Nifeliz review and buyer’s guide: Top themes, best sets, and more

Let me start by saying that if you’ve never heard of Nifeliz, you’re not alone.

Unless you’re fully invested in searching for cost-effective brick-building brands, coming across Nifeliz sets or information on the company can be tricky, particularly considering the amount of Lego alternatives on the rise.

However, this is a pretty popular brand with a lot to offer, and we don’t want you to miss out — especially if you’re looking to build on a budget or take a break from pricey Lego sets.

That’s why we’ve put together this comprehensive Nifeliz review, covering all you need to know, including what to love about this brand.

Affiliate disclosure: Articles on Tiny Workshops may contain affiliate links.

What is Nifeliz?

Nifeliz is fairly new to the brick-building universe and offers an undeniably cheaper alternative to the one and only Lego.

While extensive details around its origin are unclear, Nifeliz was founded around 2019 and is based in Guangdong, China — the same location where Mould King and other popular alternative brick brands manufacture goods. This has been a major hub for the industry since the days of Lepin.

Funnily, despite being a Chinese brand, Nifeliz’s name is actually a combination of the Spanish words “Infancia” + “Feliz,” meaning “Happy Childhood.”

So what is Nifeliz all about?

Nifeliz is a toy brand that creates building sets and Lego clones under a variety of themes with the goal of providing a more cost-effective option for brick builders.

Although Nifeliz does create a few unique designs, the brand focuses primarily on replicating existing sets: especially Lego Technic models. Besides Lego lookalikes, you’ll also come across a few models that are very similar to those made by other popular Lego alternatives — although, in this scenario, it’s hard to say who’s copying who!

Regarding quality, Nifeliz bricks are pretty solid compared to other off-brand building blocks (or at least as good as one can expect, given the brand’s price point). On the other hand, if you’re a diehard Lego builder, you’re inevitably bound to notice some differences.

The good news is that Nifeliz bricks are compatible with Lego! This makes the brand an excellent pick if you’re looking to combine sets or source extra bricks.

When it comes to themes, Nifeliz cars receive the most attention (much like Lego Technic), but the brand features a number of categories to suit different interests. Below, I’ve listed the most popular, as well as some of the best Nifeliz sets per category.

It’s important to clarify that while not as revered as Lego, this isn’t a Lepin-like situation: Nifeliz products and branding are totally legitimate.

Overall, Nifeliz’s main selling point is its affordability while still providing a quality building experience for a much lower price than industry-leading brick-building names like Lego or Mega Brands.

Nifeliz vs. Lego

When comparing Nifeliz vs. Lego, the main thing to keep in mind is that Nifeliz is a budget brand. It does offer nice designs, but it’s simply never going to live up to Lego.

Pieces are good quality, but worse than Lego. Instructions are also worse, as is the company’s official website. That’s the price you pay for, well, the price.

That said, Nifeliz does have a few advantages apart from price, and that’s mostly due to its extensive catalog of themes, from botanical sets to military sets and more.

Check out our extensive Nifeliz vs Lego comparison article to learn more.

Are Nifeliz sets worth buying?

In our experience, Nifeliz sets have been well worth the price of entry. They offer creative build experiences for a much lower price than the leading brand.

That said, your exact experience will depend on the set you buy. Since Nifeliz works with different manufacturers and repackages some sets, the quality of the bricks and instructions will vary slightly.

For example, in our Nifeliz Succulents review we found the builds to be great, but the instructions for each plant were printed individually in each bag.

This is a sharp contrast with the gorgeous printed booklets you get with more expensive sets like the HOONIKEN model car set.

As a general rule though, Nifeliz sets are great quality, and the company offers excellent customer support if you happen to find any missing or damaged pieces.

Popular Nifeliz themes

Although Nifeliz shares a few themes with Lego, it does have a few categories of its own.

Below I’ve listed all of the categories under the brand.

• Large cars
• Mini cars
• Nifeliz home
• Military
• Trains
• Street View
• Sailing Ships
• Medieval Town
• Motorcycles
• Fossil
• Mecha

As mentioned above, most Nifeliz sets are reboxed from other manufacturers. This means you may be able to find them at other retailers. However, Nifeliz is generally priced very favorably, and they’re much more readily available on Amazon.

Nifeliz does make a small number of completely original sets, too. Here’s the full list as of October 2023:

• Nifeliz RI8 Race Car Set
• Nifeliz HOONIKEN Model Car Set
• Nifeliz Leopard II A4
• Nifeliz Big Boy Locomotive Display Set

You will not find these sets anywhere else.

Who is Nifeliz for?

While the majority of the brand’s sets are recommended for builders ages 16+, Nifeliz also makes more straightforward editions that are more than suitable for younger hobbyists with some experience under their belts.

So what exactly defines the brand’s age recommendations? I say it has more to do with theme vs. difficulty level.

