BrickList: The Best of 2011
The Best of 2011
Have you ever wondered, "What's the best set from {insert theme name} in 2011?". Well this BrickList answers that question! This is like the Hall of Fame or the Pro Bowl; the best Lego sets coming together to meet and compete. Most sets here will amaze you, some will make you cringe when they have to represent their theme. I've avoided building this based on opinions; these are facts. Truly, the best of 2011.
Note: This BrickList excludes sets under the Product Collection subtheme
Last updated: 8/23/11 (12:53PM) ET
Created by Jarod98. Last updated on 23 Oct 2010.
1. 21009: Farnsworth House
I'm not much of a fan of the Architecture theme, but even though their prices are absurd the models turn out to be very nice. If I was an AFOL and had the money I'd be buying these sets, but sadly that's not true. This set does display the Farnsworth House nicely and gives great detail. The price, $59.99, may not be appealing to collectors, but once you get the finished model you'll know that this was a smart buy.
21009-1
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3.6
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897 members own this set | 637 members want this set |
2. 7985: City of Atlantis
There sure are a lot less Atlantis sets this year than there were last year which makes it easier to pick, but even if there were 100 I'm sure this set would still be #1. A few great thing about this set (and the other 2011 Atlantis sets) are that the divers look better than the ones last year and the creatures look better than the ones from last year. This set basically sums up this year's Atlantis into one set because it has two awesome creatures, two divers, and a statue of Poseidon (not to mention all the awesome rounded 2x2 columns). So this set is definitely the best out of this theme, nice job Lego!
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7985-1
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4.3
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1562 members own this set | 940 members want this set |
3. 5933: Airport Building Set
Bricks and More came out with some nice sets this year, but this has got to be the nicest. The pieces are great and the figs look good; there's nothing to hate about this set, it even has a Brick Separator! So, any fan of Bricks and More would be crazy not to want this set. Priced at $19.99 this really is a good buy for the pieces. The only problem is that they don't use advanced pieces like the Star Wars sets, but they still are necessities to any fan of Lego.
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5933-1
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3.8
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357 members own this set | 167 members want this set |
4. 8484: Ultimate Building Lightning McQueen
I know you may wonder why I didn't put the '8679-1: Tokyou International Circuit' set or the '8487-1: Flo's V8 Cafe' set. Well it's because I think that the ultimate builds are better than the normal Cars sets. This set is even better than the other two ultimate builds as this one has Ultimate Build Lightning McQueen and a normal-sized version of Guido. Guido also has a flag. Not much more can be said so let us move on.
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8484-1
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3.8
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819 members own this set | 264 members want this set |
5. 7189: Mill Village Raid
I really like the new Kingdoms sets Lego's coming out with. This set is showing what it's like in the villagers life and they're bringing it out in an interesting way. The new animals that come in this set are outstanding. This is really showing Lego's full potential of Kingdoms. This set includes six minifigures, tons of animals, a barn, a windmill, and a few other items. So if this is Kingdoms' last year, Lego's capping it off on a good mark.
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7189-1
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4.2
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3030 members own this set | 1529 members want this set |
6. 4645: Harbour
I've had trouble staying planted on one set from the City theme since there are so many subthemes and each has it's own 'big' set. The reason I picked this one was because Police (the subtheme) has had a long career of Lego, so I didn't want to pick a reigning champ. The reason I picked this set over the '3368-1: Space Centre' is because this set seems to have more to it. I mean the boat is huge as is the harbor and the design and detail are great. It's really great though and so that's why I picked this set to represent City.
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2.9
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1710 members own this set | 1249 members want this set |
7. 8803: Elf
All Collectible Minifigures are the same size and price, so I had to pick the Collectible Minifigure I liked the most. The one is my favorite for a few reasons. One, is that the hair piece is really awesome (I love the ears). Another is that he comes with an awesome bow and a cool shield. The cape is really cool too. The design for the torso and legs is great also. So, overall everything is great.
