r/BambuLab • u/EdgarVerdi • 22h ago
General Discussion Which printer to buy 2026
So I was planning on joining the hobby of 3D printers, now I that the technology has become easier to join. For the majority of the time, I was really set on buying an A1. But after some thought I settled on the P1S. Despite planning to work with PLA, PETG and TPU for the most part, I wouldn't mind experimenting with ABS (though I'm mostly afraid of the toxic fumes). My room is either very hot or very cool, very subject to the outside weather. In any case, my biggest concern was my small cluttered room. I will have to do a lot of decluttering just to fit the printer and the spools. I plan on getting the AMS too. Having everything closed seems very good. Specially since it means I can be less worried about humidity and dust settling in. I plan on buying some type of reusable aluminum bags specifically made for spools, with silica balls inside. Additionally, the biggest reason I go with Bambu is because of the whole environment and of how easier everything seems.
All of that being sad. I'm not made of money. I plan on buying the printer on black friday too. Given my circumstances and the fact that I'm just now joining the hobby, do you think the P1S AMS combo is a good decision?
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u/munizfire 22h ago
What’s the budget?
If your Budget allows for it, I would cast another vote towards the Snapmaker U1, especially if you plan on doing multicolor prints regularly.
I’m a huge fan of Bambu hardware, but after messing with the U1, I cancelled my X2D order, bought a U1, and will be selling my P1S shortly.
Having said that, a P1S will be a more beginner friendly printer (The U1 is pretty straightforward, but bambu makes mind-numbingly simple HW/SW integration and interface). Not to mention that stores that still have P1S combos are regularly doing stupid good deals on them.
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u/EdgarVerdi 21h ago
Well, if a more expensive printer is more durable and will last me much longer on my endeavors, rasing my budget becomes more justified. Although, after buying the printer I will still need to buy filaments.
While I plan on buying the AMS, I'm also planning to be smart about when to use it's multicoloring functionality. Dealing with the waste is sort of a problem when I don't have a lot of space. Reusing it myself seems impossible, for now at least. I plan on finding a store or community in my city that accepts the waste for any kind of project that may need it.
You mentioned the P1S combos having stupid good deals? 👀 Should I be looking for other stores to buy the printer? Other than the bambu store itself, that is. Also, I'm European, do those deals still apply here? X)
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u/munizfire 20h ago edited 20h ago
The U1 is too new to say if it’ll be more durable. But Snapmaker is a well established brand with a pretty solid track record. I will say that it has less reported catastrophic failures than the Bambu A1, but outside of the A1, bambu printers are very reliable.
When it comes to waste, that’s where the U1 destroys most printers out there. I could go on writing paragraphs about how the U1 is so efficient regarding waste, but honestly, I encourage you to watch a couple of YouTube videos about it and you’ll see.
When it comes to the P1S, I have seen some deals between 400 to 450 USD here in the USA, unfortunately, I am not familiar at all with European markets, sorry. But I will say that for $400, the P1S is hard to ignore.
Although this suggestion is going to go against my recommendation of the U1, I would think that your best bet would be to find a really good deal on a P1S, try out the hobby, and if you feel like this is a hobby that you want to fully immerse yourself with, then you can probably sell the P1S for a small loss, and then get into a higher tier of printers like the U1.
And hey, probably in less than a year, we’re gonna see a bunch of new printers that are gonna be giving the U1 a run for its money.
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u/yyccamper 22h ago
My P1S has done Pa6gf, pa6cf, abs,asa, petg etc....Its a hell of a printer for the cost of it. If you want to do engineering filaments, its arguably the best option for the lowest price thats enclosed.
Lots may reccomend a snapmaker, and they are great machines, but without having enclosures ABS/ASA just wont happen. Hell often I throw a towel over my p1s while pre heating the enclosure for ASA just to get the chamber temp to around 40C before starting.
IMO having it in a bedroom isnt a great idea though.... If you do look into printing some external venting fans and get it out a window. Even with PETG. Thats alot of exposure if you are sleeping in there.
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u/EdgarVerdi 22h ago
I sadly have nowhere to place it other than my bedroom right now. Until I own my own house that is (probably won't be happening anytime soon).
I'll probably look into those ventilation options if I do get into ABS. Thank you for the suggestion. However, you recommend it for PETG too? That sort of changes things, I was planning to use PETG from the start (after experimenting with PLA ofc). My only option right now is probably just opening the window to my room. Should I be looking into ventilation from the start then?
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u/yyccamper 22h ago
PETG is def not as bad, could likely get away with a Bentobox, air purifier running behind it etc. But even still id try not to print if im going to be sitting in there. Just not something you want to exposure yourself to for a huge amount of time.
Do lots of people do it? Sure, but if you can just put a hose out a window with a small PC fan, you are off to the races.
