45 Great Budget LEGO Sets from $10 to $30 in 2021

One of the most popular toys worldwide, LEGOs are an excellent option for kids of all ages. Maybe you’ve been intimated by the steep price tag. Surprisingly, there are some great sets available on a budget. We explore 50 of the best and most budget-friendly kids LEGO sets available. Great for any occasion, these inexpensive sets will be a favorite gift for any kid.

How to Choose a Budget LEGO Set

Here are some important things to think about when choosing bricks to purchase.

• Price. Probably the biggest consideration for most people is cost. Included on this list are the best sets available at a good price.
• Difficulty. Think about your child’s age and abilities. In addition, your child’s attention span can help you decide how many pieces and what level of difficulty would be appropriate. You want something your child will enjoy and not get frustrated with. As a guideline, we’ve included our recommendations of ages for each set we reviewed.
• Theme. LEGO offers hundreds of different themed sets. Whether it’s Star Wars, Disney, Minecraft, or Marvel, look for a themed set your child will enjoy.
• Motion. Adding motion to a set is another fun aspect for kids approximately ages 8 and older. Whether it’s a car that actually drives or a helicopter with a turning blade, kids love adding motion to their creations.

We have reviewed 11 LEGO set types and 44 LEGO sets many of which are new for 2020.

Top Inexpensive LEGO Sets for Kids

Product	Features
LEGO Creator Sets
3in1 Shuttle Transporter Read Review	341 pieces Ages 6-13 3 builds Functional
3in1 Fire Dragon Read Review	234 pieces Ages 6-12 3 builds Great value
Mighty Dinosaur Read Review	205 pieces Ages 6-12 3 dino builds Fun to build and play
3in1 Underwater Robot Read Review	207 pieces Ages 6-12 3 builds Underwater theme
3in1 Extreme Engines Read Review	109 pieces Ages 6-10 3 builds Vehicle theme
LEGO Star Wars Sets
Mandalorian Battle Read Review	102 pieces Ages 6-12 Actually shoots Mandalorian theme
A-Wing Starfighter Read Review	269 pieces Ages 6-11 2 mini figures Great starfighter
Luke Skywalker’s Landspeeder Read Review	236 pieces Ages 6-10 3 mini figures Fun landspeeder
Duel on Mustafar Read Review	208 pieces Ages 7-12 Rotating platforms 2 mini figures
Obi-Wan’s Hut Read Review	200 pieces Ages 5-10 4 mini figures Best value
LEGO Technic Sets
Cherry Picker Read Review	155 pieces Ages 6-11 2 vehicle builds Raising boom
Race Truck Read Review	227 pieces Ages7-12 2 vehicle builds Pull-back
Police Pursuit Read Review	120 pieces Ages 7-12 2 vehicle builds Pull-back
Mini CLAAS XERION Read Review	130 pieces Ages 7-12 2 farm builds Working steering
Getaway Truck Read Review	128 pieces Ages 7-10 Realistic parts Pull-back
LEGO City Sets
Snow Groomer Read Review	197 pieces Ages 5-11 Tread moves Working snow cannon
Ice Cream Truck Read Review	200 pieces Ages 7-10 Great details Inexpensive
Rover Testing Drive Read Review	202 pieces Ages 4-10 Space theme Good details
Fire Chief Response Truck Read Review	201 pieces Ages 4-11 Fun theme Great details
Diving Yacht Read Review	148 pieces Ages 5-9 Relatively few pieces Good details
Police Dog Unit Read Review	67 pieces Ages 5-9 2 minifigures and dog Fun role play
LEGO Friends Sets
Andrea’s Car & Stage Playset Read Review	240 pieces Ages 5-10 Exciting theme 2 mini dolls
Play Hair Salon Fun Read Review	235 pieces Ages 5-11 Fun accessories Good build and play
Olivia’s Cupcake Café Read Review	335 pieces Ages 5-12 Incredible details Shop & scooter
Underwater Loop Read Review	389 pieces Ages 5-11 Actually moves Amusement park theme
Heartlake City Park Café Read Review	224 pieces Ages 5-9 Store & accessories Build & play
LEGO Superhero Sets
Captain America: Outriders Attack Read Review	167 pieces Ages 4-8 Bike shoots Relatively few pieces
War Machine Buster Read Review	362 pieces Ages 5-12 Really shoots Great value
Molten Man Battle Read Review	294 pieces Ages 6-10 Spider-Man theme Shoots studs
DC Batman Batmobile Read Review	342 pieces Ages 6-12 Great details Fun Batman toy
Spider-Man vs Venom Mech Read Review	371 pieces Ages 6-12 Epic build Looks fantastic
LEGO Minecraft Sets
The Pillager Outpost Read Review	303 pieces Ages 7-12 TNT "blasts" cage 4 mini figures
The Chicken Coop Read Review	198 pieces Ages 6-12 Classic Minecraft Enjoyable build
The Blaze Bridge Read Review	372 pieces Ages 5-12 Good value Great set
The Panda Nursery Read Review	204 pieces Ages 5-12 Animals Looks great
The Wool Farm Read Review	260 pieces Ages 6-10 3 builds Popular set
LEGO NINJAGO Sets
Journey to The Skull Dungeons Read Review	401 pieces Ages 6-11 Lots of pieces 4 mini figures
ShuriCopter Read Review	361 pieces Ages 5-12 Blaster cannon Spinning hood
Jay and Lloyd’s Velocity Racers Read Review	322 pieces Ages 6-13 2 vehicles 3 mini figures
LEGO DUPLO Sets
Toy Story Train Read Review	21 pieces Ages 1.5-4 Toy Story theme Cute set
Mickey & Minnie Birthday Read Review	24 pieces Ages 1-5 Mickey Mouse theme Great first set
Town Toddler Truck Read Review	26 pieces Ages 1.5-5 2 vehicles 2 figures
Disney LEGO Sets
Belle’s Storybook Adventures Read Review	111 pieces Ages 3-6 Detailed Characters
Cinderella’s Castle Celebration Read Review	168 pieces Ages 3-8 Easy assembly Cute details
Elsa and Olaf's Tea Party Read Review	17 pieces Ages 1-4 DUPLO set Fun characters

