Father’s Day in South Africa – 16th June – is just around the corner. If you haven’t picked up a present for the occasion just yet we are here to help with a quick LEGO buyer’s guide that covers potential purchases from R100 all the way to over R10 000.

We have not only included our favourites from the last few years of LEGO releases, but we also focused on sets that are in stock and maybe even discounted right now, so you can pick them up ASAP and for less.

We have provided links to Great Yellow Brick, the online platform for the physical LEGO Certified Stores in South Africa. If you’d like to look for cheaper options, or if Great Yellow Brick is sold out, check out our guide for buying LEGO in South Africa.

1. E-gift Card

• Set number: N/A
• Piece count: N/A
• Price: R100+

We can hear the boos already. Some people really hate gift cards as presents for any occasion, but if you have a LEGO dad in your life chances are that they already have the sets they really want and would appreciate the freedom to pick up what they want.

Another benefit of the gift card is that the recipient can hold onto it for the future. With LEGO releasing new sets every month (and sometimes even twice per month) your dad may want to hang onto their gift cards for later.

We’ve links to the gift card from Great Yellow Brick, which is the online platform of the physical LEGO Certified Stores in South Africa. The cards are available in R100, R250, R500, R1 000 and R2 500.

Give me an alternative – A gift card from your dad’s favourite store or shopping centre where LEGO is sold.

2. Speed Champions Lamborghini Countach

• Set number: 76908
• Piece count: 262
• Price: R409

The Countach is the king of bedroom posters for kids and adults alike, and this minifigure-scale version ticks all the boxes of arguably the post popular supercar of all time.

This version, in the well-known white paintjob, looks appropriately slick and it even has a surprisingly plush red interior for your little driver included in the box.

Give me an alternative – This set is part of LEGO’s Speed Champions theme which has dozens of choices you can view here. Alternatively, a much larger and more expensive Countach is being released on 4th July.

3. Planet Earth and Moon in Orbit

• Set number: 42179
• Piece count: 526
• Price: R1 499

This ingenious set is an orrery – an entirely mechanical representation of bodies in space. This mechanism, operated manually with a crank in the base, shows the relative motion between the Sun, Earth and the Moon.

The build here is a bit frustrating between all the gears and the important stickers that are needed to illustrate the months and phases of the moon, but the finished product is a real treat to roll out and show to family and friends.

You can also give this set a Discworld makeover with our free instructions.

Give me an alternative – This is a new kind of set for LEGO and there’s no real alternatives or similar products. Dads who may like this are definitely fans of space, and for them we can recommend sets such as the NASA Artemis Space Launch System, NASA Space Shuttle Discovery, and NASA Mars Rover Perseverance.

4. Infinity Gauntlet

• Set number: 76191
• Piece count: 590
• Price: R1 549

This is the quintessential LEGO set for Marvel fans. Arguably the most impactful item in the MCU, the Infinity Gauntlet is a real standout LEGO set given its ample use of drum lacquer pieces to simulate the shiny gold finish of the “real” thing.

We do have to temper expectations for this set, however. This is not a full size replica – at only 31 centimetres tall (with the included stand) this is not the gauntlet made to sit on the hand of a Titan, and it’s not even big enough for the hand of a human as the inside is filled with bricks.

Despite the diminutive size and the fact that you can’t wear it, we still really like this set and the fact that you build each Infinity Stone yourself, and the fact that the fingers are individually articulated.

Give me an alternative – LEGO actually makes a surprising number of props from Marvel that are “close enough” to full scale. You can also get the red Nano Gauntlet, Thor’s Hammer, Captain America’s Shield, Wolverine’s claws, and an extremely detailed bust of Black Panther.

5. Hokusai – The Great Wave

• Set number: 31208 
• Piece count: 1 810
• Price: R1 899

When you’ve run out of shelf space for LEGO, it’s time to mount them on the walls. This set is a faithful LEGO interpretation of The Great Wave that is so detailed it is easy to mistake for a print or reproduction when seen from affair.

This effected is helped by the elegant frame and the mounting hardware that is included on the back of the build.

The finished result is not only large at 52 X 39 centimetres, but it is also surprisingly deep as many layered LEGO processes are employed to make the waves as accurate as possible.

While we have always maintained that LEGO is for everyone, no matter their age, this is arguably the most “adult” set we featured today and it would look at home even in serious places of business or on the walls of C suite offices.

Give me an alternative – LEGO has a huge range of similar sets in its Art theme. There is also a recreation of Vincent van Gogh’s The Starry Night to consider.

6. Dune Atreides Royal Ornithopter

• Set number: 10327
• Piece count: 1 369
• Price: R3 099

One of the biggest surprises of the last few years was this official Dune set, for two reasons: Dune isn’t the most kid-friendly franchise to bring over into LEGO, and this Ornithopter is exceptionally complex.

