REVIEW: LEGO 60386 - LEGO Recycling Truck

Loyal blog readers will probably remember that I have a fairly large LEGO City set-up in my "man cave."  As such, I'm always on the lookout for interesting sets to add to my display - with extra points for sets that don't take up a lot of space since space is more and more at a premium for me!  

Today's review is for one such small set - LEGO 60386:  LEGO Recycling Truck.  This set contains 261 pieces and retails for $29.99.  Despite a relatively low piece count, the set comes with three instruction manuals.  The first manual is used for the small recycling area as well as for the three included minifigures.  The other two manuals are used for the truck itself.  

This particular set actually caught my eye because of the small recycling platform.  Here, you get three separate storage areas - one for paper, one for produce, and one for glass recycling.

Each door has a sticker on it to indicate what type of refuse should go in the bin.  This is a time where I don't mind the stickers as they definitely add to the charm of the set.  I also like the fact that LEGO included a small pine tree (and a white cat).  In addition, it's worth noting that each of the recycling bins perfectly holds one trash can - and each can is a different color (green for produce, blue for paper, and gray for glass).  The set also comes with a couple of items for each recycling bin - including two printed tiles for the paper bin (a ticket and a "to do" list).  

I should also make a quick mention of the included minifigs - two workers plus one "city folk" who is doing her recycling.  I particularly like the included city lady though both construction workers look good as well.  All told, an excellent group of minifigs!

As mentioned already, the remainder of the pieces go into the recycling truck.  

The truck is a nice teal color with plenty of details.  The entire truck bed tilts to dump out the recycling and the back of the truck opens up to empty out larger items.  Finally, there's a working lift on the back of the truck where you can place a trash can on the stud and then use the wheel to dump the trash can into the truck.  It's a super simple mechanism and it works perfectly.

For me, this set is nearly perfect.  It's a fun model with a few working components.  It comes with three minfigures (all of which are interesting), a cat, and a tree.  It's got a small recycling center and plenty of bits to fill up the three included bins.  The build itself feels substantial enough for a $30 set - especially when you include the recycling center's base plate in your value calculations.  

The Bottom Line (out of 10):

Fun:  9

Play Value:  10

Kid Value:  10

Adult Value:  9

Overall:  10

It's hard to find any meaningful faults in the LEGO 60386:  LEGO Recycling Truck set.  Three minifigures ensures lots of play fun - plus the working truck with multiple play features.  Throw in a cat and a recycling center and you've got yourself a great set.  Sure, I guess I could wish that the set was a bit cheaper but given the current going rate for LEGO today, I'd say this is one of the better value buys on the store shelf!