The best Lego sets in 2023 - must-have kits from Star Wars to Marvel

Tracking down the best Lego sets is like hunting for minifigures in a haystack of plastic bricks. With literally hundreds of kits on offer at any one time, narrowing things down to the most essential buys is no easy task. That's why we've saved you the bother and done it ourselves.

To help you track down must-have kits, our master builders have listed their favorites below. In our humble opinion, these are the best Lego sets available right now across any and all themes - be it Star Wars, Technic, or something else entirely. And because we're always adding more entries to this lineup, it's also the perfect place to find a gift for yourself or someone else.

Wondering how we decide on the kits that are included in this guide? We'll only ever include products that we - or our colleagues - have been hands-on with. In other words, you can be confident that only the best of the best Lego sets have made it onto this page.

Written by

Written by

Benjamin Abbott

Benjamin's been obsessed with Lego since he was first able to click its multi-colored bricks together and has been writing about them for more than four years. He's built many of the sets on this page himself.

Best Lego sets - quick list

Want to get into the action as quickly as possible? No problem - we've rounded up the best Lego sets here. You can find out more about them by clicking on the link below each entry.

Best Lego set overall

Image 1 of 3

There's something breathtaking about this kit. Photos don't do it justice; they can't capture how sprawling, intricate, and well-thought out Lego Rivendell is. It uses every trick in the company's playbook, and there's a sense of fierce creativity powering it.

Sure, it's an investment in terms of time and money (this monster took us 25 hours to finish). But good lord, the outlay is worthwhile. Few other sets are as intricate as this, and it's riddled with secrets that range from tiny maps of Middle-earth to Bilbo's red book in his room. In fact, there are more than a few cubby-holes that serve as cute little dioramas; every time you look at it, there's something new to discover.

All this makes Rivendell one of the best Lego sets. As in, ever. It's a magnificent design that demonstrates everything these kits can be.

• Read more: Lego Rivendell review

Best Lego sets - Star Wars

Image 1 of 3

As fans will know, being a Lego collector is punishing on the bank balance. And yes, this kit is eye-wateringly expensive. But oh my, does it justify the cost.

The level of detail here is ridiculous. Thanks to an impressive total of 7,500 bricks (which makes it a contender for biggest overall Lego set), it's much more intricate than the cheaper equivalent based on Rise of Skywalker. That includes a realistic exterior mimicking the ship's cobbled-together nature, individual rooms full of furniture, a gunner's station, and even that holographic Dejarik game Chewie hates to lose at. This isn't just an empty shell.

You're getting minifigures from both the original trilogy and its sequels, too. Actually, there are 11 characters to be found in total. Han Solo and Chewbacca obviously lead the pack, but Princess Leia, C-3PO, Rey, Finn, and Han as he appeared in The Force Awakens are also included (yes, it's weird that Lando is nowhere to be seen). There's a swappable radar dish too, allowing the kit to represent either time-period. In other words? It's amongst the best Lego Star Wars sets, no questions asked.

• Read more: Lego UCS Millennium Falcon review

Best Lego sets - Harry Potter

Image 1 of 3

We were very skeptical about how this was all going to work when the new version of Lego Gringotts was announced; it looked… well, unstable. Wouldn't it just collapse under its own weight? As it turns out, no. It says a lot about Lego's engineering that this thing is so robust, and that's the least impressive thing on show here.

When fully built, this is a real sight behold. The bank seems to hover impossibly atop its mine cart-laced stand, and as with so many of the best Lego sets, it feels as if there are new details to discover on every other brick. Thanks to that artfully wonky facade, it's the spitting image of the movie location as well.

The overabundance of stickers won't be to everyone's tastes, but it's difficult to argue with anything else here. It's one of the company's best modular builds to date, and runs rings around other Lego Harry Potter sets in terms of ambition.

• Read more: Lego Gringotts Bank review

Best Lego sets - Marvel

Image 1 of 3

Doctor Strange's not-so-humble abode is one of the most memorable locations in the Marvel universe thanks to its mind-bending secrets, and that makes it an even better fit for the Lego treatment than most movie sets. This version of the Sanctum Sanctorum hides many fun nods to the film series, and it's basically a superhero doll's house in all the best ways. 

As with most modular builds, it recreates the front of the Sorcerer Supreme's lair and features rooms you can peek into. But, as is only right for a place as quirky as this, it also does something a bit different from similar kits - unlike the usual cutaway approach, it's completely enclosed and you look inside by either removing the roof or wall panels.

Naturally, the Sanctum's stuffed with a ton of nods and references to go with its multiple minifigures. Alongside the entrance hallway's staircase, you've got those doorways to different realms alongside Doctor Strange himself, Wong, zombie Strange from Multiverse of Madness, Wanda in her Scarlet Witch form, Infinity War-era Iron Man, the magic-wielding alien Ebony Maw, the giant squid Gargantos (who you can place anywhere you want thanks to those removable walls), and Spidey.

