Big Kid Bricks: The Best LEGO Technic Sets for 2021

It turns out, choosing a favorite LEGO kit, Technic or not, is a difficult, extremely subjective endeavor. Ultimately, we decided that the best option would be accessible, affordable and a great introduction to the builds, but one that doesn’t sacrifice detail or features. The Jeep Wrangler 42122 kit nails all those categories.

While many of the kits here are in the three-digit price range, the Wrangler sits at a relatively comfortable $50. And with only 665 pieces, you can bang this bad boy out in 2 or 3 days (one long night if you’re a LEGO-obsessed editor).

If you’ve got a kid who’s obsessed with cars and with LEGO, there’s not going to be a better kit for them than the McLaren Senna GTR build. The finished product is a spot-on recreation of the original, complete with McLaren’s dihedral doors that open up and out, moving pistons, and authentic graphics and colors. Like the Jeep Wrangler build, this LEGO car kit is on the lower end of the price spectrum, and its 830 pieces present just the right amount of challenge for older kids and adolescents.

To see how well this actually worked for kids in the minimum age range, I recruited two brothers who are crazy about both cars and LEGO to try to put it together and gave them a two-day deadline. They met the deadline and built the kit (with a few mods), turning in a road-ready machine. It turns out, the challenge was just enough to keep them engaged without being frustrated, and the finished product was so exciting that they were bugging me to give it back when I took it out for a photoshoot.

New for 2021, the Ferrari 488 GTE is a beautiful recreation of Ferrari’s iconic endurance racer. At over 1600 pieces, this kit is rated for ages 18 and up, and the build requires a good amount of patience and attention to detail. That attention to detail not only applies to the build with its multiple moving parts and intricacies but also to fully appreciate the final outcome. From the sponsor-accurate decals to the full suspension to the V8 engine with moving pistons, this kit is a joy both to build and to behold.

The build itself took about 4 hours, six podcasts, an undisclosed amount of bourbon, and was so much fun to put together I was a bit disappointed when it was done. That is until I put it on a shelf in my office and realized how much it classed up the place. Make sure to also check out these fun but challenging LEGO architecture sets.

If you’re hankering for those zippy little remote control cars of your youth, this little off-road buggy has you covered. At a slight 374 pieces, this may seem like a facile kit, but the dual engines and remote-control capability make this experience about much more than just the build. In fact, when you see all the options available, you’ll likely be thankful that the build is so fast.

The RC look is excellent and dripping with nostalgia. The antenna, huge wheels, decals, and wedge design all give it a perfect look. And, in a first for LEGO, all four wheels sport full spring suspension, which will come in handy when jumping the buggy and rolling over rough terrain. The buggy is controlled by a free smartphone app called Control+. In addition to controlling the car, the app also offers challenges and achievements, bringing some current gaming tech to the old-school RC car vibe.

Okay, not really, but damned if you’re not going to try it. Some of the most intricate sets come from the LEGO Technic construction line, and this 1400-piece behemoth is proof. Standing 2 feet tall, the Crawler Crane kit provides accurate replication of either a crawler crane or tower crane, including an extendable boom, fully functioning double winch and pulley system, and a claw that opens and shuts. It’s like having a claw machine arcade game in your house.

The caterpillar tracks move the rig around via the levers on the top of the cab, and extensive detailing from the cabling to the exhaust vent gives the crane an authentic feel. An added perk is the look on your partner’s face when you try to serve gazpacho with it. If you attempt this, please send a video. Check out our list of the top LEGO Creator sets TO Discover more amazing construction kits like this one.

Built in collaboration with Liebherr, the manufacturing company founded by the inventor of the tower crane, the Liebherr R 9800 Excavator build is currently the largest LEGO Technic kit on the market. At a whopping 4108 pieces (!!!) with two smart hubs and seven motors, this monster will take some time to build and even more time to roll it around the house scooping up anything it can find.

That’s because those smart hubs and motors allow you to operate the Excavator remotely, rolling it around on those huge treads, operating the boom and bucket, all from a phone or tablet via the LEGO Technic Control+ app. If you’re looking for LEGO sets with motors, this is the king.

One of the most beautiful designs on this list, the Bugatti Chiron LEGO set for adults, is a 1:800 scale version of the lauded supercar. Built in collaboration with Bugatti, LEGO forgot no detail from the W12 engine with moving pistons to the unique serial number underneath the hood. There’s even a piece of Bugatti luggage in there, because why not?

The interior looks oddly luxurious, considering that it’s made of plastic, and the 8-speed gearbox is fully functional. You can actually change the gear that you’re in. They even designed the actual building of the car to mimic the production of a real Bugatti Chiron. For most of us, this is the only Bugatti we’ll ever own. But this isn’t a bad consolation prize.