Who Makes the Best FDM Printers? - 2024 Best FDM Printer Recap

[@Bad_Idea_Mike]

Just wanted to thank you again for your reviews. Both the Bambu A1 w/AMS lite and the GKtwo that I have purchased from your recommendations (and links) have been the EXACT printers that I wanted. Keep up the good work, there are a lot of people out here that really appreciate it.

[@MrBusby]

Got my Bambu a few weeks ago. I knew/know nothing about 3d printers or 3d printing. The P1S is amazing. I took it out of the box, plugged it in and it worked. Like you, I am too old to tinker. I spend my time at work fixing problems and engineering solutions to other people's stupidity, so I don't need that when I get home. Yes, I am new to the community but I do love the Bambu. If you are looking at getting into 3d then don't faff about, get a Bambu.

[@MikeMPharmaCyclist]

The problem with this is that it's a bit delusional to think that no other printer is on this level yet. I have the same experience with a $320 Kobra 3 combo and I have the added bonus of having an included filament dryer. Bambu is great but so are many others

[@greenman360]

Well you got one thing right for sure, you know nothing about 3D printers. Kind of odd that you then spend the rest of your comment acting like you do, but it is what it is.

[@rexidolzero]

Same experience. Up and ptinting in no time. No bed leveling, no fussing with pressure advance. Just unbox and use

[@anon1337-h8v]

"I spend my time at work fixing problems and engineering solutions to other people's stupidity" i feel this in my system engineer bones lol

[@FSX239]

Same here, I picked up a Bambu X1C having zero experience. It's been so much fun and learning more from the community and friends.

[@barneyfromblueshift]

I moved from Creality to Bambu earlier this year and I couldn't be happier. I had close to 200 jams across two Creality K1's over roughly 9 months. I very nearly quit the hobby. Since moving to Bambu, I've literally not had a single print failure that was not caused by my own poor choices. It just works.

[@pvic6959]

well thats good. i just order a bambu 30 min ago hahah

[@SkiS_9]

Yea man! I just Got a BRAND new P1P upgrading from a Very upgraded Ender 2 pro. I also almost if not DID quit the hobby. But Gah Dayum, we back at it! Im never going back😭😭

[@dfloyd888]

I am impressed by Bambu. They did one thing that only Prusa did... and that is not just make a quality printer, but an entire ecosystem. To boot, parts are not overpriced, so using them for a print farm is very easy. For people new to 3D printing, getting a good printer is important. That way, one can actually print stuff, and not spend their time fiddling, modding, experimenting, and calibrating.

[@Elkarlo77]

In the German Community the Creality K1 is very popular, because it is the cheapest printer and after you modified it for 100 hours it starts to work.. I have FDM Printers for 10 years, builded 3 DiY Kits bymself, have a Voron half finished standing around, had 2 Ender 3 (one is now cut up for a Voron Switchblade), having putt over 6000 print hours throw my 5 older printers. And the Centerpiece of my Printroom is the 8 Colour Bambu Lab X1C which alone has now 1500hours in one year.

[@Theausomecaleb]

I have a k1 Max and never had any issues with it. I would like to get a bamboo printer one day. However, it's hard to justify the price difference when I keep getting lucky with creality.

[@marinermerrill3884]

You’ve become one of my favorite 3d printer reviewers by far! Thanks for the great content!

[@Chretze]

I've stuck with my Ender 3 that I bought way back in 2018, that was the "it just works" machine for me and it did. At that time, 3d printing was a proper DIY hobby so building the printer itself was part of the experience and getting that part right is what 90% of your print quality depends on. I have upgraded it over the years (dual Z axis motors, Micro Swiss NG direct drive toolhead, stainless steel nozzle, PEI bed surface, Klipper) bit by bit so it kept up with the developments in the market and I never had a reason to buy a new printer. It's STILL pumping out prints with good quality by today's standards at a reasonable speed. When the Bambulab X1 came out I saw the reviews and decided that it wasn't enough of a performance increase over my upgraded Ender 3, so it wasn't worth it for me, but I recommended it to a few of my friends who got into 3d printing and they're very happy, it is a great printer. But I decided to wait and see how the competitors would react, because it's a matter of time until one of the other established brands would come out with an even better product. I don't need the hand-holding that Bambulab offers, nor the customer support Prusa offers. I just need a good machine that I can maintain and upgrade myself with a strong community online. So recently I decided to pull the trigger on the Creality K2 Plus. It's a direct response aimed at Bambulab, it's an enclosed Core XY, advertised to print even faster, on a much bigger print volume, with an improved multi-filament-system, and with a heated interior and an air filter. These are things I cannot upgrade on my Ender 3 so I think here, finally, an upgrade was warranted.

[@000elemental000]

Having moved from 4 creality machines to 2 Bambu (x1, p1s with e3d nozzles). I have 2700 hours on my carbon and 700 on p1s. I have replaced 1 cutter, and 1 first stage ams feeder. That's it. When the carbon says to adjust the belts, I do both machines. I'm not saying I like their business model. But from a *they just work* standpoint. I'm not going to complain.

