LEGO Stickers: I dislike them.

Greetings, AHOL.

I dislike LEGO stickers. Very much.

But that wasn’t always the way.

When I was a kid, I thought they were great. I loved those old LEGO Idea Books that came with sheets of random stickers. They were the best.

Those LEGO stickers were a quick and easy way to transform any plain, red truck truck into a fire engine.

Or turn some crude cluster of blue brick into a convincing enough police station.

LEGO Ideas Book From 1985

As an adult hobbyist of LEGO though, I can’t think of a bigger turn off than a LEGO set that’s spangled with stickers.

An overabundance of LEGO stickers, or just one or two prominently placed ones, have been cause for my passing on LEGO sets I otherwise would have enjoyed owning.

And likely bought multiple units of.

The LEGO Ghostbusters HQ and Kwik-E-Mart instantly come to mind.

I would love to learn the LEGO logic behind why we couldn’t have gotten a couple of printed tiles for the iconic main signage out front of either quintessential location.

Especially at their price points.

A Typical LEGO Sticker Sheet From The 1980's

I dislike LEGO stickers for a number of reasons.

For starters, there’s no guarantee that I’ll apply them perfectly.

Rather, there’s a real good chance I’m going to stuff up the application somehow.

Which will then make it perfectly impossible for me to enjoy the finished model. At all.

Because no matter how glorious the completed firehouse structure may look, if that sign out front is crooked, even slightly, that’s all I’m ever going to be able to see.

I can understand why a kid might like stickers with their LEGO sets.

They add and extra layer of activity to the build process. And most kids likely won't mind if their LEGO sticker applications aren't perfectly spot on.

But it’s maddening to me.

Maddening in the same way that a $15, LEGO 4+/Juniors set will come with ALL its decorated pieces printed. Including massive pieces with sprawling prints.

Meanwhile, a $400 set, based on movie that’s 35+ years old, can’t ante up a pair of 2x2 printed tiles so it’s legendary front display is guaranteed appropriately badass.

Shouldn’t it be the other way around?

Growing up, I thought this burger was wearing an earring. I guess it's an onion?

Statistically, aren’t their probably more kids out there who would enjoy applying stickers to their comparatively inexpensive 4+/Juniors sets than their adults who’d appreciate the crisp elegance of some printed Ghostbuster logo tiles?

It’s like slapping a “Honk If You Are Horny” bumper sticker on the back of a new Mercedes Benz.

Tacky.

LEGO charges a premium price. Because they're a premium product.

When I look at a LEGO sticker sheet, I feel cheated. Like I'm not getting the best from a company's who's motto is, "only the best is good enough."

I'm aware that there are costs to consider. Stickers are cheaper to produce than original LEGO printed elements.

But still...

It doesn't quite add up.

I'm not accusing LEGO of something sinister. I just remained baffled by certain decisions when it comes to what gets lovingly and beautifully printed, versus what gets shat out in LEGO sticker form.

What do you think, AHOL?

As an adult hobbyist of LEGO, what’s your take on LEGO stickers?

Do you dislike them as much as I do?

Are you indifferent? Only use them when you must? Write them off completely? Or love them with all your heart?

HONK! HONK!