Diagon Alley

Name: LEGO Diagon Alley 40289
Brand: LEGO
SKU: 40289

84 · HIGHLY RECOMMENDEDINVESTMENT GRADE: A2018374 pcsHigh agreement · 89%

Expert reviews

6analyzed

Owner ratings

162

Countries

🇦🇺 🇺🇸2 markets

BrickScore

Highly Recommended

Owners

Synthesized Verdict

"With a BrickScore of 84.3, the Diagon Alley GWP is Highly Recommended for Harry Potter collectors and display builders: the architectural detail, exclusive Ollivander minifigure, and printed cobblestone tiles make it one of the most rewarding promotional sets LEGO has released, though the microscale format is a genuine filter for buyer satisfaction."

Expert reviewers from Jay's Brick Blog and Brickset both gave the 40289 Diagon Alley GWP strong marks, praising its colorful architectural accuracy, clever microscale building techniques, and the exclusive Garrick Ollivander minifigure as a standout bonus for Harry Potter collectors. The build experience drew more mixed feedback, with some finding the alignment of 1x1 plates tedious at microscale. A notable split exists with owner ratings: the 100% LEGO.com would-recommend rate from buyers contrasts with a 3.92 average across 162 Amazon and LEGO.com reviews, reflecting a segment of buyers disappointed by the microscale format or the cost of the qualifying purchase.

Where they split: A clear critic-owner split is present. Expert reviewers scored it 80-100, enthusiastically recommending it as one of the best GWPs LEGO has produced. Amazon owner ratings averaged 3.9 out of 5, reflecting a wider buyer base that includes people disappointed by the microscale format or the qualifying-spend barrier. The LEGO.com 100% recommendation rate from the small direct sample aligns with the expert view.

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LOVED (7)

01Colorful and visually striking facade that accurately captures Diagon Alley's eclectic architecture
02Printed cobblestone 2x4 tiles exclusive to this set
03Exclusive Garrick Ollivander minifigure with light bluish grey hair and double-sided head

+4 more with Collector

CRITICIZED (7)

01Microscale format disappointed some Harry Potter fans expecting minifigure-scale buildings
02Smaller buildings lack depth for an interior and are unattractive from behind
03Aligning 1x1 plates throughout can be tedious and unforgiving at this scale

+4 more with Collector

Build Facts what critics report

⏱ Build time

~half an hour

🧩 Difficulty

intermediate

🎯 Audience

adults

In Their Words most-used terms across every critic review

exclusiveollivanderprintedcobblestonedetailedbuildingsbuildingtilespromotionaldiagonalleypartsfreeharrypotterlimitedcolorsmicroscaledisplaybrickswindowbeengoodtechniquesgreatdesignexcellentmultiple

What reviewers are saying

"Wow, I can't tell you how much I love this set. This is arguably one of the best Gift With Purchases that LEGO has ever put out and is an absolute joy from start to finish."

Jay's Brick Blog

"With the variety, detail and overall wonderful building experience this set earns our top marks: 'Must Have' (5/5 stars)."

Brick Architect

Ecosystem

Large Diagon Alley set — The microscale 40289 set successfully recreates Diagon Alley at a smaller scale and now includes the exclusive Ollivander minifigure previously only in the larger set. Jay hopes LEGO will re-release the large set in a grander scale.

4723 Diagon Alley (2001) — The 2001 set was a simplistic 80-piece build with yellow minifigures and cardboard backdrop. The 2018 set represents 17 years of LEGO innovation with far superior detail, techniques, and architectural accuracy. The original set, originally $10, now commands over $100 sealed, showing the trajectory of Diagon Alley set desirability.

10217 Diagon Alley (2011) — The 2011 minifigure-scale set featured 2025 pieces and 12 minifigures at $149.99, making it excellent for price-per-part. The 2018 microscale set complements rather than replaces it, as both represent the same location at different scales. The 2011 set remains highly sought-after, especially for its exclusive minifigures.

71043 Hogwarts Castle 83 — Both are presented at the same microscale with nano figures. This set was designed to complement the 6000-piece Hogwarts Castle and is ideal for fans collecting both. The reviewer states: 'Should you also be picking up #71043 Hogwarts Castle, then adding this set to your collection is a no brainer.'

Harry PotterInvestment Grade

By Reviewer · 2

Avg score

Jay's Brick Blog 🇦🇺

Editorial Source

100

BUY

"Wow, I can't tell you how much I love this set. This is arguably one of the best Gift With Purchases that LEGO has ever put out and is an absolute joy from start to finish."

Key Pros

✓Delightful and relaxing build with good variety
✓Clever building techniques
✓Beautiful end result with great design execution

Key Cons

✕Difficult to obtain (sold out in Australia in less than a day)
✕Most pieces are studs and plates

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Brick Architect 🇺🇸

Expert Video Source

BUY

"With the variety, detail and overall wonderful building experience this set earns our top marks: 'Must Have' (5/5 stars)."

Key Pros

✓Exceptional detail and building techniques for a promotional set
✓Accurate representation of Diagon Alley from the Harry Potter films
✓Exclusive minifigure (Mr. Ollivander) with dual-printed head and torso

Key Cons

✕Lacks playability features; primarily a display piece
✕Was only available as a limited-time promotional gift (now out of print and reselling at premium prices)

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Dimensional Analysis

Investment Layer

Critics discussed this set's investment case

Buy-now vs wait consensus, value drivers, exclusivity and resale outlook

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Minifigures & Standout Parts

In this set (1)

Garrick Ollivander - Reddish Brown Jacket, Hair Swept Back

Standout parts (per reviewers)

Printed cobblestone tiles
New element debuted in this set. Fits perfectly with Diagon Alley's cobblestone alleys. Expected to appear in future sets like modular buildings in 2019.
Sausage piece and clip combination
Clever use to create the mechanical arm tipping the purple top-hat on Weasleys Wizard Wheezes building.
Paintbrush accessory
Repurposed to represent a broomstick at Quality Quidditch Supplies.
Cobblestone printed 2×4 flat tile (piece 39849, No. 170, in Light Bluish Gray)
Unique custom printed piece exclusive to this set with surprisingly detailed cobblestone texture. The reviewer notes these six tiles add a lot of atmosphere and expects to see this piece in many future sets.
4070 Angular Brick 1X1 in 106 Bright Orange
Unique to this set
39599 Mini Head No. 2691 in Light Nougat/Light Flesh
Unique to this set