Hotter tip - if you live near a Goodwill auction site, you can pickup "in store" and so you can bid for their bulk Lego without shipping.

In case you never read this at the time - he's talked about it on HN a few times:

Sorting 2 Metric Tons of Lego https://jacquesmattheij.com/sorting-two-metric-tons-of-lego/

Another tip: the quality difference between a Lego brand piece and its doppleganger from an AliExpress shop exists, but is usually negligible.

I never saw a piece that doesn't fit, and the difference was mostly color and durability, where the no-brand technic bricks would fail earlier than the Lego ones when (ab)used for mechanically straining purposes, like a coat hangers, cup holder etc.

The more interesting part: this opens up access to more original and specialized parts that Lego doesn't want or cares about, like a go pro mount for instance.

How about regulations on plasticizers and chemicals that your kids will put in their mouth ?

Or the environmental impact, for which an EU company will care much more and be regulated for ?

Technic bricks (or really pins, axles, wheels) are a nightmare for any house with small kids either way, I think food grade plastic is irrelevant on that side.

On the environmental impact it's a good point, especially EU regulations. I'm not sure yet how much Lego's stance is marketing and how much it actually makes a difference, especially as they also have a factory in China and the bricks I'd get would come from there, but one can hope.

I'd love Salvador Dali Lego, as long as the pieces still clicked together.

I feel like low heat would be beneficial to bacteria, instead of killing them...?

Dishwashing and clothes washing are not designed to kill bacteria, even at high temperatures. They are designed to wash away bacteria. Detergent is a surfactant, it lifts bacteria/stains/dirt out of the material and then we wash them away. They are not usually anti-bacterial unless you buy a specific detergent that is