LEGO Ultimate Building Set - 405 Pieces (6166)
by LEGO
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Category: Toy
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Product Summary
Manufacturer: LEGOBrand: LEGO
Release Date: 2007-08-01
Model: 4565551
Product features:
- This new tub features a great assortment of LEGO bricks and elements
- Includes building plate, minifigure, windows, doors and wheels
- Includes building instructions for 5 models and photo inspiration for 25 more
- New container allows for easy clean up and efficient storage - The transparent lid lets builders display their models
- 405 Pieces
Toys and Games Reviews of LEGO Ultimate Building Set - 405 Pieces (6166)
Customer Review: LEGO's, wonderful LEGO's, eighty may be too much and eight thousand not enough
Summary: 4 Stars
The lead paragraphs of this review are intended for the LEGO newbies who are trying to scope out the galaxy of LEGO products available for purchase, and trying to reconcile the offerings with their (or their children's) needs. Farther down in the dash-led paragraphs you'll see a more specific review of product (to wit, no. 6166 aka "LEGO Ultimate Building Set" with its 405 pieces) and a few, hopefully helpful, tips from me and others.
Perhaps you feel the tug so many of us have: LEGO has, not without reason, been accused in recent years of overconcentration on highly specialized, one-trick sets like the ones for Bionicles(TM) or scenes from high-concept movies, leaving behind in large part the "bricks in a bucket" concept that many of us grew up with in the Sixties and Seventies. Today, the advantages of having a fixed object to assemble in a one-shot kit might be outweighed by the expense of trying to assemble a good versatile collection of LEGO bricks through specialized bits and pieces from disparate specialized sets (and $$$ outlay); also, parents risk the disilllusionment the child faces ("OK, I made a helicopter--now what?"), if open play and creativity are stifled by lack of options.
As such this product - the LEGO Ultimate Building Set - 405 Pieces (6166) - is not a complete return to form from the idealized "bucket" past, but judged as an object of utility is better than many other kits or sets. Your money gets you a plastic box, rather small (specs are listed), roughly the cubic content of a large shoebox for workboots or wellies. This ensemble box is amazingly light because only about a quarter of it is filled with the collection of LEGO pieces contained therein. (It does, however, contain a 5" x 5" (12 x 12 cm) green Building Plate[see below].
- Four hundred and five pieces sounds like a lot, but most of them are pretty small. Consider that only about forty of those pieces are the "two by fours" (bricks measuring two hubs across, four long) that were the backbone of the more open-ended LEGO sets of decades past. There are far more "one by ones" both square and circular instead. This kit is not equipped to build wheeled vehicles but has enough housing appurtenances like shingled roof-edges that it can assemble any of three suggested LEGO-designed houses (one at a time, that is). As is typical, the booklet showing step-by-step how to assemble the suggested houses uses no language--when you sell in dozens of countries, translating everything is impossible.
- No. 6166 provides a modest green baseplate (in LEGO parlance "building plate"), which is a handy place upon which to moor the bottom LEGO bricks, especially if the user is making do on a carpet or rug, not a table or hardwood floor. Due to the magic of square measurements, the ten-by-tens and 15-by-15 building plates sold separately are not cheap, and the cost escalates rapidly with size. Also, any of the current offerings seem to be noticeably thinner than the baseplates of long ago. Since optional-extra baseplates are no thicker or sturdier than the little five-by-five inch green plate you'll find inside this product, getting that "sample" of the bigger plates is a nice extra.
- LEGO's sets' and kits' nomenclature lean toward puffery and should not be taken strictly literally all of the time. I for one am not sure what this "Ultimate Building Set" is ultimate to. For instance, at the time of this writing the vendor also offers, for about twice the price, the 576-piece "Basic Bricks" collection, a great big colorful pile of blocks, apparently without box. LEGO's tubs and kit boxes alone have more trim lines and options than a 1974 Chevrolet. For example, there's also a "Deluxe" and larger tub with more bricks. But, especially without knowing exact content, how can we quantify or assess value? Simply to calculate average value-per-piece, our little tub of bricks and blocks costs about six cents apiece. The Deluxe job is closer to nine cents per piece. Are the pieces in the Deluxe ensemble that much better; are they better at all? Simply to take the most straightforward tack and order from the company's USA onsite store costs much more -- up to about twenty-five cents per brick for the coveted two by four pieces.
