prusa mk3 lcd displays f price

The Original Prusa i3 MK3S+ is the latest version of our award-winning 3D printers. We have upgraded the MK3S with a brand new SuperPINDA probe for improved first layer calibration, added high-quality bearings and various useful design tweaks to make the printer easier to assemble and maintain. The MK3S+ includes all the proven features of the previous models, including the heatbed with removable PEI spring steel print sheets, automatic Mesh Bed Leveling, filament sensor, power loss recovery (power panic) and safety features. And it is still as silent as ever!The functionality of the MK3S+ can be further enhanced by ourfor printing with up to 5 filaments simultaneously.

Winter holidays are just around the corner! If you decided to buy one of our 3D printers for someone else and you’re not sure if the package is going to make it in time,

SuperPINDA probe features a hiqh-quality sensor for a fully-automatic Mesh Bed Leveling process. Before every print, the printer probes the bed in several places and creates a virtual heightmap of the print area. This process ensures that the first layer will always be spot on!

The MK3S+ features a new set of metal clips for the high-quality bearings on the Y-axis. The belt tensioning mechanism on the X-axis was reworked and the X-end plastic parts reinforced. The filament path in the extruder was altered for better support of flexible filaments.

Spring steel sheets are easy to maintain and make removing the printed object from the print surface a breeze. We offer three types of print surface: smooth, textured and satin to cover all your needs when printing from a wide range of different materials - most of which do not require any special separation layers or surface preparation.

The MK3S+ features an aluminum extrusion Y-axis assembly. Thanks to the milled dural frame, the MK3S+ is stable, rigid, and easy to assemble. Combined with our internally developed extruder featuring Bondtech gears and the E3D V6 hotend, the MK3S+ can print high-quality objects up to 210 mm in height.

Are you afraid of a blackout ruining your 48-hour print? Worry no more - the MK3S+ can deal with that! The printer can fully recover from the loss of power and continue printing exactly where it left off. It detects power interruptions and shuts down the heatbed and extruder heating, and saves the last known location.

The MK3S+ further enhances the reworked extruder from the MK3S. The built-in filament sensor uses a reliable trigger system, which detects whether a strand of filament is inserted into the extruder. It can detect any type and color of filament and is not susceptible to mechanical wear.

Thanks to the SuperPINDA probe, the MK3S+ can use the Mesh Bed Leveling process to compensate for microscopic imperfections of the print sheet, and inconsistencies caused by the assembly and stacking of the manufacturing tolerances of various parts. Achieving a great-looking first layer is quick and easy.

Our internally developed multiplatform slicer comes with in-house made and fully tested profiles for all of our 3D printers and a wide range of filaments. With built-in tools, such as advanced support generation, cutting, automated object distribution, ironing and many others, you will turn your 3D models into print files in no time!

The MK3S+ is fully compatible with a wide range of various types of materials. No matter whether you want to print something for fun from PLA and flexible materials, or you need to produce durable prototypes from PETG, ASA, Polycarbonate and Polypropylene - the MK3S+ can handle them with ease.

We develop firmware for all of our 3D printers and test every new version thoroughly before release. Ongoing development and regular updates ensure that our machines are packed with useful features, such as print sheet profiles, automated calibration, Mesh bed leveling, advanced diagnostics, remaining print time estimation, Octoprint support and more!

Wide range of thermoplastics, including PLA, PETG, ASA, ABS, PC (Polycarbonate), CPE, PVA/BVOH, PVB, HIPS, PP (Polypropylene), Flex, nGen, Nylon, Carbon filled, Woodfill and other filled materials.

* Consumable parts, such as PEI sheets (smooth, textured, etc.) are not covered by warranty as the coatings are designed to diminish over time unless failure has occurred due to a defect in materials or workmanship. Cosmetic damage, including but not limited to scratches, dents, cracks, or other cosmetic damage is also not covered by the warranty. Only defective sheets on arrival are covered by warranty.

Controller: EINSY RAMBo 8-bit board  with Trinamic 2130 drivers (256 microstepping), co-developed with Ultimachine, sensorless homing for X and Y axes

Print sheet profiles: Firmware supports print sheet profiles to store Live Z calibration data to enable quick switching between different print sheets.

Thanks to all of these (and many other) features,the MK3S became the “Best 3D Printer” according to ALL3DP. The MK3S is alsothe highest-rated3D printer, and the “Editor’s Choice”, in the prestigious MAKE:MAGAZINE’s Digital Fabrication Guide 2019. The MK3S is also featured in as The best all-around 3D printer.wrote that"...of the 11 printers we’ve tested over the past five years, the Prusa i3 MK3S printer has produced the largest and best-looking prints."According toZDNet,the MK3S is"The best pro-sumer 3D printer under 1000 USD."

We offer 24/7 tech support via live chat and email in seven languages. Our printers come with detailed instructions and guides for easy assembly and maintenance. You can also visit our knowledge base, community forum, Facebook groups and official Blog, where we publish useful 3D printing tips and tricks, contests and more!

The MK3S+ assembly kit is an excellent first step into the world of 3D printing. You will get to know your 3D printer inside out and find out how it works! The assembly is quite easy, requires no soldering, all cables are cut to length and ready to be plugged in. The assembly instructions are easy to follow and all texts are translated into 8 languages. All of this makes the kit very friendly to younger builders, too!

Original Prusa 3D printers are well-known for their reliability and safe operation. Every part of our printers is thoroughly tested in-house. The MK3S+ is equipped with three thermistors and comes with a custom-built high-quality Delta power supply. The printer can recognize issues with heating and stop operation to prevent damage.

All parts of our printer are open-source, which means we publish all source codes and blueprints online. The community around our products is huge and the feedback is overwhelmingly positive - don"t believe us? Check out Facebook groups and YouTube videos! There"s so much to do with your 3D printer - buying it is just the beginning!

