LEGO Pick a Brick: In-store or online?

The LEGO Pick a Brick experience has come into question in regards to whether in-store or online offers better value for your money and more.

There are two ways for enthusiasts worldwide to take advantage of the LEGO Group's Pick a Brick service and score individual elements without needing to buy sets. These include each LEGO Store's Pick a Brick wall with a curated selection of parts and the vast catalogue of pieces available on the online Pick a Brick service.

Coolyguydom02 on TikTok has put both experiences to the test, attempting to answer the question of which experience is better value for your time and money.

As they discover, in terms purely of value, you'll always be better off shopping in-store, since you pay a flat price for Pick a Brick box that you're free to fill as you please. As long as it can be closed, you can put as many different pieces as you want inside.

A small Pick a Brick box costs £8.99 / $9.99 / €10.99 while the larger box costs £16.99 / $17.99 / €19.99 after a price increase last year. Coolguydom02's large box contained 858 pieces, with a value of nearly $94 had he bought them all online. That's a $76 saving, but with a few major caveats.

The in-store Pick a Brick boxes and walls are undoubtedly better value for money, but their selection is exactly that – a curated mix of elements that can relate to a recent marketing campaign, the time of year or just whatever pieces they have available at that time.

The likes of basic bricks, plates and floral elements are typically guaranteed, but the selection is nothing compared to what is available online. On the LEGO Pick a Brick section of LEGO.com, thousands of parts are available, taken directly from the inventories of specific sets.

This includes specific minifigure elements, accessories, printed pieces and even entirely exclusive parts. These come at a cost, with some pieces available for as much as polybags or more. You'll end up spending a lot more money on LEGO.com than you would at the LEGO Pick a Brick walls, but for that increased cost, you're gaining access to an incredibly extensive catalogue

On the other hand, heading to your local LEGO store to check out the selection can be more beneficial, too, since you won't wait up to a few weeks for your parts to arrive.

The better Pick a Brick experience for you will greatly depend on what exactly you're wanting to make and what budget you're working with. Those looking for an assortment of elements to customise a display with plants or basic pieces should plan a visit to their local LEGO Store instead of taking a digital trip to the official online store's service.

Those instead aiming to build something more specific, such as our recent harbour scene, are better served online, thanks to an increased selection of parts for an equally increased price. The online service even has suggested model part bundles available for purchase, including for 71049 F1 Collectible Race Cars.

Coolyguydom02's experiment is insightful, but value can go beyond money. It's well worth considering what you want to make, if there's anything specific you need for it, and what kind of budget you're working with before deciding how you're going to Pick a Brick.

Support the work that Brick Fanatics does by buying your LEGO sets using our affiliate links. Thank you!