Lego, Mega Bloks, and Best-Lock Building Sets; Which One is the Best Buy?

You are in a toy store and are browsing the building blocks. Carefully looking at the three choices; Lego, Mega-Bloks and Best-Lock, you need a little help in selecting which one to choose. No problem. As an avid collector of building sets, I have compared the various brands and rated them on price, compatibility, diversity of sets offered, and durability. While each has their positives and negatives, there are clearly some differences among the brands.

For the person who only likes the best, Lego comes to mind. Lego sets are durable and solid throughout. The brick, when compared to other brands, weighs significantly more which enhances its durability factor. Lego's also come in more colors and varieties of sets such as: Quatro, Duplo, City, Aqua Raiders, Knight's Kingdom, and others. While many people think Lego is expensive, their prices have actually decreased in the last year. One thing to keep in mind about Lego is that their bricks tend to be a little taller than others. This can be a problem if a person tries to build a structure using different brands. Furthermore, Lego has the best website available which features sets, downloadable building plans, and sale items. My recommendation, and first choice, is Lego for the casual and avid builder.

A close second is Mega Bloks. Mega Bloks are great for builders who are movies fans, as the company has sets featuring Spider Man, The Pirates of the Caribbean, and TMNT. Mega Bloks also has a Pro-Builder series which features naval sea vessels, the Star Trek Enterprise, and other more adult-themed sets. Mega Bloks are comparable with Lego in strength, durability, and price; and are a good choice for all age builders. While the Mega Bloks website does not have an online store, sets are viewable and retailers can be located that sell the Mega Bloks brand.

Finally, there are Best-Lock building sets. These are the most affordable building sets, yet they are not without flaws. While Best-Lock advertises that they are compatible with Lego, the two will not match up in height. This means bricks have to remain separate and should a person need more bricks of either brand, new ones must be purchased. On a positive note, Best-Lock makes some of the largest and diverse sets available. Some of their sets range from cowboys and Wild West play sets to pirate ships and Spanish galleons. The sets are easy to put together and, while not as heavy in weight as Lego, are pretty steady. I have though, on occasion, had to rebuild some Best-Lock sets because the slightest movement will make some of the pieces come apart. The bricks to not interlock as well as Lego or Mega Bloks which means some rebuilding is necessary. Also, the website is less than desirable. While there are sets displayed, none are for sale, and it is difficult to locate a retailer.

In the end, the decision to choose between Lego, Mega Bloks, and Best-Lock is a personal one and should be based on budget, hobby interest of the person, and age of the builder. Extremely young builders will enjoy Lego's Quatro, while pre-schoolers will enjoy Lego's Duplo. Likewise, school-aged children may fare better with the lower-priced Best-Lock, especially if they are experimenting with this as a hobby. On the higher end, professional builders will enjoy the Mega Bloks Pro-Builder series, as well as, Lego's Star Wars series. However, the best way to determine which brand is right for you is to try all 3 sets out. Start off small, and after finding a brand you like, move up to bigger and more complex sets. This way, you get to see what brand you favor and are not out a great deal of money should the set(s) not be to your liking.

Happy building and remember to have fun!