Multi Material Upgrade 2S is our unique add-on option for printing with up to 5 different filaments simultaneously. Multi-material could be your next step in the 3D printing world and the MK3S and MK3S+ are completely ready for the upgrade! MMU2S also allows you to print a soluble support interface - check out the video!

One of the most popular features of the Original Prusa i3 concept is upgradability. When you buy our 3D printer, you can upgrade it later to a newer version, so you don"t need to buy a whole new model every two years like, for example, your phone or laptop. We also keep supporting our 3D printers with regular firmware updates that bring new features!

All fasteners and mechanical parts have 1:1 drawing so you can easily find them, and there is no chance of you picking a wrong one. You don"t have to be MIT graduate to assemble our kit ;-)

We provide high print settings with the printer, so you don"t have to dive into complex new programs the second you finish the build. You can start printing right away, and this gives you a great head start!

These settings are great for all kinds of objects, not just for a couple of prepared showpieces. After a while, when you"re familiar with the printer, you can, of course, dive into tinkering ;-)

We are developing our own slicing software. feature-rich, frequently updated tool that contains everything you need to export the perfect print filesfor your Original Prusa 3D printer.But of course, we also have the settings for the third party slicers like Simplify3D, Cura, etc.

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Looks really nice, but viewing angles are no better than the original. I have a second printer with a Midas MC42005A12W-VNMLW and plan to switch this one to that too. The contrast of the viewing angles for the transmissive lcd are so much better.

This LCD display works and fits like original PRUSA MK3 display. The price point for this unit was below anything I could find elsewhere. It’s a perfect match for the PRUSA MK2 and MK3. No complaints.

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Dave Gershgorn is a senior staff writer at Wirecutter and an avid 3D-printing enthusiast. He has printed through dozens of rolls of filament, has owned multiple printers, and has designed custom 3D-printable models for home improvement, product testing, and cosplay. His current personal printers are the Prusa i3 MK3S+ and the Elegoo Mars 3.

Signe Brewster has been researching, studying, and testing 3D printers for tech publications including Gigaom, TechCrunch, and now Wirecutter since 2013. She has printed hundreds of 3D models, and through that experience she has learned how to spot the annoyances that can come with using an emerging technology.

In the course of researching this guide, we interviewed several 3D-printing experts, including Sean Charlesworth, a 3D-printing specialist for Tested, and Justin Kelly, an entrepreneur who founded LaserGnomes and Proto House.Who should get this

People who need to quickly make prototypes or custom plastic parts can get the most mileage out of a 3D printer. These machines are also useful tools for anyone who likes tinkering or teaching children about STEM concepts. You can find plenty of downloadable designs online at 3D-model libraries such as Thingiverse. The range of possibilities is even wider if you know how to use CAD (computer-aided design) software. And anyone can work with a 3D printer: Most printers are easy enough to use that a child (with adult supervision) can print any of the endless variety of toy designs available.What you should know about 3D printers

Be warned that no 3D printer is unbreakable. A day will come when you’ll need to replace a part or get your hands dirty in some other way. Replacement parts are available for the Prusa Mini+ and MK3S+, but not all 3D printers are equally easy to fix. You might want to avoid 3D printing altogether if you aren’t confident that you’d be able to perform a minor repair on the equivalent of a household appliance.

Prospective buyers should also be aware that the 3D-printing industry is in a constant state of upheaval. MakerBot, which was long considered the frontrunner among home 3D printers, stopped marketing to hobbyists and home users several years ago in order to focus on commercial and educational institutions. Many of the printers we have tested have come and gone within the span of a year or two. So it’s not out of the question that you might someday find yourself without much support from the company that made your printer. It’s also possible that a new breakthrough will suddenly leave you with outdated technology.

In addition, a 3D printer brings health and environmental concerns. When a printer melts plastic as part of the extrusion process, it releases volatile organic compounds and other particulates. The CDC recommends (PDF) using printers in a “negatively pressured area with a dedicated ventilation system,” which is not a feature found in your average home. It’s a good idea to weigh how comfortable you are with exposure to some fumes before buying.

On the environmental side of things, consider that you’re investing in a machine that works primarily with plastics. It’s possible to recycle or compost certain types of 3D-printed plastics (polylactic acid, or PLA, being the most sustainable of the common varieties), but the process can be complicated. There’s also the option to invest in a spendy recycling system of your own.How we picked

We turned to articles from 3D Hubs, Make, PCMag, and Tom’s Guide, plus customer reviews on sites like Amazon, to develop a short list of the best 3D printers for beginners. We then interviewed our experts on what to look for in a printer.

You could spend anywhere from $200 to $1 million on a 3D printer. The best options for hobbyists are priced at $1,000 or less. As with any piece of technology, printers in different price ranges offer different mixes of features. Printers really do get better the more you spend—and sometimes they’re also easier to use. Some higher-priced machines offer specialty features such as dual-color printing or a webcam for monitoring your print remotely, while other expensive units are known for their exceptional reliability.

We skipped 3D printer kits, which are less expensive but require a great deal of assembly, in favor of machines that print good-looking parts straight out of the box with as little maintenance required as possible.

Easy-to-use hardware:Even a complete beginner should be able to put the printer together, load filament, start a print, and remove a finished model from the print bed. The bed should also level itself or be simple to level manually (a sloping print bed can cause printing errors).

Ample connectivity options: Ideally, you should be able to start a print over Wi-Fi or transfer the file over a USB cable. Loading files onto an SD card that you plug into the printer is also okay. A design that requires you to keep a computer tethered to the printer at all times via USB is a serious flaw but not necessarily a dealbreaker.