Nifeliz is clearly a more adult-oriented brand, featuring categories children or young teens wouldn’t typically find appealing. For example, what kid resonates with a brick-built Espresso maker or imitation of a TIME magazine cover? Or a retro typewriter or decorative flowers?

Also, let’s not forget that Nifeliz sets are primarily for display vs. play.

On the other hand, the brand also features more child-friendly projects, from small dinosaur fossil sets and train models to fun astronaut structures, dynamic Nifeliz cars, pirate ships, and more. So why are these sets also recommended for builders ages 16+?

Ultimately, theme and project complexity levels aren’t always consistent across Nifeliz sets, which can be confusing — especially if you’re used to Lego. For instance, identifying Lego sets for adults from basic 3-in-1 Lego Creator sets is pretty much a no-brainer.

But with Nifeliz, this is a little harder to figure out. If you’re an adult entirely new to this creative hobby, a Nifeliz tank model, for example, may be age-appropriate but, in return, way over your head for your first project.

However, a 13-year-old with a lot of brick-building know-how may be able to put a 3000-piece Nifeliz tank together fuss-free. The issue? They’re maybe not too age-appropriate.

Therefore, when purchasing Nifeliz sets, I say go with your gut! Consider theme, design complexity, and piece number before going all in.

Another thing to keep in mind is that Nifeliz’s building instructions aren’t always crystal clear, which can be an added challenge for anyone, no matter their age or experience level.

For additional support, I highly recommend referring to Nifeliz’s YouTube channel: there’s a lot of helpful content on there for builders!

Best Nifeliz sets

It’s time to dive in and get a taste of some of the best Nifeliz sets!

Besides our top picks, we encourage you to explore each category further; there are a lot of cool Nifeliz building kits worth checking out, all for great prices we’re certain you don’t want to miss out on.

Nifeliz large car sets

We highly recommend these large Nifeliz cars if you’re all about Lego car sets.

This category features a diverse collection of cars to pick from, destined for hobbyists looking for challenging projects and stunning models for showcasing.

Nifeliz mini car sets

Much like the previous category, Nifeliz also makes mini car sets for young adults and up.

These building kits are perfect for collectors on the hunt for Lego-like sports, vintage, and supercar vehicles for display.

Nifeliz home sets

If you’re searching for creative ways to decorate your household or office, Nifeliz home sets offer a bunch of fun motifs for adults. They also make for very original gifts!

Floral replicas, unique designs of everyday devices, and decorative displays are only some of the out-of-the-box projects you can get your hands on.

Nifeliz street view sets

Nifeliz street view sets are an excellent, more budget-friendly choice than Lego Creator, Lego Harry Potter, and Lego Minecraft modular sets.

While some models are very similar (read: identical) to Mould King’s architect building sets, this theme has a great selection of structures you can mix and match with other brands for impressive displays.

Nifeliz Medieval Town sets

Nifeliz’s medieval town theme provides entertaining brick-building sets for hobbyists who enjoy immersive projects and references of another time.

You’ll also find some of the brand’s largest and most recent releases under this category!

Nifeliz Mecha sets

Nifeliz mecha sets are all about realistic, intricate features and robot-inspired designs.

This is the perfect pick if you’re a fan of more elaborate Lego Technic sets, unique bricks, dynamic parts, and challenging building sessions.

Nifeliz fossils sets

Check out these fantastic dinosaur-themed fossil models for hobbyists ages 16+. As some of the brand’s smallest, more basic structures, these sets provide the perfect project for beginners.

The best part? They’re also some of the most affordable Nifeliz sets available — not to mention sure conversation starters.

Nifeliz military sets

This category provides history buffs and war memorabilia enthusiasts hyperrealistic replicas of army vehicles, from aircraft to tanks, to recreate battles and historical events.

Note that this is not a theme developed by Lego. Adults can also find similar models through other Lego alternatives, such as Sluban and Cobi.

Nifeliz train sets

Brick-building train sets are typically pretty complex, which also means, on the pricey side. However, Nifeliz train sets offer the best of both worlds: excellent design and fair value.

Nifeliz ship sets

Nifeliz ships are some of the brand’s most popular models, targeted at builders ages 16+.

Packed with detail, these are some of the brand’s largest and most complex structures, best suited for longtime brick builders and challenge-seeking hobbyists.

Nifeliz motorcycle sets

If you’re interested in motorcycle models in addition to Nifeliz cars, this is the perfect place to explore them! You’ll discover various options in this category that are cheaper than Lego motorcycle sets and just as impressive for display.

One model I particularly like is the R125GX Motorcycle — a great choice if you’re up for a build that will have you breaking a sweat!

FAQs

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That’s it for this comprehensive buyer’s guide for Nifeliz! If you have any other questions, feel free to drop them in the comments below, and we’ll address them as soon as possible.