Toys: LEGO, dolls, cars and board games

Ask for a photo of the assembled set or a check against the manual. Counting pieces is unrealistic, so lean on sellers with reviews; missing bits can be bought individually.

Plush toys for kids with allergies, and anything that can't be washed. Plastic, construction sets, cars and board games are as safe as new after a wash.

Completeness against the component list in the rulebook — every box has one. Ask if all cards and tokens are there; scuffed box corners don't affect the game.

Loose LEGO sells by weight — roughly 300–600 hryvnias per kilogram depending on the mix. An assembled set without the box brings 50–70% of a complete one. Manuals are free on LEGO's site, so their absence is the least problem; what matters is genuine bricks without knockoffs in the mix.

The LEGO logo on every stud, precise geometry (bricks click together and don't wobble), clean plastic without burrs. Knockoffs (Lepin etc.) are duller, lighter and grip worse. A few foreign bricks in a big lot is normal; an all-knockoff lot at LEGO prices is not.

Battery operation at the meetup (bring your own), the battery compartment condition — a leaked battery leaves corrosion that kills contacts. On interactive toys test the speaker and buttons. Chargers and batteries of RC models are the main risk zone — test them separately.