with Helms Deep in how good it is.

As far as Friends sets. Depending on her tastes you may want to wait to see if the Friend style Disney Princess sets come out on Dec 1? Cinderella's Castle and Rapunzel's Tower in particular look awesome.

[Metallic11]

I'm on the edge at the moment to decide between the two below after discovering they are nearly half price so around £20!

1. Z-95 Headhunter

2. Colby City Showdown

Or is there another set which I could wait until it's discounted? I personally like the Republic Class Fighter which came out last year from The Old Republic series if that helps! Thanks :)

[Mr. Elijah Timms]

Okay, friends, I'm starting to plan out the 'Black Friday' and Christmas spending, and quite skimpily, it boils down to:

60026 TOWN SQUARE or 70709 GALACTIC TITAN?

[lightningtiger]

Okay, friends, I'm starting to plan out the 'Black Friday' and Christmas spending, and quite skimpily, it boils down to:

60026 TOWN SQUARE or 70709 GALACTIC TITAN?

Now being a townie.......I say go 60026.....the bus and bike shop are worth it !

[Scorpiox]

Hello, everybody.

I've been asked by the relevant authorities to decide on which LEGO sets I would like to receive for Christmas. I have narrowed down the list to one of two options:

1. The most recent Star Wars AT-TE, reduced to £57.99
   
2. Lord of the Rings: The Mines of Moria, reduced to £53.21
   

Which do you think is the better set?

[minifig_erik]

Hello, everybody.

I've been asked by the relevant authorities to decide on which LEGO sets I would like to receive for Christmas. I have narrowed down the list to one of two options:

1. The most recent Star Wars AT-TE, reduced to £57.99
   
2. Lord of the Rings: The Mines of Moria, reduced to £53.21
   

Which do you think is the better set?

Mines of Moria is great for minifigs but is a poor playset. I'd go for the AT-TE if I were you. It's a good build with great minifigs.

[LukeWarmTea]

Hey all, quick question on the Friends theme: which 'wow factor' set should I buy for my 51/2yo this Christmas? She has dyspraxia so is at the younger end of the Friends target age range but was able to build 41013 and 3186 without any frustration and has a few larger City sets, so I think she's ready for a decent building. Summer Riding Camp is out of my price range!

Also: Any thoughts on Lego storage and sorting systems?

[Freddy Bricker]

Hey all, quick question on the Friends theme: which 'wow factor' set should I buy for my 51/2yo this Christmas? She has dyspraxia so is at the younger end of the Friends target age range but was able to build 41013 and 3186 without any frustration and has a few larger City sets, so I think she's ready for a decent building. Summer Riding Camp is out of my price range!

Also: Any thoughts on Lego storage and sorting systems?

Well, for starters I responded to this same question you asked in the town forum, and my answer remains the same, Olivia's house. I suggest going back to the town forum to see why. Hope this (and my other post) helps!

[LukeWarmTea]

It did, thanks Freddy Bricker! I was under the delusion that 'Flagship' sets like OH would stick around a bit longer, alackaday.

Any storage ideas? I've seen all sorts of 'wonder products'.

[Freddy Bricker]

It did, thanks Freddy Bricker! I was under the delusion that 'Flagship' sets like OH would stick around a bit longer, alackaday.

Any storage ideas? I've seen all sorts of 'wonder products'.

Anytime, but as far as storage goes, I like other Eurobrickers, have a hard time with space as well, so we're on the same boat there.