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LEGO typewriter doesn’t actually type, but looks damn cool

LEGO has revealed yet another executive desk toy that looks fantastic on display but doesn’t quite work as you’d expect in the form of 21327: Typewriter.

There’s no misdirection in that name, this is a replica typewriter with a full keyboard. While it’s not based on any one real design it tries to mimic the “classic mint green of 1950s-style typewriters” and uses 2 079 pieces to make something close to a full scale model.

When assembled the set measures in at 11 X 27 X 26 centimetres (height X width X depth) and is made to work with real pieces of paper. Inside of the box there’s a letter from Thomas Kirk Kristiansen – chairman of the LEGO Group –  in 43 different languages. This can be fed into the top of the typewriter to pretend you’re hammering out a letter.

The keyboard here featured printed tiles so you won’t be applying dozens of stickers here. These keys can be struck which will activate a complex mechanism that X and moves the carriage with the paper as a real typewriter would.

This reminds us of the LEGO piano set from last year that also had individual, moving keys that only superficially moved around but produced no music.

So what’s the cost of this faux device? Overseas people will be paying €199.99 / $199.99 / £179.99. No localised pricing has been revealed at the time of writing but it’s usually safe to use the UK price as it includes tax (unlike the US one) and in the past this has been close to what we can expect to pay.

Right now £179.99 is worth around R3 492. Unfortunately, going off of the prices of similar sets, the typewriter will almost certainly cost R4 000 instead.

While we’re fans of LEGO and this is a very impressive model, that’s a hell of a lot of money. The “value” here is made worse by the fact that you can walk into any charity shop and likely find a real typewriter for pocket change. Sure, it may not work, but this display model doesn’t either.

For R4 000 you can likely buy a better condition typewriter that does actually work instead, if you want the experience of actually typing.

Below you can check out the designer video in which the people who made the set explain how it came to be, which also includes some closer looks at the complex mechanisms inside.

For those who prefer pictures see this large gallery of promotional shots released by LEGO.

This set launches on 16th June for countries that have a LEGO VIP programme. The rest of us can expect it on 1st July.

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