[@beepboop8184]

I'm sure Uyghur slaves in China also "just work" to allow bambulab to keep the prices so low.

[@honkhonk8009]

Iv had my ender 3 for 3 years now, and just got my X1C last month. I think iv put it through more print hours than my ender 3 has been through atp. Like its so convenient to use, that Im actually worried about how much filament im going through lmfao. Its insanely fast and prints at insane resin-tier quality. I dont think people understand the fact that all the messing around they do on their printer, just makes them not want to print much. Writing this comment, I just spent a few minutes drawing up something on Cad for a part I actually need, and I just casually sent it over to my printer within seconds without having to level or worry about anything. Its just the perfect printer. Does everything I need to except maybe multihead extrusion, but honestly idc that much cus its worth it

[@beepboop8184]

​@@honkhonk8009 Prusa did printers like this years ago. Which still just work, also in quite large print farms, also in Prusa's facility. Multihead extrusion is perfect for printing different materials: basic example is using PLA to support PETG and vice versa, or using soluable material to support anything. Or to use flexible with non-flexible materials to make complex prints.

[@DrClaw-y2l]

What's wrong with their business model? (What IS their business model?)

[@beepboop8184]

@@DrClaw-y2l 1. Take money from CCP and cut down the prices so no other Western company could ever beat. 2. Aggressively use that CCP money to pay shills on social media. 3. Flood the market with your stuff 4. ?????? 5. PROFIT Oh, and who knows how Uyghurs are involved in all this...

[@jnssmnsn]

As someone with a 3d printing business, selling printers, spare parts and accessories, and also have a print farm with 25-40 active printers on the side, i have tested close to every printer that has hit the marked the last 6 years. I've been through countless Creality machines in the early days and slowly landed on Prusa being the most reliable. This has changed drastically the last few years, most notably with Bambu Lab printers coming out. They were by far the most reliable for high volume printing with low failure rate and very high volume printing. Still constantly testing machines to improve and here is where the Sovol SV08 has been quite the shocking discovery. It's been by far the best printer when it comes to just spitting out high quality parts in huge volumes. The ability to upgrade it with cheap and easy mods making it even better has been a blast. For the price nothing compares.

[@JulesHatton]

Interesting. How many SV08 do you have? How many hours have you put on them? What have you upgraded on it and how much did you spend on upgrades? You leave us with so many unanswered questions ;)

[@jnssmnsn]

@@JulesHatton Damn wrote a long reply and somehow it didn't go through :o

[@thedarkknight6159]

Yes, I can absolutely agree on this. We also have a 3d printing business here in Germany with currently close to 20 printers and aim to get closer to 50 by the end of 2025. We have also tested Qidi, Flsun, Anycubic and Bambu and so far have replaced nearly all with Bambu P1S, A1 and A1 Minis, because mainly of quality and secondly realiability at amazing speeds. Third aspect is the superb software and app, where we can monitor everything in one place and also send the prints from the PC (we are doing customized products, so we need to send every printing task separately to each printer).

[@thomasmuller7001]

@@thedarkknight6159 Sounds great, would you mind telling the name of the company?

[@pavoldeman1762]

@@thedarkknight6159which one would you find more reliable p1 or the A1? I have tested both so far and I am getting mixed results . Sometimes I get cleaner results on the a1 and sometimes less failures on the p1s. For normal Petg the a1 is def superior . For clear Petg the p1s is superior. I am getting better tpu results with the p1s

[@Gregatron13]

Last year I wanted a P1S, but couldn't afford it. I looked at the A1, but got a K1 because it was cheaper and "just like the P1." It was great for awhile, but probably because it was replacing an Ender 3V2. Yesterday my A1 arrived and I'm over the moon. I've only printed two things, including the benchy, but I'm already in love. The ease with which I assembled, calibrated, and connected it to my phone AND laptop blew me away. I'm already ready to learn how to paint models in the studio for the AMS lite. I will never buy another brand again.

[@MikeMPharmaCyclist]

Lmao, try a Kobra 3 combo for 320 USD

[@Nicol80145]

I was able to print a whole warhammer 40k titan with almost no failures and default settings. This machine is the most user considerate thing I've ever used.

[@joeycurry8700]

Get the p1s or p1s they are a lot cheaper now

[@ABRetroCollections]

@@joeycurry8700 They are cheaper now because the X1E is being released.

[@joeycurry8700]

@@ABRetroCollections I thought they already released it but you have to buy it from a reseller

[@pbusardo]

REALLY enjoy your content, take, and personality in these videos. Very well done. Also... I've had many 3D printers. Started with Davinci machines (yeah, been doing it for that long), Creality, Prusa, Elegoo, Ankermake & Bambu. I was very happy that Ankermake was mentioned in this video. I finally had a machine I didn't spend as much time f*cking with as I did printing with. Truly one of the most reliable and easiest to use machines I have ever used. They don't get enough love from the community, agreeably, for all the reasons you mentioned. Well done again.

