Magnetic Tiles Australia

The independent Australian guide to magnetic tiles

Connetix, Magna-Tiles, Kmart Anko, TileTek and the rest, compared by people who do not sell any of them. Every ranking competitor in this niche is a shop reviewing its own stock. We are not a shop, which is the whole point.

The short answer

Buying one good set: get Connetix. Not sure your kid will care: start with Kmart's Anko tiles, they connect with everything else if you upgrade later.

Connetix

premium

Families who want one set that lasts years and holds big builds. Magnets: very strong. Price: around AU$169 for the 102-piece pack (price-controlled, similar everywhere).

The current benchmark. If you are buying one set to last from age three into primary school, this is the safest money you can spend in the category.

Check price on Amazon AUFull review

Kmart Anko

budget

Testing whether your child cares about magnetic tiles at all. Magnets: weak to moderate. Price: roughly a third to half the per-piece price of Connetix.

Honestly fine as a trial run. If the tiles get played with every day, upgrade to Connetix and keep the Anko tiles as extensions. If they gather dust, you risked very little.

Check price on Amazon AUFull review

Every brand on Australian shelves

Six brands cover almost everything sold here. All but Magformers share the same tile footprint, so the real choice is magnets, construction and price, not lock-in.

BrandTierMagnetsBest for
ConnetixPremiumvery strongFamilies who want one set that lasts years and holds big builds
Magna-TilesPremiumstrongClassrooms and buyers who want the most proven name
PlaymagsMid-rangestrongValue hunters who want near-premium magnets under the Connetix price
Learn & Grow (now TileTek)Mid-rangestrongA cheaper Australian-brand alternative to Connetix
Kmart AnkoBudgetweak to moderateTesting whether your child cares about magnetic tiles at all
MagBloxMid-rangestrongParents who prefer softer, less saturated colours

Prices move constantly in this category, so we do not print them as fact. Each brand page carries the current typical range and what to check before you buy. Full reasoning in the ranked guide.

How to choose, in three decisions

  1. How many pieces. Around 60 to 100 is where builds stop being frustrating. One 100-piece set beats two 32-piece sets. The first-pack guide sizes it by age and budget.
  2. How strong the magnets are. This decides whether tall builds stand or collapse, and it is the main thing the premium price buys. Compare the two ends directly: Connetix vs Kmart.
  3. Whether it mixes with what you own. Nearly everything does, which makes topping up cheap. The compatibility guide lists what joins what, and the one brand that joins nothing.

Guides

Head to head

Once you own them

The tiles are only half of it; knowing what to build with them is the rest. Build ideas has step-by-step builds from a first cube to a castle with corner towers, each with its piece count, and you can try the tiles in the browser before buying a set.

Common questions

Do different brands of magnetic tiles work together?
Almost always, yes. Connetix, Magna-Tiles, Playmags, TileTek, MagBlox and Kmart's Anko tiles all use the same square footprint and magnet spacing, so they connect with each other. The exception is Magformers, which uses a frame design that does not join a solid tile face. This is the single most useful fact in the category: your first purchase does not lock you into a brand.
Are Kmart magnetic tiles any good?
For flat patterns and simple boxes, they are genuinely fine, and they cost roughly a third to a half of Connetix per piece. The limits show up on tall builds: the magnets are around half the size, so height collapses. They also have no rivets sealing the magnets in, so they need regular damage checks. As a way to find out whether your child cares about tiles at all, they are the right call.
What age are magnetic tiles for?
Most sets are labelled from three years, and that labelling is about the magnets rather than the difficulty. Under three, tiles need close supervision and regular checks for cracked or loose pieces, because a swallowed magnet is a medical emergency rather than an ordinary choking risk. From three to about ten they are one of the longest-running toys most households own.
How many magnetic tiles do you need to start?
Around 60 to 100 pieces is the size where builds stop being frustrating. Below about 40, a child runs out of squares halfway through a house. Buying one 100-piece set beats buying two 32-piece sets, and because brands mix, topping up later with a cheaper set works fine.
Which magnetic tiles are the strongest?
Of the widely available brands in Australia, Connetix has the strongest magnets, which is what lets tall and cantilevered builds hold. Magna-Tiles sit a step below but are still firmly in the premium tier. Mixing a strong brand with a weak one means the build fails at the weak tile, not the strong one, which is worth knowing before you top up a Connetix set with a budget pack.