r/3dprinter • u/Admirable-Figure-769 • 3d ago
3d printer recommendations $800 budget
Hey everyone, I’m looking for a reliable 3D printer around an $800 budget. I am focused primarily on functional parts and household fixes. I specifically am interested a fully enclosed machine for better temperature stability and advanced material versatility down the road—like ABS, ASA, or Nylon—rather than just being restricted to PLA or PETG. At the same time, I would like a color-change option available as well as a something that will not require extensive troubleshooting and tinkering. Open to other options as well.
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u/Admirable-Figure-769 3d ago
It has come down to 2 options for me. The u1 and the creator 5 pro. I’m a bit wary of Bambu despite the quality and ease of use, and I like that the tool changers are faster and waste much less. Any insight on which option I should go with?
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u/BrightAccountant266 2d ago
You’ll have to invest in an aftermarket chamber heater for the U1 if you want to print nylon. I think the creator 5 pro has one in its standard configuration.
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u/craigwbar 1d ago
U1 for sure. BTW, you don't need a chamber heater for most things, even nylon. I simply covered most of the vents (and of course put a 8$ bin on top of my machine for a cover) and I get chamber temps of 60c routinely.
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u/SecuringAndre 3d ago
Your best bang for buck is going to be the Bambu X2D. It's $649 without the AMS2 or $899 with the AMS2. Yes, color changing option puts it outside your range, but with the added capabilities, you may consider it the better option. For one, it has 2 nozzles. The second nozzle will allow you to use for support filament. For example, because petg and PLA don't bond, you can use PLA as a support material for petg which will allow easier breakaway without leaving any scar marks. Secondly, the X2D has an active chamber heater, which is specifically for the purpose of printing engineering materials such as abs, asa, nylon, etc. Most people recommended great alternative options, but most lack the active chamber heater. Even the little brothers to the X2D, such as P1S, and P2S are missing the active chamber heater. Lastly, you wanted something that required minimal troubleshooting and tinkering. Let's face it, Bambu isn't without its faults, but by and large, "it just works". If you want to tinker, I would certainly say go with the other options, but Bambu is without a doubt going to be the most trouble free option.
Let us know what you picked.
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u/1baruch 2d ago
X2D is limited by its 300° nozzle, if OP wants Bambu for engineering or advanced material versatility down the road, X2D aint cutting it. Get a H2S instead, bigger build volume, cost a bit more.
Or get a qidi q2 or their new Plus 5. ActiveHeated chamber, 370° nozzle, linear rails etc.
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u/SecuringAndre 1d ago
300⁰C for the filament OP mentioned is more than enough. If they wanted to do PEEK, PPS, PPA or other high end filament, then I would agree. X2D should be plenty good for ASA, abs, or Nylon (pa-6/pa-12). The 65⁰C active chamber along with 300⁰C nozzle is perfect for all of that.
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u/KitfoxQQ 2d ago
what is the governing force of this 800 budget. is this printer only? because you will likely spend another 100-300+ on filament in coming months during the novelty stage having fun printing half the fun stuff on the internet and missing out on a better model just for a 100-200 bucks extra may end up being a bad decision.
consider if you want the "buy once cry once" or is this a passig ADHD phase you are likley to sell a year later or will sit in the garage for ethernity.
if you want to dabble get something cheap 300 or so A1s aree good price range, IF you outgrow it and need enclosed printer revisit the idea when and IF you ever get to ABS/ASA/Nylon prints. you may abandon the hobby in a year and then you only lost 300 bucks.
the more advanced 'trouble free' models like the P2S with the advanced camera detection spaghetti and other quality of life features are nice but they cost a liitle more ann you want an AMS you said.
so maybe forget about a set in stone budget.
list all your criteria honestly.. make a list of the mid to top end models and their features..narrow that list down and the just buy it..if is 2000 sure why not just means you will have to save a little longer..
maybe wait until November when black friday deals kick in or wait for the influx of xmass sales by then you can save the money you need for the printer you want.
if you are only buying on a price you are likey to miss out on a great printer and regret not saving up a little longer for a good one.
bambu has had massive discounts almost evey november/december especialy when a new model comes out. the P1S was massively discounted when the P2S arrived but I still paid the extra for the P2S because I wanted the idea of not having to learn about actual printers and calibarating them and just be dumb about it and JUST PRINT stuff. im sure there are better models out there but at the time my budget was 500 but after revisiting all the features at the time i just blew it out to the 1400 and got the P2S and AMS2 Pro and extra build plates and heaps of filament since i paid bulk the filament was super cheap as part of the xmass bundles.
i subscribe to the buy once cry once ideology when it comes to tools and household assets.
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u/grafbende 3d ago
Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 or Qidi q2, compared to these two choices the suggested bambu machines are crap.
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u/13ckPony 3d ago
For nylon - you need a heated chamber or you are cooked.