[@urban1337]

Just picked up my first FDM 3d printer in years and it’s a p1s and I couldn’t be happier with it

[@scythelord]

5 tool Prusa XL is seriously the best printer I've ever encountered. It's simply amazing. Do not regret.

[@tagg8233]

Yes I can imagine that a printer that costs over 4 grand would be quite good

[@Caimh2]

WARNING: My Bambu was great until it stopped working, and then I got introduced to the hell that was their tech support. They actually admitted there was a fault but then they expected me to attempt complex repairs which I did and they didn't work. So they keep coming up with more suggestions while being entirely unwilling to acknowledge the legal rights you have as a UK consumer - in particular the right to a refund/repair/replacement within 6 months if the product is shown to be faulty. I've not had a working printer for almost 3 months now and they seem intent on trying to let my 6 month period run out by sending more and more wiki links or indded the same ones again so I'm going to be forced to take legal action unless they start behaving themselves. You can't aim your product at hobbyists and then expect them to be able to carry out complex repairs. Buyer beware.

[@scottjackson8931]

That sounds like my experience with Prusa.

[@RikAhlberg]

Yeah I had the same trouble with support after only a few days with a new P1S. Probably better to buy from a local reseller (like Micro Center or Best Buy when they start stocking them) since the reseller will do first-line support, repair, or replacement.

[@TheUnPlayable]

​​@@scottjackson8931 lol, there's no assembly step that a 10yo couldn't do on a Prusa. The worst repair would need at most 1h including assembling it back again. Try fixing a Y axis on a P1S or X1. Good fucking luck 😂

[@BarnesysBuilds]

I have had the same issue, my P1S just sits on the table as dead weight now, unfixable banding issue that is a fault of the machines steel bearings heating up and grabbing the carbon rods when printing ABS. Bambu have t come to the table and I don’t want to deal with a company like that anymore.

[@Caimh2]

@@BarnesysBuilds I've actually just got them to concede to giving me a replacement as I'm within 6 months of purchase and I sent them a letter with the correct legal language I got off the Which website. Worth doing if you can. Chinese companies in particular seem to be bad for this stuff, but if you nail them down with the right language they clearly decide it's better to play fair.

[@BrianF.1969]

I recently ended up going with a Elegoo Neptune 4 plus knowing it was not a beginner (of which I am) friendly printer. I made a mistake or two like messing up the thermistor wires when changing nozzles but other than that I've been very satisfied with the print quality I've been able to get from it. Especially considering it's budget minded build design. I needed the bigger bed size it had or I would have went with a Bambu A1 or maybe even one of the others. The sale price of the Neptune 4 plus made it worth trying.

[@dylan10182000]

Yeah I've had a Neptune 4 for a couple of months now and I do not mind tinkering with stuff at all, in fact I really enjoy it and honestly from assembly to the few self repairs I've had to do it's been quite fun. Next is swapping the firmware to OpenNeptune and then getting linear rails

[@Gryfang451]

I've been 3d printing for a while now, and needed to replace an old Sovol SV01 recently. I have an Elegoo Neptune 4 Pro, but wanted a bigger bed. When the A1 went on sale for Black Friday, I got it. As a hobbyist that doesn't print much beyond PETG, PLA and TPU, the A1 Combo fit the bill. I'm so done with tinkering and just wanted something that reliably printed every time. It does that, and does it very well. I'm 4 days into using it and very happy so far!

[@ckling217]

Thanks for your honesty. Watched your live stream for the first time this past week and had a great time. (Used your code to get my first resin printer, the GKTwo)

[@GoblinInventor]

I've had my m5c for a while now. Its worth mentioning that they have been updating their slicer to offer more config options and providing better user experience rather often. I've printed pla, petg and tpu with basically no issues. Their print profiles have served me well. I bought a bambu a1 so i can print more with 2 printers, so soon I'll have a side by side comparison

[@augustopaixao8911]

I have a Flashforge Adventurer 5m. I don't know when you did your review of it, but the machine is very good and has profiles in Orcaslicer. The user doesn't need to use Flash Print or Orca-Flash. The brand only loses to Bambu for not having a decent mobile app, because in terms of ease of use and print quality they are neck and neck.

[@assoldier13]

True, and for less than half the price i dont miss the app one bit

[@augustopaixao8911]

@@assoldier13 I miss a good app. Flashforge leaves a lot to be desired in this area. However, the price of the machine and the quality of the prints end up making it worth it.

[@MrHeHim]

That is probably true, it looks like a genuinely good printer. But someone that doesn't know wouldn't use any other slicer than the one that came with the printer. They wouldn't know they can even use other slicers without going "deep" into how everything works. Furthermore, if you get any firmware updates the slicer might also need updates to the correct profiles and the other way around. Then you're down a rabbit hole, that's where most people give up and let the machines collect dust

[@augustopaixao8911]

@@MrHeHim Dude, I disagree with you about the firmware update issue. I've had mine for a few months now and haven't had any problems updating it. The settings in OrcaSlicer remain the same. I don't even pay attention to Orcaflash and Flashprint.

