JMBricklayer guide: A worthy Lego alternative?

It feels like the world of Lego alternatives is bigger and better than ever, and one brand that encapsulates that is JMBricklayer.

The Chinese brand is a relative newcomer to the brick-building scene, but it has a lot to offer for anyone looking for cheaper builds and unique experiences. However, it’s quite difficult to find information about the brand online.

To help, I put together this extensive guide to JMBricklayer based on my personal experience and information I’ve gathered first-hand from brand representatives.

Keep reading to learn more, or start shopping at the links below.

Shop sets (Amazon)

Shop sets (Website)

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What is JMBricklayer?

JMBricklayer is a Chinese toy company that specializes in making Lego-like building bricks. It was founded in 2022 in Shenzhen, China.

The company got its start by selling other brands’ sets manufactured in China, providing new boxing, instructions, shipping, and aftermarket support. Essentially, this business partnership allows JMBricklayer to sell cheaper brick-building sets to overseas clients.

As a consumer, this works out great. You get quality sets for less, with customer service that nearly matches Lego itself.

However, you may find the same sets sold by Nifeliz, Mould King, and other Chinese Lego alternatives. The only difference is the packaging and aftermarket support.

Also, the quality of the pieces and instructions varies from set to set, because they come from different brands. JMBricklayer does replace any pieces that Lego still has a patent for, but it doesn’t overhaul the set.

More recently JMBricklayer has begun releasing exclusive sets created by in-house designers. The first was the impressive 3-in-1 Medieval Catapult/Trebuchet/Crossbow set. There aren’t many companies outside of Lego making these 3-in-1 sets, and it’s something I’d love to see more of in the future.

Since then, the company has released many original sets covering a variety of themes. Check out the full list of exclusive models here.

Is JMBricklayer legit?

Yes, JMBricklayer is a legitimate company with legit products. Although it partners with “off-brand” Lego manufacturers, all products sold by the company are legal, and aftermarket support is excellent.

Furthermore, the company designs and sells its own sets, which speaks to its commitment to the hobby.

If you’re worried about the Paypal-only payment methods on the official website, don’t be. Most China-based alt-brick companies do this, and you can just as easily buy the same products through the JMBricklayer Amazon storefront if you’re not comfortable.

Are JMBricklayer sets worth it?

JMBricklayer sets are significantly cheaper than brand-name Lego sets and nearly the same quality, making them well worth the price.

For reference, JMBricklayer sets average around five to seven cents per piece, while Lego is closer to 10 cents per piece on average.

Generally, builds are of great quality, with good instructions and excellent clutch. Plus, if you do run into problems you can always reach out for support or replacement pieces.

That said, since the company works with different brick manufacturers, quality may vary slightly from set to set.

In my experience, JMBricklayer’s exclusive sets are great, although there is still some room for improvement. The 3-in-1 set, for example, uses the same basic carriage design for all three sets, which somewhat limits the fun of rebuilding.

For a more in-depth look at a JMBricklayer build, check out our full review of the Ghost Ship set.

How do they compare to Lego?

JMBricklayer sets use different manufacturers, but all of them offer comparable quality to Lego brand pieces. The fit and clutch are great, and it’s rare to encounter a missing or broken piece.

And again, it’s free to request a replacement.

One area that could use a little work is the instructions. Since these builds tend to use smaller pieces, it can be difficult to follow the instructions perfectly. Expect to backtrack as you build, especially if you’re new to alternative brick building sets.

If you want to see for yourself, you can check out all JMBricklayer instructions on the company’s website. Just navigate to the set you want to preview, then hop over to the Additional Information tab for a link to a PDF.

Best JMBricklayer themes and sets

JMBricklayer covers a wide variety of themes, from cars and pirate ships to flowers and swords for display.

With that in mind, the vast majority of JMBricklayer sets are aimed at adults and older teens. While Lego has Lego Duplo, JMBricklayer has no equivalent.

As mentioned above, some JMBricklayer sets can be purchased from other brands, but the company does sell a growing list of exclusive sets. It also makes it far easier to buy them, since you can order directly from their Amazon storefront or the official website. No sketchy AliExpress listings required.

JMBricklayer brick sets are divided into a few loose themes:

Cars
Ships
Trains
Construction
Military
Buildings
Home decor

Most of these have direct equivalents in Lego, such as Lego cars, Lego Architecture, and the Lego Botanical collection. Others, like military and ships, are very underserved in the Lego catalog.