this post was submitted on 20 Mar 2024
26 points (100.0% liked)

3DPrinting

15282 readers
65 users here now

3DPrinting is a place where makers of all skill levels and walks of life can learn about and discuss 3D printing and development of 3D printed parts and devices.

The r/functionalprint community is now located at: !functionalprint@kbin.social or !functionalprint@fedia.io

There are CAD communities available at: !cad@lemmy.world or !freecad@lemmy.ml

Rules

If you need an easy way to host pictures, https://catbox.moe may be an option. Be ethical about what you post and donate if you are able or use this a lot. It is just an individual hosting content, not a company. The image embedding syntax for Lemmy is ![](URL)

Moderation policy: Light, mostly invisible

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
 

Hello there,

after a few years of being out of the hobby I am starting to get interested again after seeing that a lot of budget printers now are having all the features that my old one were missing. Direct extruder, auto bed leveling, dual z axis, stuff like that. So which one of the budget printers around 300€ would you guys suggest one should get to get started again? Elegoo Neptune 4? Creality Ender 3 V3? Anycubic Kobra 2? Sovol S06? There are so many good looking options that I am interested in your experiences and opinions. Thanks!

all 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] j4k3@lemmy.world 12 points 6 months ago (3 children)

I'm biased to say save and get a Prusa. It is what I did. It is not a printer project. The hardware specs are a misnomer. The continuous investment in the community is the real selling point. I spent more initially, but my Prusa is still worth nearly what I put into it even as a MK3S+ when the 4 is a thing. Everyone knows it will still work, and continue to do so, while parts will always be readily available. No one worries that it is some failed project.

Now if I tried to sell my little modified KP3S Kingroon, that thing is pretty much worthless now even though it works okay most of the time. I spent more on it at $200 than I did on the Prusa at just over 3× as much. I barely used the KP3S, wasted $100 on "upgrades" and it is now all loss. I got it after the Prusa knowing it is a project to screw around with. Spending more can often mean spending less when you consider long term value. That is just my personal opinion. I don't regret buying the Prusa.

[–] marc@feddit.de 7 points 6 months ago

Same Bias here. Bought a Prusa Mini and got a working printer. In 3years I did nothing to the machine than cleaning and lubrication, and it still prints like day 1. Last year I got an update that enabled input shaping - on a machine that was out of warranty for close to a year already..

[–] Kuro@feddit.de 6 points 6 months ago (3 children)

That's one option and the one I was also thinking about. But it is triple the price for a few of the budget options.

[–] PlasticExistence@lemmy.world 4 points 6 months ago

If you value your time more than you like to tinker with your printer, then the cost makes sense.

If you like to do more maintenance and prefer to save the money up front, then the budget printers make sense.

[–] mark3748@sh.itjust.works 3 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

You buy a budget printer if you want to get into 3d printers. You buy a prusa if you want to get into 3d printing.

If you want to learn how everything works, you should get a kit. After it’s assembled you should be able to print nearly endlessly with nothing more than basic maintenance.

[–] Landless2029@lemmy.world 2 points 6 months ago

Speaking as someone who wetn cheap and got an ender 3. I've spent 90% of my time with printer maintenance and calibration. Not printing...

[–] AliasVortex@lemmy.world 4 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

You raise a very excellent point, for what I've spent toying and tinkering with my OG ender 3 pro, I very easily could have bought a nice Prusa/ Bamboo/ Voron printer.

That said, I can't say I regret the thessian ender route either. I've learned so much about not just the printer itself and how it works on a fundamental level, but also how to model and design for the materials I'm working with and the capabilities of my machine I'm way more comfortable working with small electronics (wiring/ crimping/ soldering and am even flirting with PCB design) compared to when I first got into the hobby. I tend to be more of a hands on learner, so I enjoy the project printer (to an extent) and the learning experience that comes with it.

It very much depends on what OP is looking to get out of/ do with the printer, I 100% agree if it's more of a "I just want it to work ", a Prusa or other mid-range printer* is probably the better play than something in the budget range.