[@BeckettBoodel-gl4cz]

I have an x1 carbon and it is the best thing I have ever owned. I have printed over 1000 hours on it in the past year, and I have had maybe two failed prints. 10/10 printer.

[@Haven_games]

Thanks for the review. I moved from fdm with an Ender 3 to resin and have recently started to look back again with the need for more functional parts fabrication. This was helpful. Also, the editing was great.

[@wybird666]

Thanks for the no nonsense (but yet satirical themed) review. Very useful. I will have to check out the specific reviews now.

[@ShundoRaud]

I got an Anycubic Kobra 2 Neo for $150 at the start of the year and it's been good enough for the price to get me into this hobby. I've been doing a lot of tinkering in Orca to make my prints look better and smoother, but I'm getting to the point where I'm hooked enough to put the money in on a great printer. As someone who started with a cheap printer, trust me: you're going to love 3D printing. Just save up for the nice printer and then you only buy once

[@spinnetti]

I've had a bunch for printers since the early days. I still have an Anycubic but I never use it. Prusa has been the only one I've had that I don't curse at - a tool not a hobby. I've had 3 versions of Prusa, and one of the best things is the upgrade path. Started with the 3, now at the 4S version. I like the Bamboo, but I want to support open source and Prusa's launch of the Core 1 gets the hardware in the ballpark of Bambu. I have had a bunch of resin printers too - Elegoo has been a champ on value for money; currently on the 5 ultra.

[@Code_String]

Kind of glad that my SV06 got me into 3D printing in the way it did. I didn't know I'd be this hooked into tinkering a machine; kind of a plus from all the prints I'm getting out of it as well. Caught a deal on an SV07+ that's on its way soon so I'm ready to repeat the same ritual of giving a couple of touches. It's impressive how much the space has advanced; with options for people who want to jump into the hobby for getting prints out of their machines, or touch up machines for printing.

[@BunnyUsagiUwU]

i'm receiving my X1 carbon today, and your review and excitement for it only reinforces mine, i can't wait to start printing and building things

[@Zetler]

Got an A1 as my first printer, 2 months later I gotta say the KZbinrs were right. 3D printers are still endlessly complex, people entering the ecosystem needs a product that just works.

[@wayward-saint]

So does you A1 just work?

[@Zetler]

@ It does. But there’s still too much minutia for my liking to achieve good results. While I’m starting to learn and grow with my A1 I feel this step should be completely unnecessary in the future. This hobby doesn’t need more features and exotic materials. What it needs is AI and better multicolor features.

[@FreedomToRoam86]

Ditto that on the “It just works”. Love my A1, too, because I can actually print useful stuff, not just get mad and swear at it. Like I do CAD….. thank BBL for Maker World!!!

[@jeffbright7728]

Started with the Ender 3 during the pandemic. I spent a year upgrading and always repairing it. Lots of tinkering. But, I got to learn about them in the process of repairing. Beginning of this year I bought the Bambu A1. Wow, what an upgrade! Best $500 I’ve ever spent in my life. There have been a few failures here and there, Tech Support was pretty good, parts were cheap and available, so very impressed. Plus, it just works!

[@JohnPhillips-lk8ec]

The new Prusa CoreOne will be an excellent choice that will last for many years. My two MK3Ss are running well after 5+ years and were recently upgraded to MK3.5 and MK4.

[@morbus5726]

“Will be an excellent choice that will last for many years”. It hasn’t even come out yet, at least wait for reviews or long term feedback before mindlessly glazing prusa.

[@OwenJonesCymru]

​@@morbus5726 He clearly has an experince with Prusas and how long they last, no need to think it will be different with CoreOne as they build quality machines to last.

[@jsrogers6464]

I appreciate your videos and opinions. Due to your video on the X1C my employer now owes 4 and I am printing parts that go into all of our Mobile Conversions. I've even invested into a A1 Mini w/ AMS and a P1P (AMS to come), that I keep at work. Looking forward to what Bambu has coming in 2025. Thanks again.

[@MtnMoto]

I came from a Ender 3v2 that I was attempting to make 300x300x300 into a Bambu P1S. I can echo the "Just Works" findings. For sub $900 I got a printer, that just works, and an AMS, that makes everything colorful. Now I find myself printing again and finding new ways to actually use the tool instead of the constantly dreaded "fixing the tool" pattern I was in. Cheers, and ignore the haters😂

[@stevato0449]

Small correction for the Prusa MK4S, it is actually not fully open source. Schematics for the electronics and STEP files for any of the parts are still missing, through you can still download their STL files if you ever need to replace a printed part on the machine. Also, genuine question coming from someone that got started on an Ender 3, still tinkering with it, plus just recently purchased an X1 Carbon. What do you think investing in Prusa for the future of 3D printing looks like? What are they innovating/inventing that other manufacturers are not? In my head, it seems like they have fallen behind in terms of innovation. I would argue the MK4 was released in a rush in response to Bambu taking the throne of "printers that just work." What did the MK4 improve upon since the MK3S+? 32-bit electronics and Wi-Fi connectivity? Like every other printer since the MK3? And then they realized people wanted fast printers, so they had to release the MK4S after the fact to add a better fan and nozzle. The damn touchscreen neither input shaping worked when it was released. They still don't have a printer that has a camera for monitoring or is able to print engineering materials out of the box. I'm not saying any of this out of hate, I want them to keep succeeding, because my biggest fear is Bambu and other closed-source manufacturers taking control of the market and companies like Prusa getting phased out of relevance.

