LEGO City 2023 Recycling Truck review! Vintage charm with modern pieces, a barely compromised 5+ set

Independent, #NotSponsored, unscripted fan review of the LEGO City Recycling Truck 60386 with 261 pieces & 3 minifigs, £29.99 / $29.99 / 34.99€ at amzn.to/3kiYH1O * This is a 5+ targeted set with simple builds and straightforward play patterns intended to integrate with your existing collection.
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[@SystemUnderSiege]

All 3 going into the same landfill is more accurate and educational than one would like

[@I_D_I_0_T]

"Super easy. Barely an inconvenience. "👍

[@saltytbone]

Top notch review once again. My city collects recyclables all in one large bin truck like this and I'm skeptical how the stuff ever gets sorted in an efficient manner (and not just dumped in a landfill). But also, people in my city put the dumbest stuff in their recycling (like shoes and Christmas lights), so it's an uphill battle no matter what.

[@Mike__B]

Mine too, but I know at the dump they do hand pre-sort stuff too. And I'm not disillusioned by the concept of recycling, they only will reuse things that they can sell to other people and make money off of nothing to do with how recyclable something actually is, there could be a company that turns plastic into fluffy bunnies and heart filled wishes if that company is not willing to pay the garbage company for the plastic they'll just toss it in the landfill.

[@klaykid117]

It really does look like a classic set and if you keep the recycling stickers off then it's a regular garbage truck

[@Sopsy_Hallow]

i dont think it is that unrealistic for a recycling garbage truck to only have one compartment. maybe it's just a local thing but where i live, the different types of trash get collected on different days

[@LostWhits]

Australian recycling trucks collect paper, glass and aluminium all in the one truck. The sorting is done at the processing centre. The kids could also use the truck to collect one bin at a time, then come back as another bin. I think its a truck than the friends, just wish it was a side loader.

[@PlasticToa]

This feels more grounded and realistic than most modern City sets do these days, but at the same time it doesn't entirely break from the borderline futuristic aesthetic they've been going for. It's a nice balance.

[@Kurlija]

Pretty cool, would not expect it to be a 5+ set! Appreciated the Pitch Meeting reference, too :)

[@jonasfermefors]

I like that they include the new double-thickness base plates in many sets.. my question now we are getting them in different colors is: how do you make a nice transition between colours without dual-color pieces or placing stuff on top of the transition? Can we get for example a half green, half grey 4x2 plate?

[@_yelo]

Great review, definitely one to pick up. Though I don't see the problem with it being only one compartment. It might be different in the US, but over here they pick up only one kind of trash per day, so for example on Monday everyone leaves their food waste bins out and they get emptied, on wednesday it's all paper bins, friday it's all plastic and so on and so on.

[@massimookissed1023]

Glad you mentioned the green doors all being the same. While watching I was thinking it was a pity there weren't 3 left and 3 right doors. And just an addition of 4 1x4 plates could raise the top of the bin structure to allow more space for bin egress.

[@diatonicdelirium1743]

Best set of the current crop: all works super easy, barely an inconvenience!

[@brandon.rondeau]

5:28 Jang watches Pitch Meeting confirmed!

[@leetri]

Pitch Meeting is tight!

[@purplemidnight]

Wow wow wow wow, wow

[@dominikswiatek3300]

Omg thats right!

[@haelww1]

Wow wow wow wow

[@massimookissed1023]

Wow wow wow Wow.

[@brickaholic-dw]

Lego really needs to consider a more advanced sub-line for CITY sets.. Look at the playablity and complexity of the Friends sets nowadays

[@thebaker525]

While usually the 5+ age rating results in city sets feeling really unfinished or small (mainly thinking about the buildings) this feels pretty substantial with a respectable and sizable finished build.

[@YouTubeGetsWorseEveryUpdate]

This recycling really looks like our city! We are expected to sort things but in the end it will be thrown all together. But a really nice set!

[@grantwelsh7594]

If that came with 4 Speed Champions wheel surrounds I would buy it for sure. Loved that you showed the chassis without the back on top, that is a nice base to build off of.

[@nolanmcintyre14]

"$40 is too much" *Cries in Canadian dollars

[@empatheticrambo4890]

Oooooh some of those dark turquoise parts haven’t come out since Rock Raiders!! Can’t wait for aftermarket prices to go down

[@fishbrix3809]

I remember getting lego set 4432 a long time ago when I was a little kid, Super nostalgic set just bought the modern version!