* Depending on how OP feels about Bamboo, the A1 may be a good option on that front as well (once the teething problems get worked out)

[–] _haha_oh_wow_@sh.itjust.works 5 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (1 children)

For your price, Ender 3 I guess but IMO, you should save up for a Prusa because you'll eventually spend more upgrading the Ender anyways (that was my experience anyways, got a CR10s and spent twice as much upgrading it, but ended up getting an MK3S+ in the long run anyways).

[–] Shdwdrgn@mander.xyz 2 points 6 months ago (1 children)

I've always wondered where this comes from, the thought that a person would spend a huge amount to upgrade an Ender? I spent maybe $100 upgrading mine until I screwed up and fried my motherboard, but even adding the extra $60 for a decent upgrade I've still spent less than the original cost of the printer, and way WAY less than the cost of a Prusa. At this point the main upgrades include a direct drive and dual-Z to handle some NinjaFlex. I've always considered ABL a waste of money, and every other upgrade was just things I printed myself. You certainly can't beat the reliability, I mean my printer has been sitting idle for nearly a year and I just fired it up a couple weeks ago to print some new items -- no leveling or anything else, I just loaded up a spool of PLA and off it went. So what exactly are people spending these exorbitant amounts of money on for upgrades?

[–] _haha_oh_wow_@sh.itjust.works 4 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Partly, time is money but partly IDK, I've spent at least $200 upgrading mine with scaffold reinforcements, BL touch, a better hot end, and a few other QOL things and I've spent more on the CR10 than I did on the MK3S+ but it still doesn't work as well as the Prusa. Granted, the print volume is bigger but I hardly ever print anything big enough to take advantage of it.

[–] Shdwdrgn@mander.xyz 1 points 6 months ago

Agreed that time is money, and I've spent a fair amount of time on mine. I think the worst time-sink was after converting to direct drive and basically having to start from scratch on all my slicer settings, and then working out cable management to reclaim my Z height. At one point I was playing with faster speeds (thus the dual-Z upgrade) but eventually I want to switch to a 0.2mm nozzle and try to dial in miniatures (HO scale trains). I would be better off switching to a resin printer for that but I don't have an option for good ventilation so that's not really a consideration right now.

[–] nonailsleft@lemm.ee 4 points 6 months ago

Ender 3 v3 KE has everything you'd want

Or Bambu A1 mini lose surface but get to steer it from your phone

[–] RegalPotoo@lemmy.world 4 points 6 months ago (1 children)

I've got a Elegoo Neptune 3 Pro and found it really easy to setup and get good results printing without having to spend a lot of time fiddling - I guess it depends on your definition of "budget", cos although it's cheaper that the equivalent Prusa, there are definitely cheaper options around

[–] Kuro@feddit.de 2 points 6 months ago

As mentioned around the 300€ mark somewhere. So Neptune 4 Pro may be an option.

[–] CalcProgrammer1@lemmy.ml 3 points 6 months ago (1 children)

I'm happy with my Ender 3 Pro. I paid $200 but you can get it cheaper. I think there is a coupon sometimes for $100 at Micro Center. It's common enough that replacement parts and upgrades (both printed and purchased) are readily available. Runs open source Marlin firmware and the design itself is also open source. Print quality is good for the price. For the price I'm OK with it not having direct extruder or dual Z axis, and adding auto bed leveling is easy enough with a BLTouch or CRTouch.

[–] aniki@lemm.ee 2 points 6 months ago

I grabbed a 3 v2 neo and it's got all the upgrades already done.

[–] ironhydroxide@sh.itjust.works 3 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Best budget printer is one someone is selling.

Buy it, then if you have to, upgrade it into what you need.

[–] rugburn@lemmynsfw.com 1 points 6 months ago

I agree IF you know where it's coming from. You could be (likely are) buying someone else's problem(s). You lessen the risk by getting a higher quality printer (Prusa, Bambu, etc) but NEVER buy a used one without seeing it print firsthand

[–] rugburn@lemmynsfw.com 3 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

If you're looking toward "budget" printers, the one I seem to see the least complaints about would be the Sovol. The ender v3 seems to have most of the v2 issues solved, but I still think creality's qa is all over the map. Ideally, I'd bank that money and look for a better printer, Prusa, Bambu, Quidi, etc.