[@Nextgengamers]

I own a bambulab x1c for over 7 months now. Really beautiful and reliable printer. With great features! Can recommend it to everyone😎

[@talbech]

Bought an MK4 little over a year ago with stability and open source in mind. I wanted a printer that just work for mechanical engineering purpose. I am not printing fancy multi-color stuff. The Prusa has definitely not disappointed. I had to build an enclosure for it to print more exotic materials however. The one time I had contact with Prusa support they were helpful and provided me with a new termistor within a few days. Great customer service. That being said, I cannot ignore the Bambu products and the X1C looks like a really nice next step, since I cannot afford the Prusa XL. Thanks for the great run down of the options.

[@802Garage]

I think most of your assessments are pretty fair! I do want to say I think you are a bit harsh on the Q1 Pro for one main reason, it's cheap. For less than $400 you get an enclosed, core XY, high nozzle temp, heated chamber, well functioning printer. As for rhe Plus4, it has had some teething issues, but again the value for what you get is crazy. It also puts out some of the cleanest, most accurate, VFA free prints I've ever seen from a stock printer. Hope you have good luck with it.

[@802Garage]

P.S. I also use a Pixel phone for the exact same reasons. 😂

[@802Garage]

P.P.S. Qidi has been making enclosed, core XY, multiple lead screw, larger screen, steel frame printers since before Bambu Lab was a company. Aren't all Bambu Lab clones? It's just kind of an overused term. What matters is which one is good or not.

[@BarnesysBuilds]

Started with Creality K1’s, tried Bambulab P1S and now using QIDI Plus 4 which is so far beating them all.

[@CRIZS_CREATIONS]

G'day Faux lol, As a Fellow Fdm Printer Review & Diy Channel from Melbourne Australia I commend you. I must admit you are the only fellow channel content creator especially out of the states that I feel aligns itself with my own Principles, Honesty, Integrity, Family Lifestyle, Must be able to Print, No Bs approach within the 3D Industry. Like yourself not being aligned with the USA mega influencers. I have lost many Collab's due to being brutally honest, Not signing Nda's or allowing my content to be reviewed by marketing teams in china before being uploaded or critiqued by 3d manufacturers for change and then be told we can not market your channel because it does not meet our marketing ideals pfftt what a Load of fluf, Thus we must keep it this way. We are very few and far between mate. Hopefully one day we can converse and collaborate on a project. Above all Family comes first and the save the BS for all the other spoon-feed 3d Printer Review Chanel Sell outs. Keep the facts rolling in. Much Respect from the bottom of the Earth Aus👊🏴‍☠

[@Cursedzeba]

Thinking if getting a Bambu A1 after Christmas with the new year sales. Just tossed away my ender 5 plus because the bed was physically uneven and never really worked. Mostly for cosplay and hobby robotics

[@georgeadams588]

Love your videos and love your reviews. I am of the same mindset as you, I just want to print. Ive been a modeler in many different mediums and this is just an extension of that hobby. Largely based on your review I purchased a Bambu Lab A1, about 6 months ago. Its been in steady use ever since. Thank you for all you do!

[@kaanivore42]

You're easily one of the best creators in the space for this! Great takes and looking forward to more reviews in 2025

[@MarElBell]

For me, Prusa is the favorite in 3D printing. I switched to it from bambu , and I really like how it works. The fact that it’s upgradeable is a huge plus, so I don’t have to worry about being stuck with an outdated machine. And honestly, what I appreciate most is that it’s not made in China it feels like you’re getting a more reliable and well supported product.

[@peggle09]

I have had my Bambu X1C and mini for over a year now and they work amazing. Only problem I have had is a bad file that cratered a nozzle. I print things daily on both machines.

[@riodave4954]

I agree with ur anycubic kobra 3... software has been... miss more than hit but.... there newest firmware for me.. it's been great since... so here is hoping it keeps going up!

[@jp53556]

Ross Thank you for the honest reviews. Thanks to you I have several printers from Bambu that "just work" and my son has a thriving printing biz. NOW if only the price of the HeyGears printers would drop a few hundred $ i'd be a very happy man

[@kylewilliams6091]

Bought first printer the other day still not set it up but I opted for Bambu A1 as ease of entry so I can find my feet before either investing in a resin printer or bigger FDM depending on my needs

[@julianh.2575]

Just bought a Twotrees Sk1 in a Flashsale, and except of some loose screws and complicated firmware flashing i´m super happy with the printspeed and quality of the printer. You just need to know that you have to tinker a little to unleash its potential.

[@FauxHammer]

Totally… and I totally appreciate that this is for you.

