Hello there,
after a few years of being out of the hobby I am starting to get interested again after seeing that a lot of budget printers now are having all the features that my old one were missing. Direct extruder, auto bed leveling, dual z axis, stuff like that. So which one of the budget printers around 300€ would you guys suggest one should get to get started again? Elegoo Neptune 4? Creality Ender 3 V3? Anycubic Kobra 2? Sovol S06? There are so many good looking options that I am interested in your experiences and opinions. Thanks!
What are your goals? Do you want it to just work (and be more expensive) or do you mind tinkering with it (and it being cheaper)? Do you want to print fast (more expensive) or is slower ok (and cheaper)?
Personally, I wanted cheaper and medium functionality. I don’t want a pure-tinker situation (no voron or ender 3), but I don’t wanna pay for Bambu features or Prusa features/quality. I went with Sovol SV06 Plus. It’s a 4/5 *'s printer for me. I don’t think I like the volcano style hotend, it’s too stringy for me, but I like the big build area. The filament runout sensor location is a poor design decision, but that’s easily fixed with a 15 min print. There’s something with the ABL that I’ve not fully figured out (perfect in center, but worse the further it gets away from center), but it might be twist in the X gantry. I’ve read reports on that, but haven’t verified it on my machine. (I solved that by printing fat 1st layers, 0.6mm width on a 0.4mm nozzle.)
Sovol or machines like it are good for mid-range, IMO.
I’m biased to say save and get a Prusa. It is what I did. It is not a printer project. The hardware specs are a misnomer. The continuous investment in the community is the real selling point. I spent more initially, but my Prusa is still worth nearly what I put into it even as a MK3S+ when the 4 is a thing. Everyone knows it will still work, and continue to do so, while parts will always be readily available. No one worries that it is some failed project.
Now if I tried to sell my little modified KP3S Kingroon, that thing is pretty much worthless now even though it works okay most of the time. I spent more on it at $200 than I did on the Prusa at just over 3× as much. I barely used the KP3S, wasted $100 on “upgrades” and it is now all loss. I got it after the Prusa knowing it is a project to screw around with. Spending more can often mean spending less when you consider long term value. That is just my personal opinion. I don’t regret buying the Prusa.
Same Bias here. Bought a Prusa Mini and got a working printer. In 3years I did nothing to the machine than cleaning and lubrication, and it still prints like day 1. Last year I got an update that enabled input shaping - on a machine that was out of warranty for close to a year already…
That’s one option and the one I was also thinking about. But it is triple the price for a few of the budget options.
If you value your time more than you like to tinker with your printer, then the cost makes sense.
If you like to do more maintenance and prefer to save the money up front, then the budget printers make sense.
Speaking as someone who wetn cheap and got an ender 3. I’ve spent 90% of my time with printer maintenance and calibration. Not printing…
You buy a budget printer if you want to get into 3d printers. You buy a prusa if you want to get into 3d printing.
If you want to learn how everything works, you should get a kit. After it’s assembled you should be able to print nearly endlessly with nothing more than basic maintenance.
You raise a very excellent point, for what I’ve spent toying and tinkering with my OG ender 3 pro, I very easily could have bought a nice Prusa/ Bamboo/ Voron printer.
That said, I can’t say I regret the thessian ender route either. I’ve learned so much about not just the printer itself and how it works on a fundamental level, but also how to model and design for the materials I’m working with and the capabilities of my machine I’m way more comfortable working with small electronics (wiring/ crimping/ soldering and am even flirting with PCB design) compared to when I first got into the hobby. I tend to be more of a hands on learner, so I enjoy the project printer (to an extent) and the learning experience that comes with it.
It very much depends on what OP is looking to get out of/ do with the printer, I 100% agree if it’s more of a "I just want it to work ", a Prusa or other mid-range printer* is probably the better play than something in the budget range.
* Depending on how OP feels about Bamboo, the A1 may be a good option on that front as well (once the teething problems get worked out)
I’ve got a Elegoo Neptune 3 Pro and found it really easy to setup and get good results printing without having to spend a lot of time fiddling - I guess it depends on your definition of “budget”, cos although it’s cheaper that the equivalent Prusa, there are definitely cheaper options around
As mentioned around the 300€ mark somewhere. So Neptune 4 Pro may be an option.
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I would say it depends on where you get joy from in the hobby. I like working on my printer and making it better, so I’d buy a low end model and upgrade it. If that’s not your jam, I would recommend a Prusa or Bambu. I have no experience with them, but I hear good things. I bought a biqu B1 and added upgrades myself. I’ve had days where I wanna pull my hair out, but I have somehow enjoyed the challenge.
And that can be a very valid reason to enjoy the hobby.
Ender 3 v3 KE has everything you’d want
Or Bambu A1 mini lose surface but get to steer it from your phone
I have a Elegoo and I really love it. Going 2 years and no problems, didn’t even change the fep yet
