Just wondering. 

My favorite set to build under $50 is probably the 5542 Black Thunder. Awesome build. Too bad that you can only get it on the secondary market now.

Man a lot of choices. Do you like difficulty, best value display wise? Playability?

 

Difficulty - buy a technic set. Awesome and challenging. I just build the backhoe loader 42004 and its pretty sweet. The 4 Wheeler looks pretty intriguing as well.

Two face Chase, dont know what is was in dollars but was

21103 BTTF DeLorean.  Great little set, so much nostalgia!  Plus 3 different build options.

Monster Fighter Crazy scientist

Barrel Escape (love all the barrels of liquor)

Funhouse 

76007: Malibu Mansion Attack. Lots of minifigures for number of pieces. Looks good on display. Detail.

Is that $50 before tax? Just pulling your leg. Umm....huh. Well, I like opening to put together the Collectable Minifigures for display and some of the polybags are fun for a quickie. Off hand, I really enjoyed the Creator sets like Highway Speedster.

either the shelob attacks 9470 or creator forest animals 31019  really like having them hang out above the dinner table

Kind of cheating...but I got the Creator Family House for $40 and it was a really fun build. The kind where you are almost sad when it's done.

Kind of cheating...but I got the Creator Family House for $40 and it was a really fun build. The kind where you are almost sad when it's done.

I know the feeling.

my battrax was originally under $50 and still one of my favorite sets ever, modern sets though i'd have to say that the midi millennium falcon would be my favorite under $50 set even though i don't have one anymore =(

So many choices, I don't think I can pick just one.

 

Old school:

6931 FX-Star Patroller - This set was given to me on my 5th birthday.  I had asked for a "big" Lego set, as everything I had at that point was the smaller boxes, $5-$10 range back in the 80's.  Even though this set is only about 200 pieces, it was one of the larger classic spaceships available at the time.  It looks great and is a fun build (just recently rebuilt it for display)

 

6780 XT Starship - One of the last of the Classic Space sets to be released.  Has the same general look as the FX-Star Patroller, but is in the white/blue/black Futuron color scheme.  Again, fun build, cool looking ship, plus it featured the light and sound system.

 

 

Current:

Council of Elrond - Despite the rather silly play feature, this was a fun build and looks very Elvish once completed.

 

Barrel Escape - Was surprised by this one.  The build was rather enjoyable, and it looks great on display once finished.  This set has a play feature that actually makes sense and works well.

 

7947 Kingdom's Prison Tower Rescue - While the interior is sparse, the build for this tower is highly enjoyable.  It has a great look to it, and I like the color scheme.  The rock work is brick built and does not use BURPs, so that's a plus.  Nice minifigs too.

Technic Street Bike 8420, for both display and build.

Ninjago dragons (Ice, Earth or Golden) are my favorite under $50 sets.  Close second is The Lone Ranger Stagecoach Escape.  

City Park Cafe (am I the first to post a Friends set? C'mon closet Friends fans )

The first Friends set I built (first Lego set as an AFOL too). Loved the details like the sandwiches, the s/p shakers, ketchup dispenser, Ice cream dispenser, oven, sink, $100 in the cash drawer. Striped awning, the gumball machine outside...I could go on. This is the Parisian restaurant for little girls. Good investment too!

Ninjago dragons (Ice, Earth or Golden) are my favorite under $50 sets.  Close second is The Lone Ranger Stagecoach Escape.  

 

Unfortunately only one of those is under 50 now. lol. Golden dragon is pretty sweet though.

LEGO Tumbler Chase 76001. Cool build and minifigs

Unfortunately only one of those is under 50 now. lol. Golden dragon is pretty sweet though.

 

Only unfortunate if you don't have any

 

There are also some really nice Architecture sets under $50 - I really want to get my hands on a UN HQ.  This could easily vault into my top 5 if it builds as good as it looks. 

 

Rock Center was surprisingly fun (even though it's almost monochromatic), and I hope to build the Eiffel Tower, Pisa and Brandenburg Gate too.

LEGO Tumbler Chase 76001. Cool build and minifigs

 

I agree, this was a nice build.  Actually, the TMNT: Turtle Lair isn't too bad of a build for $50 either.  I put two of them together for my son and modified them a bit, but he has a nice big lair now to play with.

I agree, this was a nice build.  Actually, the TMNT: Turtle Lair isn't too bad of a build for $50 either.  I put two of them together for my son and modified them a bit, but he has a nice big lair now to play with.

I like what you did with the two sets, but I hated that build.  I felt it was just too fagile.

I like what you did with the two sets, but I hated that build.  I felt it was just too fagile.

 

I haven't had to put it back together much for my son, so it's been pretty stable for us.

Favorite set to build that I PAID under $50 for?

 

MT-101 Armored Drilling Unit

 

http://www.brickpicker.com/bpms/set.cfm?set=7699-1

 

Snagged that for $40 at Toys R Us in 2009.