[@immurerecords]

I love my Bambu but I also got my old ender 3 v2 to print great. Granted it is slow to print, but they look fantastic. It took a ton of tinkering to get it to work great.

[@Khoomn]

I personally have the Bambu A1 and Qidi Q1 Pro, bought them within a month of each other. Currently the Q1 Pro is $350 on amazon but I got mine for $450 from their website around 6-7 months ago. I have had no issues with the printer since I got it. You most likely have the early sample set because I didn't see the print bed corner stops. It seemed like the early reviewer set did have some issues and Qidi has resolved them all from what I can tell. I did however have issues with my A1 and bambu support told me to kick rocks its not their problem (The stock stainless steel 0.4mm nozzle was giving terrible Z offset values no matter what I did and everything would curl. I replaced it with a new, bought myself, 0.4mm hardened steel nozzle and the issue was gone. Nothing else was done except nozzle replacement. Less than 70 hours on the printer). I personally do see Qidi as a bambu killer. Q1 can do 350c, 120c bed, 60c active heated chamber core XY for $350 currently. Lets go on the low and high end of Bambu. $300 for the A1 which is still a bed slinger with the very basics. Bambu P1S for $550, 300c nozzle, 100c bed, no heated chamber. Bambu X1C for $1200, 300c nozzle, 120c bed, no heated chamber. What are you actually paying for there? You get a locked down ecosystem that you cant modify because "its for your own good". Qidi printers come with Klipper, all be it, an older version of Klipper on the Q1, but you still have room to change printer settings in firmware. Also if someone will say "BUT MULTICOLOR PRINTING!!!", you are a joke. I use my printer for practical prints 99.9% of the time. Not little knickknacks that just add to the plastic waste pile in a few days. Also add ontop of that, the poop purge for the color chages. Bambus only benefit IS their multi color printing and its a dumb one at that. Maybe a few years ago when bambu entered the scene they had the top slot for everything but now that other companies have caught up and competed against them, theres no real point in spending $1200 or $550 on a printer that barely has the features of a $350 printer. I just don't see the point. Im genuinely right now trying to think of an issue I've had on my Q1 while printing and I cannot think of anything major. The few things I have had inconveniences with is on my outer walls I had pitting in them but that was because I left my retractions at 0.8mm by default. Did an actual calibration for retraction and changed it to 0.4mm and it was gone. I've printed many ASA parts and it takes around 10 minutes to get the chamber up to temp, no curling what so ever without glue, compared to bambu where you have to set the bed temp, put it to the top of the printer, turn on the aux fan, and let it marinate for a good 20-30 minutes. Ontop of that, from what I've seen, to get a 60c chamber temp, another youtuber had to cover his printer in a giant blanket to keep it all insulated. I'm going to be printing some PPA-CF, PET-CF, and PA6-CF soon and I will take full advantage of the temp range on the Q1 to print the PPA-CF at 320c with the heated chamber. This is in no way meant to be a Qidi simp rant, I do think they have problems, but atleast they fix the problems and offer refunds or replacements for their problems for free. I'm just sick of seeing people glaze bambu for an over priced printer. Bambu is the apple of the printing world (and I do have an iphone so I understand), android will have a feature for 5+ years and then it finally gets added to iOS phones and people go crazy over "a brand new feature!" and "the phone just works!".

[@projecthivemind3239]

Almost all of the Qidi Q1 reviews are of that original machine. I'm with you, I love my Q1. Price-per-performance, it slays everything, and I haven't experienced any major downside, or even anything minor worth mentioning.

[@BenFriesen1]

@@projecthivemind3239 I love my Q1. That being said, it has one big issue. It's huge. Look at the dimesnions of it vs a P1s (that has a larger bed). It's ~10cm larger in each dimension. That's a huge amount of desk space, and means that if you're building a farm, you can fit 5 P1s in the space of 4 Q1 pros and you don't need as much depth.

[@projecthivemind3239]

@@BenFriesen1 That's true. I'm looking at Qidi's new Plus4, which is about the same outer size as the Q1, but has a 300+mm print bed. But, I'm waiting until they work the bugs out, like they did with the Q1. I don't think I want a first-gen first-iteration Qidi product.

[@Khoomn]

@@BenFriesen1 I do understand people not liking that its a smaller bed, 245x245x240 vs 256x256x256. I have experienced one singular print where that was a major issue and it was kind of a joke print that I didn't want to do in the first place, just wanted to see how long and how much filament. The print was 244.75mm wide and still technically would have fit but didn't do it. To me not much of a big deal but to others it may be. Edit: im just now realizing you mean external space and not internal dimensions. Yes, it sits on my desk and I joke and say its a microwave. Thats how I describe it to people. Its huge and I have lost considerable desk space. But I have learned to work around it and doesn't seem like that big of a deal anymore. But for print farms sure, I understand.

