The Funwhole F9023 Newsstand set with 556 pieces is the first set we will dive into and review together with photos, descriptions, and a conclusion.
It is the first set that I build from Funwhole. I heard many positive things about the young Chinese company in the brick community. I hope this set can meet the high expectations.
Funwhole F9023 Review
I bought the set at Amazon.de with a 20% discount for €36. Plus, minus what you pay on the official Funwhole site. The set is delivered in a beautiful, high-quality box.
The box can be opened upwards and closed again. Very nice. Also, it contrasts the brown boxes you usually get from Chinese shops—it’s time to unbox the F9023 Newsstand.
Everything is out of the box in just a few seconds. You get four construction sections (1-4), all neatly separated in 11 bags. Then, two plates (16×16 and 8×16), two orange numbered bags with the light kit, and a printed instruction.
The 556 bricks come from GoBricks and are, therefore of high quality
Section 1
Let’s start with the construction of the newsstand. The first step in section 1 consists of building the Funwhole miniature. There is only one minifigure in this set.
Unlike Lego, you have to assemble the minifigure from individual parts. This is very easy and quick to do. It’s a cute minifigure that Funwhole includes here, with quality printings that fit well into the whole setting.
I’m not a big fan of the rounded proportions of the minifigure. I prefer the classic L design. But it is one of the nicer ones from alternative brick companies. Now, the actual building starts.
The first section mainly consists of attaching tiles (dark and light bluish-gray) to the plates and a lamp. The latter is electrified via the included light kit. Tiny cables are laid under the tiles here and continue to the other end, where the distributor is.
I’m glad that Funwhole has thought about how to route the electronics. Very clean and almost undetectable. And the fact that the technology is already built into the lamp is a big bonus. Go on.
Section 2
Our newsstand is going up. In this section, the counter of it is built with various beautiful details. The huge amount of prints is particularly noticeable. The trend at Lego has been towards stickers for several years now.
Different here. You’ll be blown away by the amount of prints here. A highlight is also that the Funwhole designers have included various printed newspaper designs to enhance the charm of an actual newsstand. Stickers would be wrong here anyway. You don’t buy stickers at a newsstand; you buy a printed press.
The green/white blinds are also nice and can be pulled in and out, just like in reality. The colorful refrigerator in the front is also neat, offering visitors cold drinks for on-the-go.
However, the detail fidelity of dark green and black in the building instructions was a little more complicated. You had to look very carefully here.
Section 3
We have already arrived at section 3. This is where the Funwhole newsstand gets its final form. Again, with dark green bricks.
The transparent light barrel column on the side is charmingly designed. This can be easily rotated, and there are two more large prints. It probably shows some advertising for drinks or so.
A simple white door was installed at the back, and some basic green decoration was done. Not so fancy and lovely as the front of the newsstand. Nice inside the newsstand. Here, you can find a card, other books, and more.
The inconspicuous back is also the headquarters of the included light kit. Mine is attached awkwardly, but you can see how it works. The battery box is also built into the rear wall—a very clever solution from the Funwhole designers.
Alternatively, you can also operate the light kit with a USB power bank, which is more accessible and smarter, in my opinion.
The print show continues the same on the other side of the newsstand. Various beautiful prints are presented here. The one with the tractor on it is a little loose, but it doesn’t fall.
Alternatively, you can also operate the light kit with a USB power bank, which is more accessible and smarter, in my opinion.
Section 4
We’re already in the final stages of construction, where we will complete the roof. It consists of dark green and some matte gold elements. The newsstand sign is, of course, again a print.
The roof is made of many teeth in dark green that look very good. The white dove on it is also a lovely detail.
In the final steps, you decorate the sidewalk with small plants and build a bicycle, moped, and a red hydrant. And after just over 2 1/2 hours of building fun, the Funwhole F9023 is ready.
Final Review
The Funwhole F9023 set met the high expectations in every respect. The bricks are of very high quality and can be assembled perfectly. Fun for beginners and experienced brick builders. It is very soft and without pressure. Thanks to GoBricks.
Unfortunately, the tiles have micro scratches, but that’s no problem. The building instructions are also excellent and is on the same level as those from the famous Danish company. Only the color representation of dark green is a little more complicated.
The design is also unique. It is also the perfect size with 556 pieces. Not too small or too big. Therefore, it fits well into any LEGO or alternative brick city.
Thumbs up for the electronic installation, too. Many manufacturers include (Mould King…) them for free, leaving it up to the builder to lay them. Funwhole made the whole thing more accessible and showed it step by step, which is a big plus.
Definitely not my last Funwhole set.
German Video Review
Funwhole F9023 is available now for $41.99 or around 44€ on Amazon. You can usually get discounts on the set.
More information here: Funwhole (partner)
Also available at my partners
