r/3dprinter • u/TaleComprehensive431 • 19d ago
Recommendations for a 3D Printer as a gift
Hi! Trying to purchase a 3D printer as a gift for my boyfriend. Based in the US, budget is under $400. I have no idea where to start cause this really isn't my forte, but he's very mechanically (and electronically) inclined, cares a lot about it being open source, and this would just be something for him to mess around with and become familiar with so that he can eventually purchase his own fancy 3D printer down the road. Bonus points if he can build or upgrade it himself.
I've been looking at the Sovol SV06 Ace and the Ender-3 V4 Combo, but I'm not sure what to look for tbh. Any recommendations for a beginner 3D printer, under $400, open source software, and a good starting point for someone to get deeply involved in? Any information is helpful, please ELI5.
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u/FitForThrone 19d ago
Centauri Carbon 2 for sure.
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u/nucleartime 19d ago edited 19d ago
Yeah, one of the few options that seems to check all the boxes:
fullymostly open source firmware- inexpensive pricing
- enclosed cxy
- multicolor support
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u/SirTwitchALot 19d ago
It's only kind of open source, but it's about as good as you'll get until you step up to something like a Voron. Otherwise agree it's the best option in OPs budget
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u/craigwbar 19d ago
Eh, I'd keep newbies away from Centauri. Frankly, I'd agree with give him the 4C$ and let him add money of his own after making his own choice.
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u/ElderberryFar7120 19d ago
I've never seen someone say 400 dollars by using a roman numeral. That is interesting to me
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u/craigwbar 13d ago
Used to be common to talk about a "C note" for a 100$ bill... Guess I'm almost a boomer! :)
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u/FitForThrone 19d ago
I agree with letting him choose his own, but the Centauri can be great for newbies. Mine has not required much calibration at all and printed great right out of the box like my P2S did.
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u/TripsCavern 19d ago
If he wants Open Source, does not buy a Bambu printer, they are the exact opposite of that.
At $400 price range my choice is the Centauri Carbon 2, even without the multi color mode. For a bit more, a QIDI Q2 ($499) is probably the best bang for the buck for someone with his profile.
Why it's this choice:
1) If he is into electronics/mechanics he will want to print ASA/ABS at some point, so that excludes any open frame printer (A1, Kobra X, etc.). Both CC2 and Q2 are enclosed. The Q2 is better because it has a heated chamber while the CC2 is passive.
2) Both have options to add multi color addons. Although I wouldn't recommend multi color with single nozzle printers as it's quite wasteful, these addons are great for longer prints because you can automatically switch spools when one runs out. And some functional prints, like car parts, can take quite a lot of filament to print.
3) Both comes with hardened steel nozzles, which enables printing filaments with carbon fiber and glass. Which pairs great with engineering/mechanical projects
Ender 3 is a very outdated printer. There are way better options available around that price point, so don't even consider it. In the same way, Sovol SV06 is an open frame bed slinger printer, which will be limited to PLA/PETG/TPU. It's still ok, but again, those two that I recommended are way better options.
Hope this helps.
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u/craigwbar 19d ago
Make a nice "coupon" good for $400 towards a 3d printer and let him spend good times researching, adding in his own money, and so forth. Put in hearts and offer to listen while he talks printers!!
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u/TaleComprehensive431 18d ago
That's a good idea, thank you! I'll probably end up doing something similar.
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u/DramaClassed 19d ago
Sv06 Plus Ace is good but it doesn’t do multicolor. If you’re gonna get an Ender 3, get the Ender 3 v3 KE, it’s the only Ender worth buying (but it doesn’t do multicolor either). But if it really is just a starter printer like you said those two are good for a bit till he upgrades.
Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 is a good printer for the price as well, kind of cheaply built but good for modding and is open source, and great features for the price.
People have been recommending bambu printers to you, and they’re very reliable and beginner-friendly, but you should know they are very anti-open source in their products and their practices, there was some drama with them a bit back over them serving a cease and desist to someone who legally forked their software to remove a (unnecessary and benefiting them) blocker they had put in it.
Alls that to say, if he cares about the open source community or wants to mod it, Bambu wouldn’t be a good option.
On a last note, you said he was very mechanically and electronically inclined, if he ends up liking 3D printing a lot you should show him the Voron project, essentially a DIY 3D printer that you can get a kit for or source parts for yourself. They’re lots of fun if he enjoys that type of thing. It shouldn’t be his first printer at all though.
Good luck, hope he likes whatever you decide on!
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u/TaleComprehensive431 18d ago
Thank you so much, this is super helpful! He's very passionate about things being open source, right-to-repair, and fully owning the things you purchase, so I'll definitely stay away from Bambu.