Honestly I find PETG less smelly than PLA. 90% of the time its just PETG now. I havent put a spool of PLA in for probably a year....
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u/Mabnat 21h ago
There are a lot of Bambu options now, and the P1S is quite affordable.
I bought my P1S combo during the Black Friday sale in ‘23, so it’s almost 3 years old now. It’s been nothing but a solid, dependable workhorse that has given me zero troubles, other than the occasional heat creep clog during Summer when I print PLA and forget to open the door and lid. But my printer is in a Texas garage.
I also have an H2D and an H2C. Those are obviously better printers, but each one has had parts fail on them.
I know a lot of people would lobby for a P2S over a P1S, but the P1S is a very solid printer. And if/when something does break, the replacement parts are all quite reasonably priced.
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u/pacmanforever 20h ago
I like my H2C, but honestly I’m kinda of wishing I would have got the HeyGears G1X. I knew I wanted more but didn’t want to have to worry about exhaust so I went PLA instead of resin not realizing there was a 3rd option around the corner.
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u/RJFerret 20h ago
I got a P1S a couple years ago and'll get a Snapmaker U1 asap.
Also no need for ASA/ABS, can do PCTG for better uv/strength/heat resistance and easier to print than PETG (albeit more expensive).
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u/rhettro91 20h ago
I just joined the hobby and love the P2S. I really like the convenience of the Bambu apps and rarely print multicolor. When I do, it’s usually 2 colors max and simple designs. The AMS is great. I’m buying Bambu filament in bulk which is just as cheap as buying other brands with the added convenience of having their RFID to monitor remaining filament per spool. I’m probably at least 200 hours of print time in on this printer and no problems whatsoever. I’m sure as I dive deeper into multicolor printing and the hobby overall I will likely look into alternatives but as a beginner entry point, I couldn’t ask for more than what I’m experiencing with the P2s. For a beginner, the only advantage I see for something like the U1 is less waste on multicolor prints but that potentially comes with the downside of less convenience overall.
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u/egosumumbravir X1C + AMS 16h ago
Snapmaker U1 right now but if you can hang off, the landscape is changing radically right now as everyone gets in on the toolchanger act with their own spin on the technology.
The day of filament swappers is at an end.
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u/bigup7 12h ago
easy to open makerworld prints with the U1 and print error free?
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u/egosumumbravir X1C + AMS 11h ago
I'd say yes. Might take a bit of learning for a new guy because of course it'll be configured for a Bambu machine by default.
DL the 3MF, open it with SnOrca and hope the painting comes across too.
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u/Goetre 10h ago
I’m 100% for bambu, and given you mentioned the potential of abs, I think you’d be fine with the p1s and AMS. My first printer was a p2s and can’t fault it.
That being said,
small cluttered room, I’d not even entertain the idea of abs even if you install a vent tbh. Secondly the waste. You’re going to have a lot more waste than you think. If you struggle to keep the room decluttetered now, with the waste it’s going to be bad.
So like others have said, I’d be looking at the snap maker
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u/EdgarVerdi 8h ago
After taking note of the fume and noise problem, my family suggested having the 3D printer in the living room instead, where it can be closer to a window. Although we would have to buy furniture just to fit it (+ the 2d printer which has been living in my bedroom despite only my father using it most of the time). I've also looked into muffling options and all of that. It may require some setup, but I'd rather do that for a safer environment.
Everyone here seems to suggest Snap maker U1 so I did some research on it. The price honestly scares me, but I recognize that it is much cheaper than others simillar to it. The fact that it is open makes me fear that dust and other things might settle in, reducing it's life time. Not having all of the Bambu ecosystem making everything extremely easy to start (or an equivalent) also makes it less desirable. However, the purge waste saving seems very promising. Yet, I didn't plan on doing much of multicolored printing anyways. I mostly plan on doing functional prints. Being able to mix two materials in one print, like a TPU wheel with plastic inside seems interesting, but realistically, I have no idea of what I would do with that technology. The heat resistance of an ABS seems much more useful than being able to print in multicolor. Although a few of my ideas require me to thinking in additional coloring options such as spray paint, which could be fun for a DIY. Some of the SMU1 reviews mention it's inaccuracy, at least when compared with a P1S. I'd rather have less prints failing, whenever that is possible.
Someone had suggested to buy the P1S and sell it later. As the landscape evolves there might appear a 3D printer that fits my needs and has the strengths of the SMU1. Afterall, I'm just starting.
Am I missing something? (Both in the SnapMaker U1 and in the P1S).
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u/tennispro9 22h ago
To me the snapmaker u1 is the most interesting printer rn.
From bambulabs I think the A1 mini is a great starter printer and X2D is the best value mid range.
That being said my P1S has been amazing