LEGO Harry Potter 76433 Mandrake review

LEGO Harry Potter 76433 Mandrake has sunk its roots into LEGO shelves, but is it a growing success or a pesky weed?

On shelves since June 1, if you haven’t yet added 76433 Mandrake to your collection, now is the time to evaluate it fully. This brick-built magical plant is one of a small but growing collection (okay, pair) of fantastical sets that could be just as at home in the Botanical Collection as in their respective themes. Joining 71426 Piranha Plant, it depicts the screaming Mandrake plants from Harry Potter that can kill if you hear their cries – but also reverse Petrification through a healing draught made from its roots.

Does the LEGO set kill on sight, or is it a healing salve? Find out in our in-depth review.

Release: August 1, 2024 Price: £59.99 / $69.99 / €69.99 Pieces: 579 Minifigures: 0 LEGO: Order now

Authentically true to (imaginary) life

From creepily long toes to the screaming mouth, 76433 Mandrake has perfectly captured the ugly baby-shaped plant to a tee. Asymmetrical LEGO elements on the face and body masterfully recreate what a wooden body would look like, with posable arms and legs that move as you pull it out of the pot. This results in a pretty convincing effect of it stretching its arms and legs when you lift it from its pot, adding to the overall effect in a subtle but compelling way.

Admittedly, pedants might argue that the fact that the head doesn’t quite fit in the pot would leave you vulnerable to the Mandrake’s cries. It’s also quite tricky to get it back in the pot again without ripping off a few toes, requiring two hands, one to hold the legs together and one to lower it in. The ‘baby’ Mandrake also can’t sit up straight when not in the pot, flopping to the side easily or needing to be laid down flat.

Still, once 76433 Mandrake is situated the look is pretty authentic to the movie and you can forgive the fact that the face is not entirely hidden because it’s so cleverly detailed. The mouth itself can be opened and closed by moving the chest, which causes the arms and legs to move, mimicking how the on-screen Mandrake screams and cries. Could we have done with a sound brick to recreate the actual noise, as with 76429 Talking Sorting Hat? Perhaps, but that would likely have hiked up the price – and it doesn’t feel entirely necessary. (Also, your ears might not have forgiven you.)

Creative foliage – but let down by stickers

That same level of detail carries through to the foliage at the top, with brown whip elements used to create the effect of vines and leaf elements of all sizes used to create the illusion of bushy leaves on the head. It’s a shame that the leaf pieces aren’t printed, especially as you need to be very careful to line up the stickers on the tiles and the leaves but, from afar, you can’t really tell that there are stickers in place at all.

From behind, the leaves look admittedly drab, which is similarly disappointing. Still, for the price of £59.99 / $69.99 / €69.99, you can’t really expect a LEGO set that looks good from every angle – and we’ve got no complaints on how it looks from the front.

Quirky, nerdy display choice

The combination of play features and the effectiveness of its appearance (at least from one angle) come together to make for a pretty tempting set. The large leaves make it feel like a larger set than it is, helping that mid-range price tag go further. The build is straightforward and somewhat repetitive, well-suited to younger builders if applicable. Whether you want to keep it on the shelf or act out your own Herbology lesson, it’s well-designed enough to do both.

Price-wise, you might be tempted to draw comparisons to the Botanical Collection, like 10311 Orchid, the LEGO Icons set closest to it in terms of pieces. 10311 Orchid is £15 cheaper, despite having 300 more pieces – but when you take into account the extra interactivity features and the inevitable licensing price hike due to 76433 Mandrake being part of the LEGO Harry Potter theme, it seems like a pretty fair price.

Sat on a shelf, it’s a subtle but quirky decor choice, ideal for anyone wanting a somewhat nerdy LEGO set that doesn’t look too out of place on even the classiest of shelves. Whip it out the pot to impress Potterhead guests, or keep it tucked away – the choice is yours.

This set was provided for review by the LEGO Group.

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Our honest opinion: 76433 Mandrake is polished enough to display with enough interactivity to keep you engaged long after you’ve finished building.

Author Profile

Rachael Davies

I write about all the very best fandoms – and that means LEGO, of course. Spending so much time looking at and talking about LEGO sets is dangerous for my bank balance, but the LEGO shelves are thriving. You win some, you lose some.

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