Review : LEGO ART 31201 Harry Potter Hogwarts Crests

Today we are quickly interested in the LEGO ART set 31201 Harry Potter Hogwarts Crests, a box of 4249 pieces which will allow, from January 1, 2021, to reproduce the emblems of the four houses of Hogwarts (Hogwarts): the lion for Gryffindor, the badger for Hufflepuff, the eagle for Ravenclaw and the snake for Slytherin.

As you will have understood, the possibility of assembling four different mosaics with various dominant colors implies that the inventory is substantial and we therefore end up with more than 4200 pieces sorted by color in individual bags. However, the public price of the product does not change depending on the number of pieces, it is still 119.99 €.

To be honest, I was not thrilled by the individual interpretation of the different emblems. Fortunately the combination of four copies of the set saves the furniture with the possibility of assembling a very successful coat of arms. The other side of the coin: you will have to spend € 480 to proudly display this coat of arms in your living room.

Those who follow already know that this is not a puzzle but a simple 40 x 40 cm (48 x 48 studs) mosaic whose assembly is scripted using the instruction booklet provided. The parts are already sorted and the mechanics are the same as for the previous sets marketed in this range: nine plates on which we align parts, we collect these plates via a few Technic pins and we frame the whole.

The pleasant surprise comes from the nine plates delivered in this box: LEGO has solved the problem that created a very unpleasant ripple effect in the center of the element. The ones I received with my test copy of the set 31199 Marvel Studios Iron Man had a defect that I reported to the manufacturer. I had to return all of these modules to get a replacement, but the new copies received were not perfectly flat either.

Here, the hollow effect in the center of the module disappears permanently and that's a good thing, especially when crossing the mosaic in profile. In turn, the problem encountered prevented me from correctly clipping the white pieces on the back of each of the plates. For the new sets that will be marketed in January 2021, LEGO has chosen here to no longer use the central volume of each of the nine modules and to add parts at the junction of these different elements.

For the rest, those who have already invested in other products in the LEGO ART range will be on familiar ground with the added bonus of large areas of the same color which will reinforce the impression of working in the assembly line. For others, expect to be a bit bored lining up pieces and following the instructions to the letter. This range will not revolutionize the LEGO universe in terms of the evolution of assembly techniques and the 4 in 1 concept of this reference will, as usual, involve disassembly in order before moving on to the next model. The case is heard in less than three hours, unless you decide to align the LEGO mention on each of the parts very precisely.

The dismantling is here in principle facilitated by the super brick separator supplied which allows to extract the bricks four by four, but then you have to unhook them from the utensil itself. It is laborious and those who can afford four copies of this box would be well inspired to go directly to the assembly of the coat of arms. I remind for all intents and purposes that the instructions necessary for assembling the combined mosaic are not provided. You will need to download them in PDF format from the manufacturer's website and view them on a PC or tablet.

As with the rest of the range, LEGO provides a small 2x4 pad printed plate to be inserted into the lower corner of the mosaic. The manufacturer could have taken the opportunity to provide us with four different plates with the names of the different schools represented, but unfortunately we have to be satisfied with the generic mention "Harry Potter". Never mind.

Two hooks for fixing the construction to the wall are provided, but the frame easily fits on one of these fasteners. LEGO still does not provide an easel to present the construction on a piece of furniture without having to rest it on something and that's a shame.

I am not giving you a verse on the thematic audio podcast promised on the box and which is part of the overall "experience", it is not available at the time of this writing. We already know that it will only be available in English.

Unlike other mosaics in the LEGO ART range which are visually self-sufficient when taken individually, I'm not really convinced by the graphic bias used for the four individual emblems offered here and There is only the coat of arms which includes four copies of the set which seems to me really very successful. Every fan of the Harry Potter universe is used to finding affinities with one or the other of the Hogwarts schools, offering a single copy of the set, however, makes sense and should be enough to please.

The public price of these mosaics has something to put off some fans who will prefer to spend € 120 on other more interesting products to assemble. In any case, it will be necessary to know how to show a little patience to find this box at around 90 €, the 2020 references are already regularly offered at very attractive prices. on Amazon Germany.

Note: The set presented here, supplied by LEGO, is as usual in play. Deadline fixed at December 8, 2020 next at 23pm. 

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.