LEGO Quality for Half the Cost?! Funwhole Lakeside Lodge Review

[@NewBrickerton]

Thanks again to Funwhole for the opportunity. See the links below to order with a discount!: Amazon pick $10 off on the page $5 extra coupon: PRRC2TY2 Short link: t.ly/JSmZ Funwhole Store 10% off coupon: Funwhole04 short link: t.ly/z4LP

[@FiberglassUnicorn]

it's great seeing a lego reviewer/channel NOT putting down 3rd party sets. it's honestly refreshing as someone starting to make an city/town and not wanting to spend an arm and a leg :)

[@NewBrickerton]

Really appreciate this comment, thank you!! It's a struggle starting out when you see people who have collected LEGO buildings for years.

[@FiberglassUnicorn]

@@NewBrickerton yeah ive mostly collected the classics lines for simple buildings(part of me is trying to make mu own "Lego Island" with the use of the sets from the OG game). Ive bought a few recent sets for next to nothing... But the modular buildings... OOOF I'd def rather go through a 3rd party and read reviews. Any sets you've listed are bookmarked or in my cart in bulk on AliExpress/Amazon just so i can combine them or something lol

[@tomm2213]

Easy to make a removable wall to cover the back

[@SaadForGaming7]

From just the intro, this set seems magical Can't believe the value! Thank you for reviewing this, I'll surely check it out, very perfect.

[@KrissFighta2]

All is said. But thanks again.

[@NewBrickerton]

thank you very much!! It is super cool.

[@Eidolon1andOnly]

I love how they didn't skimp on the foliage pieces. Lego in recent years barely includes any plant or foliage pieces in their sets, same with landscape pieces in general. I would have liked to see you do a clutch power compatibility test between Fun Whole and Lego pieces as well as color comparisons between pieces. Great overview and review nonetheless. I'll definitely be looking into making a purchase of this set and look forward to seeing what else Fun Whole comes out with.

[@KrissFighta2]

That really is a relevant comment! I fully agree with your observations. Anyway, the time when there was no real competition is over and excellent ideas now pop from all around the place. Even beautiful buildings like these, when the main brand has become unaffordable for many. Definitely need to check this new brand out.

[@Eidolon1andOnly]

@@KrissFighta2 Lego deserves some good competition, for far too long they've dominated this style of snap together vrick building construction toys. I've been building with Lego since I was 3, and have Lego pieces 34 years old or older since I first started playing and building (I'm 37 now), and I've noticed both the quality and value of Lego sets diminish over the past 3 decades since I started. One thing I noticed was their lack of including plant pieces, but other things I've found is some of their new colors are more brittle, brown and pearlescent gold pieces especially. I have Lego dating back to the 70s and 80s that are just as strong and durable today as they were brand new, and I have brand new 2022 pieces break on me from normal use! I've had gold pieces break just from trying to remove them from another piece! Compare that to 34 year old pieces that went through much more torture at the hands of a young child wwho used to build vehicles and crash them into walls to watch the cars explode and still never broke a piece! Lego also strayed away from its original and creative themes in favor of licensed properties like Marvel, DC, Disney, and Universal Pictures (like Harry Potter and Jurassic World). Those paid for licenses also translate to the prices of the sets. I've also noticed fewer play features in their larger sets compared to large sets from the 80s-early 2000s, and fewer minifigs included in the newer larger sets from 20+ years ago. Even their newer iterations of Mindstorms are not as versatile in terms of custom programming as the original Mindstorms sets. I absolutely love Lego, always have and always will, and it's from that love which makes these more recent flaws so obvious. I especially don't like their new train system which relies solely on batteries, when the original train sets came with metal tracks and a power modulator that can be plugged into the wall or work on batteries. Not only did that power modulator work for trains, but for any power functions Lego had at the time, including the later addition of the first Mindstorms! We weren't limited to batteries and faced with buying or recharging batteries once the charge ran out. I'm glad to see new companies picking up where Lego left off, as well as offering things Lego hasn't offered before or likely to in the future.

[@NewBrickerton]

For sure - I love your ideas of comparing directly to LEGO. Wish I'd thought of that. If I do more reviews, I definitely will! Thank you.

[@hllyenaylleth9576]

@@Eidolon1andOnly I'm not sure about new pieces, yet the quality sets of Lego about a decade and before is still really good. The last decade or so has mostly been lacking. Competition might not be a good thing for Lego quality, it is probably more likely Lego would cut costs to by making lesser products and banking on their name. Hope not, yet it is probable due to greed.