[–] Krackalot@discuss.tchncs.de 3 points 6 months ago

I would say it depends on where you get joy from in the hobby. I like working on my printer and making it better, so I'd buy a low end model and upgrade it. If that's not your jam, I would recommend a Prusa or Bambu. I have no experience with them, but I hear good things. I bought a biqu B1 and added upgrades myself. I've had days where I wanna pull my hair out, but I have somehow enjoyed the challenge.

[–] rambos@lemm.ee 1 points 6 months ago

I have no experience with any of them, but I would give advantage to ender 3 v3 and sovol sv06 because they have smooth rods while neptune and kobra use wheels. You have to be ready to thinker, tune, upgrade and fix because you are buying super cheap bed slinger, but I guess you know that already. I dont know if you can get voron v0.2 kit for around 300€, but that might be beter investment if you are ok with smaller print volume.

[–] ThuleanSneed@lemmy.tf -1 points 6 months ago

FLOYD I CAN'T FEED FLOYD JANNY CITY SLICKER CHUCK'S DILATE COPE FANCY GERMAN CAR FUCK SEED HOT POCKETS SNEED FOR FREE FUCK JANNIES SNEED AND FUCK GUCCI LOAFERS ON LEMMY COPE SNEED COPE CHUCK CHUCK'S CHUCK FEED I CAN'T FANCY GERMAN CAR CITY SLICKER CHUCK HOT POCKETS GUCCI LOAFERS FANCY GERMAN CAR AND JANNY SNEED'S PARK AVENUE MANICURE FEED FANCY GERMAN CAR CHUCK JANNIES I CAN'T CHUCK'S SNEED'S COPE FEED JANNY

[–] ThuleanSneed@lemmy.tf -1 points 6 months ago

JANNY SEED JANNY I CAN'T AND HOT POCKETS CHUCK FUCK JANNY FUCK DILATE CLEAN IT UP FUCK FLOYD AND SEED SEED FANCY GERMAN CAR AND JANNY FOR FREE CLEAN IT UP CHUCK GUCCI LOAFERS FEED HOT POCKETS PARK AVENUE MANICURE I CAN'T COPE AND SEETHE SEETHE DILATE JANNIES FLOYD HOT POCKETS GUCCI LOAFERS I CAN'T DILATE FEED FOR FREE CLEAN IT UP GUCCI LOAFERS I CAN'T SNEED AND CHUCK'S CHUCK PARK AVENUE MANICURE FEED

[–] ThuleanSneed@lemmy.tf -1 points 6 months ago

SUCK JANNY SEED CITY SLICKER DILATE JANNY FOR FREE JANNY SNEED AND SEETHE SNEED'S SUCK JANNY JANNIES HOT POCKETS ON LEMMY SNEED'S SNEED HOT POCKETS CITY SLICKER I CAN'T JANNY DILATE FUCK GUCCI LOAFERS FOR FREE SEETHE FUCK SNEED PARK AVENUE MANICURE AND SNEED PARK AVENUE MANICURE SNEED'S I CAN'T AND DILATE FOR FREE CITY SLICKER SEED JANNIES FEED CITY SLICKER JANNY COPE JANNIES ON LEMMY JANNY FUCK

[–] ThuleanSneed@lemmy.tf -2 points 6 months ago

CLEAN IT UP JANNIES ON LEMMY SUCK COPE FLOYD SNEED'S SEED CITY SLICKER FOR FREE SEETHE JANNY FUCK FLOYD FLOYD COPE FOR FREE JANNIES ON LEMMY HOT POCKETS FOR FREE GUCCI LOAFERS PARK AVENUE MANICURE JANNY HOT POCKETS FOR FREE CLEAN IT UP GUCCI LOAFERS HOT POCKETS FEED PARK AVENUE MANICURE CLEAN IT UP COPE FOR FREE PARK AVENUE MANICURE AND SEETHE DILATE ON LEMMY FEED SEED SNEED SUCK SEED CHUCK CITY SLICKER SEED CHUCK DILATE PARK AVENUE MANICURE