LEGO Creator Sets

LEGO Creator Sets allow kids to combine learning with brick building. The best part about these Creator Sets is that they are all 3-in-1 sets. This means that there are instructions to build 3 different designs for hours of building enjoyment.

Creator 3in1 Shuttle Transporter 31091

This set is one of the most popular LEGO sets out there, and it is an amazing value. At around $25, this set not only is fun to build, but it is also a great looking American icon. A great STEM set, this is perfect for boys and girls alike. It can be built into 3 very functional builds. Furthermore, all three are fun builds that will help your child imagine what it is like to be an astronaut.

Creator 3in1 Fire Dragon 31102

This is not only a great LEGO set, but it is toy to spark imagination. With 3 different build options, this set will provide your child with hours of fun. Kids love building and then playing with the fire dragon, saber-toothed tiger, and scorpion. Not only do I highly recommended this set because it’s a great toy, it’s also a great value.

Creator Mighty Dinosaurs 31058

Creator 3in1 Underwater Robot 31090

Your child will love this underwater robot set. Like most of the Creator sets, this set will allow your child to build 3 distinct and different LEGO builds with instructions. This set builds an underwater robot, a submarine, and an underwater crane. It also includes a small manta ray and some coral. This set is a good value and highly recommended.

Creator 3in1 Extreme Engines 31072

This great looking LEGO cart style, or Indy-style, race car is a fun build for a child who loves race cars or hot rods. The 3-in-1 design means that your child can have hours of building fun with one set. Featuring the primary race car, a hot rod car, and a speedboat, this set offers fun options. My only complaint with this set is that it does not have a lot of pieces, and some of the finer details seem lost with the lack of pieces. I’d recommend this set for a little lower age than the rest of the Creator sets reviewed here. It would probably be enjoyed best for kids under 10.

Top Budget Star Wars Sets

These Star Wars LEGO sets are all under $50, with many under $20. With all the excitement of some of the larger Star Wars sets, these options come without all of the sticker shock. If you want some more complicated LEGO sets, visit our Challenging LEGO set reviews.

Mandalorian Battle Pack 75267

This small but great LEGO Star Wars set is loaded with a lot of value in a small package. Featuring 4 Star Wars minifigures and the Mandalorian speeder, this set is sure to please the young Star Wars fan in your life. The speeder even shoots studs. This set is a lot of fun to build. After that, it’s equally as fun to play with.

Mandalorian Speeder Dimensions: 1″ (4cm) high, 3″ (8cm) long, and 2″ (6cm) wide

Pieces: 102

Our Recommended Ages: 6-12

A-Wing Starfighter 75248

This great Star Wars build is a replica of a Resistance A-wing fighter similar to what you could find in the Rise of the Skywalker movie. The build itself is really good. Included is the pilot Snap Wexley with his iconic orange Star Wars pilot uniform as well as a basic pistol. Lieutenant Connix has a tan uniform as well as a pistol. Clearly, both of these figurines are ready to battle and cause some resistance trouble.