Intuitive software:Beginners should be able to jump right into using a printer’s software, including making adjustments to models before printing. The software should come preloaded with print settings but provide options for more experienced users to fine-tune. It’s a big plus if a printer is compatible with Ultimaker Cura, which has become somewhat of an industry standard and a favorite of ours.

Large-enough print volume:It would be nice to have the ability to print objects as large as you want, but the reality is that most models found in libraries like Thingiverse are designed for small 3D-printer beds, with workarounds for combining several printed pieces to create a larger object. As a result, beginners need only a print bed that’s large enough to print models about the size of a small tissue box.

Heated bed: Heated beds prevent prints from warping, help models stick to the print bed, and allow you to print using a wider range of materials. (ABS, one of the two most common types of plastic used for 3D printing, and other materials shrink as they cool. Without a heated bed, you are limited to PLA, the other main type of plastic.)

Compatibility with any brand of filament: Some companies embed chips in the spools of plastic that feed into their 3D printers, requiring you to buy refills directly from the printer manufacturer. Proprietary filament is generally more expensive, and if the company that makes it goes out of business, you won’t be able to use the printer.

Suited to everyday life:The machine should look at home sitting on a desk. Ideally, it isn’t too big or heavy, and it’s relatively quiet so you can’t hear it from every corner of the house. Although some printers are marginally faster than others, large prints can take days; even small prints take hours. A quiet printer is much easier to live with. Printers should also be able to print in polylactic acid, or PLA, plastic. While melting any type of plastic releases volatile organic compounds and other particulates into the air, the CDC considers PLA to be safer (PDF). PLA also has a sweet, inoffensive smell—still, it’s best for both children and adults to use a 3D printer in a well-ventilated room.

Enclosed printing chamber: Enclosing the print space keeps prints at a consistent temperature to prevent warping and other printing imperfections. It’s an especially good idea to have an enclosed chamber if you are printing with acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, or ABS—one of the two most popular printing materials—which is more prone to warping because it shrinks when it cools. Although enclosed printing chambers are nice to have, they’re not essential, and they’re actually fairly rare among inexpensive 3D printers.How we tested

We time how long we take to get each printer from the box to set up on our desk, and we jot down notes on the initial software installation and navigation process. Then we get to printing. We allow each printer eight attempts to produce as many acceptable models as possible. We rate each print as either a success, a mediocre effort, or a failure. Successful prints look smooth, with no obvious imperfections. Mediocre prints have readily visible layers or imperfections but still look like a completed model. Failure takes many forms—everything from broken filament string that causes the print to stop to wild spaghetti-like misprints due to software or hardware errors.

Printers usually come with several models preloaded; we always start by printing one of these because they’re carefully optimized for the printer. Errors in these prints indicate that there is likely something wrong on the hardware end that we need to adjust. After the first successful print, we move on to designs we’ve found on Thingiverse. For our 2020 and 2021 testing, that group included “Low-Poly Bulbasaur” and “Low-Poly Charmander” by Thingiverse member flowalistik, “Curved honeycomb vase” by eggnot, and “Skull lamps - Voronoi Style” by shiuan. Our 2022 test added the “3DBenchy” model by CreativeTools and the “Nano All In One 3D printer test” from Printables member Steeveeet. These models had a range of detail, overhangs, and scale that would give us an impression of the printers’ strengths.

Almost any 3D printer is capable of putting out successful models—experienced users know (or can figure out) how to tweak settings and hardware to get such results. But beginners (or even intermediate users like us) aren’t as likely to know what to do or to care enough to spend time fine-tuning. For the purposes of our testing, we give the printers the basic care they need to function—an initial bed-level check combined with factory-recommended settings—but we don’t tweak the printer or software to get better prints unless something goes wrong.

We also note how many times we have to repair the printers, how often each machine needs its print bed leveled, and how difficult it is to remove completed models from the print bed. These are general issues that pop up for any tier of 3D printer, but some printers are better than others at reducing the time you have to spend cleaning and repairing them.Our pick: Prusa Mini+

The Prusa Mini+ offers the best overall 3D-printing experience thanks to its combination of print quality, reliability, and desk-appropriate size, all offered at a relatively low price. It produced some of the best-looking prints among the machines we tested, it works with a wide variety of filament brands and types, and it comes preassembled. (You can save some dough and buy a kit to assemble the Mini+ yourself instead, though we didn’t test kits because of the added skill involved.) Prusa printers are the quietest we’ve tested, which makes them especially bearable to work alongside in an office.

Across eight test prints, the Mini+ produced eight perfect models, the best result from any printer we’ve tested. It can print layers as thin as 0.05 mm, half the thickness that most of the printers we’ve tested can achieve. As a result, it prints objects that look especially glossy and smooth. Unlike with most of the other printers we’ve tested, we’ve never seen an obvious error in printed models from the Mini+.

We decided to use the free PrusaSlicer software program to prepare files for printing. We still prefer the detail packed into Ultimaker Cura, another free program compatible with a wide range of printer types, but we found PrusaSlicer easy to use and reliable in how it prepared files for the Mini+. It has plenty of customization options for the average 3D-printer owner.

We used a USB stick to transfer files from our computer to the printer, but Prusa has published a guide to a DIY upgrade that allows you to send files over Wi-Fi. Once you plug in the USB stick, you can use a knob to scroll through the menu and file list on the Mini+’s color screen, which we found to be much easier to parse than the blue and white, text-only screen of the Prusa i3 MK3S+.

Although the MK3S+ has a larger, 9.9-by-8.3-by-8.3-inch PEI print bed, the Mini+ is no slouch with its 7-by-7-by-7-inch print volume. (For an even larger print bed, check out our also-great pick, the Artillery Sidewinder X2.) Most free models you’ll find available on library websites like Thingiverse are made for this size of print bed, so it’s not often that you’ll max out its abilities. We were able to remove the bed and bend it to pop off prints, but usually we used a scraper and gentle pressure instead. The Mini+ isn’t flashy, but it’s especially practical. It automates as many quality checks as possible, so there’s less manual setup each time you print. It’s also built out of replaceable parts; that’s useful if you plan to run the printer continuously and want it to have as long a lifespan as possible. And Prusa’s printers are upgradable, whether you want to add nicer parts or swap in features from the latest printer.