[@skjoldar_skildpadden]

Die Teile von QiZhiLe, die FunWhole hier in diesem Set nutzt, sind von guter Qualität, aus neuen Gusswerkzeugen, die denen von GoBricks auffällig gleichen und dennoch von denen verschieden sind. Zu erkennen ist dies rückseitig an den Teilenummern. Die Steine und Teile sind normal kompatibel zu denen von Lego. Sie klemmen gut. Die Farben entsprechen weitestgehend dem Farbspektrum von Lego bzw GoBricks. Farbabweichungen in Nuancen sind denkbar, ich habe aber bislang keine wahrgenommen. 🤓

[@myrramyrra6202]

That tiny black lamp is a genius design - only 4 pieces but so cool looking.

[@Eidolon1andOnly]

I believe the lack of a back wall is more of a means of peering into the build without having to remove the roof or second floor rather than a play feature.

[@NewBrickerton]

Good idea! I think not including a back wall is normal. I just think people are used to having 4 walls with the LEGO modular buildings, but with the lights it makes sense to have more room to see in and appreciate the details. Thank you!

[@ArachnidEdits_]

It should still be optional for person preference:/ Good set tho

[@WMproductions8]

I’m definitely buying this or the wood cabin!

[@NewBrickerton]

Awesome! I hope you like it. Thanks for the comment!

[@clynn4802]

Love this company!’

[@blackjackmack4709]

Dang, I always love the non-lego sets trying to make their own unique brick separators😂

[@NewBrickerton]

I know haha. This one isn't too bad, but I do like their tweezers. Thanks for the comment man!

[@caloutaro]

Hey man!! Thank you to show up a new company who made bricks. I think Funwhole can make minifigs like lego, cause, when I've seen the torso in the cabin, it's look like a real lego torso minifigs. Anyway that's an awesome set!!😄

[@funwhole]

Funwhole minifigures are coming soon.

[@caloutaro]

@@funwhole 😱😱 Can't wait to see it in review!!😄

[@NewBrickerton]

You're right! Glad they are making minifigs. Thanks for the comment!

[@skjoldar_skildpadden]

Funwhole produziert doch gar nicht selbst. Die Steine und Teile in diesem Set kommen von QiZhiLe und ähneln dabei auffällig denen von GoBricks, einerseits sehr löblich, andererseits verwirrend. Dennoch gut, dass QiZhiLe in neue Gusswerkzeuge investiert. Und schickes Set von FunWhole hier. 🤓🤗

[@skjoldar_skildpadden]

@@funwhole Achtung bei den Figuren wegen dem 3D Markenschutz in Deutschland. 🤔🤗 Und 3D Markenschutz ist nicht das gleiche wie Designschutz. Ist wichtig.

[@amandaegui2700]

Cool! I can wait to build my own... My husband buy this set for my for my birthday... Unfortunately my birthday is in 3 weeks!! I live in Germany and this is the first set that I can get delivered hire, I want to try bluebrix! It will be cool if you tried to

[@Volvo740Ro]

Very cool!

[@NewBrickerton]

Yes! Thanks Volvo!

[@playgamer_0626]

it's beautiful

[@NewBrickerton]

Yes! Thank you!

[@8BitPasta]

Hey mate, you should try the Steamed Bun shop from Cada and the Christmas coffee house from loz mini. 👊

[@LegoBricks.19]

I love this lodge..... 😍😍

[@capibaradelboca47]

Your edition is so cool

[@KrissFighta2]

Totally. I wish you keep expanding your city and present it to us.

[@NewBrickerton]

Thank you!

[@Jedi.Toby.M]

Wow, nice! I've had my share of struggles with adding lights to lego. Experience helps, but I always recommend building the set after you get your light kit...it can be somewhat difficult especially for the larger sets like the Hogwarts castle. Great content mate! Cheers form northern Canada!

[@daylightbricks]

Very nice building 👍

[@NewBrickerton]

Yes, it is! Thank you!

[@Radiantwear3]

yes!

[@LeeZerUK]

Nice little set and very well dressed with all the extra bits all over. Lego with their recent massive price hike has really upset me as an adult who's been collecting and building for like 33yrs. Literally the only set this year I think that's reasonably priced is 31122 (which also looks awesome with the 3rd party light kit)

[@Cal934]

So cool

[@NewBrickerton]

For sure. Thank you!

[@mike28486]

Is there anyway to add a timer on it?

[@NewBrickerton]

Good question. I'm not sure. I'd need someone who is more familiar with LEGO LED's to comment. You would need a timer that would plug in to Funwhole's specific connections which I believe are standardized but I'm not 100% sure.

