Rent the LEGO Technic Volvo EC500 Hybrid Excavator

Reckon on 7 to 9 hours for the 2359 pieces. As usual with Technic you build the internals with the gearing and pneumatics first, then the panelling. The build is logically laid out, but you should work exactly to the instructions. A missed pin often only shows up twenty steps later.

The model measures 29 × 54 × 24 cm, so a good half metre long. Building it needs room to match, because the undercarriage is finished early and then stands on the table while you carry on.

The excavator has a pneumatically driven arm, a slewing superstructure and working tracks. Everything is driven by hand cranks. No motors and no app are needed. The original's hybrid drive is modelled but not functional.

Up to a point. 2359 pieces with pneumatics is not a first project, but the instructions are good and there are no particularly nasty spots. If you have built a mid-size Technic set before, this is the logical next step.

You pick a set from our collection and we send it to your door for free. You build it, keep it as long as you like, and send it back when you are ready for the next one. After a month at the earliest, with no upper limit. Then you choose your next set.

There are three options: the single rental at a one-off CHF 42.–, the monthly plan at CHF 39.– per month and the yearly plan at CHF 29.– per month. Included are the complete set, delivery to you and the cleaning. You cover the return, and the label is already in the box.

Yes. The monthly plan can be cancelled to the end of any month, with no reason and no notice period. You send the set back and that is that. The yearly plan commits you for twelve months and costs about a quarter less per month in return.

Every set goes through our quality check after it comes back, before it goes out again. We check its condition, wash the sets regularly at 30 °C with soap and keep track of whether every piece is there. That way a clean and complete set reaches you.

The sets are checked between rentals and washed regularly. That is why the numbered bags from the original packaging are gone, and you get all the pieces loose in one large wash bag. Up to about 2'000 pieces you build straight from the bag; for bigger sets a bit of sorting first is worth it. For the return you sort nothing: take the set fully apart and put every piece back in the wash bag.

Paper instructions and sticker sheets do not last many rentals, so we send the sets without them. The instructions for every set are free at lego.com/en-ch/service/building-instructions and in the LEGO Builder app. Search there by set number or name.

Up to ten lost small pieces are no problem and are included in the price. It happens, vacuum cleaners are merciless. We only get in touch for larger damage or missing large pieces. You do not have to go over the carpet with tweezers.

Orders placed before 14:00 go out the same working day. After that Swiss Post usually takes one to two working days. We deliver anywhere in Switzerland and delivery to you is free.

A LEGO set is usually built once and then sits on a shelf or in a cellar for years. With us the same set passes through eight to ten people. For the same number of sets built, that is up to 90 % less newly produced plastic.