This ship is great set to build, and it’s also a fun set to play with. It includes a see through cockpit as well as two great side by side blasters. One of the best value sets on our list, A Wing Starfighter is strongly recommended.

Dimensions: 2″ high, 4″ wide, and 7″ long

Pieces: 269

Our Recommended Ages: 6-11

Luke Skywalker’s Landspeeder 75271

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Luke is on his way in this exciting X-34 landspeeder. It is easy to picture this speeder hovering away on Tatooine to fight some Tuscan raiders or Jawa across the dangerous desert planet. Included are three fantastic figurines in Luke and C-3PO as well as an armed Jawa.

This set would not only be great to build, but it would also be fun to play with. It is loaded with tons of great Star Wars details to make it a great model to set up on a desk as well. Both kids and collectors alike would love to get this as a gift. The landspeeder is a great value with over 200 pieces and 3 figurines.

Dimensions: 1″ (5cm) high, 4″ (11cm) wide, and 7″ (20cm) long

Pieces: 236

Our Recommended Ages: 6-10

Revenge of the Sith Duel on Mustafar 75269

This set is based on Star Wars Episode III, Revenge of the Sith. Build a Mustafarian mine and watch the sliding, rotating platforms.

The 2 figurines are Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi. This is an epic Lego set that Star Wars fans are sure to love!

Dimensions: over 5″ (14cm) high, 4″ (12cm) wide and 4″ (12cm) deep

Pieces: 208

Our Recommended Ages: 7-12

A New Hope Obi-Wan’s Hut 75270

Yet another classic Star Wars Movie set. This new set for 2020 is as model of Obi-Wan’s Tatooine house representative of the Star Wars a New Hope movie. This set is great mostly because it contains great mini figures of Luke, Obi-Wan, R2-D2, and a Tusken Raider. Luke and Obi-Wan have lightsabers, and the raider has his typical blaster.

Although the house itself is a little uneventful, Star War fans will go crazy over these figurines. At over 200 pieces this set is a good value. If someone likes LEGO Star Wars mini figures, this is probably the best buy of all the sets. It is easy to recreate some great movie moments with this unique set. Due to its smaller build, this set is probably better for a 8-10 year old but it could be used by many ages.

Dimensions: 3″ (9cm) high, 4″ (12cm) wide, and 4″ (11cm) long

Pieces: 200

Our Recommended Ages: 5-10

LEGO Technic sets are some of my favorite sets because they include not only great LEGO options, but they also include great mechanisms, motors, gears, and electrical components. These options add another dimension to your child’s play.

Technic Cherry Picker 42088

If you are looking for an inexpensive set for a birthday party or stocking stuffer, this kit is very inexpensive at around $10 and is perfect for many occasions. It includes a 2:1 Technic set that can be built into a tow truck as well as a cherry picker loading vehicle with wheels that turn.

One downside of this set is it doesn’t look like most traditional sets. The pieces are a little different, which I’m guessing is to keep the cost down. However, the upside of this set is you get a ton of value with the two builds, over 150 pieces, and tons of great vehicle features. Some of my favorite features are the raising boom and knobby tires.

Technic Race Truck 42104

This great looking technic set is a good value at about $20, and additionally it is exceptionally versatile. Your tween boy or girl will love putting this set together. This set can not only be built into a truck, but it can also be built into a cool race car. Just like other technic sets, this set features a great looking details. This set is highly recommended.

Technic Police Pursuit 42091

This budget Technic set is a great value, and my 8-year-old absolutely loves this set. It is not only a fun build, but also is a lot of fun to play with after it is assembled. It has two builds–a police pursuit vehicle and a combi vehicle. Like many of these Technic car sets, this set also has a pull back mechanism that springs and releases once charged.

Kids who are interested in law enforcement will love this set.

Technic Getaway Truck 42090

A great value, this DC Comics Classic Batmobile is one kids love. It includes a great looking grey suited and black caped Batman as well as great purple jump-suited Joker. With some Batman hub caps and wings on the side, this car has some fantastic details that make it really fun to play with. Batman even has 10 bat weapons to take down the joker. Certainly, any Batman fan would love this great build with almost 350 pieces.

Best Budget NINJAGO LEGO Sets

These LEGO NINJAGO sets are perfect for the child that loves the Ninjago TV shows. These sets all have great ninja costumes and feature exciting NINJAGO scenes.

NINJAGO Journey to The Skull Dungeons 71717

This NINJAGO set is the perfect gift for fans of the show. In addition to a fantastic dungeon, it comes with mini figures Hero Nya, Hero Jay, Hero Lloyd and Murt. The details are fantastic, and it is a great build. This set has one of the largest number of pieces of any on this list. Kids will love putting it together and playing it even more.

