Here is LEGO Ideas set #43, #21335-1: Motorized Lighthouse. This one was released in the US on 19 August 2022 and retails for $299.99. It contains 2,065 pieces and this works out to $0.145 per piece. Yikes! A lot, I know. It does come with a motor, battery box, and lights, but does that really raise the price by that much? I picked this one up during a double VIP point period and used some of my VIP points to discount the price. It’s a bit high in my opinion, but onto to the review.
The box for this one is rather large. The set arrived in a special outer box that UPS still somehow managed to damage so the set box showed up damaged too. Thanks! I think the box could have been a bit smaller, but I’m not a packaging expert. The box is dark with some blue greebling on the bottom for the 18+ design. The dark packaging works so LEGO can show off the light house functionality. I’m not sure the light looks exactly like they picture it, but I get the idea. The back of the box shows some additional set details and gives the dimensions of the set.
The box contains 18 parts bags. The bags are numbered one to 13 with one unnumbered bag for the larger pieces. You get a box for the battery box and the motor comes packaged separate too. The instructions and the base plate come in paperboard envelopes. Don’t forget about the stickers. I almost did.
You get two instruction booklets. There are some details about lighthouses, the Fresnel lens, the fan designer (Sandro Quattrini), and then info about the LEGO design team.
There are two small sticker sheets with 5 stickers total. Not bad I guess.
You get a dark blue baseplate which is a first for LEGO. We’ll see if it pops up again somewhere in the future.
The first bag starts the base of the build with the outline of the island area where the lighthouse is placed. This bag also comes with a male lighthouse keeper with a telescope and then a female lighthouse keeper. I have her in the row boat with the kitten.
The second bag adds up some more details along the base, but also installs the battery box and motor. Initially it looks like the wires are everywhere, but the designers did a good job keeping them contained.
The third bag adds more details and a bunch of the BURPs (big ugly rock pieces) to the build for height. While I’m not a fan of BURPs, I understand the usage of them as I’d probably still be sitting there attaching all the pieces to achieve the height needed to cover up the electronics. Not pictured well here, but there is a cave in the island. It is where the switch is located to turn the light on and then there’s a treasure chest as well.
The fourth bag adds plates to the top of the island covering it all with just an axle sticking up and the wire for the lights.
The fifth bag adds the base of the lighthouse structure and then adds some details to the top of the island which will allow us to install the little structure at the base of the lighthouse. The axle to turn the light is hidden pretty well already which is great.
I could look it up, but I like to call it swamp green. I’m sure there’s an official term for the green color. It’s a nice look for the set.
Bag six builds the small living quarters for the lighthouse. They managed to cram a lot in there to include a small kitchen space, a bed, a desk, and some decorations.
Bag seven adds some details to the outside of the structure and installs it to the lighthouse island at an angle which is a nice touch.
Bag eight builds the internal structure to the lighthouse and takes it up a few floors. There are ladders inside for minifigures to climb up to the top as needed.
The ninth bag starts to round out the lighthouse structure with curved pieces. To break things up a bit, you throw in a few pieces with studs to clip on plant pieces. The structure gets smaller as you get higher so thankfully it’s not a repetitive build.
Bag 10 rounds out most of the rest of the tower and adds in the windows. The lighthouse tower has a good look to it on the outside. It’s not completely round, but it works for being brick built. The placement of the windows with the small ledge at the bottom is simple, yet it fits in well.
Bag 11 adds the roof to the living quarters at the base of the lighthouse. You also add a door and connect a light to the fireplace. I didn’t get a picture of it, but you really can’t see the fireplace lit up well unless you take the roof off. It seems like they could have used the second light on the strand for something else. Maybe a lamp on the front of the building?
Bag 12 completes the lighthouse and starts to add details to the top of the tower. The parts to connect the motor to the top of the lighthouse are added as well. I was curious to see how the light and motor would be integrated in the next step with such limited hardware showing
Bag 13 finishes up the set and I really like how they did this. The railing on the outside with the bent tubes, the garage door pieces for the windows around the tower, and the motorization for the light. The light is installed and it shines on the silver/reflective sticker. That then shines the light through the Fresnel lens (the piece is pictured) and the whole assembly rotates around. The mechanics of this are simple, but they work. Nice job design team. To top it off, you get a lance/sword as the tip of the lighthouse.
Here are a few shots of the final build. Overall, it was an enjoyable build to assemble. Not a lot of repetition and some great parts usage. I enjoyed it despite the BURPs included. I already mentioned the cost as a negative, but it ranks right up there with #10268-1: Vestas Wind Turbine as cool looking, but overpriced. There’s a motor, a light, and a battery box and LEGO increases the price of the set because of this.
Do I recommend this set? This is a tough one. Great build, but high price. I don’t think I would have purchased it without VIP points to cut the price down. $300 for this set is a bit high in my opinion.
What are your thoughts? Pick this one up? Hope there is a sale? Use VIP points?
Happy building!
