Jekca: like Lego, but solid as a rock
If you’re looking for an affordable Lego alternative, Jekca might be for you. Especially if you’re an animal lover.
When it comes to building block manufacturers I’m unfamiliar with, I’m always a little sceptical at first. Are the bricks of good quality? How easy is it to understand the instructions? These days, there are plenty of other decent brands alongside Lego, including Cobi, Mega Construx and Qman. That being said, I’ve never heard of Jekca. Reason enough to buy myself a set and put it to the test.
I opted for the Jack Russell Terrier set after instantly noticing its cuteness. Sadly, though, it’s out of stock at the moment. However, Jekca does have several other dogs in the same size and price range as my test set.
The building blocks are pinned together
The most notable difference between this set and those of other brands such as Lego is the way they’re put together. When working on a Jekca model, you don’t slot the bricks together – you use pins to connect them. You then need a screwdriver to twist the pin 90 degrees to make sure it doesn’t slip. And oh, how sturdy it all is. Solid as a rock, I’m telling you. You can shake it, tinker with it, do stuff with it and nothing falls off.
I build the dog by starting at the paws and working my way up. Row by row (the inside of the dog is hollow) the terrier slowly grows into an animal. Adding the pins really drags out the construction. At a guess, it takes me five times as long (just under eight hours) to complete the dog compared to typical 850-piece sets from other manufacturers. But I still like it. I enjoy drifting off into a meditative state as I build, losing my sense of space and time for a while.
Source: Carolin Teufelberger
Pleasantly surprised by the quality
What struck me most about the Jekca building blocks was their quality. They’re incredibly well made. Not a single brick was faulty, nor had any of the corners broken off. The colours are also consistent throughout. That can’t be said for every manufacturer, and deserves extra brownie points. My initial scepticism quickly vanished into thin air. All things considered, I’ve no problem recommending Jekca. I for one will definitely be building another one of its sets in the future. But probably not a dog.
Not a dog-lover?
Not a fan of dogs? No problem. Jekca has quite a few other animals available: from otters to turtles to triceratops.
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Riding my motorbike makes me feel free, fishing brings out my inner hunter, using my camera gets me creative. I make my money messing around with toys all day.
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