[@CreationDominion]

What's interesting is I just received my $350 q1 pro yesterday and my build plate states 250x250, also that silly shroud is gone around the bed and they have actual bed stops... so this may be part of their ongoing development, which I find super neat that they just keep improving machines that are actively being produced. ​@@Khoomn

[@hempressellilinethehemperi7767]

I love my Neptune; it's a very basic printer. I got lucky mine worked right out of the box. All that being said, its trash compared to my Bambu A1. And thanks for doing this Video. you are one of my favorite reviewers for 3d printers and appreciate that you are honest about the products you review.

[@GarySmith-ph8bc]

I think you are spot on. I had an old Mod-T 3d printer I started on and wanted to up my game. I did some research and decided on a Bambu X1C. It is great because it just works. I wanted to replace my old Mod-T so I bought an Anker M5C to replace it with. I like it, good inexpensive 3d printer but wanted a little more so I bought a Bambu P1S also. I really like the P1S but the X1C has really spoiled me.

[@Ginger_head_Man]

I love my AnkerMake M5C. I got it for $200 on Amazon and am exceptionally happy with it! I hope that they find more success!

[@mikedunning265]

I was in the process of upgrading my Ender 3 S1 pro which has been a great printer but way too slow. Great video, really helped.

[@StephanieDawson85]

Love my Bambu P1S and my Ankermake M5

[@happytrails1963]

Newbie here, no experience 3d printing at all but I do CAD 3d work for job. Recent buy a Bambu X1C and its amazing. Can't stop printing. Waited very long time to buy printer I guess waiting for it to become a little more user friendly. Glad I did. Looking forward to printing some parts from petg, nylon , abs and asa.

[@knavekid]

My perspective mirrors yours in that I just want a printer that prints parts and not something to tinker with. I don't care about multi-color printing for my purposes. While the Bambu X1C appeared to be the best choice, I couldn't swallow its high price. I ultimately chose the Qidi Tech Q1 Pro which was 440 USD shipped. The unit I received is the updated version. This printer has been a dream. I turn it on, fire up QIDISlicer, and upload and initiate the print from my computer. I can see it print with its standard camera. The only print failures have been my own errors in designing the part or configuring the slicer (i.e. designing for supports but forgetting to enable them. I am currently 8 hours into a 12 hour PETG print and it ran out of filament about 30 minutes ago. It automatically paused. I loaded the new spool of filament and pressed continue. It just works. My primary filament is PETG but I have also printed PLA and TPU with no issues. I was amazed to see these for 369 USD during their Black Friday sale.

[@are_sh3509]

Got a Bambu lab A1 mini recently, and its the easiest, most quiet and fast printer I have experienced and only regret not buying it earlier. 😅

[@DansRcAdventures]

Love my Prusa mini + awesome little machine. Almost only printing parts and Scale asseccories for my RC's

[@handznet]

It is crazy nobody still came with anything better than Bambu yet. Looks I am really need to get it now

[@user-fe8wm9iz3u]

I have the Qidi X Plus 3 and I'm generally very satisfied with it. The only major problem I had was that after a software update, the Z-offset was completely screwed up and the nozzle completely crashed into the bed. But the Qidi support was kind enough to help me and also sent me a new pei sheet and copper nozzle for free.

[@pavoldeman1762]

How did you solve this issue ? I have the same problem with the q1

[@StepDub]

Didn’t really notice the editing, so that’s a thumbs up.

[@tomaswolsink7620]

Nice video been enjoying my ender 3 v1 i upgraded some things direct drive and a satsana fanduct, after the upgrade i printed the same parts with the upgrade they came out amazing ,12 mm leyer hight i,m impressed haha about phones i bought an s 24 ultra it,s been great for the last 6 months it,s so quick ! :)

[@benkonczal4584]

I appreciate this video and will reference it again. I’m a resin printer guy and am “handy” so I tend to build things that I need. However, we are moving and I’ll be downsizing my workshop to the extent that I won’t be able to just quickly go and make things. SO. I may need an FDM printer to start producing those random items for me. And your editor did a great job 👍👍.

[@LanchburyConsultingLLC]

Both my Elegoo Neptune 3 Max and $ Max have been perfect out of the box. Fantastic quality prints that stick to the PEI sheet like glue, but without the glue. I just bought a Saturn 4 to have a go at resin printing (I wish I saw your review of the 4 Ultra first or I'd have upgraded my order). If you want proof that the 4 Max is an easy setup and works out of the box then watch my playlist on my account which walks it through the setup, firmware update, leveling and a big print... with no issues.

[@LanchburyConsultingLLC]

I should add that I've never used Elegoo's Cura and stuck to the latest available Ultimaker Cura.

[@GeekDetour]

I stayed watching to see what you had to say about AnkerMake - AND I AGREE. Bambu took their candy. It was bad timing.

[@1QKGLH]

I have an AnkerMake M5C. I was a kickstarter backer. It's been incredibly great. I did replace the v-wheels and that improved the quality, but man, this thing just works. My issue is that the updates are usually buggy, and they've abandoned the V6 Color engine. It's a shame really.

[@byufan]

I’m glad we are at a point where 3d printing companies are starting to think about the user experience.

[@GarryWButler]

Thank you for all your effort, Ross!

