The 3D Printer I'd buy if I started over

3D printing can be intimidating but it doesn't have to! In this video I show you exactly which printer I would recommend to any beginner, what to do next, and how to get yourself hooked on the tech. I believe that a 3D printer is a valuable tool addition to ANY shop.

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This video is sponsored by Factor

[MaheerKibria]

Finally someone that understands that 3D printers are a tool. So many 3D printing channels treat it like its the endgame where as for the rest of us its the starting point

[josephmears]

That microwave comparison was perfect. Im an engineering student in my school's society of manufacturing engineers, we are lucky enough to have a bambulab x1 and i cant imagine how long our prototyping would take without it.

[Loaf]

As someone looking to move up to bigger and better from their Ender 3, I appreciated this video! I especially appreciated your understanding that I want to 3D print for my hobbies, not as a hobby.

[AndreasScout]

In the last storm we had, a part of the raindrain of the roof was fractured. I 3D scanned it, worked on it a bit and 3D printed the piece that was broken. I went to 5 stores before i went on the scanning and printing route. The first 3 said " it was too old and couldnt be bought anymore" while the other 2 said they could get it but it would cost about 250 dollars. .... yeah... So i went with 3D printing.. it cost me about 4 $. so yes printing fantasy stuff and cosplay stuff is grand and all but using it for everyday issue and problems that need to be solved, is way more fun.

[rayleblanc]

I bought a Prusa back in 2014 when they where just taking off. Still works great. I do have to manually level the bed. I use Blender to create the parts I want to print. Blender does have a learning curve but well worth it in the end.

[TheJimNicholson]

I have an Ender 3 sitting in pieces in my closet. Your "get into 3d printing vs get into working on 3d printers" is spot on.

[makerspace]

Great video. One of the best ways to determine how reliable a 3D printer is, put it in a makerspace. There you will get 10's of people who range from noobs, to experts, to people who think they're experts. If the printer can survive a couple weeks, it is remarkable. I agree, the Prusa is considered super reliable, but it was our most troublesome in the makerspace. The TAZ did quite well. A couple months ago we got rid of all the various machines and bought 3 P1Ps. They have been incredible. The only print failures we have seen were do to bad filament, incorrect bed section (wrong temperature) and poorly designed models. No nozzle clogs at all! Everyone is happy with the P1Ps, which is really something in a makerspace with 300 people.

[bytheallspark]

I have children that bought a 3d printer personally I didn't see the value in buying something so expensive it seemed like just another complicated toy they wouldn't really use. But now I am researching this because I am making my own sock knitting machine that to buy new would be $1200 but I can make for $60. I love that you mentioned the kit printer because one of the main problems my kids run into is how to problem solve when something goes wrong. I showed them your video and they were really intrigued as am I. Thanks for that.

[The_LKI]

I went with the P1S/AMS combo after a bunch of research. And it was so beyond worth it in my opinion. 100% agree with your suggestion.

[Immolate]

The new right answer is the P1S. It's enclosed and works with the AMS multi-spool system for $699. Basically the X1 Carbon without the Lidar and fancy touch screen for $450 less. Just ordered one.

[gundulf]

This is my absolute favorite shop/tech channel; the videos are intelligent, direct and well-organized. There is enough humor to make it fun without becoming goofy. Great job and thank you.

[Chretze]

I started on an Ender 3 kit, bought it in 2017 and it has been phenomenal this whole time especially for the price. I paid 180 bucks back then and the prints out of the box were great.
I saw some videos of people showing modifications and upgrades the Ender 3 would need in order to run smooth and consistent but luckily I was able to print most of them with that same printer just like that lol
Bed levelling was never an issue for me somehow. I always do the thing where you use a piece of paper and make sure the pressure is the same in all corners, really not a big deal but I see how people can get it wrong. It's just one of those things you have to get right and you can't skip that part.

[AustinShockSS]

Started with a P1P earlier this year. Worked flawlessly and it was fast. I was so impressed I added an X1C w/AMS. I use this as a tool, not a hobby so it needs to run and I don't have time to tweak like my previous 3D printer.

[Vandius]

I recommend Elegoo Neptune 4 as your first printer. It's far more affordable and can print just as well as the prusa.

[kstricl]

I just bought my first printer about 3 weeks ago, an ender 3 v2 neo. I've already printed repair parts for a machine at work, joycon repair parts, etc. I've already swapped the firmware, converted it to direct drive and have started learning to use carbon fiber reinforced filament for wear resistance. I am definitely enjoying the journey.
Although a Prusa was on my short list of models, in the end, the neo was the only one I could afford. If I can start to monetize this in my area, I will definitely be looking at the P1P - that speed is amazing.

[kellizielinski]

I bought a P1P after dealing with a low cost unit and I cannot recommend it enough. All the constant headaches are gone and I can just get things printed out. I am printing constantly & bonus it is faster and quality is so much better. Additionally there is a Opensource fork of the Bambu Labs slicer with all the features and added calibration tools that really gets these things dialed in.

[ziban]

I'm 56yo and just started. Mate thanks for the information, yes I have had some failures, but have started to sort them out. Cheers from Australia 🇦🇺 👍

[ndchanceinlife]

People who buy products and review them always earn my trust. I dont like sponsored products. Thank you Sir for your valuable information.

[Smedleydog]

My Ender 3 v2 worked from the moment I turned it on. I like to tinker, so I have modified it a little over time. It's reliable, prints well (I rarely have a failed print and it's usually my fault) and maybe a little slow, but I'm like most people and don't have $1000 or more to plunk down to get started. Unless I'm going to do commercial printing, I'll stick with it.

[Stubones]

I bought a Bambu Lab X1C about a year ago. I'm an old guy (retired) and didn't want to spend the rest of my life tinkering with a 3d printer, but instead I wanted it to print what I wanted, reliably. If you want to save some $$$ you can use filament from Amazon but that means you have to figure out what parameters the filament needs to print. If not, use Bambu filament and the AMS reads a RFID on each spool that tells it what filament is in what slot and how best to print with that filament.
It takes a month or two to get your brain around the 3d printer world and you realize lots of things you can do with a good 3d printer. I got it to tinker with and print toys for my grandkids, and now have printed parts for friends RV's and just about everything else!