What are the best Lord of the Rings Lego sets? Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings series was released in the early noughties, and yet 20 years later there is still a massive cult following. The story of underdog Frodo embarking on an adventure with loyal Samwise has ricocheted through the ages and will be loved for decades to come. No wonder Lego has released so many sets in its honor.
We have condensed all the fabulous The Lord of the Rings Lego sets into a neat and tidy list for you. We only talk about the sets that are worth it – just like in our lists of the best Lego sets overall, or the best Star Wars Lego sets.
The best Lord of the Rings Lego sets in 2023:
1. Rivendell
The most beautiful Lego Lord of the Rings set.
“Did you hear that? Rivendell. We’re going to see the elves!” With the Rivendell set you can see the elves too, in Lego form that is. This set is one of the largest sets on the market with a whopping 6167 pieces. If you fancy a challenge and a project that you can dive into this is the best The Lord of the Rings Lego set for you.
This set comes with 15 Minifigures. LEGO-las, Gandalf the Grey, Frodo (with the one ring), and Boromir, just to name a few. The idea is that you can recreate your favorite scenes from the movies. Perhaps you will relive the scene when it is doubtful if Frodo knows Legolas’s name! This set comes in three sections. The council ring, the tower and bridge, and the river with a gazebo. You can display the set as one or you can divide it up into segments.
This set is beautifully designed. It is adorned with autumnal leaves, pastel roof tiles, paintings, and statues which personify the eloquence of the elves. This set is practically identical to its onscreen depiction. Oh, and you can even purchase a light set to brighten up Rivendell. This set is magical – the one set to rule them all.
2. The Council of Elrond
The best set for hidden secrets.
If you fancy recreating the famous council scene where Aragorn professes to Frodo “You have my sword” and beloved Gimili affirms “and my axe,” but don’t want to commit to the Rivendell set, then The Council of Elrond offers a good compromise. Released in 2013 this is now retired but can still be purchased on sites like Amazon.
You can tell that this inspires the later Rivendell set. It is embellished with green and orange foliage and colored roof tiles to add that touch of elven majesty. Of course, it is a smaller set and so contains less detail, but it comes with 4 Minifigures; Frodo Baggins, Elrond, Arwen, and Gimli. It also comes with the one ring, Sting, a sword, and an axe.
There are also some hidden secrets. Underneath the tree is a button, when pressed Sauron’s flaming eye is revealed perhaps subtly conveying Sauron’s power over the ring. You can also use this function to launch Gimli off the platform and reenact the scene where Gimili tries to smash the ring with his axe. How fun!
3. Aragorn & Arwen Brick Headz
The most adorable The Lord of the Rings Lego set.
For those of us rooting for Aragorn and Arwen’s love, this set is perfect for you. Inspired by the wedding scene from The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (2003) comes these adorable Brick Headz figures. They are the perfect subtle tribute to an iconic series.
The Brick Headz range is renowned for its detail and the Aragorn and Arwen set is no different. Aragorn is emblazoned with his crown while Arwen has her delicate Elven tiara. Both headpieces are metallic silver and feature printed bricks and tiles rather than stickers which is fabulous as prints cannot be applied diagonally!
These figures make for great presents. (An even cuter wedding present for a The Lord of the Rings fanatic.) They won’t offer a challenge to build as they only have 261 pieces but pop them on a mantle piece, on your work desk, or anywhere that needs some majesty. If you like this set you can also purchase Frodo and Gollom or Gandalf the Grey and the Balrog.
4. Gandalf Arrives
The most quaint The Lord of the Rings set.
This set may be small, but it has a lot of character. Just looking at this set transforms the mind to the Shire with Gandalf and Frodo on their way to Bilbo’s 111th birthday celebrations. It contains 83 pieces and takes around 20 minutes to complete and so offers no building challenge. But it is a tidy set that depicts the iconic scene.
It contains two Minifigures, Gandalf the Grey and Frodo Baggins. Both of these Minifigures are very detailed. Gandalf comes with a cloth cloak, textured beard, and decals used on the torso to create the creased robed look and belt. Gandalf even comes with his staff. As a hobbit, Frodo has shorter legs and comes with a reversible head so that you can change his expression. He also carries an envelope. The envelope containing the one ring perhaps?
The carriage itself is pretty standard but it is equipped with fireworks, just like in the film. Of course, the set comes complete with a horse which a Lego figure can click into. It is a retired set and so can be trickier to find, but it is still available on sites like Amazon.
5. The Mines of Moria
The best set for cave trolls.