[@LeeZerUK]

Looks like the led circuit is simply connected to the battery house via a USB-a cable. I'd guess by just swapping the battery housing for usb wall adapter and then through a holiday plug timer, you'd then get the lights coming on and off whenever you set the timer

[@fidgetsbricks]

I have the wood cabin set, I just say the build is incredible, I hate the copper plates, my dormer windows won’t connect and the second floor does not light up half the time. I would buy this set if I didn’t have problems with the wood cabin.

[@Q_isp]

No way this has 75 views this should be at 75,000

The video was just uploaded what do you expect also why would a review on lepin get 75k

[@NewBrickerton]

Thank you!!

[@thepostofficeprince8819]

I have the jack and the beanstalk set by the same company

[@florian6259]

Imagine a world where lego sets don't have the minifigs inside. I don't think that we would see lego sets as as awesome as a set like this one at all.

[@NewBrickerton]

True that my friend! Great news, Funwhole is let me know they are also in the process of developing minifigures. I think later sets will have them, they just weren't done yet for this one.

[@florian6259]

@@NewBrickerton I'm curious to see those !

[@danjal87nl]

Wow, if they only had 3 sets on offer in August 2022 they've really gotten to work. While pricing does seem a little all over the place between sets respective to piececount (and especially when you compare US amazon and EU amazon listings or their own website), there's multiple themes with half a dozen sets per theme now.

[@NewBrickerton]

They are going to work for sure. I'm excited about their Town Life theme which is brand new, I'm currently finishing reviews to two of their newer sets that I'll post soon!

[@anonymousfilipino5464]

Hey!!!

[@NewBrickerton]

Hey!!!! You were first!

[@yourfavouritenerd]

This looks really, really good, but not designing this from the ground up with hiding all the cables in mind seems like a real missed opportunity.

[@NewBrickerton]

Very true. They are listening to the community and fixing this in their new builds, the newest one has much better techniques to hide the cables.

[@clochardruelle]

Fun hole huh?

🍑

[@chumley307]

Seems like a really high quality knock-off brand. Thanks for the review! Curious... are they based in China?

[@skjoldar_skildpadden]

@ funwhole hat nichts mit Lepin aka Xingbao aka Meizhi zu tun, auch wenn sie wie viele andere Set-Hersteller ihren Hauptsitz in China haben.

[@skjoldar_skildpadden]

Funwhole fällt nicht in die Kategorie eines Knock-off brands.

[@Go_go_gadget]

@@skjoldar_skildpadden they do tho

[@7DadJ0kes7]

Does funwhole have an app with digital instructions like Lego?

[@MrArcticHunter]

i love none lego. ive got a lot of this stuff and it dose look amazing,

[@Radiantwear3]

second comment!

[@NewBrickerton]

Yes you are!! Congratulations, and thank you!!

[@Helena20254]

Funwhole as well as other Chinese Co., copy and reproduce other well known companies, NO thanks FUNWHOLE Co.,Ltd Company Address: Unit 301, Jinxia Creative Industrial Park, No 8, Jiangxia North 4th Road, Baiyun District, Guangzhou，China.

[@NewBrickerton]

I definitely know there is some copying out there, but Funwhole's sets seem pretty unique? I am not aware of any designs that they have stolen, but thank you for the heads up.

[@skjoldar_skildpadden]

Wo kopiert den hier FunWhole? FunWhole hat nichts mit Lepin, LeLe oder Bela zu tun, die Lego Sets kopieren. Auch nicht mit MouldKing, Rael/Super 18K, Mork/UrGe, JieStar und Juhang, die MOCs kopieren.

[@hllyenaylleth9576]

Why is the company called FunWhole. Such a horrible name, for a few reasons. An important reason is the name is not descriptive for what they sell. Would've been better as BrickableFun.

[@nizamifaz1107]

and where does Lego's name describe what they sell?

[@hllyenaylleth9576]

​@@nizamifaz1107 At the time of Lego's inception, the name was off putting, and thus more easily distinguished as a toy builder. That was back when businesses commonly had names that distinguished their craft or goods for sale. Now adays that isn't so, and with business being named all sorts of different names now. It's better to be more direct in one way or another. Lego of course has the history and brand recognition that sets it out modernly. Basically though, the time of Lego's inception, is drastically different then the time of FunWhole's inception. There isn't much of a comparison anyway.

[@skjoldar_skildpadden]

@@hllyenaylleth9576 Es steht im Raum (Redewendung), das Lego ihren Namen von der Firma ELGO entlehnt hatten. Lego selbst bezieht sich auf die Formulierung "spiel gut", dänisch: leg godt. Die Wahrheit wird wohl irgendwo dazwischen liegen. 🤓

[@robslifting4life]

If it doesn't say LEGO on it. It's not LEGO. End of story.

[@NewBrickerton]

captain obvious, it's good to see you