ICYMI: Legos aren’t just for kids — these 8 sets are excellent for adults

Unlock your inner child and step away from your devices with these adult-friendly sets, chosen by our editors.
Building Lego sets are a fun and relaxing hobby for all ages, which is why our staff love them so much.
Building Lego sets are a fun and relaxing hobby for all ages, which is why our staff love them so much. Courtesy of Mili Godio; Courtesy of Rebecca Brown; Courtesy of Ashley Morris

Whenever the gifting season comes around, it’s inevitable for Legos to come up among our staff at NBC Select. I myself am a huge fan of the building block pastime — although they’re known as a classic kid’s toy, Legos are also plenty of fun for adults. My personal Lego-building routine consists of movies, snacks and a floor pillow, but among our staff we have editors who build differently across the board — with music, in outdoor spaces, and with the help of friends and family.

Since Lego sets come in so many varieties of style and difficulty, it can be hard to choose the right set for you. Below, I enlisted our editors to help you out: we gathered our favorite Lego sets for every kind of builder, including ones inspired by plants, buildings, movies and more.

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Our favorite Lego sets of 2025

Below, I rounded up some of our NBC Select staff’s favorite Lego sets, all of which have been tested and loved by our editors. Most sets are for those aged 18 and up, though we have some options for teens, as well.

Editor’s pick

The floral-themed botanical sets are definitely among our favorite kinds of Legos — each one is inspired by and carefully modeled after a real flower, according to the brand. This set is a top pick among a few members of our staff, and includes a model orchid nestled in a blue vase. NBC Select reporter Zoe Malin was never a Lego person, but says that during the pandemic, Sunday afternoon crafts with her family became a norm, and Legos became a go-to. She bought this set as a gift for her cousin; “he has cats so he doesn’t keep flowers at home — this served as an alternative,” she says.

NBC Select updates editor Mili Godio, who keeps her Lego orchid on display, also seconds the giftability of this set — “it’s the perfect gift and looks so cute once you’re done,” she says. You can also rotate the stems, blooms, roots and leaves of the model to suit your display preference, according to the brand.

Two photos of the Lego Orchid set, fully assembled on a wooden end-table in front of white wall, with a painting of a marina behind it.
Godio loves that her Lego orchid doubles a decor, and keeps it on display in her home 24/7.Courtesy of Mili Godio

Best for movie fans

NBC Select editorial projects Rebecca Rodriguez is a huge “Wicked” fan, so when the brand sent this Emerald City set for testing, she couldn’t wait to get her hands on it. It’s the ideal decor piece for “Wicked” franchise fans — the 3D set is designed to resemble the Emerald City setting from the movie, and includes seven character minifigures, like Dorothy, Glinda, Elphaba, the Tin Man, Toto and more, according to the brand. “It took my husband and I around four hours to complete, we spread it out over two sessions,” says Rodriguez. “We had so much fun putting this together, and were thoroughly impressed with the level of detail.” Her favorite parts of the set are the hidden surprises and figurines, and says she loves that “it even has two openings in the back so you can mount it on a wall like the work of art it is.”

The Wicked Emerald City Lego Set disassembled, with pieces in plastic bags on top of the instruction booklet.
Rodriguez’s set has a higher difficulty level, so she tackled it over time alongside her husband.Courtesy of Rebecca Rodriguez
The completed Wicked Emerald City Lego Set displayed on a brown, wood table in front of a white brick wall.
There are two keyhole hangers on the back so the set can be mounted on to a wall. Courtesy of Rebecca Rodriguez

Best for travel lovers

As a longtime admirer of architecture, I love that the Lego architecture series lets your favorite structures live in your home alongside you. This New York City kit includes 3D models of some of the city’s most famous locations, including the Flatiron building, the Chrysler building, One World Trade Center and the Empire State building, according to the brand. It also includes a collectible booklet with information on the building’s designs and architectural details — perfect for fans of New York City history. Malin’s family bought this Lego set for her brother when he moved to Boston from NYC as a reminder of home, and says it was great for him since he loves building and displaying Lego sets. “Lego has a bunch of location-specific Legos, which I love to give as gifts because it feels personal — you can gift someone a set that’s centered around their home or college town, or their favorite vacation destination, for example,” she says.