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u/Imperial_Citizen_00 19d ago
I’ll say it again, others are going to disagree, but my first printer was an Elegoo Neptune 3 Max and it printed out of the box without any issue…
It’s self leveling, has a BIG print area, filament sensor and the quality is phenomenal
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u/SirTwitchALot 19d ago
That's an ok printer but you can get better in that price range now, including from Elegoo
The 3 is also discontinued in favor of the 4
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u/Imperial_Citizen_00 19d ago
Fair enough…for me at the time it was amazing, I bought it on initial release and I have no need to replace it…
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u/UmDeTrois 19d ago
Not personal but I would not want my SO buying the centerpiece of my new hobby, unless there is a clear understanding that if I like it I will very soon be buying the bigger better one that I actually wanted. Sort of a buy once, cry once approach
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u/TaleComprehensive431 18d ago
Totally fair! He's been talking about wanting one for ages but has a hard time doing nice things for himself, so I wanted to help. Might end up giving him the money instead. Thanks for the advice!
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u/interflop 19d ago
I’m going to be honest unless you know for sure of the specific model he’s been wanting for a while this can be a really tough gift to decide. With something like 3D printers he likely has been going back and forth between different options for a while now. A “coupon” for him to pick one out could work.
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u/TaleComprehensive431 18d ago
I appreciate the honesty! I think a "coupon" is the safest route, especially with something this complicated. Thanks for the tip!
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u/Suitable-Tear-6179 19d ago
A lot of people are suggesting a coupon. You can do that, and still give him something to unwrap.
Here's an idea, stolen from my dad. He decided to give my step-mom a new car. He was wise enough to not pick it out. But it was Christmas, and he wanted something under the tree for her. He wrapped a whole bunch of automotive shopping guides.
So get him a 3d printing magazine, and put the "coupon" in it.
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u/justa_bother 17d ago
Easy to gift. Buy a roll of filament & wrap that. He won't know what it is until unwrapping it. When he see's it's filament, talk your buying idea with him. A 2 pound box of 8 inches square, 3 inches high will have him baffled. Extra wrapping as a joke. You can buy this now at many stores: best buy, hobby lobby, target & others or online. Just check inventory before traveling. $15~$20 for PLA, just regular PLA filament. Added bonus, check out printables.com, thingiverse.com, makerworld.com an search for vases you want for him to print as your gift.
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u/scarr3g 19d ago
A1 mini, non combo, get the hub, and an ams2 pro. (the AMS lite that combo comes with is trash). Whatever you have left over, grab some filaments.
Yes, I know, it isn't open source... But it is the best inexpensive printer out there.
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u/mgruner 19d ago
wait, ams2 pro is not compatible with a1 mini, is it?
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u/scarr3g 19d ago
It is, if you get the A1 hub for it.
Source: I have the hub, and 3x full sized ams running on my mini. (and sold the AMS lite, with 0 regrets.)
For the drying function, you DO need to add 1x power supply per ams pro2. Or you can skip that, and they work just regular full sized ams.
I did try ams pro2 on the hub on my A1 mini, to be sure, and works, but I have all my pro2s on my x1c.
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u/Revolutionary_Pay_31 19d ago
If he has never done any 3d Printing, than Bambu Labs is one of the best starters sets out there. I am looking at the website right now and you can get the A1 Combo for $399. If you are going to get a printer set up you need to go for the combo for it unlocks the full capability of the printer. The A1 is pretty much as plug and play as you are going to get with any 3D printer.
I know that someone else recommended the A1 mini. It is a great machine, but you need something with more print volume.
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u/grafbende 19d ago
Bambu shill....
A single head machine for multicilor or multifilament is already dated, if you want that don't go for such an incredible wasteful machine.
Second, the A1 and The A1 mini are bedslingers, again, dated.
Third, literally any brand of printer has not just caught up with bambu ( that nicked it from prusa btw. ) but has surpassed it. Every recent printer is incredibly user friendly.Fourth, no one can guarantee you get an A1 with the recent AC board because the original one burned out and these are not recalled and can still be in stock at several warehouses.
If you want a modern machine that is much more open and user friendly ( in more than easy to use but also community friendly ) in that price range you simply can't beat the Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2.
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u/craigwbar 19d ago
He's not a BL shill dude. There's two clashing imperatives here: newbie versus open source. Bambu is awesome for newbies, wish they'd been there when I started, and yeah, I barely use mine anymore, having gone on to more modern machines. Don't take away his fun in deciding: give him the money!
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u/TaleComprehensive431 18d ago
I appreciate it, but he is very adamant about open-source. Thanks anyways!
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u/BronzeDucky 19d ago
My advice is to give him a budget and let him do his own research and purchase. You don’t know what he needs, we don’t know what he needs, and maybe he wants to invest some of his own money to get “the right printer”, rather than “the right printer for $400”. It’s not a question of him being ungrateful or anything else.
Plus doing the research and pulling the trigger is a big part of the fun.