The Mini+ can print in standard plastics such as PLA and ABS, plus materials like nylon and wood blends. If you’re interested in even more exotic materials, the MK3S+ is a better choice. Prusa makes a line of reasonably priced filament in many types of materials that we have enjoyed using, but the Mini+ is compatible with filaments from other brands, too. We have used Hatchbox filaments with good results in other printers in the past, but we haven’t tested them on the Mini+.

The Mini+ has a decidedly old-school look among 3D printers. But we actually prefer its exposed components to the sleeker looking printers we’ve tested because the design makes the printer easier to repair.

It took us just over an hour to assemble the “preassembled” version of the Mini+. That’s the longest process for any printer we’ve tested. From ensuring that we attached wires in the right place to fiddling with screws at awkward angles, the experience was more of a headache than we expected after the relatively easy assembly required for the MK3S+. The instructions are sometimes vague, so we recommend a close read. However, once we had the Mini+ assembled, it was quick and easy to get ready for printing.

Spending more on a 3D printer gets you, well, more: Touchscreen controls and the ability to print over Wi-Fi are two features we’ve enjoyed on more expensive printers. One benefit of using a USB stick instead of Wi-Fi is that you can save multiple prints to the stick at once; that way, when the first job finishes, you can remove the print and start the next one without having to go back to your computer. But we look forward to Prusa’s addition of Wi-Fi abilities in the future.

The Mini+ has a totally open design, which means that it releases the VOCs and particulates that it produces while using certain types of filament like ABS. You might notice a maple-syrup or plastic smell from the melting filament. If you’ll be using the machine in a home environment, it’s a good idea to use a “healthier” plastic such as PLA. It’s also a good idea to print at the lowest temperature possible for your chosen material; the lower the temperature, the less bad stuff the printer releases into the air. If you plan to spend time in the same room as a running 3D printer and don’t have a ventilated hood or HEPA air filter, turn on a fan or crack a window to improve ventilation (PDF). It’s also a good idea to wear gloves to prevent skin transfer.Upgrade pick: Prusa i3 MK3S+

The Prusa i3 MK3S+ offers the reliability and print quality of the Mini+ along with a larger print bed, a more stable design for greater printing detail, and a better extruder that can handle a wide array of materials. It also comes preassembled or in a DIY kit, though we found the preassembled kit much simpler to set up than the Mini+.

In eight test runs, the MK3S+ made five perfect prints, second only to the Mini+. Like the Mini+, it prints layers as thin as 0.05 mm, creating more detailed models than most competitors in its price range. Of the three jobs that were failures, two were due to setup error and one was due to a clog that we were able to resolve. Unlike with most of the other printers we tested, we never saw an obvious error in the printed models. The print quality of the MK3S+ can be attributed to its sturdy frame and dual z-axis lead screws, which keep layer lines tight and consistent.

It took 32 minutes for us to set up the MK3S+, about average for the printers we’ve tested. Our test unit came assembled, but we took some time to run through the initial setup wizard. Although most of the setup is automated, you should pay close attention during the bed-level calibration; using the knob next to the printer’s computer screen, you need to lower the print nozzle until it nearly touches the bed, slightly squishing the melted filament. We made some mistakes the first time we booted up the printer. We recommend carefully reading the messages on the screen while the setup wizard is running, as well as studying the printer’s instruction manual. The manual is wordy at times, but we prefer that to the minimal or confusing instructions that other printer makers tend to include.

Several software options are available for the MK3S+; we used Cura, downloaded directly from the Ultimaker website. Cura is compatible with a wide range of printers, so during setup you should pick the MK3S+ profile to ensure that the software is tailored to your machine. We’ve used Cura for years without issue. Beginners can start a print quickly, without much thought, or drill deeper into the settings in the software’s intuitive menus when they’re ready to do more fine-tuning. It’s also worth checking out PrusaSlicer, which, as the name implies, is Prusa’s version of slicing software; there, the company offers expertly tuned profiles for its printers and filaments, as well as helpful features like variable layer height based on where your model has the most detail. It also has great features for generating custom support material, which is like scaffolding around your print that helps your printer lay down material at gravity-defying angles. In PrusaSlicer you can “paint” the areas on your model where you want support material, and the slicer will build that scaffolding up from the build plate to meet those specific areas, making the print less prone to failure.

You can print on the MK3S+ over Wi-Fi directly from PrusaSlicer if you install a Raspberry Pi Zero W into your machine, or you can save your file to an SD card and insert it into the machine. Using a knob, you can scroll through the black-and-white menu on the MK3S+’s small screen to select which model you want to print. It isn’t the flashiest or most intuitive system, but it is similar to what you’ll find on most other $1,000 printers.

The MK3S+ has plenty of cool features, our favorite of which is the removable 9.9-by-8.3-by-8.3-inch PEI print bed. Its direct-drive extruder allows you to print with flexible filaments like TPU to make custom phone cases, for example, or rubbery feet for gadgets. The extruder also includes a filament-runout sensor, which automatically pauses a print if you don’t have enough filament to finish. And this machine is modular and built out of replaceable parts, so you can swap in the latest upgrades.

The MK3S+ can print using standard filaments such as ABS and PLA, as well as more interesting materials like nylon or those that contain carbon fiber. It’s compatible with a wider range of filaments than the Mini+ (its hotend, the structure that melts and extrudes plastic, can reach 572 degrees Fahrenheit, compared with the Mini+’s 536 degrees), though most people don’t need to take advantage of its more unusual filament options.