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4.5
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4737 members own this set | 1018 members want this set |
8. 5770: Lighthouse Island
This set is even more ravishing then the '5766-1: Log Cabin'. It features a really cool lighthouse (I hear it can light up) and yet another minifig. The seagulls look really cool, too. With this being such a cool design and having 518 pieces I was surprised it was only $39.99, so this really has to be one of the best Creator sets ever (although I loved the '5766-1: Log Cabin', this set is much better).
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4.7
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3721 members own this set | 1309 members want this set |
9. 9349: Fairytale and Historic Minifigure Set
Dacta just doesn't make much sense to me. I'm not sure what the goal is for the theme, but it seems like it's just about everything. This year there's two minifig sets, a wheels set, and a harbor set. There's so many reasons why I choose this set, but the main one is that I love historic themes, infact the only thing I don't like is the mermaid (I hate mermaids). This set includes an amazing 22 minifigs, plus a few small builds. If this is anywhere in stores near you there's no reason not to buy it unless you hate history (and who does!?).
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3.5
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428 members own this set | 506 members want this set |
10. 5681: Police Station
Duplo is one of those themes I hate, but sadly this theme has to have some sort of "good" set to stand out. This set seems to fit the job. This set features a police station, policeman vehicles, and four figs (since they're not "mini"). This is the one Duplo set that shows some good stuff in Duplo.
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5681-1
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84 members own this set | 42 members want this set |
11. 3856: NinjaGo
Games was a new theme introduced in 2009. This theme includes Lego sets that were supposed to be games. I just had to pick this one when I saw it, because first off it's got a big playing field and also has some really cool "minifigs". I won't buy this set, but if I had to buy one 2011 Games set, this would be the one.
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3856-1
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2.8
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489 members own this set | 307 members want this set |
12. 853106: Ninjago Battle Arena
It's very hard to pick a set for Gear since there's always so many each year. Luckily, this year was very easy as this set stood out above all others. If you think about it would you rather have this or a keychain or magnet? For someone who's into the NinjaGo theme, this will actually be very useful. This isn't just an arena as it also includes Sensei Wu and his spinner. All that for $19.99 is a great deal.
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215 members own this set | 110 members want this set |
13. 10217: Diagon Alley
I'm no expert on Harry Potter, but I've been around Lego long enough to know that this is the best Harry Potter set ever (and it may never be topped). Not only is this a great set, but it was the first to grace this BrickList. If there were such thing as a Lego Hall of Fame, then this would probably one of the first inducted into it. I'm not a big fan of Harry Potter, so I'm not sure how accurate this is, but even if it's not very accurate, who can say this was not the best HP set ever? This sports 12 minifigs and 2025 pieces. At $149.99, it is a real bargain as far as the price-per-piece ratio goes.
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10217-1
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4.6
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2502 members own this set | 1551 members want this set |
14. 2235: Fire Lord
Obviously it was really hard to pick only one set from the HERO Factory theme. You've got the 2.0 Heroes, the Villains, and now the 3.0 heroes. Lucky for me, it was simple to decide the winner of the Villains, since the 3.0 Heroes' pics aren't out, I obviously couldn't pick one of those, and the 2.0 Heroes really stunk (in my point of view). So I went with the "2235-1: Fire Lord" set. This set is definetly this biggest and best set out of all the HERO Factory sets. I like he looks in general and his weapons. So my vote for HERO Factory goes to Fire Lord.
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4.1
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511 members own this set | 237 members want this set |
15. 10220: Volkswagen T1 Camper Van
This is another one of the greats for this year. All the different features make it definitely worth the $119.99. This set features doors that open, a realistic engine, a detailed dashboard, plus a sink and lots of seating. The 'VW' logo piece on the front is another nice touch (something tells me they had to sign a contract to use the name, although the logo isn't very acurate). Hopefully they make more sets like these (more Volkswagen sets would be nice).
