How do new Pick a Brick boxes stack up to the original cups?

Ahead of the change from plastic to cardboard LEGO Pick a Brick containers, you can now see exactly how much fits in each option.

The LEGO Group announced that the switch to cardboard Pick a Brick boxes is imminent, expected sometime this autumn, hot on the heels of a trial in Germany. Ahead of their gradual rollout in LEGO stores around the world, LEGO YouTuber DuckBricks has tested both options in a direct volume comparison, to see if fears that the cardboard boxes will store a lower amount of LEGO elements are correct.

Testing purely on volume at first, DuckBricks poured red studs into the original smaller cup, before transferring the exact same amount into the new and more environmentally-friendly cardboard box. While he at first seemed wary about the volume that the boxes could hold, he was pleasantly surprised to find that the maximum amount of studs from the cup exactly fills the smaller cardboard box that's designed to replace it.

It's the same story with the larger cup and box. While both are bulging slightly as DuckBricks fills them to capacity, in terms of sheer volume, the LEGO Group has done its homework in making sure both containers hold the same amount.

However, the majority of people using the Pick a Brick service are not buying studs en masse. As a result, DuckBricks also tested more casual use of the containers, seeing how much you can fit in terms of assorted bricks and LEGO elements. When the pieces are all jumbled together, it once again appears that the volume between the two is roughly equal.

If you're more organised about your packing, however, DuckBricks does show that the square and rectangle shapes of the cardboard boxes means that stacking elements can even result in slightly more fitting in the cardboard boxes.

"Personally, I consider this an absolute win," concludes DuckBricks. "The boxes are great for the environment, they also fulfil a purpose, they are square and rectangular-shaped which means they are better for filling up with bricks. Overall, can't really complain."

Other LEGO fans in the comments aren't quite as convinced, with many pointing out that, while cardboard is more easily recyclable than plastic cups, the cups can be reused time and again, extending the lifecycle of the container. Many people go on to use them as part of their LEGO storage (making the most of the stackable lids and bottoms) or even as drinking cups around the house.

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The same is likely not possible with the cardboard boxes. Although they look sturdy, with DuckBricks moving around large amounts of studs and other elements in them without supporting the base with his hand, they are surely not as durable and long-lasting as solid plastic. One user even suggested that the LEGO Group "should also give us the option to buy a plastic cup and charge slightly less for every reuse", a potential compromise between the two options.

It's unlikely this would happen, however, with the rollout of cardboard boxes expected to happen in the coming months and a wider scale push towards cardboard usage across the LEGO Group, such as in the recent release of 71039 Marvel Series 2 (which comes with its own problems) and the ongoing plan for paper bags within general LEGO sets too.

For those who wish the plastic cups would stick around or if you want to get your hands on some while you still can, the best plan is to head to your LEGO store as soon as possible, as there's no concrete date of when the cardboard change-over will happen just yet. Watch DuckBricks video in full via the embed link below, or head to his YouTube channel.