LEGO Yamaha motorcycle.
(Lego)

The 10 Hardest LEGO Sets To Build of All-Time (Ranked)

Climb Mount Everest? Easy. Circumnavigate the globe? Child’s play. Survive alone in the Amazon for a month? Sounds like a vacation. But building one of these LEGO sets? THAT is a challenge. These are the ten all time hardest LEGO sets to build. No, they are not for kids.

Recommended Videos

Hardest LEGO Sets To Build (Quick List)

Photo Product Price Buy
LEGO Technic Liebherr...image LEGO Technic Liebherr Crawler Crane LR 13000 42146 Advanced Building Kit for Adults, Build and Display a Rewarding Project, Model Crane with Incredible Details Including Winch System and Luffing Jib $595.99
LEGO Icons Loop...image LEGO Icons Loop Coaster Set 10303, Model Building Kit for Adults, Amusement Park Funfair Track with Passenger Train, Great Gift Idea $430.77
LEGO Ideas Motorized...image LEGO Ideas Motorized Lighthouse 21335 Adult Model Building Kit, Complete with Rotating Lights, Quaint Cottage and a Mysterious Cave, Creative Gift Idea $299.95
LEGO Technic Yamaha...image LEGO Technic Yamaha MT-10 SP 42159 Advanced Building Set for Adults, This Iconic Motorcycle Model for Build and Display Makes a Great Gift for Fans of Yamaha Vehicles or Motorcycle Collectibles $238.56
LEGO Ideas Typewriter...image LEGO Ideas Typewriter 21327 Building Set for Adults, Collectible Retro Display Model, Creative Hobbies Unique Gift Idea $237.84
LEGO 71799 -...image LEGO 71799 - NINJAGO® City Markets
LEGO Technic Ferrari...image LEGO Technic Ferrari Daytona SP3 42143, Race Car Model Building Kit, 1:8 Scale Advanced Collectible Set for Adults, Ultimate Cars Concept Series, Great Anniversary and Father's Day Gift for Car Lover $434.99
LEGO Icons The...image LEGO Icons The Lord of The Rings: Rivendell Building Model Kit for Adults, Construct and Display a Middle-Earth Valley with 15 Minifigures, A Great Gift for LOTR Fans and Movie-Lovers, 10316 $499.95
LEGO Star Wars...image LEGO Star Wars The Razor Crest UCS Set, Ultimate Collectors Series Starship Model Kit for Adults, Large Iconic The Mandalorian Memorabilia Collectable, 75331 $511.84
LEGO Technic NASA...image LEGO Technic NASA Mars Rover Perseverance Advanced Building Kit for Kids Ages 10 and Up, NASA Toy with Replica Ingenuity Helicopter, Gift for Kids Who Love Engineering and Science Projects, 42158 $79.95

10. LEGO® Technic™ NASA Mars Rover Perseverance

An assembled LEGO Technic NASA Mars Rover Perseverance
(LEGO)

What’s that? The LEGO® Technic™ NASA Mars Rover Perseverance looks small and therefore not as difficult as the bigger LEGO sets to complete? You know what else takes place in a small area? A coronary artery bypass. But you wouldn’t let some amateur do a procedure as difficult as that, would you? No. You need firm, steady hands for such precision. The same kind of firm, steady hands you’d need to build this LEGO reconstruction of the NASA mars Rover. What skill do you need to do it? It’s all in the name: perseverance.

9. LEGO Star Wars The Razor Crest UCS Set

An assembled LEGO Star Wars The Razor Crest UCS Set
(LEGO)

Building the LEGO Star Wars The Razor Crest UCS Set is harder than flying the thing. I’ve never flown a spaceship before, but really how hard could it be? You’ve got forwards and backwards and up and down and all the other directions to move in, and you gotta go into light speed sometimes? Big deal. But BUILDING the Razor Crest spaceship? Oh no. There’s a reason why this thing is priced at $600. It’s to keep it out of the hands of mere amateurs.

8. LEGO Icons The Lord of The Rings: Rivendell

 LEGO Icons The Lord of The Rings: Rivendell
(LEGO)

You thought the elf architects who built a full on city in the trees of Middle Earth had it rough? What about the architect that has to build the LEGO version? Building the LEGO Icons The Lord of The Rings: Rivendell set is something you could put on your resume for an urban planning job. Those guys hard at work rebuilding Notre Dame Cathedral after that fire? They didn’t need master carpenters, they needed whoever was skilled enough to build this architectural masterpiece.

