LEGO Alternative Brands

SaberX on 11/04/2025 - 18:16

Hi all, just wondering what are decent quality lego replacement/substitute brands from china or elsewhere. As long as they are clean and not full of dodgy chemicals or materials i"m just after a lego compatible blocks - we bought the kmart table for kids that has one side as a lego matt, so im just looking for bulk pieces that a toddler can occupy with.

Would love any brand recommendations or reliable websites that you go to get bulk blocks or a variety of blocks for them to experiment with. Just over 2 years old so not looking for the "models" packs you can get like lego just yet, although i guess maybe for myself, it's been decades since I last legoed.

Appreciate any website links too if there's an ability to browse, unless they're all via alie xpress, temu, ebay etc?

Toys & Kids Building Blocks LEGO

Comments

  • Benoffie on 11/04/2025 - 18:30
    +11

    Just buy secondhand off FB etc and clean well

    • morse on 11/04/2025 - 18:52
      +1

      This and look out for specials. I’ve had some great deals over the years. OP shops too. Unless it’s really specialist pieces you’re after much better off going with actual Lego brand. The Woolies Lego wasn’t too bad and is compatible, can also be bought cheaply second hand, but ideally I’d still go Lego brand.

      • SaberX on 11/04/2025 - 18:55

        any reason why LEGO brand? WOuldn't any replacement brand work if the bottom is compatible with the LEGO style holes?

        Cleaning just sounds like a pain with dozens to hundreds of small pieces to be honest - unless there' an easier way than wet wiping with a sanitising wipe each piece?

        • morse on 11/04/2025 - 19:22
          +2

          As time goes on if you have a Lego kid they, and you will want the real deal. It’s easy to clean, just soak in a big tub with detergent and water and lay outside in the sun for a bit. Can do a rudimentary dry with a towel first.

          I have a Lego kid and absolutely no qualms about investing in the real deal. Use some off brand too but the main stay is Lego.

        • Benoffie on 11/04/2025 - 19:25
          +3

          You have a 2 yr old so you're firmly in Duplo land and will be for a while.

          After that, it's Classic lego. Bulk Classic is relatively cheap new and cheaper still used.

          I just soak in dettol then toss onto a towel outside to clean.

          • morse on 12/04/2025 - 07:03

            @Benoffie: Not necessarily, mine was well into Lego by 3. Duplo was at 1. Depends a lot on the kid. The Duplo wasn’t a wasted investment though as he’ll still use it to build stuff up underneath to get height quickly other random constructions. Some of his 5 year friends still prefer Duplo.

        • pjetson on 11/04/2025 - 20:16

          Cleaning just sounds like a pain

          I've heard of people putting it all in a washing bag and running it through their washing machine.

        • [Deactivated] on 13/04/2025 - 17:29

          Soak it in bleach water for an hour. That's all you need

        • Rockets84 on 14/04/2025 - 11:23

          Number 1 reason to go genuine is basically LEGO has a very high QA level & change their manufacturing dies more often which leads to better / tighter fit of the bricks, sizes are more uniform, colours are typically more uniform etc. If your just looking for bulk blocks for young kids to free build with it probably wouldn't make that big a different. webrick.com does bulk bricks and plates sets that you can get a lot of 900 for $53 USD which what it sounds like you're looking for. I've never bought from there so can't say what the quality is like.

  • McMaferMur on 11/04/2025 - 18:41
    +5

    Lepin

    • SnowDragon on 11/04/2025 - 21:51
      +1

      Seconded. See https://www.reddit.com/r/lepin/ for where to get started

      I've purchased and built the 5200 piece millennium falcon for $177 USD and the 6700 piece hogwarts castle for 178 USD 10 and 5 years ago respectively according to my order history on aliexpress.

    • Clear on 12/04/2025 - 21:28

      It's a shame their factory between hotel floors got raided, as the original replica sets are nearly all gone. I wish I bought more like the Lepin Western Fort from the 90s.

