Review : LEGO Ideas 21327 Typewriter

A few hours before the product's availability in VIP preview, we are now quickly interested in the LEGO Ideas set. 21327 Typewriter, a box of 2079 pieces sold at the public price of 199.99 € which allows to assemble a vintage typewriter with the false tunes of Silverette II or Remington Portable.

For those who do not follow, know that this product is the culmination of the quest to 10.000 supporters launched in October 2019 by fan designer Steve Guinness via his project Lego typewriter, journey which ended in June 2020 with the official validation of the project in the review phase. LEGO then seized the idea and added a layer of homemade "legend" by imagining a product that could have sat on the desk of the founder of the brand.

Many fans would be tempted to compare this typewriter to the piano from the LEGO Ideas set. 21323 Grand Piano and put it away a bit quickly in the section of uninteresting lifestyle items. Fans of fortified castles, pirate ships or spaceships will probably have no affinity with this new take on an existing object in LEGO sauce, but I think this typewriter still has some interesting arguments to consider. to argue.

It already has the merit of being almost on the scale of a real one: with 27 cm wide by 26 cm deep and 11 cm high, we are building here an object that could easily pass for a portable machine. It is especially the ultra-simplified keyboard that betrays the LEGO version, with three rows of keys instead of four and the glaring absence of the series of numbers usually placed at the top of the typing module.

LEGO has chosen to offer this model with a shell in Sand green, a shade of green very popular with LEGO fans, and especially those looking to reproduce the set at a lower cost 10185 Green Grocer marketed in 2008. Unfortunately, you won't have to rely on this typewriter to get the 50 1x8 bricks Sand green necessary for assembling the walls of the Structure in question, the shell of the object does not include any. We will console ourselves with the two wings of Porsche 911 provided here in Sand green.

The shade chosen for this machine is a good idea that gives a little color to an object that could have looked a little sad if the manufacturer had kept the color initially offered by Steve Guinness on the LEGO Ideas platform. However, it was to be expected, the dressing of this typewriter is far from uniform with variations in color on all sides. Some will be satisfied with this by invoking, with a little bad faith, the vintage effect that results from this mixture of greens, I see above all the inability of LEGO to solve a recurring problem. Even the official visuals, however very elaborate, cannot hide these differences in color ...

I saw some who imagined a little quickly to be able to benefit from a "real" typewriter: This machine does not write anything, it just allows to pretend. Pressing the keys on the keyboard triggers the tilting of the single mobile hammer installed in the basket and the latter comes, almost every time, to strike the false ink ribbon. Since this is the only movable arm of the product, LEGO has therefore logically installed no letter on this element, it is necessary to be satisfied with two visible studs.

It should also be noted that only the keys flanked by a letter operate the integrated mechanism. The other keys are useless, except to pretend. Even the spacebar isn't functional, it's just loosely dampened to sound like a real one.

The carriage mounted on four ECTO-1 shock absorbers (10274 ref) or Ducati Panigale V4 R (ref. 42107) is functional, it moves over the stroke via the integrated escape mechanism and the effect is very realistic. Do not rely too much on the lever which should in principle allow it to be put back into position at the end of the line, the handle will remain in your hand almost every time and you will have to push the carriage back by pushing on the cylinder body.

A rather interesting detail: the noise emitted by the machine is very close to that of a real machine. The designers recently explained that they were surprised by this similarity between the toy and a real model, it is quite impressive on arrival and this sound rendering really contributes to the playful "experience" offered by the product.

Even though the carriage cylinder can be rotated via the barrel placed on the right to insert a sheet of paper, it does not automatically spin on itself when typing and you always write on the same line. The paper feed when inserting a sheet is provided by two tires, the solution is effective, it works every time.

All these functions are available thanks to the integration of a relatively complex mechanism which ensures both the setting in motion of the single character bar and the synchronized movement of the carriage. In practice, the central keys located in the middle row are the most responsive, as soon as you move away towards the edges of the keyboard the misfires are more present with a hammer which struggles to reach the ribbon and a carriage which refuses sometimes to move up a notch.

I specify that the ink ribbon is a piece of fixed fabric that does not wind in the two black slots and that the ink color selection button has no effect, it is just there to look pretty.

You will have understood it by comparing the official visuals and the photos which I propose to you here, the keyboard is presented by default in QWERTY, but you can organize the keys as you see fit. I logically tried to respect the AZERTY layout, with a few keys. Each of the keys is pad printed and this is good news for the durability of the product, even if there are some technical faults with several keys whose pattern is not perfectly centered on the support. Do not look for the font used by the designer, it does not exist and the letters have been specially designed for this product.

Two stickers are to be stuck on the shell of this typewriter, they both benefit from a beautiful metallic effect and give the product a little cachet. The background color of the facade sticker is not matched but we will do with it. On the back of the machine, the serial number of the product consists of initials referring to the maxim "Never Give Up On Your Dreams".

To refine the staging on your shelves and flatter your fan ego who can afford a fake typewriter for 200 €, LEGO is adding in the box a small notebook in A5 format which contains the same letter written by Thomas Kirk Kristiansen, great-grandson of the founder and chairman of the group's board of directors, translated into 43 languages. You tear off the one that's right for you and you can pretend to type it yourself. I scanned you the document in question (see above).

Although some of the steps in assembling this typewriter seemed a bit laborious, such as the construction of the keyboard, the object left a better impression than the voiceless piano from the LEGO Ideas set. 21323 Grand Piano which did not have much to offer without the presence of a smartphone.

Here, the product is sufficient on its own, with its partial but fun features and despite the few flaws that I have noted. I was one of those who were not very enthusiastic when the project validation was announced and I must admit that after a few days of having fun with this machine which is not just a simple model, I finds a certain charm in him.

This typewriter wrapped in a marketing wrapper that refers to the legend of the LEGO group is above all an excellent advertisement for the brand which once again is freeing itself from its status as a simple manufacturer of expensive toys to hunt down a clientele. adult looking for originality.

The trompe-l'oeil is almost perfect here, we are talking more about this product than the fiftieth LEGO Star Wars ship marketed by LEGO and the goal has already been reached for the manufacturer. If this set is met with an esteemed success, it is not so serious, it is above all proof that LEGO still manages to surprise. That the AFOLs amateurs of spaceships and cars who remain skeptical in front of this green typewriter do not take offense, this product is not for them anyway.

Note: The set presented here, provided by LEGO, is as usual involved. Deadline fixed at 28th June 2021 next at 23pm. For newcomers, know that you just need to post a comment to participate in the draw.

Update : The winner was drawn and was notified by email, his nickname is indicated below. Without a response from him to my request for contact details within 5 days, a new winner will be drawn.