[–] ThuleanSneed@lemmy.tf -2 points 6 months ago

HOT POCKETS I CAN'T FEED FEED ON LEMMY JANNY CHUCK'S CHUCK ON LEMMY SEED FANCY GERMAN CAR SEETHE AND SEETHE HOT POCKETS COPE FANCY GERMAN CAR SEED COPE SUCK FANCY GERMAN CAR FEED COPE COPE FUCK CHUCK'S I CAN'T FEED CLEAN IT UP FOR FREE SUCK ON LEMMY FLOYD ON LEMMY SNEED'S ON LEMMY SNEED SNEED AND FLOYD DILATE CLEAN IT UP SUCK CHUCK'S FLOYD SNEED'S SEETHE GUCCI LOAFERS SNEED FLOYD

[–] ThuleanSneed@lemmy.tf -2 points 6 months ago

JANNY CLEAN IT UP GUCCI LOAFERS CHUCK ON LEMMY JANNIES CHUCK FOR FREE SEED CHUCK'S JANNIES FOR FREE SUCK FOR FREE CLEAN IT UP PARK AVENUE MANICURE AND GUCCI LOAFERS SUCK DILATE ON LEMMY FLOYD CHUCK'S COPE PARK AVENUE MANICURE FUCK FOR FREE FLOYD JANNY I CAN'T DILATE AND SEED FEED SNEED'S CHUCK SEETHE PARK AVENUE MANICURE DILATE FEED FEED JANNIES PARK AVENUE MANICURE AND CLEAN IT UP DILATE SUCK CHUCK'S FUCK FUCK

[–] ThuleanSneed@lemmy.tf -2 points 6 months ago

I CAN'T PARK AVENUE MANICURE SEED FANCY GERMAN CAR CITY SLICKER SEED PARK AVENUE MANICURE SNEED'S JANNIES CHUCK'S CITY SLICKER DILATE SEED CHUCK AND AND FEED JANNIES PARK AVENUE MANICURE JANNIES SEED JANNIES JANNIES JANNY HOT POCKETS SUCK JANNY DILATE ON LEMMY CHUCK JANNY CLEAN IT UP CHUCK'S JANNY SEED CLEAN IT UP ON LEMMY SEETHE CHUCK SUCK I CAN'T JANNIES HOT POCKETS SUCK SUCK JANNIES DILATE FOR FREE AND SNEED

[–] ThuleanSneed@lemmy.tf -2 points 6 months ago

FANCY GERMAN CAR FEED SNEED ON LEMMY FUCK SEED SNEED'S COPE GUCCI LOAFERS FANCY GERMAN CAR HOT POCKETS GUCCI LOAFERS AND FOR FREE CITY SLICKER FEED I CAN'T FOR FREE COPE SNEED'S JANNIES CHUCK SNEED'S SUCK CHUCK CHUCK'S SNEED SEETHE SEED FUCK GUCCI LOAFERS CHUCK'S FLOYD COPE CLEAN IT UP FEED FANCY GERMAN CAR SUCK FEED FANCY GERMAN CAR FANCY GERMAN CAR AND SEED PARK AVENUE MANICURE JANNIES AND GUCCI LOAFERS ON LEMMY DILATE SNEED'S

[–] ThuleanSneed@lemmy.tf -2 points 6 months ago

HOT POCKETS I CAN'T FOR FREE FUCK CLEAN IT UP FLOYD SNEED'S SNEED'S CITY SLICKER JANNIES FEED AND SEED FLOYD FUCK SUCK SNEED'S ON LEMMY FEED SNEED'S FOR FREE HOT POCKETS SNEED FLOYD AND CHUCK'S SNEED'S DILATE DILATE COPE ON LEMMY FUCK SEED PARK AVENUE MANICURE FLOYD SUCK SUCK SNEED'S FANCY GERMAN CAR COPE I CAN'T CLEAN IT UP CLEAN IT UP JANNIES CHUCK GUCCI LOAFERS FANCY GERMAN CAR SEED I CAN'T JANNIES