Best plant set

This Lucky Bamboo model is another great option for plant-lovers — it has realistic elements, including a wood-effect plinth holder, a pebble bed and three bamboo stems with adjustable leaves, according to the brand. After receiving it from Lego, I put this set together on a cold, Sunday afternoon in October while marathoning movies (which is my preferred Lego-building setup). It looks great on my shelf and brings another touch of greenery to my room without the additional maintenance, and since bamboo is believed to bring good fortune to owners, I like to think of my time building it as (literally) making my own luck.

Lego Bamboo set box held in front of the camera; Completed Lego Bamboo set on a glass table with a red carpet on the ground and a white stool in the background.
Morris loves using the Lego plant sets as low-maintenance replacements for the real thing.Courtesy of Ashley Morris

Best for art lovers

NBC Select SEO editor Nikki Brown is big on gardening and loves framed art, so this sunflower wall art set is right up her alley. I was immediately attracted to this set because I can also use it as decor,” she says. “I have a gallery wall in my living room made up of second-hand or handmade frames, pictures and more — a framed photo made entirely of Lego pieces that I put together is a natural fit and perfect addition to what I’ve already created.”

Created in partnership with the Van Gogh Museum, this art model is a Lego reimagination of the artist’s famous Sunflower painting — it has 16 different sunflowers that come inside of a removable frame, so you can easily display it, according to the brand. The frame has a hanger element for wall display, and includes a tile with Van Gogh’s signature, along with a QR code that gives you access to an exclusive podcast about Van Gogh’s art and inspiration, according to the brand. Brown says that once she’s finished building the set, she’s sure it will be a conversation starter — however, due to the higher difficulty level, she knows that finishing “is going to take a very long time, even with help.”

Best gift

Lego Botanicals Bouquet of Pink Roses

This bouquet includes roses in various stages of bloom, including fully blossomed roses, semi-blossomed roses, and rosebuds, according to the brand. It also includes a few sprigs of white baby’s breath, for some added versatility. The roses have full stems, so they can be displayed in a vase, and you can also combine them with other Lego Botanical bouquets.

Lego Botanicals Pink Rose Bouquet set box on a beige table; top of box with gifting label visible.
The Pink Rose Bouquet set includes a range of blooms along with a tag on the box for gifting labels.Courtesy of Lindsay Schneider

Best for kids

Lego Icons How to Train Your Dragon: Toothless

NBC Select associate social media editor, Caitlin Cusack, says this this Toothless set “

is the perfect gift for anyone that loves Legos or How to Train Your Dragon.” This Lego-brick version of the popular Night Fury dragon has a head that can be swivelled and posed, and includes a plasma-blast accessory piece and a fish food piece as replicas of the dragon’s iconic power and favorite snack, according to the brand. She says her brother, whom she calls “a major AFOL” (adult fan of Lego), loves this set she gifted him, and that it’s one of his favorite sets yet.

Best for decor

NBC Select senior commerce editor Lindsay Schneider loves displaying this wildflower set in her home, which she says looks real and vibrant, even from afar. She uses Legos as a way to relax and disconnect while staying stimulated. “It’s such a satisfying, screen-free activity,” she says. “ I love not being on my phone and I find it so fulfilling and satisfying.” Since the flowers are so delicate, she recommends the set for adults only (which lines up with the brand’s recommended age).

Frequently asked questions

Lego includes recommended ages for each set, which are based on the set’s difficulty level and the amount of pieces included, according to the brand.

If your set is missing pieces, you can request replacements in the replacement parts section of the Lego website, free of charge. You’ll be able to search the name/number of your set, select your missing pieces, and Lego will ship them directly to you.

Why trust NBC Select?

I am an associate SEO reporter at NBC Select who regularly covers skin care, body care, wellness, hobbies and lifestyle, including stories on the best puzzles for adults and language learning apps . I’ve been building Legos since childhood, but in the past year, I rediscovered them as an adult and have been hooked ever since. For this story, I consulted NBC Select staffers for their favorite Lego set recommendations.

Catch up on NBC Select’s in-depth coverage of tech and tools, wellness and more, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok to stay up to date.

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