Dungeon Dimensions: 5″ (13cm) high, 8″ (22cm) long and 8″ (20cm) wide

Pieces: 401

Our Recommended Ages: 6-11

ShuriCopter 70673

Zane the Ninjoid (half Ninja half robot) is back with this great ShuriCopter. This set is loaded with great NINJAGO features. Not only does this set contain Zane with a sharp Katan, but it also contains General Vex and Jay. Although the figures alone are worth the price of the set, there is so much more value in this set than that. The Shuricopter has two shurkien weapons with a rotary spinning function as well as 6 shot blaster cannon. Because of the spinning hood that Jay has, this set is likely my favorite of the cheaper Ninjago sets.

Dimensions: 2″ (7cm) high, 9″ (24cm) wide, and 12″ (31cm) long

Pieces: 361

Our Recommended Ages: 5-12

Jay and Lloyd’s Velocity Racers 71709

If your kid’s got the need for speed, check out this exciting set. Included in this set are a Speeder plane, ninja bike, and hoverboard, which make this build fun to assemble and fun to play with as well. In addition, these cool racers come with 3 mini figures (Digi Jay, Digi Lloyd, and Hausner) from the Prime Empire video game. The figures have weapons as well as boards to keep track of remaining lives.

Dimensions of Zane’s Motorbike: 2″ (6cm) high, 1″ (4cm) wide, and 10″ (28cm) long

Pieces: 322

Our Recommended Ages: 6-13

LEGO DISNEY SETS FOR KIDS

What Makes LEGOs Beneficial for Kids

STEM Toy

It’s no wonder LEGOs are such a popular toy among children of many ages. They are not only fun to play with, but they also provide some great benefits to kids. First, LEGOs are a STEM toy, which means they help kids hone their building/engineering and math skills. LEGOs give kids the chance to build something from individual parts, which helps with problem-solving, critical thinking, and ingenuity.

When building specific sets, kids follow the included instructions, which is helpful in teaching kids to follow directions carefully. It also helps them learn to break larger projects down into smaller steps, and then put those steps together for a finished project. Kids learn more about shapes and combing two shapes to create a new shape.

When kids are building with blocks and Legos, they’re using spatial reasoning skills,” says Amy Shelton, a cognitive psychologist and director of research at the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth. “These skills not only have a relationship to academics, but to the fields you might gravitate to, and where you’re going to excel.”

Whether using written instructions, pictures, or creatively playing with LEGOs, kids have to use planning strategies.

Develops Creativity

Another great aspect of LEGOs is that they encourage creativity. There are hundreds of sets that come with specific instructions, but kids can also use their own imaginations and creativity to build creations of their own.

Improves Fine Motor Skills

Additionally, building with bricks gives kids great practice in improving fine motor skills. Manipulating pieces, placing them, and pushing them down improves fine motor and eye-hand coordination, especially among young children. LEGO DUPLOs are an excellent choice for children who are 1-year-old to 4-years-old. Because DUPLOs are larger than regular LEGOs, DUPLOs are easier for small hands to manipulate and be successful using.

Even regular size bricks are good for fine motor development among children. Whether 5-years-old or 12-years-old, LEGOs help with fine motor control and hand-eye coordination.

Encourages Social Interaction

Finally, kids can improve their social skills by playing with LEGOs. It is fun to build with someone else, and especially when building a LEGO set together, kids have to communicate and interact. In an age when kids have trouble communicating unless it’s through a screen, LEGOs provide face-to-face social interaction. Many sets come with mini-figures, which encourage kids to use their imaginations and interact as they do so.

FAQs

What makes a LEGO set a good value?

LEGO sets are considered a good value because they are built to last. Over time they have proven to be a well-made toy able to provide years of entertainment. Additionally, they are versatile which means they can be combined with other sets or transformed into something entirely different.

How much money is considered “budget” for a LEGO set?

Although intricate, deluxe LEGO sets can reach prices over $500, there are plenty of options for people shopping on a budget. You can find “budget” LEGO sets starting around $10. But if you feel comfortable spending $20-$40 you will find lots of complex, engaging LEGO sets.

What age is appropriate for my kids to start with LEGO?

While children of all ages love to play with LEGOs, it is imperative to wait until your child understands the danger of putting small objects in their mouth before introducing LEGOs. Since LEGO produces sets with larger pieces, simple designs, and visual instructions, children as young as 4 years old can start assemble LEGO sets. LEGO does make its DUPLO sets, which contain larger pieces, for toddlers.