AI machine reveals millions in forgotten LEGO® in UK homes
A first‑of‑its‑kind AI machine designed to sort LEGO® has uncovered the scale of Britain’s forgotten LEGO® mountain, revealing that more than 11 million UK households are sitting on unused sets worth significant money. New research from WeBuyBricks shows families across the country are storing bricks that could collectively be worth tens of millions of pounds, yet seven in eight people have never checked their value.
With household budgets under pressure, the findings expose a major cost‑of‑living blind spot: millions of homes are unknowingly holding toys that could collectively be worth tens of millions of pounds. More than 54.7% of Brits admit they can’t remember the last time they cleared out old toys, leaving cupboards, lofts and storage boxes full of bricks that could be turned into quick cash.
The discovery comes as WeBuyBricks unveils the Brick‑O‑Matic, believed to be the UK’s first AI‑powered LEGO® sorting machine. Using custom AI and machine learning software , the system can identify more than 55,000 brick types, sort them by colour and shape, rebuild sets automatically and check how complete each set is. It also washes and quality‑checks bricks ready for resale.
Households can send in complete sets or mixed bricks and receive next‑day payment once the Brick‑O‑Matic has sorted and valued their items. The company has already saved 25 million bricks from landfill, with pre‑loved sets now available to buy online at up to 50% off RRP.
Mike Lane, CEO of WeBuyBricks said: “It is astonishing to see just how many people have been sitting on old LEGO® sets and not knowing what to do with them. We find that the majority of people are simply unaware that they can sell their unused bricks, which is exactly the same as selling pre-loved clothing and books.
“Our investment in the Brick-O-Matic has revolutionised how we clean, sort and quality-control our bricks, and we can now do this at record speed. Not only do we offer a service for sellers, but purchasing pre-loved bricks has now never been easier; every brick deserves a second life.”