[–] ThuleanSneed@lemmy.tf -2 points 6 months ago

CLEAN IT UP CLEAN IT UP AND FOR FREE FEED FANCY GERMAN CAR COPE CHUCK'S FOR FREE ON LEMMY SEED DILATE SNEED GUCCI LOAFERS FLOYD AND AND SNEED SNEED'S FANCY GERMAN CAR CHUCK'S HOT POCKETS DILATE CLEAN IT UP FLOYD FEED CHUCK JANNY CLEAN IT UP FLOYD CHUCK SNEED FLOYD JANNY FOR FREE JANNIES AND SNEED'S AND SUCK SNEED SUCK DILATE HOT POCKETS JANNY CHUCK ON LEMMY CITY SLICKER JANNY CHUCK'S

[–] ThuleanSneed@lemmy.tf -2 points 6 months ago

I CAN'T FOR FREE SEED FEED FLOYD SEETHE FOR FREE DILATE SEETHE AND AND JANNIES FANCY GERMAN CAR HOT POCKETS FANCY GERMAN CAR AND FEED PARK AVENUE MANICURE FEED HOT POCKETS ON LEMMY SNEED'S SUCK CLEAN IT UP FOR FREE I CAN'T ON LEMMY CLEAN IT UP ON LEMMY I CAN'T CLEAN IT UP FUCK AND FANCY GERMAN CAR HOT POCKETS CLEAN IT UP I CAN'T COPE CITY SLICKER SEETHE SNEED CITY SLICKER SEETHE JANNIES CHUCK JANNY FUCK FUCK PARK AVENUE MANICURE ON LEMMY

[–] ThuleanSneed@lemmy.tf -2 points 6 months ago

SNEED'S JANNY DILATE SUCK JANNIES AND SNEED SUCK FOR FREE DILATE I CAN'T CHUCK SNEED FOR FREE COPE HOT POCKETS FOR FREE SNEED'S ON LEMMY DILATE SNEED'S JANNY SEED COPE FLOYD FEED SEETHE JANNY SNEED'S FLOYD ON LEMMY FEED FLOYD SEED SUCK CHUCK'S CHUCK FANCY GERMAN CAR FANCY GERMAN CAR FLOYD CHUCK'S I CAN'T SNEED I CAN'T FOR FREE FUCK SNEED'S SNEED I CAN'T SEED

[–] ThuleanSneed@lemmy.tf -2 points 6 months ago

ON LEMMY FANCY GERMAN CAR SUCK JANNIES FANCY GERMAN CAR CHUCK'S CHUCK I CAN'T CHUCK HOT POCKETS DILATE HOT POCKETS AND AND FOR FREE JANNY I CAN'T I CAN'T HOT POCKETS AND SNEED CLEAN IT UP FUCK I CAN'T HOT POCKETS SEED CHUCK'S GUCCI LOAFERS SEETHE ON LEMMY SEED CHUCK'S FUCK SEETHE SNEED GUCCI LOAFERS JANNIES CITY SLICKER SEETHE PARK AVENUE MANICURE COPE COPE CITY SLICKER JANNY FEED SEETHE COPE PARK AVENUE MANICURE SEETHE SNEED'S

[–] ThuleanSneed@lemmy.tf -2 points 6 months ago

ON LEMMY FLOYD GUCCI LOAFERS GUCCI LOAFERS CHUCK'S JANNY HOT POCKETS SNEED GUCCI LOAFERS CHUCK CITY SLICKER SEED HOT POCKETS FANCY GERMAN CAR ON LEMMY JANNY CHUCK FLOYD DILATE I CAN'T FEED HOT POCKETS FANCY GERMAN CAR COPE CLEAN IT UP I CAN'T FOR FREE GUCCI LOAFERS SEETHE PARK AVENUE MANICURE SNEED'S FEED FEED DILATE FEED COPE CITY SLICKER SNEED'S COPE JANNY FEED SNEED'S FEED JANNY ON LEMMY SUCK FLOYD CITY SLICKER I CAN'T FEED

