POP MART THE Monsters Forest Secret Base Series Blocks - Juice Maker, Labubu Building Toy Set, Interactive Building Toy for Kids, Boys, and Girls

Why it's worth it

The Forest Secret Base blocks set is a Labubu-themed construction kit with three posable minifigures. It's the one product here that gives you something to do for an afternoon instead of something to open in ten seconds.

This is the pick for anyone tired of the blind box loop. You know exactly what you're getting, and you spend a couple of hours putting it together. The Juice Maker set is a brick-built scene with three small posable monster figures included. Parents describe building it alongside a kid as the actual point — the collectible arrives at the end, not the beginning.

The pieces snap together like the bricks you already know, and owners consistently call out the detail work on the finished scene. It's a chunky set at roughly 3.4 pounds and about 11 inches across, so it holds a shelf on its own. If you already own plush pendants, this gives them somewhere to live rather than dangling off a bag hook.

From our review of 5 labubu figures and blind boxes, by Chloe Miller, Lifestyle & Trends Editor

What we like

• +This is the pick for anyone tired of the blind box loop
• +The pieces snap together like the bricks you already know, and owners consistently call out the detail work on the finished scene
• +Pop Mart runs a replacement system for missing pieces — you scan a QR code on the packaging or manual and follow the prompts

What to know

• –It's harder than the packaging suggests
• –It's a display object, not a playset