Comparing Brands of Magnetic Tiles

Why we love Connetix Tiles

We are always asked about the Connetix Tiles and how they compare to other brands but we chose to stock Connetix Tiles after our daughters quickly fell in love with them and it became the toy they would play with everyday and for the longest amount of time!

We were very surprised at this as we had owned other brands of magnetic tiles in the past but the love for them was not the same as when building with Connetix Tiles.

Firstly let's start with why we love them. They have continued to be a favourite for ourselves and our children and have had endless play from both our girls from age 1 and 3 as well as older children and adults when they come to visit! They are now primary school aged and they are still reached for daily.

Please note: Connetix Tiles are recommended for children aged 3+ due to containing magnets. 

Connetix Tiles are such a wonderful investment for many developmental stages and being such good quality they will last for many, many years. Connetix Tiles are open ended so there is no right or wrong way to play with them, meaning children will be using their imagination to create with them as they take the lead in their own play.

While playing with them, children are developing so many skills such as hand-eye coordination, colours, fine motor skills, problem solving skills and learning concepts such as cause and effect.

While they can cost a lot of money you will find value in the amount of play your children and yourself will gain from them. I’ve had many parents message me telling me how much they love sitting down and playing with them too!  Something that children won’t forget is spending hours playing with their parents and is the base of a happy childhood.

Connetix Tiles vs. Playmags

We have compared our set of Connetix with our friend’s Playmags sets which have both been owned for almost a year.

From first looking at them together the most noticeable difference in them was the clear windows on the Connetix Tiles vs the bracing through the middle of the Playmags. 

The amount of scratches on the Playmags compared to the Connetix also affected the look of them, making them less clear to see through. The Playmags are flat where as the Connetix Tiles are slightly concave in the middle meaning they have less scratches and you can easily see through them, even after a lot of use.

Picture above small square - Connetix Tiles (left) vs Playmags (right)

In regards to supports through the tiles, Playmags have internal supports in each tile whereas the concave cross acts as the support in the Connetix. 

Picture above big square - Connetix Tiles (left) vs Playmags (right)

You'll notice from the pictures above that the magnet size is the same. We tried a lot of different ways to test the magnet strength and both seem very similar. The main difference we found was that we were able to hang 5 of the Connectix squares whilst only being able to hang 4 of the Playmags.

This is probably due to the Playmags square being 3 grams heavier than the Connectix. This means once you hang 5 tiles the Playmags were 15g heavier than the Connetix and this small weight difference was enough that the magnet could no longer hold the weight.

Picture above - Connetix Tiles (left) vs Playmags (right)

The Playmags and Connetix are compatible and work well together, the sizes and shapes of them are all the same on the outside with slight differences of the internal cutouts. For example the small square window on Connetix has 4 squares and the small square window on playmags has two arched windows at the top and two square windows at the bottom.

The Playmags are 6mm thick and the Connetix are 7mm thick but this small difference doesn't change their compatibility. See below picture of 6 tiles stacked.

Picture above -  Playmags (left) vs Connetix Tiles (right)

Both sets are very durable and neither have seen any breakages but we always recommend checking your tiles every now and then to make sure there are no cracks as it could happen.

Picture above - Connetix Tiles (top) vs Playmags (bottom)

Connetix Tiles are out in the playroom most days and also get used at every open day. They are constantly built up high and pushed down.

The Connetix Tiles are also  slightly more affordable than Playmags. The 100 piece Connetix Tiles are $159 vs a 100 Piece Playmags at $190.

Picture above - Connetix Tiles (bottom) vs Playmags (top)

How does Kmart compare?

The Kmart Magnetic Tiles are cheaper than Connetix but magnets are very weak compared to the Connetix - they are about half the size. The colours of the actual tiles are also more transparent.

Kmart (left) - Connetix Tiles (right)

Many customers of our store have upgraded to the Connetix Tiles after coming along to our Open Days to build with the Connetix Tiles in person.

They used the Kmart tiles to see if their children would be interested in them before investing in the Connetix Tiles. Whilst playing they have said that the Kmart Tiles were unable to stack high due to the weaker magnets and that their children couldn’t pick up their constructions without them falling apart which lead to a lot of frustration.

Kmart Magnetic Tiles pictured above.

I have since tried them myself and I do agree at they are weaker but they are compatible with the Connetix Tiles if you'd like to make a mixed collection.

The magnets in the Kmart tiles are also not sealed well, unlike the Connetix, as there are no rivets and gaps between layers. Connetix Tiles magnets are in cased inside the plastic with rivets holding them shut for extra protection.

Pictured above you can see the two brands mixed together of the same shapes.

The Connetix Tiles also has a wider variety of shapes including another triangle, small rectangle and large square.

There is a reason that the Connetix Tiles cost more - it’s because they are the top quality and are a leading brand in Magnetic Tiles.