[@awes0men0b0dy9]

Really nice set definitely one of the best city sets in the past few years

[@TimmeyTV]

Our garbage trucks in Germany also have only one "sort unit". But there are specific days for collecting different types of garbage: One day for paper, one day for plastic and another day for other waste.

[@FoolECK]

5:27 Wow wow wow wow wow. Wow.

[@daveh1294]

The Friends recycling truck had separate compartments for each bin but didn't have such good playability. It was a lot cheaper though for the same part count. I think I paid £13 for mine and my 3 yr old loves it. I think they should have played down the recycling factor in this set or removed the three bins since that doesn't work well anyway.

[@kevin7213]

Love this set!

[@Joshuasfunandgames]

When I get it I am probably going to add a stud on the part where the cover connects to the base on the recycling area. So then it will be easier to remove the bin

[@TheOtherGuys2]

Yeah, I've been to a recycling plant and seen the trucks, after we neatly sort everything in the bin, and the collector comes around and neatly sorts it into the truck, the trucks drive into the plant and dump it all in one big pile. I saw this set and thought "Ah, looks like a nice $20 set. Oh, it's $30 American? That means it's $40 Canadian, so guess I won't be getting that one."

[@kristiankleemann6963]

$59.99 retail here in Australia. Seems a bit pricey. But I still want it and I also agree with Jang, that flatbed of the truck opens up so many possibilities of different builds.

[@DeathtrapCult]

One of the best newer city sets I’ve seen.

[@jerryterwase9027]

This ups the ante in the Lego City garbage truck designs more than one of my favorite sets (4432).

[@gilbertojuvera2042]

That Pitch Meeting reference was unexpected but a good one

[@despawn7663]

it is funny that they have sorted recycling, then combined in the truck and assumed sorted at the facility :)

[@thefuriousfatty2297]

Pitch Meeting reference!!

[@slugbiker]

the Friends Recycling Truck set #41712 had 3 separate compartments in the truck, and a cute mechanism to pickup/dump all the bins at once.. and was only $20. this truck looks great, but it's sad they couldn't get more than one compartment. thanks for the review!

[@dean5473]

Really wish they’d make a side loader garbage truck All we’ve seen is several rear loaders and 1 front loader

[@unclefredsbrickslot5824]

Excellent review. Not sure if changing the colour from light green to teal adds anything to a model which is otherwise the same as previous recycling trucks, though.

[@MrClassic.]

Such a lovely 5+ set.

[@MrChlamydias]

Very nice for the city

[@Mike__B]

So I can see an improvement to that whole recycling/compost/garbage holder, instead of using 2 1x10s on each side to hold the whole structure up do 4 1x4s perpendicular right at all the points where the structure needs holding i.e. ends and door hinge points, then just put down a smooth faced 2x4 between those so the cans can easily slide out, so basically build flooring like | [] | [] | [] |

[@jronman]

Would be interesting to see what people come up with for a compartmentalized box for the truck. My small town doesn't have a recycling truck like this. They just use a 3500 dually that pulls an open trailer that is compartmentalized. Nothing fancy but it gets the job done.

[@Tulemasin]

The truck not having different sections for sorting is educating children the reality of the illusion of recycling happening in real life.

[@shampo0oLWD]

Nice one, I just bought this one for myself as a 34 year old adult. I've never had a real LEGO garbage truck, and the instant I saw this one announced I had to get it. GARBAGE TRUCKS ARE AWESOME (is one of my childhood memories). Gonna build it soon.

[@LondonEmergency999]

Compare this to set 4432 and tell me it isn't virtually identical except for the wheelarches/wheels.

[@lagirafe9778]

Great review. In my country one car takes only one sort of waste. So 3 different cars with different labels would do this in here.

[@uzul42]

So all the different types of garbage from the different colored trashcans end up in the same container and later on the same dump? Sounds realistic, at least in some places.

[@hazbinhotel5488]

Those double high doors would be useful in glass color.

[@gordonwerner]

In Seattle, we have mixed single stream recycling so this truck is accurate for us. I would imagine the same goes for many other places

[@JANGsLEGOreviews]

Same here, but this depicts a place where citizens presort... so to unsort at pickup time really can't make sense IMO.

[@guleri]

Seems like the garbage shed should have been one tile taller, that would have made getting the bins in and out quite a lot easier. Still, looks like a pretty nice set, and it is now on my wishlist.

[@HNBGamer]

Was wondering why the truck looks familiar, I searched around and yeah, set 4432 has that similar look.

[@Zenlore6499]

I guess replacing the light gray pieces whose studs are in the way would have made the build too complicated? Weird problem to miss or potentially accept as inevitable.