Although this machine doesn’t look as stylish as some of the other 3D printers we’ve tested, its 15-by-17-inch footprint is small enough for it to fit on a desk. It’s also impressively quiet (though you’ll still know it’s on when you’re in the same room). As people who have each tried to sleep within earshot of 3D printers whirring and singing in their robotic tones, we can attest to the importance of a printer that is seen and not heard. As is the case with the Mini+, we recommend cracking a window to avoid inhaling the fumes that the MK3S+ releases due to its open design.Budget pick: Monoprice MP Cadet

If you aren’t sure you want to commit to using a 3D printer regularly, or if you just want to spend a bit less, the Monoprice MP Cadet is a good budget option. In our testing, this $200 printer made prints that looked just as good as the results from printers that cost several times more, and its small size makes it especially desk friendly. Its removable, unheated bed is also more suitable for little fingers and releases finished prints with ease (though it puts your prints at risk of warping). However, this machine lacks the relatively advanced features you get from more expensive printers such as the Prusa Mini+ and i3 MK3S+.

Among the eight test prints we attempted, the MP Cadet produced four great-looking prints, one mediocre print, and three failures. The MP Cadet can print layers as thin as 0.4 mm; they’re eight times thicker than the MK3S+’s 0.05 mm layers but still thin enough that prints look tidy (even if you can see each individual layer). This machine did a mediocre job of printing the skull lamp file, which has lots of small details and overhangs that ended up looking a bit sloppy but still came out intact.

The first failed print happened right away, as the print head immediately dug into the print bed, damaging its soft surface. We discovered that we had readied the print in Cura with a profile for the Monoprice Mini. Once we downloaded a version of Cura directly from Monoprice and selected the MP Cadet profile, the printer operated normally. The next two failures occurred when we tried to print the pack-of-gum-sized Charmander: Partway through the print, the Charmander figure lifted off the bed and adhered to the print nozzle instead, creating a half pocket monster, half spaghetti nightmare creature. Because the MP Cadet’s print bed is unheated, prints don’t adhere as well as they could. Using a layer of painter’s tape and dabbing at it with a glue stick before starting prints solved the problem. The upside of an unheated bed is that you can remove models as soon as the print job is done. We didn’t find any sort of scraping or bending necessary to pop off prints—another advantage of an unheated bed.

Setting up the MP Cadet took us 30 minutes. It arrived assembled, but we ran into some kinks with Monoprice’s instructions. First, the company advertises that you can print from an iOS or Android app called PoloPrint, but the app is difficult to use, and owners complain of connection issues. Second, during our tests the printer offered the option to start printing the models loaded onto the microSD card in the printer—our hitting the print button did nothing, though, and we found the interface confusing. Instead, we recommend using Cura to load files onto the microSD card and then initiating prints on the printer’s screen.

As with the MK3S+, you can prepare models for printing on the MP Cadet with Cura. Despite the initial snafu we had in downloading the correct version, we appreciate that all of Cura’s features are available even when you’re working with such an inexpensive printer.

The MP Cadet’s print bed is relatively tiny, at just 3.9 by 4.1 by 3.9 inches. That’s big enough for it to print game pieces, toys, and some household parts; many downloadable designs also allow you to print them in several pieces and then assemble them to create a larger object. However, if you want to print big designs on a regular basis, a printer with a larger bed is worth the investment.

The MP Cadet is noticeably smaller than most printers, with an overall footprint of just 8.3 by 8.3 inches. However, because its print bed is not enclosed and it doesn’t have a heated bed, you need to keep it away from open windows and in an area with a relatively constant temperature so that the air doesn’t warp prints. The work area should also have good airflow, such as a small fan nearby. The melting filament gives off a maple-syrup or plastic smell, so in addition to having airflow in the room, you should avoid sitting right next to the printer as it operates to avoid inhaling the fumes. The MP Cadet is noisier than the Prusa i3 MK3S+, too, though it isn’t unbearably loud.Also great: Artillery Sidewinder X2

For larger prints, the Artillery Sidewinder X2 offers a great balance of size, ease of use, and premium features for just about the same price as our top pick. Its 11.8-by-11.8-by-15.7-inch print bed gives you lots of space for 3D-printing cosplay helmets or lampshades, for example, and its direct-drive extruder makes it great for flexible filament, as well. This machine isn’t for everyone, though, due to its size and impracticality for most everyday prints. It’s physically much larger than all of our other picks, so you need a dedicated space for it that’s at least 24 inches deep, 18 inches wide, and 36 inches tall. A larger print bed also means a tougher time leveling that bed, compared with the experience on our smaller picks. But if you want a printer that can keep up with your Mandalorian cosplay idea, the Sidewinder X2 can do it.

The Sidewinder X2 has an easy setup process similar to that of many other partially assembled 3D printers. You simply need to mount the printer’s gantry, a fancy word for the tall part of the printer that moves the extruder around, to the base. Doing so requires inserting four screws to secure the printer’s gantry to the base and then plugging in a few well-labeled cables. Much of the wiring is located inside the printer’s frame, so cable management wasn’t an issue in our tests, and there are no cables to snag while the machine is printing. However, the manual that comes with the Sidewinder X2 is not translated perfectly and can be a bit confusing. The internal wiring can also make the printer more difficult to repair compared with our other picks if a part breaks after dozens or hundreds of hours of printing.

In our tests, the initial calibration was a slightly more manual process than for our other picks, as the Sidewinder X2 has a Level menu that moves the extruder to preloaded points around the print bed. You tap the touchscreen to move the extruder to a specific point, slide a piece of paper between the nozzle and the bed, and then turn a knob on the underside of the printer to raise or lower the bed until you feel only slight resistance from the nozzle when moving the paper. You repeat this step at four other points around the bed. It takes a bit of experience to dial in this process, but the Sidewinder X2 makes it easier and faster than most other manually leveled printers do. Printers with larger beds are always more difficult to level, since a larger area is more prone to warping or slight imperfections. Despite that, we found the Sidewinder X2 to be even across its entire bed surface.