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4.5
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3586 members own this set | 1339 members want this set |
16. 3300006: London Bus
Those in London who were able to get this are very lucky. This set offers a great design and at a great price, FREE! With this being a small design there's not much I can say. This definitely would be nice with the '10214-1: Tower Bridge'. This also gives a great amount of red bricks.
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32 members own this set | 243 members want this set |
17. 20200: Space Designer
This set is the beinning launch into the wonderful Master Builder Academy. The Master Builder Academy (or MBA for short) is an "academy" for Lego fans to learn the techniques of the master builders at Lego. This set includes a Level One Minifig, 178 bricks to build the three models and learn about Space Design, a Brick Separator, and a box to separate your Legos. It's a good deal for $29.99, hopefully this set won't be discontinued when the next one comes out.
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20200-1
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4.4
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857 members own this set | 297 members want this set |
18. 4000001: Moulding Machines
The attendees of the May 2011 Lego Tour were given quite a treasure. This set features a model of the molding machines they use to mold Lego bricks. Think about it, Lego Molding Machines making bricks that were used to replicate themselves. I really hope torviag (the Brickset member who went on the tour) enjoys either building this set or keeping it MISB and watching the price go up on eBay some day.
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13 members own this set | 448 members want this set |
19. MMMB033: Polar Bear
Obviously the Monthly Mini Model Builds aren't all that much. This set is a polar bear, and the MMMB for January 2011. Living near a Lego store definitely has it's advantages and this one of them, so don't think that this isn't worth it because it's small because it's better to go in and get this set than not at all. So if you live near a Lego Store, it's a good idea to pick one up (while they're available).
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Promotional - Monthly Mini Model Build
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84 members own this set | 95 members want this set |
20. 2507: Fire Temple
This set has got to be one of the biggest sets this year. At 1180 it is one of the biggest sets of the year. This set has 7 minifigs, plus a dragon. The Fire Temple is two stories high and can be connected to the dragon. My guess is that this will be $119.99.
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4.5
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1486 members own this set | 972 members want this set |
21. 7327: Scorpion Pyramid
Pharaoh's Quest is definitely a cool new theme in 2011. Pharaoh's Quest is basically the reintroduction of Adventurers, but with the next generation. This set is obviously the best out of the theme since it's the biggest, has awesome minifigs, and a cool pyramid. The car and scorpion add to the awesomeness. So why shouldn't this set represent Pharaoh's Quest on this BrickList?
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4.5
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1630 members own this set | 887 members want this set |
22. 4195: Queen Anne's Revenge
Pirates of the Carribean has got to be the most anticipated new theme of 2011. It's got great design, awesome minifigs, and cool ships. This set by-far is the best of the theme (although the '4184-1: Black Pearl' may pose a threat), it's got seven awesome minifigs and over 1,000 pieces pouring into an awesome ship. I haven't ever seen the movies, but I know that this has got to be 99.99% movie-accurate.
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4.6
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3349 members own this set | 1470 members want this set |
23. 88002: Train Motor
This may not seem like much, but this little set can help you motorize almost any Lego Train. The '10219-1: Maersk Train', for example can be motorized by using a few of these (I'm not exactly sure how, but it can be done). So for $13.99, you can motorize just about any Train.
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3.8
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484 members own this set | 210 members want this set |
24. 8231: Vicious Viper
It was very hard to decide the winner for Racers since it's one of those themes that has a lot of the same size sets, so it all comes down to design. I thought this set was the best out of all of the sets in its group because of its size and great design. Hopefully, Lego will make a Racers set that stands out from all the rest so it can be more clear which set deserves to be on this BrickList.
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127 members own this set | 88 members want this set |
25. 10231: Shuttle Expedition
This set seems to be a nice upgrade from the 2010 version. I actually considered buying the 2010 one, but an glad I didn't, as now there's a new version at no extra cost. At $99.99 for 1230 pieces, it's a great price-per-piece ratio. The three minifigs are also a nice touch. This will hopefully sell better than the '10213: Shuttle Adventure'.