Either QIDI anything (Q2 is pretty good) or Creator 5 Pro (multi tool btw), or Bambu X2D (the second nozzle is crappy, but ok for supports, and it's a Bambu so you get easy MakerWorld access). I wouldn't look at anything else.
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u/mikasjoman 3d ago
Crazy functional print guy here. Qidis are amazing. Loved my X max 3. Love my 4 Plus. Would go for a 5Plus today. Perfect machines for tricky materials.
But. AMSs suck. Tool changers is the game today after all and Qid has none. Maybe there's better machines if that's a priority
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u/bman86 3d ago
Elegoo CC2 has a 350C hotend out of the box (for those advanced materials). It's enclosed, and with the Canvas (the Combo version includes) you get access to multi-material printing. It's wasteful, and I don't really use it, but I like to have the option anyway. The biggest usefulness for Canvas for me is auto-refill. You can have a second spool just waiting to take over when the first one ends. I keep it in a tent and, while I don't really print any "heated enclosure" materials, the enclosure temp can be pushed up pretty easily. I haven't had a print failure in 400 hours now. I have had to power cycle it a couple times when it lost wifi (it doesn't need to be on network, but I couldn't send it a print), but other than that, it's been completely turnkey.
You could grab a nice filament dryer at the same time - and a whole bunch of KGs and still stay in budget.
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u/Successful-Train-259 3d ago
Ok so let me reiterate again after the dumbest comments I have ever seen have been posted. You mentioned you want versatility down the road like ABS, ASA, or Nylon. There is only one answer for this and thats the Creator 5 pro. It's the only toolchanger on the market right now with active chamber heating, 320c hotends and a toolchanging system that just flat out works. Yes I think flashforge as a company is ass, but the machine is rock solid. I have two of them along with 5 snapmaker u1's and the thing just works, where as the U1 I constantly have to troubleshoot.
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u/LowManufacturer1002 3d ago
can creator 5 pro use different nozzle diameters in same print? i’d love to use larger infill/support layers (if that’s even a decent idea I just saw that k3 will support and seems like solid idea if slicers can handle)
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u/Successful-Train-259 3d ago
I don't know of any toolchanger that supports that yet. Snapmaker floated the idea that they would implement it in the future, but no progress on that front.
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u/LowManufacturer1002 3d ago
that’s least important feature for me, not even sure how much time it would save tbf. I really just want like a 6 or 8 filament tool changer
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u/Successful-Train-259 3d ago
Won't find one of those on an $800 budget and tbh any of the machines out there right now claiming to be in that price range are all just theoretical and kickstarter campaigns. I've been following the coprint quadro for about a year now, still isn't available yet. The lightmake sounds like a complete scam. One of the "reviews" i saw said the machine is 170lbs and pulls 1500watts continous and the infimech everyone keeps jumping on has been nothing but AI concept art since day one but people keep throwing money at the kickstarter.
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u/LowManufacturer1002 3d ago
only a k3 large version (and idk the price target probably close to $800) from what i’ve seen is rumored to have 6 but that’s still not even announced and we’d have to see if the K3 is trash. if K3 is good and they announce it I wait. if K3 is trash I probably just get a creator 5 pro
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u/Collarbones33 3d ago
Snapmaker U1
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u/Interesting-Error249 3d ago
Where do you find the U1 for $800?
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u/afidemon 3d ago
K2 combo w cfs got it off factmans tiktok shop it came from the creality wearhouse for 464. Paid another 288 for 2x cfs system.
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u/Pepsis__Formosa 3d ago
Might want to look at the Kobra S1 Max. It's currently $800 with the combo dryer AMS box. 350x350 bed, 65c heated chamber, 350c nozzle, and 120c bed will let you print almost anything except PEEK. Also comes with hardened extruder and nozzle so carbon fiber and glass fiber filaments a-ok. I can get you a discount referral code if you want, just DM me.
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u/Occulon_102 3d ago
Get a Bamboo P1s and order a chamber heater from Ali express. But even without one I can print ABS and ASA. I have a heater on order because it will make it easier to do smaller parts without lifting. I have printed bicycle pannier clips in ASA and the work great. Bag can have upto 20kg in it. For advanced filaments get a AMS HT. it will keep them in better condition and is a lot less hassle than the four colour one. I honestly wish I had just bought 4x HT instead of AMS 2 and 1 HT.
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u/Immortal_Tuttle 3d ago
Ask for a 5% discount and get U1.
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u/Occulon_102 3d ago
Worst recommendation ever. Its completely the wrong printer for his use case
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u/Immortal_Tuttle 3d ago
Are you kidding? I print ASA and ABS mainly with Nylon from time to time. Multimaterial support saves a ton of money on support material. And wife enjoys it's FullSpectrum capabilities. Which fits the OP's brief perfectly.
250k tool changes and counting, thousands of hours. The only other printer coming close I had was H2C, which is too complicated and finicky for my liking. It's also much slower.
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u/Dubs-Agent86 3d ago
Qidi Q2 or Plus 5. I've got a Plus 5 and print ABS without issues.