We prepared models for the test prints in Cura, though a profile in the software for the Sidewinder X2 isn’t readily available. Instead, we used the included profile for the Sidewinder X1 and modified the build volume to match that of the X2. While Cura profiles and similar resources exist online for our other printer picks, the Sidewinder X2 generally has a smaller community of users, so it’s a bit tougher to find people with similar problems and solutions if something goes wrong.

The Sidewinder X2 produced excellent test prints and did especially well on the taller prints that were larger than anything possible from our other picks. For instance, we scaled the honeycomb vase test model up to 10.5 inches tall, and the resulting print had equally smooth surfaces from bottom to top. Longer prints, such as a 34-hour print we ran for a colleague’s cosplay outfit, ran without issue or incident and produced nearly perfect results. (The imperfections were due to user error when we set it to generate supports.)

However, this printer is best for people who know they want to print a lot of large objects. It’s physically very large and would commandeer the kind of desk found in a bedroom or a small office. The Prusa models are even easier to set up and maintain, have much better support communities, and are more repairable.Care and maintenance

If your printer doesn’t automatically level its print bed, periodically check the print bed and adjust it if necessary. The Monoprice MP Cadet is self-leveling, while the Prusa Mini+ and MK3S+ have a calibration option (called the Wizard) in their menus. Most of the time, if your print isn’t sticking to the bed or is otherwise failing, it’s because the bed isn’t correctly leveled.

Some printers have print beds made of materials that prints adhere to extremely well—and judging from our experience, maybe a little too well. Adjusting print temperatures and a few other settings can help prevent sticking, but such tweaks aren’t always enough. Many printers now come with removable, flexible print beds; if your printer has one, remove the bed and carefully bend it to release your model. Don’t force it, or you’ll risk damaging the bed’s finish. If the print is still stuck, heat the bed back up to its printing temperature and see if the model pops off easier. Next, use a scraper to carefully unstick the edges of the print and then move in a sawing motion toward the center. If you’re still stumped, one final trick is to remove the print bed and stick it in the freezer for an hour. This should shrink the print a little and make it easier to remove.

Plastic remnants can build up over time on the print bed. A cloth and warm water are usually enough to remove them; more-stubborn grime should come away with a bit of rubbing alcohol that’s at least 90% isopropyl alcohol.

If you’re having trouble with uneven layer lines on the sides of your print, this is often caused by loose axis belts, or a lack of lubrication on the screw that raises and lowers the z-axis. Many printers allow you to tune the tension of the printer’s belts, and you can clean the z-axis screw with 90% isopropyl alcohol and lubricate it with a dry-film PTFE lubricant.

Finally, be sure to follow each printer maker’s rules for heating up and cooling down the printer, which will help to prevent clogs.What about the Ender-3 and other Creality printers?

If you read 3D-printing forums and subreddits, you’ll see many experienced 3D-printing enthusiasts recommending the Creality Ender-3, Ender-3 V2, or Ender-3 Pro as a first printer. The Ender-3 Pro can be often found on sale at Microcenter for just $100, and it’s a better printer than our budget pick, the Monoprice MP Cadet, on nearly every metric. There’s also an avid community of Ender-3 owners who post DIY upgrades and guides on how to use the machine, a crucial aspect of learning to operate the printer and troubleshooting when things go wrong.

So why don’t we recommend it as a top pick or even a budget pick? In our experience, we’ve found that the Ender-3 line requires more setup and more maintenance, and in comparison with our picks it poses a much more difficult learning curve for those who are just getting into 3D printing. As an example, crucial tasks like leveling the print bed on the Ender-3 require using separate calibration files that might have to be run multiple times or manually moving the print head across the bed, in contrast to Prusa’s and Monoprice’s easier, more automatic workflows. This manual work adds many minutes of pre-print setup for a 3D-printing newcomer versus seconds for our top picks, and in turn it leads to a higher chance of the machine sitting in the corner gathering dust. These processes become rote after time and are made easier by optional upgrades, but initially they require some dedication to learn.

Prusa models also earned the top-pick and upgrade-pick spots due to the company’s excellent support and fantastic forum filled with helpful printer owners. Ender-3 owners are more likely to find someone with the same problem, but owners of Prusa models are more likely to find a solution.

That doesn’t mean we don’t like the Ender-3 line. They’re actually great machines for those who are already mechanically adept or who don’t get easily frustrated learning a new, complex hobby. However, they’re not the best 3D printers for most people.What to look forward to

We’re testing the Anycubic Kobra Max against the Sidewinder X2 as a printer that’s also great for its large bed size. Shipping delays prevented us from including the Kobra Max in this version of the guide, but we’ll include its test results and any potential changes to our recommendations in the next update.The competition

The Creality Ender-3 S1 Plus is an addition to the Ender-3 line with a high-resolution display and a larger print volume. We found it to be louder, more complicated to set up, and more difficult to level in comparison with the Artillery Sidewinder X2.

The Creality Ender-2 Pro, a $170 competitor to the Prusa Mini+, seems built to look nearly identical to that model. However, in our tests its menus were confusing and made the printer more difficult to operate than any of our picks. Its fans were also drastically louder than those of any other printer we tested.

In some ways, the Dremel DigiLab 3D40 impressed us: For about 50% more than you typically pay for the Prusa i3 MK3S+, you get an enclosed print area, a huge print bed (though not quite as large as that of the MK3S+), a touchscreen, and cloud-based printing. However, its prints in our tests didn’t look quite as nice as those of the MK3S+. We also found removing prints to be difficult, and we managed to ruin two flexible beds when the top layer ripped off during print removal. Finally, we dislike that the 3D40 prints only with proprietary spools of PLA—if you want to use other types of Dremel filament, you have to spend several hundred dollars more on the Dremel DigiLab 3D45.

