Magnetic tiles: what to look for before you buy your first set

Magnetic tiles are the single most requested toy in our shop, and the quality gap between sets is wider than almost any other category.

Check how the magnets are held in. In a good tile the magnets are riveted and the seam is ultrasonically welded. In a cheap one they are glued, and the first thing a child does is find the tile that rattles and work at it.

Check the magnets rotate. Magnets that spin freely in their housing will always flip to attract. Fixed magnets mean roughly half your tiles repel each other, and a four-year-old cannot reason about why.

Start at 100 pieces, not 32. A 32-piece set cannot close a dome or build a house tall enough to put a figure inside. The frustration is not the child's fault.

Check the size. The 2.5 cm standard edge is near-universal, which means you can top up later from another range instead of starting again.

A well-made set is a five-year purchase. It is worth twenty minutes of checking.