Review: FunWhole Wood Cabin FH-9001 – Complete With Light Kit!

Here at The Brick Post we pride ourselves on bringing you the latest LEGO news and reviews, from the exciting set reveals to the shocking price increases that are due to hit us all. With the latter in mind we took this opportunity to test an alternative brand and the products they have to offer, particularly the sets. Here’s how we got on with FunWhole and their Wood Cabin (FH-9001).

First of all I’d like to say that this set was kindly sent to us by FunWhole to build & review. When speaking to FunWhole we had to ask about the name and the meaning behind it, they has this to say:

FunWhole is a combination of the two words “fun” and “whole”, meaning “the whole fun of both day and night”.

Founded in 2014, based on the desire to fully express the whole beauty of bricks (in day and night), FunWholeis the world’s first brand of lighting bricks .

Having spent the last few days building and taking photos of this set both with lights on and off I can give an accurate and honest review of how I got on with the alternative brand, I’ll even chuck in my two cents of how it compares to LEGO!

If you’d like to pickup one yourself or any of the FunWhole products, please use this discount code, brickpost10FO, not only with it help us out but you’ll also receive a 10% discount on your order!

The Box & Contents:

Taking my very first glance at the box I was surprised at just how good it looked, the artwork, the style of box, and the plethora of information on the back, it feels like a premium product. Slicing the tape and opening the box you’ll find a nicely laid out collection of numbered bags, instruction manual, sticker sheet, and light kit pouches.

Having personally dealt with many light kits before I knew what to expect and the ones included with this set are basically the same, So I popped them to one waiting for them to popup throughout the build process for me to install, which is how this set works, you install the lights as you go.

There are 7 numbered bags in total but each number has multiple bags, ranging from 4 to 6 each, which in my opinion is a little excessive and did make me feel overwhelmed. The thought of having to open so many bags for one step was daunting but thankfully some bags only had a handful of pieces inside making it not as bad as it looked.

The instruction manual is done incredibly well and again has a premium feel to it. It’s laid out a little differently to what I’m used to but it works, having multiple steps on the same page actually cuts down on page numbers and ultimately wastage. What I really liked is how the plates and tiles have their ‘stud’ sizes printed next to them, so for example if you needed a 1×10 plate instead of counting the studs on the page you simply check the size and grab the correct part, cutting down the time it takes to search and potentially trying to fit the wrong part.

The sticker sheet is crammed full of transfers that work in a totally different way compared to LEGO stickers. You apply them the same way, lineup the image so it doesn’t overlap the edges, push down firmly making sure you cover the whole image, then simply peel off the transparent backing and hey-presto a good looking and somewhat glossy finish sticker. I really enjoyed applying these stickers couldn’t wait to pop another one on, I wish all stickers we like this.

What really got me were the smaller stickers, that showed off tiny details, such as car keys, a wallet, matches, and a slice of Orange. The designers did a great job, as everything was clear and crisp, I could tell what they without any issues.

Now we come to the lights, which there are several packets for included in the set, yes that’s right, as you build you also install the lights, which for me makes total sense and I found it far easier to do compared to a fully built set and removing parts.

Each light packet is numbered and again when needed the instruction manual mentions it. The lights are of a similar standard to most other companies so there isn’t much difference. In some packets there are extra bricks that are needed to fill in gaps or hold stray cables in place. I’ll cover installation when I get to them during the build portion of the review.

The Build:

Buried underneath the mountain of bags I found a 16×16 brown and 32×32 green baseplate, the latter is used as the base and where we’ll build up the whole Wood Cabin.

We make a start on the outside area, adding fences, a log hut, lots of foliage as well as the basement walls and front porch staircase. Similar to the way LEGO Modulars are built as finish each section off with tiles and a few exposed studs to give a bit of clutch power to the floor that will sit on top.

We also added our first string of lights here, running from the log hut into the basement, as this is where the battery box will be housed later in the build. If you look closely at the photo below you’ll see a very thin cable protruding from the basement wall, the cables are concealed quite well and usually run under plates and bricks.

As I start the ground floor I realise this stage will be a challenge, not in the sense of build difficulty but rather the amount of bags that you’re required to open, bags 2, 3 and 4 are needed, but not in stages, all at once!