We highly recommend reading our standalone review of this set, but the short version is this: to mimic the flapping “wings” of the Ornithopter, and to build in other functionality like landing gear, this set is absolutely packed with features and functions that make it so much more than a display model.

Out of all the sets on the list, this is most likely to be the one that you take down from the shelf to mess around with.

Give me an alternative – As this is the only set from Dune right now, and it’s so unique in its functionality, there aren’t too many sets that can compare. The one that comes the closest is probably 42181: Technic VTOL Heavy Cargo Spaceship LT81. This unique sci-fi craft is also packed with moving mechanisms and complex gear system, just like the Ornithopter. It’s also much cheaper at R1 899.

7. Optimus Prime

• Set number: 10302
• Piece count: 1 508
• Price: R3 399

In a very special case of enemies working together, Hasbro’s Transformers have been rendered in LEGO in the form of Optimus Prime. What makes this LEGO Transformer so special is that it transforms between robot and alt mode just like a real Transformer. There’s no need to take pieces apart or do any disassembly; you just twist and turn the model until it is converted.

On top of this ingenious design, this is one of the largest Optimus Primes you can buy, LEGO or not. He stands more than 35 centimetres tall in robot mode and there’s a bunch of accessories to add to him with an Ion Blaster, Energon Axe, Matrix of Leadership, Energon Cube, display plaque and jetpack all included in the box.

For more on LEGO Optimus Prime, see our head plinth build, front end fix, and Fusion Cannon addition.

Give me an alternative – Rumour has it that a Bumblebee is scheduled for release on 1st July. It will be in scale to Optimus Prime and it will still be able to Transform without disassembly. Unfortunately that will only be out after Father’s Day. Here, again, the gift card option may work, otherwise set 71792 offers some light transforming functionality.

8. Mercedes-AMG F1 W14 E Performance

• Set number: 42171 
• Piece count: 1 642
• Price: R4 199

For the F1 fans there is no set as desirable as this large scale Merc. At 63 centimetres long and in an imposing black colourway (with tons of stickers), this one is the king of conversation starters on the mantle or on a desk in the office. For those who really can’t stomach supporting Mercedes, the McLaren from last year is still available.

When looking at the price of this set, just keep in mind that several retailers have it discounted by 20 percent or more right now. There is currently a promotion in South Africa to reduce the price of cars and other racing-theme LEGO sets so, as always, look around for the cheapest option.

Give me an alternative – LEGO is currently making quite a few sets based on F1 cars at greatly differing scales and prices, and from many years of competition. Set 42165, for example, is the same car as the larger Mercedes, but shrunken down and with a pull-back motor for more play for just R499. Click here to see more LEGO F1 sets available right now.

9. Ferrari Daytona SP3

• Set number: 42143 
• Piece count: 3 778
• Price: R7 899

For several years now LEGO has done large scale supercars and this Ferrari Daytona joins the ranks of the Lamborghini Sián FKP 37, Bugatti Chiron, and Porsche 911 GT3 RS. The Daytona is arguably the best looking of this subtheme and it will be the centrepiece of any collection with its 1:8 scale (59 X 25 X 14 centimetres), moving V12 engine, working eight-speed gearbox, shock absorbers, opening scissor doors and removable roof.

What really makes us love this set isn’t just what LEGO gives you in the box, but what the community has done with it. With paid instructions from Rebrickable, you can turn the Daytona into the venerable Ferrari F40, a Honda NSX, a McLaren Senna and more. We actually bought the Daytona ourselves to make the F40 and we highly recommend it.

Give me an alternative – 42115: Lamborghini Sián FKP 37 mentioned earlier, is a similarly sized and priced Technic set, this time from the stables of Lambo. A cheaper Technic Ferrari can be found in 42125: Ferrari 488 GTE “AF Corse #51” though this set is retired and you will need to dig around to find one.

10. Avengers Tower

• Set number: 76269
• Piece count: 5 201
• Price: R10 399

While we really wanted to have a set priced at exactly R10K for the last item on this list, nothing holds that specific RRP at the time of writing. Finishing just over the limit and vying for those with the deepest wallets is this gargantuan version of Avengers Tower.

Once built this tower stands 90 centimetres high and it comes with a whopping 31 minifigures to pose in and around the structure. These minifigures include many of the Avengers as well as a few villains. There’s even small builds representing the Quinjet and Chitauri Leviathan.

Give me an alternative – 76178: Daily Bugle represents another LEGO recreation of a famous Marvel landmark. It is 82 centimetres tall, contains 25 minifigures and costs R6 199.