[–] ThuleanSneed@lemmy.tf -2 points 6 months ago

I CAN'T SEETHE I CAN'T SEED CITY SLICKER SNEED I CAN'T DILATE JANNIES PARK AVENUE MANICURE HOT POCKETS CHUCK'S SUCK AND JANNY FLOYD CHUCK CHUCK SNEED CLEAN IT UP SEETHE FOR FREE FLOYD CITY SLICKER ON LEMMY HOT POCKETS SEETHE SUCK DILATE CLEAN IT UP PARK AVENUE MANICURE FANCY GERMAN CAR COPE ON LEMMY HOT POCKETS GUCCI LOAFERS JANNY DILATE FUCK CHUCK GUCCI LOAFERS I CAN'T CLEAN IT UP CHUCK'S DILATE CITY SLICKER FUCK HOT POCKETS PARK AVENUE MANICURE CHUCK

[–] ThuleanSneed@lemmy.tf -2 points 6 months ago

CHUCK'S I CAN'T FOR FREE FEED GUCCI LOAFERS FEED FEED SEED CHUCK SNEED'S FEED DILATE FOR FREE HOT POCKETS FANCY GERMAN CAR FOR FREE CHUCK JANNIES JANNY JANNY AND CITY SLICKER CITY SLICKER FEED PARK AVENUE MANICURE HOT POCKETS PARK AVENUE MANICURE I CAN'T SEETHE SUCK GUCCI LOAFERS SNEED'S AND JANNY PARK AVENUE MANICURE AND CHUCK'S HOT POCKETS CITY SLICKER ON LEMMY JANNY FEED ON LEMMY GUCCI LOAFERS FLOYD ON LEMMY SEED SUCK CLEAN IT UP SNEED'S

[–] ThuleanSneed@lemmy.tf -2 points 6 months ago

I CAN'T COPE CHUCK'S CITY SLICKER FLOYD JANNIES FLOYD ON LEMMY CHUCK'S CHUCK SEETHE CHUCK SEETHE I CAN'T FUCK COPE SNEED FEED CHUCK CLEAN IT UP HOT POCKETS I CAN'T FLOYD FUCK SEETHE CITY SLICKER FOR FREE SEETHE COPE SNEED'S COPE SEED FUCK FLOYD ON LEMMY I CAN'T FLOYD FUCK SNEED ON LEMMY CITY SLICKER CLEAN IT UP JANNIES FUCK SNEED JANNY PARK AVENUE MANICURE I CAN'T FLOYD CHUCK'S

[–] ThuleanSneed@lemmy.tf -2 points 6 months ago

CHUCK GUCCI LOAFERS PARK AVENUE MANICURE CITY SLICKER DILATE JANNIES I CAN'T PARK AVENUE MANICURE SNEED'S GUCCI LOAFERS FOR FREE CHUCK'S SEED JANNIES PARK AVENUE MANICURE HOT POCKETS AND CHUCK JANNIES CHUCK'S JANNY ON LEMMY SNEED'S DILATE CHUCK COPE AND CHUCK DILATE FEED GUCCI LOAFERS FEED FEED FOR FREE FEED FANCY GERMAN CAR SUCK COPE CITY SLICKER SEED COPE AND FOR FREE FLOYD ON LEMMY HOT POCKETS SNEED CLEAN IT UP CITY SLICKER CLEAN IT UP

[–] ThuleanSneed@lemmy.tf -2 points 6 months ago

HOT POCKETS CLEAN IT UP FUCK CLEAN IT UP SNEED'S FOR FREE DILATE FUCK SNEED'S SEETHE SNEED FOR FREE SEED CITY SLICKER SNEED CITY SLICKER FLOYD DILATE JANNIES ON LEMMY ON LEMMY CITY SLICKER CHUCK'S I CAN'T COPE FLOYD CLEAN IT UP FUCK JANNIES SUCK AND CLEAN IT UP CLEAN IT UP CHUCK'S DILATE COPE SNEED'S ON LEMMY DILATE FLOYD SUCK SNEED SUCK SEED GUCCI LOAFERS FUCK PARK AVENUE MANICURE SNEED CITY SLICKER GUCCI LOAFERS