    • SaberX on 11/04/2025 - 18:54

      I guess one of the reasons i was asking for lego alternatives was i'm assuming LEGO is alot more expensive to get a bulk box of various blocks to be able to use, so hence thinking after market chinese copies or other non chinese brands that aren't lego, if they exist?

  • AustriaBargain on 11/04/2025 - 19:23

    The Chinese knockoffs of expensive sets would probably give you a similar experience. A lot of the time sets accumulate and end up being mixed together in a big bin anyway. Genuine would be better but some sets have insane prices, you'd want parents who own 10+ investment properties to expect a Deku Tree and Millennium Falcon under your tree at xmas.

    • McMaferMur on 11/04/2025 - 19:29
      +6

      I sold a rare lego $600 and the guy said this is for my 10 yo son birthday. Duh look how the new generations get spoiled. When I'm 15 I had zero lego and work at mcd minimum wage

      • ihbh on 11/04/2025 - 20:32
        +1

        Castle?

  • DevGuy on 11/04/2025 - 19:39

    Pantasy and Funwhole are very good quality, and they have their own designs. Funwhole has a light kit in every set, if that’s something you’d like.

    • zonra on 11/04/2025 - 19:45
      +2

      Funwhole

      They really have this name thought out.

      • Protractor on 11/04/2025 - 22:43
        +2

        Pantasy aint far behind the innuendo, either.

  • ihbh on 11/04/2025 - 20:30

    Marketplace free (have to be quick) or second hand.

    You might be able to get 1kg for $10-20 or less.

    I recently got 20kg for $20 (very lucky) with a number of big technic sets, BTTF, etc. In the past I've gotten a complete EV3 set for $20 - son just starting to build with me for his birthday. I also gave the kids a complete Next 2.0 set technic components to tinker with. I also have a free Boost complete set waiting for another kid's birthday builds. They have a lot of free play System Lego but also incorporate my sets (mostly second hand) into their play.

  • BewareOfThe Dog on 11/04/2025 - 21:05
    +1

    3d print your own?
    Here are a few to start,plus these

    • SydStrand on 11/04/2025 - 21:47

      You'll spend more on filament. It also won't be as durable and will take a million years just to print a sheet of basic pieces. 3D printing is great for expensive, a la carte things like miniatures, but Lego is basically what injection moulding was specifically designed for.

      • Speckled Jim on 13/04/2025 - 08:46

        The wheel inserts bring accuracy for specific cars. That's always been a frustrating limitation with their range.
        They're fairly simple too, with most having the cross hub.

  • omguleh on 11/04/2025 - 22:06

    Mould King off Aliexpress.

  • IndigoHarlequin on 12/04/2025 - 08:32

    I have bought off joooooy.com multiple times with great success. He's a retailer who stocks all the main knock off brands. Change it to AUD on the site. Pay with PayPal just in case. Shipping can take up to 6 weeks.

  • warkolm on 12/04/2025 - 09:31

    I've got a lot of off-brand and no name stuff from ali. the quality over the past few years has improved dramatically and the price continues to drop

  • Takeohakuto on 12/04/2025 - 09:34

    Most of the sellers on AliExpress are fine. Got some of the earlier modular building range (green grocer and hotel) and the quality was right up there with Lego. Other than the minifigs.

    If you are after brands, CaDa are brilliant. Not a copy of Lego designs, but some really good and interesting ones.

    My kids love Loz. Smaller than Lego, but again a lot of really interesting designs. They actually prefer Loz sets to Lego as they are great quality, cheaper, and give them more of a extended building experience.

  • Lilybee on 14/04/2025 - 07:46

    It’s so worth the price. My grandson is using my kids Duplo and Lego from 35 years ago. It’s one thing you never throw out. Have also recently purchased some second hand on gumtree. I just washed it outside in a big tub of hot water with detergent and disinfectant. Then rinsed in clean water and put it all out on towels on the grass in the sun to dry. Easy as!

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