Is this a good price for Legos?

[joannqn]

Is $12 a pound for bulk Lego bricks a good price? How about $3 for a minifig that you get to build yourself?

[Whereneverever]

I think so, but I'm new to the wide world of Legos. We're upgrading from Duplos.

[joannqn]

We are new to them also. DS has had a small bin of them for years but he never played them. I was about to give them away when he started playing with two neighborhood boys who like them. Now he's finally interested in them.

[Sparkle]

The minifig price is about average, I'd say. I'm not sure about the price per pound of Legos. When you buy bulk, though, I would try to find out the sizes of the pieces. Some of the bulk lots or tubs of generic Legos contain a lot of tiny pieces and aren't that great for building. Plus you want to make sure you aren't paying a fortune in shipping costs if you're buying online.

 

I had to buy a bunch of Legos recently for our 4-H club's Lego project. I bought one set at Border's using a 40% off coupon. I bought several more sets from Walmart.com - they have some specials, 2 sets for $15, 2 sets for $25, etc. I used the site-to-store to get free shipping.

[justasque]

It depends on the type of blocks. Expect to pay more for "interesting" blocks (spaceship parts, etc.) than for standard 2x4 blocks. Look at set prices vs. number of pieces, and do the math to get a sense of how much they cost new.

[joannqn]

This is at the math store someone posted about on another thread. They have all of their bins out and you get to choose your own pieces to buy at that rate.

[Guest Beezer]

Last year I bought 5 lbs. for $50 off eBay. The boys had a great time sorting through them (it had wheels and nice peices) and making things.

 

I think I'll get another for Christmas this year.

[Rosy]

Personally, I would keep shopping. I got 15 lbs. for $65 on Craigslist last year, and they threw in a huge platform. When I was looking, there were quite a few similar deals (in your area of the state).

[justasque]

Are we talking new or used? I assumed used, but now I'm thinking you're asking about new? If you're looking at building a collection, used is the way to go, but then again a large set each Christmas from a young age will build you a great collection in no time flat. Add birthdays and Easter baskets and such and you'll be swimming in them. If you're just starting out, I'd consider a set that had several different items - like a town set that has a couple vehicles and a building, or something like that (if they make such a thing nowadays). Lego is two toys - building the initial model, then building your own creations. Building the model gives you ideas about construction that you can use in your own designs, so if you're buying in bulk you're missing out on this part.

[TrixieB]

Their minifig selection was pretty good. By minifig, they defined one head, one torso, one legs, one hair or hat, one accessory -- BUT they allowed any five of those pieces to equal one minifig. So one of my dc who loves to change hairstyles got five different hairstyles for $3 and considered it a good deal. And they had a better selection of heads than the Lego store.

 

The bulk Lego brick setup was interesting. To me, everything appeared used, some more than others. However, there was a wide variety and my kiddo who hunted through the bins found a lot of "cool stuff" (her words) and was happy with her purchase. The specialty pieces are smaller and lighter so she got a lot of pieces and they didn't even weigh a pound.

 

ETA: I forgot to say, I think $12/lb is good for specialty pieces, but if you want a lot of regular ol' bricks, it might be a better price to buy a big tub at Fred Meyer/Target/etc. when there's a Lego sale. Or check Craigslist/Goodwill/Value Village, or post a WTB to your local homeschool group.

Edited September 12, 2010 by TrixieB