Mobile Crane

I wavered between 4 and 5* for this. First up - it looks fantastic and beautifully proportioned, and the steering that everyone raves about is very nicely done. But there are a few things that could be tweaked: 1) the stabilizers need to be bigger (I'm going to see if I can fix this myself), and the mechanism for the front ones isn't especially smooth. 2) the "stoppers" that prevent the crane mechanism from spinning back when under a load need to be stiffer, they can easily fall down. 3) with the crane swung to the side, the weight limit is quite light, though front on it's pretty good (I lifted the Lego snowplough very easily). 4) (and this may be me rather than the design), I have found it hard to keep the pulley from spinning the thread round. Overall, though, despite these weaknesses, the look and feel, the playability and the value still make this a 5* kit - it didn't even take that long to build. more less

I think the new crane is a great set, for certain buyers. It's not for the AFOL - we've got 42009 to meet our desires for big and complicated. The new mobile crane is a great play set. The controls are simple and direct, so kids will have no problem playing with it as a crane. Where it falls flat is the lack of B model, which leaves it feeling overpriced. By the standard 10 cents/part measure, it's a good value. But in reality, it doesn't quite feel like a $100 set. more less

I'm impressed by how well this model looks and functions. Of course there are some small flaws, but that is all minor stuff. The build is not as sturdy as it could be, but that is because the limit in parts availible. There is a lot of thought and effort put into this design. The building instructions are well done, with 535 building steps. This is not a designer that just wants to earn a quick buck. He puts in the needed effort and delivers quality. more less

It looks great and does everything a model of a crane should. The functions work fairly well, with the exception of the front outriggers, which are a bit fiddly. It would have been nice to have them controlled from a single point but I concede that the model is not big enough to fit the required mechanism in. more less

You don't have to be a keen LEGO enthusiast to notice that every LEGO product eventually finds its audience. Although the new LEGO Technic 42108 Mobile Crane is definitely not the most playable toy of this year's lineup, it doesn't make it an entirely terrible product. As was mentioned above, this model will be a solid choice for any LEGO Technic beginner and is also full of excellent Technic elements. And even if young builders will be disappointed with the new model, at least they will learn how not to engineer mobile cranes. more less