To quote Boromir “They brought a cave troll!” and yes, this set comes with a cave troll. This figure is what makes this set so unique. This figure is massive compared to the standard 4cm tall Minifigure. The troll comes with a chain around its neck and a massive club and is very detailed with spots on its back. It comes with 8 more Minifigures; Boromir, Gimli, Legolas, Pippin, 2 Moria Orcs, and 2 skeletons. This set is worth it alone for the Minifigures for sure.
This set is relatively small with 776 pieces but looks impressive. The set comes with an array of Lego weapons. You can view the set from the outside to see the gates or view it from the inside to see the tomb. There are even levers that allow you to knock down the pillars, meaning you can reenact the tomb caving in.
This set was released in 2012 and so is now retired but can still be found on websites like Amazon for around £350. This can be considered steep, but remember this is a 13-year-old set. “You shall not pass!” on this wonderful The Lord of the Rings Lego set.
6. The Battle of Helm’s Deep
Reenact the most iconic Legolas and Gimli moments.
“Shall I describe it to you, or would you like me to find you a box?” Well, we can certainly describe this set to you, but if you fancy purchasing it, you can have the box too! This set contains 1368 pieces and gosh it is a fabulous set well with the money if you are a huge fan of the series. After all, the battle at Helm’s Deep is iconic.
The castle is made up of six sections which all slot together using pins. This makes the set nice and simple to build. That being said, the set is predominantly grey and so can offer a challenge when finding specific pieces. From a bird’s eye view, this set looks magnificent. Looks aside, this set also has a lot of functional aspects. It features an exploding wall, a side door attack function, and a catapult so you can toss Gimli into battle.
This set comes with eight minifigures; Gimli, Haldir, King Theoden, Berserker Uruk-hai, and three Uruk-hai. It also includes a whole bunch of Lego weapons to reenact the battle. Oh, and it comes with a horse too!
7. Tower of Orthanc
The most detailed Lord of The Rings Lego set.
“The world is changing. Who now has the strength to stand against the armies of Isengard… and Mordor? To stand against the might of Sauron and Saruman… and the union of the Two Towers!” This set is incredible. Not only do you get Saruman’s tower, but you also get an ent and the eagle which Gandalf uses to escape. This set is massive and makes for a fantastic display item. You could even display this in a special display case to keep it safe from dust and dander.
This set has six detailed floors. Each floor is very close to its onscreen depiction. For instance, the attic features the three staffs of the missing wizards and the two keys of the Two Towers. Saruman’s throne room contains the all-powerful palantir which even lights up with the use of a Lego light brick! Incredible. Externally, it is very much on the money too. This tower is incredibly detailed and offers somewhat of a building challenge with its 2359 pieces.
Did we mention that the ent even has poseable limbs? It even comes with five minifigures, Saruman, Grima Wormtongue, Gandalf the Grey, Uruk-hai, and an Orc Pitmaster. What a stupendous set!
8. Shelob’s Attack
This is the scariest The Lord of the Rings Lego set.
Scared of spiders? Well, Shelob is certainly not one to be reckoned with… even in Lego form. This set is small with only 227 pieces, but it comes with 3 Minifigures, Frodo, Samwise, and Gollum. Both Frodo and Samwise feature reversible heads so you can change their expression. Gollum is a very unique Minifigure with his hunched back and his facial expression is just perfect… unlike the PC Lord of the Rings Gollum.
Of course, the set’s main event is the giant spider herself, Shelob. The model of Shelob is quite impressive. Her legs are poseable in many different places, her mouth moves and the rear of her body moves up and down and from side to side. Why not display her leaping to attack? She even has a retractable string web. Have Frodo caught in her web just like in the film.
Even more impressive is the amount of accessories that come with this set. Gollum comes with a silverfish for his dinner. The iconic Lego one ring, the notorious Elven sword Sting and the light of Ëarendil are also included!
How to pick the best The Lord of the Rings Lego sets
When putting this list together, we wanted to feature the most colorful or visually interesting sets. In terms of building complexity, there are a range of sets in this guide, some of which are a challenge to build, while others offer a more relaxing experience.
A movie-based Lego set must reflect on-screen accuracy. We want to see our favorite scenes depicted in Lego correctly. We also chose sets with the most or best Minifigures, for extra fun factor.
If these price tags are a little too steep, we recommend looking at our list of the best cheap Lego sets. If you want more Lord of the Rings in your life, read our guides on the best MTG Lord of the Rings commanders, or the best Lord of the Rings board games – we’ve got some good recommendations.