The Tiertime Up Mini 2 was a top pick in a previous version of this guide because of its consistently nice-looking prints. However, when we tested the updated Up Mini 2 ES, software issues got in the way of producing a single print. We tried updating the printer and then “activating” it several times, including with the help of customer support and a press-relations representative. But we continued to get a pop-up telling us to activate our printer and alerting us that slicing had failed. Even if we had resolved the software issue, the difficulty it added to setup was enough to leave a permanently sour taste in our mouths.

The Monoprice MP Cadet narrowly beat out the Monoprice Maker Select v2, our former budget pick. Although the MP Cadet was much easier to set up and produced better-looking prints in our tests, we still think the Maker Select v2’s comparably huge print bed makes it a bargain if you can find it these days. If you don’t mind tinkering a bit to get the right settings, the Maker Select v2 could be a better option. However, setting up the Maker Select v2 took us 45 minutes, and it suffered from a clog after just a few prints.

Once our upgrade pick, the LulzBot Mini has been discontinued and replaced with the LulzBot Mini 2. The new machine addresses some of the qualms we had with the original Mini by adding an onboard controller and an even larger print volume. However, a North Dakota entrepreneur acquired its parent company, Aleph Objects, and moved operations to Fargo. We have not yet tested a Mini 2, but will test LulzBot products for future iterations of this guide.

If you’re looking for a printer that can print in two colors, the FlashForge Creator Pro is one of the best-reviewed options. However, in our tests it printed only one great-looking model, along with six okay-looking models and one failure. We liked the printer’s streamlined software, which made it easy for us to select what parts of a model to make which color. You load models onto the printer with an SD card, so queuing up a few prints at a time is also easy, and it has a large, 8.9-by-5.8-by-5.9-inch print volume.

We decided to test the Monoprice MP Select Mini v2 based on feedback from our readers and positive reviews. It’s inexpensive, equipped with a color screen, and easy to set up. But we had problems with print quality, and the printer sometimes stopped altogether in the middle of a job.

The easy-to-use MakerBot Replicator Mini+ restored our trust in the brand after MakerBot hit a rough patch with reliability. However, the company discontinued the printer as it further narrowed its focus on education. The MakerBot Replicator+ combines the advanced features of the Mini+ with a more impressive build volume (11.6 by 7.6 by 6.5 inches), which makes it an ideal choice on paper, but we decided against testing that printer due to its $2,000 price. Most hobbyists should start with a more affordable machine.

The Qidi Tech I is a near-exact copy of the FlashForge Creator Pro that cost a bit less at the time of our research. It offers a massive print bed, dual extruders, and a solid design. It also had hundreds of positive reviews on Amazon when we checked. However, we were unable to get this printer for testing.

Includes:IR filament sensor 1 (pcs)IR filament sensor-Buddy board cable (1 pcs)Textile sleeve (Length: 220 mm, Width: 5 mm) (1 pcs)PTFE tube (1 pcs)MINI...

It’s well known in the desktop 3D printing world that you get what you pay for. If you want to spend under $300 USD, you get a Creality Ender 3 and deal with its slightly half-baked nature. Or if you’ve got the money to burn, you buy a Prusa i3 MK3 and know that you’ll remain on the cutting edge thanks to a constantly evolving slicer and regular hardware revisions.

Now it stands to reason that an expensive product will have expensive accessories, but even still, the recently unveiled “Original Prusa Enclosure” is sure to induce a bit of sticker shock in even the most ardent of [Josef Průša]’s fans — the most bare-bones configuration of the 10 kg (22 lbs) box rings up at $349 USD. You read that right, just the enclosure for Prusa’s flagship machine costs more than the average Chinese 3D printer. In fact it costs as much as the kit version of the Prusa Mini, which incidentally, is set to get its own version of the enclosure sometime in the future. If you select all the bells and whistles, a fully-decked out Prusa Enclosure will cost you $700 USD, plus shipping.

So what do you get for your money? Well, for the most part it’s just a box. We’re sure it’s very well built, and the design is perfectly matched to the dimensions of the Prusa i3 MK3, but it’s literally just a box. There’s an integrated temperature and humidity display, but the printer itself is responsible for heating the chamber. We like that you can move the printer’s control panel to the outside of the box so you won’t have to open the doors as often, though at that point the printer and enclosure will have been merged into one heavy-weight unit, which obviously hinders transportability. The air filtration system is likely to be a popular add-on for $76, but our interest in the fire suppression system is hampered by the fact that (at least for now) it’s only available to customers in the European Union.

In the blog post announcing the product’s release, [Josef] explains that there’s already an excellent low-cost enclosure solution for the i3 MK3 based on the IKEA Lack table, so the company decided to go all in and design something for the higher end of the market. Will the average i3 owner fork out the cash for the matching enclosure? We doubt it. But for the tech startup that’s running a small farm that they want to be as safe and reliable as possible? That’s a different story.

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It"s founder Joseph Prusa, who gives the company its name, is not only the brain behind the operation but also the figurehead, and a common sight on the 3D printing circuit.

Prusa, the man and machine, do things differently with tweaks and innovation at the core of the technology. That means that if you invest in a model today, there"s a high likelihood that it can be upgraded in the future, as all Prusa machines before have done.

The new printer, Original Prusa i3 MK3S(opens in new tab), like the previous generations is available in a selection of formats, free as printable parts and a shopping list, as a kit that you build yourself or as an expert built system that can be unboxed and is ready to use.

I"ve built a few in the past, and this time Prusa has sent the factory-built version. I have to say the quality of finish, especially with the wiring routing, is a world apart from my usual wiring mess.