Best Lego sets - Super Mario

Y'know when your parents used to say "we don't need [insert cool thing here], we have one at home" and the 'one at home' is rubbish? Lego's Bowsers remind me of that. Yes, there is a much cheaper version of the King Koopa on offer… but in comparison to the new version, it feels like a bootleg knockoff.

Whereas the original Bowser wasn't much bigger than Lego Mario himself (and was similarly blocky), this alternative weighs in at a much more impressive 2,807 pieces. That makes it a whole lot taller and more detailed than its predecessor, leaving us with the most accurate take on the villain yet - right down to a display stand modeled after his iconic castle. 

However, it's not just bigger. This one also has moveable arms, eyes, head, and mouth to go with an ability to shoot 'fireball' rockets from its jaws. That makes it a fun centerpiece and conversation starter as a result. It's sure to enchant any guests who see it, and is comfortably one of the best Lego Super Mario sets.

Best Lego sets - Technic

Image 1 of 3

This is the nicest F1 kit Lego's ever made, no question - it's far more detailed and realistic than anything that's come before. Thanks to clever engineering, it's also one of the best Technic sets for gearheads.

Designed in collaboration with McLaren before its Formula 1 car hit the tarmac for 2022's racing season, this bricky replica is a challenge to make. However, it's a satisfying one. This model doesn't just resemble the real thing; it works like it too. Along with a V6 engine that has moving pistons, it's got a gearbox packing a working differential, front and rear suspension, and a steering column that turns the front wheels. That makes the project a blast even if the chassis itself hasn't taken shape yet.

It's true that this won't live up to the Technic Ferrari Daytona SP3 or Lamborghini Sián FKP 37. But both of those supercars are super expensive too. By contrast, this F1 kit is half the price and still manages a lot of the same tricks. That puts it alongside some of the best Lego sets so far as we're concerned.

• Read more: Lego McLaren F1 review

Best Lego sets - Icons

Image 1 of 3

The Ghostbusters Cadillac is one of the most iconic cars in the world, and this kit does it justice. Besides recreating the vehicle down to every last detail, it's surprisingly tactile with plenty of tricks up its (metaphorical) sqleeve. Does the steering wheel need to be functional? Absolutely not - but it is anyway. Do those gizmos on the roof have to spin into life when the car rolls along? Nope. That hasn't stopped Lego, though.

This version is based on 2019's Aftermath, so there are plenty of unexpected party tricks as well. Namely, the boot has a ramp you can activate to release a tiny Ghost Trap on wheels. In addition, there's a cleverly-hidden button on the side of the door that makes the swiveling gunner's seat pop out when pressed. It's an absolute delight.

In short, this kit is just as appealing on display as it is when you take it down to show off for guests. That makes it one of the best Lego sets by a country mile.

• Read more: Lego Ghostbusters ECTO-1 review

Best Lego sets - classic

Image 1 of 3

If there's a Lego set that deserves a hero's welcome with herald's trumpets and pageantry, it's this one. The Lion Knights' Castle is a throwback to classic kits from decades past, and it combines that nostalgia with modern advancements for the ultimate project… no matter whether you're new to Lego or a veteran of countless brick-based builds.

Crammed with hidden nooks and charming details (including a fun Easter egg for the 1978 'Yellow' Castle), this is the sort of project that's just as much fun to look at after it's finished as it is to build. The fact it can be displayed as a sprawling facade - allowing you to peek inside its many rooms and cubby-holes - or as a 'complete' building is another feather in its medieval cap.

Sure, there's no denying that it's expensive. But you're getting a lot of Lego goodness for your money here (including more Minifigures than most sets combined). It is, in a word, magnificent.

Read more: Lego Lion Knights' Castle review

Best Lego sets - character

Image 1 of 3

This has one of the coolest selling points of any Lego set: it can actually transform. Going from butt-kicking robot to souped-up truck with a few twists and turns, Optimus Prime certainly makes an impression.

Sure, the process is clunkier than we'd like. But with a design that's lightning in a bottle for fans of the '80s cartoon and multiple points of articulation which make it easy to pose, there's no arguing with this kit. Multiple accessories allow you to personalize your own robot in disguise as well. You can equip Optimus with an Energon cube, axe, ion gun, jetpack, or Matrix of Leadership - the choice is yours.

With that in mind, it's the ultimate slice of fan-service for anyone who grew up on Transformers. And even if you didn't, it's still worth checking out; there's some clever engineering behind Optimus Prime. In fact, it's one of the more ambitious projects that Lego's put on shelves.

• Read more: Lego Optimus Prime review

Best Lego sets - FAQ

However, it's not all about pop-culture. Recreations of world monuments are always popular too, and vehicles (including those in the Technic range) have an enormous following. In fact, cars and ships make up more than a dozen entries on the bestsellers list we mentioned above.

It's entirely possible that something simple like the Classics Bricks and Animals pack beats the competition, though. This tried-and-tested option offers a wealth of building materials for your own designs, so it's perfect no matter whether the customer is a child or master builder. 

Want some gift ideas? Be sure to drop in on these must-have gifts for gamers. Don't forget to check in with the best Harry Potter merchandise or Star Wars gifts, either!