LEGO Creator 3-in-1 31169 Typewriter with Flowers [Review]

LEGO Creator 3-in-1 sets are great for builders with less experience as they provide instructions for multiple models using the same limited number of parts. They are also usually a good source for new or re-colored parts. The latest wave of sets coming out on January 1st is a good example, introducing several new parts in a few colors, and unlike some of the previous waves that were mostly the same color range, each of the sets in this wave features different colors. LEGO Creator 3-in-1 31169 Typewriter with Flowers includes 363 pieces and will be available on January 1st for US $29.99 | CAN $39.99 | UK £24.99

The LEGO Group provided The Brothers Brick with an early copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.

Unboxing the parts and instructions

The front of the small rectangular box features the main model of the typewriter with flowers prominently with smaller images of the other two modes below the 3-in-1 branding. On the back of the box, the three models are featured more equally sized, from different angles.

Inside the box there are 3 paper parts bags of various sizes and three instruction booklets, one for each model. There is a small sticker sheet with three single lines of type which can be switched out on the sheet of LEGO paper included.

The build

Typewriter with flowers

The typewriter starts out with a stadard base of stacked plates with outward-facing studs for the front and sides to attch later. The back of the base is filled in with rail bricks to allow the carriage to slide back and forth. Pink bricks and tiles are added along the back and sides, along with four curved parts that will support the typewriter keys at a slight angle.

The keys are made of rounded tiles attached to standard and jumper plates to create the iconic three rows oif keys plus the shift, space bar, and return keys along the bottom row.

The key assembly rests on the gray curved parts and is loosely anchored by putting bar elements through the Technic bricks on each side.

The front and sides of the typewriter are atteched along with the rest of the body,

Finally, the carriage with a partial “sheet” of white paper with one of the three stickered tiles attached finishes off the main build.

The typewriter is then decorated with a variety of small flowers.

Keytar and stand

The next model is somewhat nostalgic 80’s build: a pink keytar, a portable keyboard with a strap like a guitar (this model does not include a strap). The model starts with a wide structure for the main keys. A few colored elements serve as controls.

A long pink neck with a few smaller keys attaches to one side.

The stand is a pretty basic structure with a small central shaft for the keytar to lean against which is decorated with a few simple flowers. Finally, a blue butterfly is added.

One of the sticked tiles is attached to a small notepad build that stands on its own next to the keytar stand.

Vase and notepad

The simplest of the three models is a pink pot with flowers. The pot starts out with a fairly simple core of outward-facing studs to which two assymetrical facades are attached to form the base of the pot.

The top of the pot is more squared off, and a variety of plant elements and green modified tiles are attached.

Three small flowers are built using the magenta eggshell bottoms.

A slightly larger yellow flower is next, followed by the larger blue-petaled flower with a yellow-orange flower element at the center.

Then we build a simple pen or mechanical pencil and a single notebook sheet using your choice of the three text stickers.

The finished model

The finished typewriter packs a lot of detail into a fairly small model. The keytar is accurate, if a bit obscure, and the pot with flowers is a fun build that would fit right in with displays of much larger botanical sets. While there were not many surprises in the build process, the set makes great use of available parts to create 3 distinct display sets.

Conclusions and recommendations

In my opinion, the Creator 3-in-1 sets are great for a few reasons. The variety of parts (often featuring newer molds and new colors) are a great source of useful parts for building your own creations at a decent price. They are also a good opportunity for newer builders to learn how to use a small number of parts in different ways. This set is no exception. Despite the amount of pink elements, there are plenty of useful structural parts as well as colorful plant elements. If you are looking for a small and interesting display set, and didn’t feel like spending so much money on the LEGO Ideas 21327 Typewriter, this iteration with flowers may be the perfect set for you.

LEGO Creator 3-in-1 31169 Typewriter with Flowers includes 363 pieces and will be available on January 1st for US $29.99 | CAN $39.99 | UK £24.99.