One observation from the outset is that the Original Prusa i3 MK3S while being the latest iteration of the printer looks much the same as previous generations, it"s only under closer scrutiny that you realise that it"s a very different beast.

3D printers as they stand are not design classics. While the 3D print technology has bounded along the product design hasn"t. Although there are a few manufacturers such as the Cel-Robox and MakerBot who have got product designers involved in the aesthetics.

Part of the reason is that the 3D community likes to tinker, and the industry has grown from the Open Source community. Prusa of all the companies has stayed close to the original community and still feeds much of the research and development back.

As such, the MK3S, as with previous generations, has an open design and look. It wouldn"t look at all out of place in a garage or workshop and looks less at home in a style-conscious design studio.

Looks can be deceptive, and you shouldn"t underestimate the design - the Original Prusa i3 MK3S is one of the best printers on the market when it comes to print quality, but it"s also the most versatile if you"re prone to a little tinkering.

Firstly there are the options, parts for the printer can be printed from files downloaded from the Prusa site and then with a bit of time and effort you can collect together all the bits you need to build your own.

The fact that there is a kit option is one of the most prominent features; it"s what got me and so many others into 3D printing in the first place. Build it, and you can see how it works.

I"ve now built and designed my own 3D printer so having one turn up pre-built is a huge plus point for me but knowing that I can tinker at some point, which I inevitably will, I can upgrade the extruder if there"s a need, mess with the firmware, and well, that"s all part of the fun.

Although the MK3S looks much like the MK2 and original, there are some significant differences, and the MK3S has been designed and upgraded based on user feedback. The S model is a slightly souped-up version of the MK3.

Another enhancement is the hybrid filament sensor; this combines a mechanical switch and optical sensor. This gets around issues that were caused when printing with transparent and some reflective filaments. The optical and mechanical sensor used in combination improves reliability when these filaments are loaded and ejected.

The Original Prusa i3 MK3S is one of the cheapest 3D printers on the market when it comes to a balance of print quality and reliability. The design has a lot to do with it, but there"s no scraping on the quality of the parts.

E3D Hotend: This use of quality parts is highlighted by the E3D nozzles. Designed by a team in the UK these all metal hotends are known to be about the best in the industry and are widely used. The MK3S utilises the E3 V6.

Bondtech Drive Gears: The hot-end is nothing without the steady flow of filament, and the extruder provides a steady filament feed with the upgraded Bondtech drive gears. These grip the filament from either side to help reduce slip and increase the pushing force. This type of gearing is especially useful for flexible filaments which are notoriously difficult to print with.

Automatic filament loading:Traditionally filament loading could be troublesome, but here pop the filament into the extruder, and a sensor detects it and sucks it into the machine. Once in you then just need to select the filament type.

This is quick and easy to remove, and a quick flex of the sheet enables the print to be removed with ease. The MK3S ships with a smooth PEI sheet but there"s also a textured powder coated version available for greater adhesion for materials such as nylon.

The standard was Nema 17, which were relatively cheap, Prusa now uses the highest quality and coupled them with Trinamic2130 drivers with cooling coming from Noctua fans. Adding a stealth mode, now makes this printer far quieter than the majority of other printers on the market.

Power loss recovery: Anyone who 3D prints will know how long some prints can take; hours and sometimes days. There is nothing worse than losing power during that process. Usually from some helpful sole accidentally switching it off or tripping over a cable.

Avoid skipped layers: Not a common issue at first, but as your printer gets older, skipped layers can be a problem. As well as helping to dampen down the sound of the motors the Trinamic2130 drivers along with the EINSY RAMBo motherboard can detect if a skip or layer shifted.

Finally on the significant features is the P.I.N.D.A. 2 probe. There are two thermistors on the machine, one to check the ambient temperature of the electronics and the new P.I.N.D.A. 2 probe which helps to adjust for temperature drift at the print level and ensures that the first later is always correct.

Weighing in at 7kg and measuring 50×40x55 cm (L x W x H) without the spool holder attached, the printer is by no means small. Lift it out of the box, however, and the open design and neatly packed and bound wires and the printer doesn"t feel overbearing.

The footprint of 50cm x 40 cm is relatively large, but with your average kitchen worksurface or desk having a depth of around 60cm, the size is just right for sitting on your desktop.

When it comes to changing the filament select eject using the small LCD with the control board, and the filament pops out, and another filament can be installed.

It"s then just a case of running through a few flight checks, the handy paper manual that comes in the box outlines these in detail, and then you"re ready for your first print.

Having confirmed that the printer had arrived in one piece, was all working and nothing was out of place mechanically I checked for firmware updates. This test was conducted using firmware version 3.7.1.

Setting up the Original Prusa i3 MK3S was easy enough on Simplify3D and Cura, and of course, PrusaSlicer which has been purpose-built for the machine.

PrusaSlicer is relatively straight forward with the application running through the printer selection and options at the outset. It"s then just a case of loading your STL file ready for printing and selecting the quality options you want.

Navigation through the application is straight forward, and one feature that I like is the ability to flash the firmware directly from the application once connected through USB.

It also has a few convenient options, such as the Place on Face, which is a huge help when rotating the model into position, and Cut, which enables you to cut models in half. The parts can then be exported as plates, there is a little toing and froing, but it"s handy.

There is an STL fix option which is an excellent addition, for simple fixes it seemed to work well, but for larger more complex models it had few more issues.

This interface and control board can also be used to abort prints if things go wrong, calibrate when needed, and there are plenty of other options and adjustments that you can delve into.

Another feature that has it"s used and helped to save on filament is the easy ability to swap filaments during printing. Again just select the option from the menu to unload the old, install the new and the print continues with the new colour, it"s all very smooth in use.Prusa Original Prusa i3 MK3S: Price Comparison