- As of this writing, the item here reviewed qualifies for Amazon SuperSaver free (domestic USA) shipping over US$25. But not all similar offerings do. Some of the LEGO kits and sets are serviced by third-party vendors, usually kids' specialty toy stores, and shipping is extra. In these cases especially, it is wise to shop around on price, on shipping, and possibly even on sales tax.
- If your child takes a shine to the contents of this item, s/he will surely want more! I know not everyone is constrained by cost, but these are difficult times economically. Some cost-saving stratagems:
-- Focus more on the collections of bricks or more open-ended kits like this one. (I reiterate, the box this unit comes in, while not huge, will swallow many hundreds if not thousands more blocks.)
-- Don't turn up your nose at yard sales. The interlocking LEGO bricks patented in 1958 are still compatible with today's LEGO bricks and are, in fact, very similar in material.
-- If you're buying for a child or four (or five, or maybe even six) consider LEGO's "Duplo" line. The bricks are much larger so as not to pose a choking hazard--also the fortresses and such created pile up more efficiently. Even better, the DUPLO's will interlock with LEGO's if you expand into them.
-- LEGO pieces are manufactured in a number of European countries, also Mexico. Did you know that the LEGO empire has a rival? They're called MegaBloks and they're made in Canada. The MegaBloks "Micro" bricks are exactly the same size as regular LEGOs and fully interchangeable[*see my review* of their thousand-piece Mega Bloks Micro Blocks tub]. So as far as I can tell no building blocks from either LEGO or MegaBloks come from China.
-- BTW LEGO Duplo blocks are compatible with MegaBloks "Mini".
All in all, the "LEGO Ultimate Building Set" (product 6166) is a good deal, as far as good deals go these days. Just be aware that the odds are very good you'll want to buy more -- and if not for your child, then perhaps for yourself!
PS: Please don't think I am entirely opposed to specialized LEGO items. I myself indulged in the "Prince of Persia" movie tie-in attack scene kit, and plan to review it shortly.
Happy shopping! - al-in-chgo
.
Description of LEGO Ultimate Building Set - 405 Pieces (6166)
Get busy building! This jam-packed tub features an extensive assortment of LEGO bricks and other fun elements. It includes a building plate, mini figure, windows, doors and wheels. New container allows for easy clean-up and efficient storage. The transparent lid lets builders display their models. Includes building instructions for five models and photo inspiration for 25 more. 405 pieces. Tub measures 7.56"H x 15.12"W x 8.98"D.When your toddler has graduated from the Duplo stage and is ready to take the next step in his, or her, Lego journey, the Lego Ultimate Building Set is the ideal graduation gift. With 405 pieces stored in a durable plastic box with a see-through top, this set is the perfect place to let children continue to explore their imagination and engineering skills. The Lego Ultimate Building Set contains many small pieces and is designed for kids ages four and older.
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The Lego Ultimate Building Set includes everything a child needs to take the first steps to becoming an expert Lego builder. It includes one mini figurine, a building plate, and a wide mix of standard bricks in various colors as well as house and wheel elements.
Following the included instructions and using pieces in the starter kit, kids can build a house, helicopter, dog, and car. The only flaw is that the instructions may be challenging for younger children, and require adult assistance.
As is the case with virtually every Lego set, your child will be limited only by his, or her, imagination and perseverance. Although the kit is designed for younger children graduating from Lego Duplos, you can be confident that your child will never actually grow out of the Ultimate Building Set. All of the pieces can be incorporated into future Lego collections.
What's in the Box
405 standard Lego pieces with house and wheel element, mini figurine, durable plastic storage case, and instructions.
 With 405 pieces, this Legos starter kit allows your child to build a variety of different things. |
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