So having cleared the entire table of clutter I begin opening the 15 or so bags that make up what is needed. Small bits in my build tray and the larger parts on the table. Finding bits quickly wasn’t an option, it felt like an eternity before a visible dent was made, but I prevailed and got the ground floor done.

But boy was it worth it, the amount of detail that goes into a FUNWHOLE set is phenomenal, right down the transfer stickers.

Laying down the basic foundation shape using a series of plates we start to building the walls and inner partitions, adding furniture, kitchen cupboards, tables and next floor access as we go. There is a sliding door to the bathroom, a fully brick-built front door complete with a wood effect tile, sofa, dining table & chairs, stove and so much more.

I really like how the outside looks too with its completely tiled exterior. This in my book takes the set to the next level and shows that FunWhole means business in the Brick World!

Thankfully the next stage is just one bag, number 5, which builds the first floor. There isn’t as much to this floor as the previous as it only consists of the floor and 2 side walls. Again the exterior is finished off with tiles which continues on from walls below.

Inside you’ll find a lovely double side bed, bedside cabinet, and a writing desk with light up lamp. You’ll notice in the close up image below that the cable that runs to the lamp is quite visible, sometimes this can’t be helped as especially with my big fingers tucking the cables out of sight if extremely fiddly.

Health & safety is a priority inside the cabin and this is apparent with the barriers covering the gap in the floor that over looks the ground floor. I really like this open-plan feel and think it works really well.

The last couple of bags, 6 & 7, make the fully tiled roof and the jutting out windows. The whole Wood Cabin finally comes together and I must say it looks great!

This style of angled roof reminds me of the LEGO Ideas Blacksmith set and the way it simply slots on the supporting sides. Again the whole thing is plastered with tiles, a few even have wood-effect transfer stickers on them, I particularly like the way some are loose and at jaunty angles.

When it comes to brick-built trees I have a real difficulty creating them for MOC projects, but here the tree is designed and built incredibly well, I like how the branches fold down to create more of a natural covering.

Each window is created is the exact same way although the instructions split up the build, I guess it is because of the light brick being on the opposite side on each that warrants the separate guide. I like how the angles are done and presented and they do truly finish the Wood Cabin off nicely.

The Lights:

The lights take this set to a whole new level and really shine bright, bith inside and out!

Spreading the lights all over the build is a great idea as it doesn’t concentrate light too much in one area, giving it a more natural feel. There are two LEDs on the log hut outside, two on the porch, and one down the side which lights up the Sheep pen.

Inside the stov is lit, as well as a lamp upstairs.i will be totally honest and say that I accidentally pressed too hard on both window segments when inserting them which snapped the two connectors, oops, but don’t fret if this happens to you as FunWhole have wonderful customer service and will send you replacement cables and parts if needed.

I find it far more easier and a better experience if I show people photos of the lights in action, they definitely speak louder than words!

The Conclusion:

Trying an alternative brand was surprisingly never on my list, I don’t particularly class myself as a LEGO ‘snob’ but I tend to stick to LEGO products. That being said I am very impressed with the FunWhole brand and would happily build another if given the chance.

Of course there are some aspects of the whole experience I would change, for instance the amount of plastic bags needed is a little excessive, some smaller bags only had 20 or so bits in them.

There are definitely more pros then there cons with this set, the instruction manual utilises a great layout and includes multiple steps on one page thus limiting the amount of paper and wastage there is.

The bricks & pieces themselves are of good quality material and feel like they’re strong enough to handle both assembly and disassembly. Each piece I placed had amazing clutch power, the times I misplaced a piece it felt like I’d never get the part off, it was that strong, which is great in my book!

I’ve have quite a lot of experience fitting light kits and the ones included here are no different. I’ll be honest, as I always am, and say that they can be very fiddly but the end result is 100% worth it.

Overall the FunWhole brand and this set in particular are a must try. The Wood Cabin will slot into a Cityscape extremely easy and not look out of place at all. We highly recommend this product and would love to know what you think of it, so please share your experience below in the comments, send us an email, or tag is on social media.

Thank you for reading our review, we really appreciate your time and support. If you’d like to pickup one yourself or any of the FunWhole products, please use this discount code, brickpost10FO, not only with it help us out but you’ll also receive a 10% discount on your order!