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4.1
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1584 members own this set | 865 members want this set |
26. 40019: Brickley The Sea Serpent
I have to be honest, I really don't like this set at all, but with the other sets being Valentines and Easter Eggs and Bunnies, this set beats them. Well, what can I say there's not much. One thing that comes right off the bat is that this is four different parts of the sea serpent so it's best displayed on a blue base plate. If you do buy this, well, I don't know what to say, so... Enjoy!
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3.7
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736 members own this set | 111 members want this set |
27. 7066: Earth Defense HQ
Alien Conquest is most-likely the second-most anticipated new line of sets in 2011 (behind Pirates of the Caribbean). All of the sets are nice, but this one is the best for a few reasons. First off, it's the ADU's mobile base of operations. It also has a lot of weapons and a jet. Plus, there's space inside for all kinds of stuff. This also includes five minifigs: an Alien Invader Trooper and Alien Invader Pirate, two ADU Soldiers, and a Toxic Cleanup Scientist. This also has an Alien Clinger, an Alien UFO, and a cart for the Toxic Cleanup Scientist. At $89.99, this may be a bit pricey, but it sure packs a load of fun.
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4.6
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1464 members own this set | 758 members want this set |
28. 3815: Heroic Heroes of the Deep
I can't believe Lego tried to bring back SpongeBob. That theme has never really gotten anywhere; it was just a waste of Lego's money to sign a contract with Nickelodeon. This set has it's ups and down. The 'ups' are that SpongeBob, Patrick, and Plankton are really good figs. The 'downs' are the boat's color scheme and poor design, plus when did this boat ever appear in that color in the TV Series?! There's one episode where SpongeBob and Patrick being 'heroes' (but they have different suits); there's also an episode where Plankton goes into this machine that turns him into gaseous form, but I can't tell what this is supposed to be. I'm sorry you have to see this set on this BrickList.
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4.2
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1119 members own this set | 356 members want this set |
29. 10221: Super Star Destroyer
I'm sorry to say that the '7965-1: Millennium Falcon' is done it's reign as champion for Star Wars. This set makes it seem all too small. At 50 inches and 8 eight pounds, it's the Ray Lewis of Lego. This set also includes Darth Vader, Bossk, IG-88 (redesigned), Dengar (redesigned), and a Imperial Officer (probably Grand Moff Tarkin). There's also a mini version of the Imperial Star Destroyer to show the scale of the SSD. At $399.99 it's the most expensive set this year, and one of the top 5 most expensive sets of all time.
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3.9
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1838 members own this set | 2619 members want this set |
30. 8110: Mercedes-Benz Unimog U 400
This is the biggest Technic set ever (not set has ever had more than 1900 pieces and this has 2051 pieces). I knew I couldn't leave it out of this BrickList, so here it is. It features a movable crane, a loading area, and rear brakes. I'm not really sure how define this Technic set more, but I can say this may be one of the top 10 2011 sets. The final price is surprisingly $199.99, when proposed to be $274.99, meaning it's slimly holding onto it's second-place lead for priciest Lego set of 2011 (the '10221-1: Super Star Destroyer' set's monster price of $399.99 being the most).
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8110-1
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4.5
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2753 members own this set | 1103 members want this set |
31. 10218: Pet Shop
This is a really nice Modular House, it has some really cool features like pets (duh) and a paint roller. The windows have nice design and the color scheme is pretty good too. This set includes at least four minifigs along with a dog, cat, and maybe a few other animals. With this being $149.99 as the others and containing 2032, this is great price-per-piece count.
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4.7
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4842 members own this set | 2328 members want this set |
32. 10219: Maersk Train
This is definitely the best Maersk set Lego has ever released. The color scheme is perfect, the train goes into great detail, and the minifigs are really cool and exclusive to this set. Although it's $119.99, it's a great addition to an Lego fan's collection. Anyone who's buys this set will not be disappointed.
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10219-1
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4.6
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2848 members own this set | 1410 members want this set |
