Heavy Duty Excavator

At first glance, I was not going to buy this set, just another excavator, but on closer inspection, noted that it was possibly minifig scale. The set was a fun build, not too complicated, but with plenty of Technic features. On completion, I did note that the cab was minifig scale, some small modifications and I was able to put a minifig in the cab. This adds to the playability in my opinion, maybe the designers could have considered this when designing the model. The completed model fits well in a city layout, this adds to the versatility of the model. It is not just a Technic model for display. more less

I think this is a great set for its target market. This isn't meant to compete with the $100+ sets like the motorized 8043 or massive Bucket Wheel Excavator. This is a set kids will get and love. I particularly appreciate that the instructions start with building the arm and even call out to test the functionality before moving on to bag 2. That's a great user experience right there. more less

It's a realistic and compact model that packs a good amount of functionality into its demure size. It works well and is likely to be fun to play with if you're the right age to do so. The arm looks a bit out of scale with the body to me, but it's not a deal-breaker. Unfortunately, the frosty windscreen mars what would otherwise be a pretty much perfect model. more less

It is smaller than expected, but that can be seen as a positive. It offers similar functionality to much larger vehicles of this type, but doesn't take up masses of space on the shelf. The finished model looks excellent, the digging feature is fun to use (once mastered) and it retails for a very respectable price. Overall, 42121 Heavy-Duty Excavator is a set we really… dig. (I'll get my coat.) more less