Review: BrickHeadz Shorthair Cats #40441

Set Name: BrickHeadz Shorthair Cats
Set Number: 40441
Pieces: 250
MSRP: $14.99/CA$19.99/AU$24.99/£13.49

Why I Bought this Set

I was at the mall in the summer of 2022 and popped into the LEGO store. My best friend has been collecting LEGOs for years, so I intended to check out some new sets for her as purchasing suggestions. While browsing, I saw this little cat set for $15, and I thought it would be a fun decoration for my desk at work. I have three cats, so that was the primary motivation for this particular set. This price point didn’t hurt either.

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The Build

I built this set months before I got the LEGO bug, so I didn’t take pictures while building. The several I do have were to show my friend my progress. Nonetheless, I recall the build.

The parts are separated by section, which means you can build this set with someone else or easily do the build over multiple sessions if you prefer.

The first section to construct is the base, which is basic and has no exciting part usage. Both of these statements are not unexpected. I do love the teal color that was utilized in the rim. It goes well with the grey of the cats and gives the entire decoration a bit of personality.

You get a choice of sticker elements for the front of the base – a fish motif or cat paws. I had a nightmare putting the stickers on straight and centered. If LEGO didn’t include stickers, I think it would be the perfect product.

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I had a blast seeing the cats come together in this build. As this was my introduction to LEGO, I was astonished each time I saw an element come to life. For example, the paws, nose, and whiskers. Who knew that little plastic bricks could create things?!

The build wasn’t complicated and well-suited for an AFOL newbie or a younger builder. The instructions were straightforward, and no advanced building techniques were used to form the cats. The only thing to consider is that this set uses a lot of small pieces, so it’s not appropriate for the very young.

I had a few pieces left over, which I wasn’t expecting and had me convinced that I had built my cats incorrectly! Everything was fine, so I unwittingly had the beginnings of my LEGO part inventory.

I debated which sticker element I wanted for my cats and ended up going for the paws as I thought it was cuter.

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Set Review

As an introduction to LEGO, this was a great set. It wasn’t the set that made me fall in love with building LEGO, but I did enjoy making a couple of cats. I look at them each workday, and they always make me smile. The part usage is practical, if not unique or clever. These figures are instantly recognizable as cats, and for any feline lover, this set will deliver.

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Ratings

Build: 3/5
The straightforward nature of this set means it isn’t the most exciting, challenging, or inspiring LEGO set on the market. However, it is a fun build, and the result is smile-inducing. The base plate could have more decoration or even an Easter egg to elevate the design. I am lowering the rating of the build as it didn’t ignite the passion I developed for LEGO a few months later.

Display: 4/5
Having a couple of LEGO cats as my mascot at work is a beautiful addition to my life. There is no confusion when observing this model as to what they represent, so you can’t fault the design from that perspective.

Price: 3/5
At around 6 cents per piece, this isn’t the cheapest set in these miniature displays. Other than the whiskers, there aren’t any unique pieces in the collection, which would help explain the cost. All the parts are small, so you would expect a low price per piece value. The set also lacks a bit of polish. For example, studs are showing at the back of the cat’s heads instead of tiles. Overall, it looks a little unfinished, especially when I compare it to the cat from the Halloween cat and mouse set.

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Final Thoughts

If you love cats and want a nice LEGO display of a couple of them, this entry-level set is perfect. You don’t need any experience to build it, and the result is a highly effective model of a cat and its kitten. Now that I have made a few more sets, I think this set could use a little refinement, and the baseplate is incredibly dull. However, it delivers where it needs to – inexpensive and cute.