[@PltOffPPrune]

In my part of the UK we have single compartment garbage/recycling trucks (dustcarts). They collect glass and plastics one week, then landfill rubbish the next week, and then paper the week after, and so on. To me the real miss is the six left doors! What were they thinking. On the one hand they want to encourage kids to take sets apart and MOC with them (City Missions!) and then they go and do something like this. So frustrating.

[@trimilo6204]

the left and right door thing is a very valid complaint, I cant imagine the frustration of a 5 year old when they take apart their set to build something else and are greeted with 6 left doors especially because the soul of lego is creativity

[@HVLmusic]

“Super easy, barely an inconvenience” 😂

[@espo7182]

The 2 big drawbacks for me, being an actual nyc sanitation worker, are the single steering wheel and no outside step. Now, to be fair, nyc no longer allows the outside step. However, most private and other cities still have it. The dual steering wheels though, are still a staple on most trucks. It's odd to me seeing a center mounted wheel. Otherwise, it's a good model and I of course had to buy it.

[@eunminji2994]

“Super Easy, Barely An Inconvinience” :OO

[@marknieuwstad2504]

I don't mind the 6 left doors, but I would have liked to see those stickers for both sides. I mean, if you came from the other side, how would you know where to put your garbage in?

[@johanyara6065]

LEGO City 2023 5+ 60386 Recycling Truck Set

[@FrankyFrankAlot]

In my city, you don't sort your recycling. It's all in one bin and it's all dumped into the recycling truck at once, so that wasn't even something I thought of. I never heard of/knew trucks could have separate compartments.

[@rokushou]

What bin does the kitten go into, the green one?

[@iwanek4382]

I find it so funny that all the trash gets mixed in the truck. I can just imagine a scenario the minifigures spend like a month or so making sure that it's all properly segregated only for the garbage men to toss it all in, mix it, crush it and drive off leaving the other minifigures in utter shock 😱

[@Hippienolic2]

Can the other worker hang off the side or the back since there’s only one seat?

[@faithworldleader6891]

It would be rather carbon unfriendly but maybe they pick up the glass one day, the botanics the next day and the paper the following. That way you can get away with just the one containment area. It could be a teachable moment with the kids to explain there are better ways.

[@mariananarciso3428]

Although I do agree that it’s a good set ( minus some minor flaws), I don’t think that the price is justified. ESPECIALLY when you take into consideration that the friends recycling truck is also being sold right now, has different compartments for sorting, AND it’s considerably cheaper.

[@kanjiklubskywalker4951]

i think the studed roof for the truck is a bit rough-looking but other than that set looks great

[@kyleburns9439]

Pitch Meeting references are TIGHT!

[@yuri4666]

For me these green doors look symmetrical, it means that they can be used in both directions, right?

[@Brick-Life]

I own the green 2012 garbage truck and much prefer that one. But this is a better rubbish truck than the ones in previous years

[@trevorrobertsondoublebass4233]

5:28 nice reference 😎

[@brickfairie]

I think this is a good looking truck! I am wondering if you have any opinions on this city truck vs the 2022 Lego friends trash/recycling truck?! I would like one for my own city but like both!

[@dmonsef]

Someone created a Recycle Truck with the side claw to pick up bins and dump them up top, but it never was released by LEGO IDEAS despite getting 10k votes. Basically this was the default option for me, but I do like a good deal of this set.

[@TheBricklyAvatar]

Nice set, but it is unfortunate there are 6 left side doors on the bin station instead of 3 left and 3 right

[@BrickBusterVideo647]

Is this worth it after already purchasing the 2022 police station that includes a garbage truck even though the truck is criminal owned a simple change of pieces

[@Eidolon1andOnly]

Wow. They gave 6 double tall doors, and they're all the same. Can't even get three pairs.

[@klotz__]

In Germany, City sets are always discounted by at least 20% from the first day. I paid 25 EUR for this set, so yeah, still much better than in the US.

