Top 5 compared
The best magnetic tiles
Towers, houses and car garages built in minutes by small hands, then knocked down and built again.
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The top 5 at a glance
Magnetic tiles are flat plastic shapes, mostly squares and triangles, with magnets in the edges, so they click together into walls, towers and rockets and pull apart just as easily. Plain sets are all tiles; others add pieces like car bases, windows or balconies for play once the building’s done. They suit children from about three, and older ones keep coming back to them.
MAGNA-TILES began in 1997, and the maker says its original 32-piece set, in solid colors, was designed for classroom teaching. Sets from different brands usually build together, since most use a square of about 3 inches, so a collection is easy to add to later, one set at a time.
What matters
- A piece count to suit how many children build at once.
- Large squares, for floors, roofs and tall walls.
- Sturdy tiles with the magnets held securely inside.
- A bag or box to keep every piece together.
#1MAGNA-TILES Classic 100-Piece Set
$100–$150
Magnets strong enough to hold a tall build together, in 100 translucent tiles of six colors: 54 squares (four of them large) and 46 triangles in three shapes. Each tile has a lattice inside to keep it from cracking and rivets that hold the magnets in place, and the maker backs them for life against defects.
What owners say: Owners say the tiles survive years of heavy use without cracking and that the magnets hold a build together, and many call it the toy that gets played with most. The price is the only complaint.
A closer look: A hundred pieces is enough for two children to build side by side without running short of squares. Build on a window ledge and the colors throw stained-glass light across the floor; a shallow bin keeps the pieces easy to find and quick to put away.
- Rivets keep the magnets in
- Lifetime warranty against defects
- Throws colored light in windows
- Works with every MAGNA-TILES set
Best for: Building big, for years
- Pieces
- 100
- Extras
- None (tiles only)
- Storage bag
- No
- Ages
- 3+
#2MAGNA-TILES Classic 32-Piece Set
$30–$50
The same tiles as the big set, 32 of them: 16 squares and 16 triangles in six colors, enough for a house, a garage or a rocket at a time. It’s the way into the brand without the big set’s outlay, and every piece joins the 100-piece set later.
What owners say: A toy that stands up to rough play is the verdict, and owners say the number of things that can be built from so few pieces keeps surprising them. Some think it costs a lot for the piece count.
A closer look: Thirty-two tiles builds one thing at a time, so it suits a single child or a travel bag more than a playroom shared by three. Keep the box: it’s the simplest way to count the pieces back in, and a second set doubles what can be built.
- Joins any MAGNA-TILES set
- Rivets keep the magnets in
- 6 translucent colors
Best for: A first set from the original
- Pieces
- 32
- Extras
- None (tiles only)
- Storage bag
- No
- Ages
- 3+
#3PicassoTiles 100-Piece Magnetic Tile Set (PT100)
$30–$50
A hundred clear, jewel-colored tiles with magnets in every edge, including eight large squares for walls and floors, so castles and garages stand up. They join any other full-size PicassoTiles set as the collection grows.
What owners say: Children build with them for hours, owners say, and the tiles have held up to months of daily play; the range of shapes and colors gets praise, while views on magnet strength are split.
A closer look: Eight large squares go a long way: use them as floors and roofs and the small squares as walls, and a castle stands up in minutes. The tall triangles make spires and rocket noses, and because the set is scalable with the other full-size PicassoTiles sets, a second box later doubles what can be built.
- Magnets in every edge
- Tall triangles for spires
- Joins other full-size PicassoTiles sets
- Jewel-colored clear tiles
Best for: Castles, spires and add-on sets
- Pieces
- 100
- Extras
- None (tiles only)
- Storage bag
- No
- Ages
- 3+
#4cossy 120-Piece Magnetic Tiles with 2 Cars
$30–$50
The most pieces here: 120, with windows, rectangles and tall triangles as well as the usual squares, and two car bases that click under a tile and roll. The edges are rounded for small hands, and the tiles fit the same size as the big brands, so they build onto a set from elsewhere.
What owners say: The magnets hold well and pieces don’t drop off mid-build, owners report; several say one set has carried a child from three to six, building towers, tracks and trains along the way.
A closer look: Start the cars on a ramp made from a big tile propped on a book and the garage will follow by itself. The tall triangles make roofs and rockets, and the rectangles bridge gaps between towers; sort the shapes into a tray before the first build so the new ones get used.
- Windows, rectangles and tall triangles
- Rounded edges for small hands
- Fits other brands’ tiles
Best for: Lots of pieces, with cars
- Pieces
- 120
- Extras
- 2 car bases
- Storage bag
- No
- Ages
- 3+
#5Coodoo 60-Piece Magnetic Tiles with Balconies
$20–$30
Sixty tiles with a clever twist: six balconies and two awnings that hook over the hollow squares, just right for stores, houses and food trucks. It comes with a storage bag.
What owners say: Clean snapping together and pulling apart is what owners like, and they say the magnets stay strong enough to keep children interested months on; a few note it helps with problem-solving.
A closer look: Check tiles now and then for cracks: if one ever splits and a magnet shows, throw it out, as loose magnets are dangerous if swallowed. The balconies turn a plain box into a storefront, and the bag means the set can go to Grandma’s without losing pieces.
- Balconies hook over hollow squares
- Check tiles for cracks
Best for: Pretend stores with balconies
- Pieces
- 60
- Extras
- Balconies, awnings
- Storage bag
- Yes
- Ages
- 3+
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 5.
| Feature | #1MAGNA-TILES 100 | #2MAGNA-TILES 32 | #3PicassoTiles 100 | #4cossy 120 | #5Coodoo 60 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best starter set | Most pieces | Best budget | ||
| Picked Rating | 9.8 | 9.7 | 9.6 | 9.6 | 9.5 |
| Price | $100–$150 | $30–$50 | $30–$50 | $30–$50 | $20–$30 |
| Pieces | 100 | 32 | 100 | 120 | 60 |
| Extras | None (tiles only) | None (tiles only) | None (tiles only) | 2 car bases | Balconies, awnings |
| Storage bag | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Ages | 3+ | 3+ | 3+ | 3+ | 3+ |
| Best for | Building big, for years | A first set from the original | Castles, spires and add-on sets | Lots of pieces, with cars | Pretend stores with balconies |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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