7. LEGO® Technic™ Ferrari Daytona SP3

LEGO® Technic™ Ferrari Daytona SP3
(LEGO)

I would rather try to build a REAL Ferrari Daytona SP3 than try to take a shot at this thing. The LEGO® Technic™ Ferrari Daytona SP3 is a vehicular brickular monstrosity that looks like it could be driven by a very small cat or perhaps a crab with proper licensure. This thing has a literal scale V12 engine inside of it. That’s so many V’s! At least twelve of them! And an eight speed sequential gearbox? I didn’t know gearboxes could run that fast!

6. LEGO® NINJAGO® City Markets

LEGO® NINJAGO® City Markets
(LEGO)

You thought Ninjago was for children, didn’t you? Well, you’re right. It is. But you know what isn’t for children? Big, booming consumerist metropolitan areas. What I mean to say is the NINJAGO® City Markets. You could do all of your shopping for the week here once this thing is built. Go to the bakery. the Blacksmith. The general store. Go fishing on the bridge over the river. Wanna blow off steam afterwards? Take the cable car to the karaoke bar. Not in real life, no. This LEGO set has both of those things too. It’s the definition of intricate.

5. LEGO Ideas Typewriter

Lego® Ideas 21327 Typewriter
(LEGO)

I’ve got an idea for you, how about building the LEGO Ideas Typewriter? Or better yet, why don’t I use a REAL typewriter to type out all the reasons what that is a BAD IDEA. The typewriter is a mechanical marvel, and the LEGO version? Forget about it. All those moving pieces! All those letters and numbers and the slidey thing that goes ding at the top! Stick to writing novels, Ernest Hemingway, and save this one for the pros.

4. LEGO® Technic™ Yamaha MT-10 SP

LEGO® Technic™ Yamaha MT-10 SP
(LEGO)

You know what’s more dangerous than riding a motorcycle? Attempting to build one out of LEGOs. The LEGO® Technic™ Yamaha MT-10 SP is not for the feint of heart. I would rather be sent rolling down Route 66 on a motorbike with my eyes duct taped shut than even make an attempt at this thing. A four cylinder engine (so many cylinders) three speed transmission (so many speeds) and a whole gearbox? That’s too many things! I can’t even count that high!

3. Lego® Ideas 21335 Motorized Lighthouse

Lego® Ideas 21335 Motorized Lighthouse
(LEGO)

I would rather tend a lighthouse with Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe than go within 10,000 leagues of this thing. Building LEGO sets that stand stationary is hard enough, but the Lego® Ideas 21335 Motorized Lighthouse has a moving MOTOR in case the name didn’t give you any hints! Sure, you could attempt to build it in your garage, but wouldn’t it be better for everyone if you assembled it on the rocky coast of Maine in order to guide ships to safety on stormy nights? It’s so big I think they’ll see it from the sea.

2. LEGO® Loop Coaster

An assembled LEGO loop coaster
(LEGO)

I’d rather ride a loop roller coaster with no safety harness than go anywhere near the LEGO® Loop Coaster. At least I could trust in the laws of physics to keep me pinned to my seat on the real thing! Building this behemoth? Lawless. This obscene thing actually WORKS too. You can hook up hapless LEGO mini figure passengers to suffer though its many drops and loops. I’m sure they’ll thank you for saving them the trouble of building it. More effort than the construction of Saint Paul’s Cathedral.

1. Technic Liebherr Crawler Crane

The LEGO Liebherr Crawler Crane model with box
(LEGO)

You need a real Liebherr Crawler Crane to build the LEGO Technic Liebherr Crawler Crane. I’m not kidding. This is one of the biggest LEGO sets ever created, which is ironic, considering that it is modeled after a machine that helps facilitate the building of big things. If only they could supply you with a smaller Liebherr crane to assist the process. But then how would you assemble that one? With an even smaller crane? Is this some sort of bizarre Russian nesting doll of cranes building cranes building cranes? Best avoid this fully function replica of a human feat of engineering and all the thorny metaphysical questions that come with it.


The Mary Sue is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more about our Affiliate Policy
Author
Image of Sarah Fimm
Sarah Fimm
Sarah Fimm (they/them) is actually nine choirs of biblically accurate angels crammed into one pair of $10 overalls. They have been writing articles for nerds on the internet for less than a year now. They really like anime. Like... REALLY like it. Like you know those annoying little kids that will only eat hotdogs and chicken fingers? They're like that... but with anime. It's starting to get sad.