[@tylertichoc7330]

This is just something exactly like what I say just about every day in real life for basically my whole entire life living here in the Metro DC Area so yeah, the nostalgia and personal level of connection and realism is VERY strong with this one. And it's basically just a more modern version of the old white and green garbage truck from around 2014 which I love and missed out on so I will definately be getting this set at some point. Plus it has a lot more of a side build and a third minifigure AND a widdle behbeh kittimn. He behbeh, he smol, he white floofbol, he. So yeah personal bias aside, this set is pretty much perfect in every way whith how much stuff you get with the set. My ONLY possible complaint is actually a VERY rare one. I don't think I can justify the price. This feels like a 25 dollar set and that's just simply because once upon a time about 5 years ago, it would've been. So I wish this set was just a little bit cheaper but I can actually chalk this up to just purely being inflation at work since the US is where I live and prices for everything meant for normal middle class people are F'ed up and sadly people just choose not to do anything about it. When I was 10 back in 2010, $25 was something I could easily save up for in about a 24 to 30 days or so if I did chores and helped out with as much possible around the house. But now as little kids to young teens they don't have that kind of opportunity as much parents more strapped for disposable cash and it's really sad and exasperated especially when ya see a 5 Buck bump up to pretty much everything nowadays. So I just hope that Lego will be able to continue making good $20 to $30 sets like this and actually have them get in the hands of their target audience for years to come. But sadly as we've seen with this country and how much more difficult it is for regular people to just get by let alone give something reminiscent of an allowance to their kids, that's sadly not gonna be the case for much longer. And I fell really sad for them and incredibly privileged now knowing I grew up in a time where toys and entertainment as a kid and young teen were much more actually obtainable.

[@azarishiba2559]

Well... In some countries they don't pick up all the recycling stuff in the same day. What if this LEGO truck picks-up paper on Monday, glass on Wednesday, and organic trash on Friday?

[@maikelgijsbers380]

Ha, a Ryan George easter egg.

[@ethanbird5399]

Know it’s not a trash truck but feels like it’s missing an old fish for the cat

[@Epiccreeper000]

This set looks awsome but here in australia even with inflation this set is a bit pricey coming in at 60 aud the current convertion rate is 30usd converts to 43aud

[@frostedbutts4340]

Kmart has it for $45 day one at least.

[@TheSuperPsychoKiller]

I remember in the 1990s where Legos costs $10 not $30 for the same amount of pieces.

[@skyborne80]

Hmm, only 1 more plate in height and the enclosure would be perfect to get the bins out more easily. I guess the designer just couldn't add those parts without going over budget. A shame, it's almost a perfect set. 9/10!

[@Howlox]

I feel like the issues you pointed out could be solved in this was a more complex build, ie. not a 5+ set. I understand that Lego is obviously trying to cater for a younger audience too, but older collectors are missing out a little perhaps.

[@Vadahann]

Quite a fail on the side build. And looking at the instructions it would be quite easy to fix with basic pieces and without over-complicating the build, incomprehensible and quite unacceptable. Other than that, it's very good. Love that the truck has some modularity in it, kind of make you want Lego to come up with some sort of extension set/pack to further exploit the concept.

[@TheOne-pv4rz]

$30 is a lot imo for a rather simple and small truck, a little side build and 3 minifigs. £30 in the UK where I am is just expensive for this set.

[@salocinflowers3364]

That little nod to a Mr George...

[@paqshet4648]

No matter which bin you put the garbage in, it all goes in the same truck container!

[@CallMeJarv]

You could make it into a box van, or a dumpster on the back, maybe just a flatbed. Endless lol LEGO

[@niiinaa]

feels like a very easy modification to fix the issue of getting the trash cans out, but I can understand why it's annoying. If it's so easy to fix, it should have been done better in the first place..

[@nospam865]

2 by 2, hands of blue.

[@frogmouth2]

Okay ngl teal doesn’t work well in this one. Doesn’t contrast well against the white but the new pieces are nice.

[@chanunglim8048]

Doesn't it look a little similar to City 4432?

[@leg0liver194]

Eyecatching and great executed truck. But, there is the one difficulty with this set: It teachs to separate trash, but then it throw all into one compartment .. not good. And 3 trucks/sets will not fix it.

[@xdmellomarsh7165]

Idk how this will go in my city but I like the colours

[@LibyanSoup]

3 different types of recycling means you need 3 different refuse trucks. TLG want you to buy 3 of this set.

[@smhcoolguy5024]

Love this set but the garbage can is an annoying challenge

[@curtisjordan5303]

This is a good set for $30.00

[@nauscakes1868]

I like the FRIENDS recycling truck for 20 a lot better than this, lol. But they're both decent.

[@nauscakes1868]

Oh, that engine is a bold move for a company that's been pushing hard for electric vehicles, lol! I don't care about the politics. I just thought it was funny that they bucked the trend they've been working with. I was expecting a little lightning bolt printed piece and a charging port, lol!

[@luisemoralesfalcon4716]

I already have a waste disposal vehicle in my city but I need to see if I can accommodate a recycling vehicle unless, I already have one.

[@Mr-Wandsitch]

The passenger can’t hang on anywhere