[@cbbcsa]

You are seriously the best 3d printing reviewer online today!

[@firetecher]

Ranting in to the ether!! Most entertaining moment of my day!

[@DL30Creations]

My goodwill finds: XYZ Davinci Jr 1.0 and Davinci 1.0 Pro 3 in 1($50 for both because they thought they were rotisserie ovens and i wasn't going to tell them) haven't given me any problems. Thr Pro was able to use third party filament out of the box and the Jr needed a slight mod to use any filament. The build of the units are excellent and leveling is not an issue either. Anything you want to upgrade catbe done. Shame they decided to stop making printers.

[@demonhunter2282]

love my old anycubic vyber still working strong with no issues. hoping to get a bambu but will keep my old vyper.

[@lukaskantor2645]

Ordered Prusa Core one, thank you

[@georgenovtekov4351]

At least after 3 year Prusa managed to realize that if you want to sell printer for 1000 it should be coreXY. So very soon Bambu will have competition in terms of just works printing.

[@FauxHammer]

And with the Extruder from the MK4!! Yeah. I’m excited!

[@herr_rossi69]

I don't quite understand this CoreXY faith. Even Dr. Tao has admitted that “never again Bedslinger” was a mistake. The most commonly used filaments are PLA and PETG. For these, an open printer is even more advantageous. I myself have an MK4S that I can upgrade to a Core One. Will I really do that? If I do, it's more for the fun of something new than out of necessity. I have already printed ASA and PC with the MK4S.

[@brennan2792]

@@herr_rossi69 I have a few MK4's. I won't upgrade any of them, I'll just get a Core One alongside them because the MK4 is still an absolute beast in it's own right and they've just been so amazingly reliable in both physical and print quality.

[@dtibor5903]

​@@herr_rossi69 I have A1 and I get pretty good print quality, but not as good as the X1C from my workplace.

[@rsilvers129]

@@herr_rossi69 A1 is a good printer, and it is $300. The problem is Prusa was a $1300 bedslinger.

[@DanielLopez-up6os]

Personally my Elegoo Neptune 4, has been great out of the box and cleaner results than my friends Tuned Prusa Mk4, admitedly i use Orca SLicer and not Elegoo cura.

[@herpderp1662]

We have the EXACT same use case mindset. Thats why my first 3d printer.... was TWO X1C units with 4 AMS units. Yeah I dove head first. I have almost 600 hours on both, exclusivelly multicolor, with EVERY filiment type tested including PPS, PPA, PA6 and all other wonky types like wood, or sparkle. Guess how many print failures ive had? 1. Guess how many prints ive had that printed poorly? 1, and thats because I forgot to dry properly.

[@bilgyno1]

So I just bought the A1 Mini from Bambu to get my son started (birthday + Christmas gift). And quite frankly, with myself having zero experience with 3D printing, I feel it's a good choice. However, what you say about Prusa makes a lot of sense. If we ever decide to upgrade, I'll definitely have a look at them. But let's await the Christmas break to see if the fascination sticks...

[@gigahertz123]

I absolutely echo your sentiments about ankermake being perhaps the most direct competitor to Bambu even though it was doa. I have two m5c machines and a Bambu p1s and I love both machines from a user experience point of view. They just work. And honestly the Bambu sees less action than the Anker. I hope to see more innovation and competition from everyone in 2025!

[@MichaelLudden]

Thank you! Just bought a Bambu Mini combo. Just not sure if it comes with the printable substance enough to print my ps5 stand heh

[@motor1841]

Great video Ross and yes you did read my mind, ive been looking into FDM printers lately not sure if I wanted to get into it after being so invested in SLA printing. I'm still on the fence and I live in a very humid environment so that means dryers etc just more initial cost but I would like to have an option that complements my mid sized SLA printers. Not everything needs to be high detail and having the ability to print out larger items like statue bases would be a plus. As always I appreciate you and your hard work. Edit: The irony isn't lost on me but yes the editing was good!

[@AGMiniatures]

honest and straight forward review approach as per. Like you said its hard to do one of these 'best of reviews' due the the constant stream of new and upcoming printers. i honestly think the 3d printer market is the quickest growing tech market there is today. I just recently got my kids school sponsership from elegoo for a Neptune 3 pro (which im still questioning now on earth did i manage that?!?!) for our weekly club. apart from the headache of getting the first layer setup right its not a bad first timer FDM printer. i'll be running a workshop after Christmas with them using tinkercad. The editing is on par with previous videos and fits your style. (good job editor 👍) The FDM space is/has become 'plug and play' with alot of machines which is great for the non-tinkerers but the option to tinker is still there. im rambling.... great job. keep it up 👍👍👍

[@trickyd8590]

not a single issue with my K1 Max so far. had for about 6 months. But am eager to add on a bambu or the k2 plus when it gets some more time in the market

[@mortil]

started 3D printing like 3 months ago. a friend told me "buy a prusa if you want as little fuzz as possible" and i bought a used Mk3 And it is just a tank. had a blob of death and needed the support . they were awesome and my friend who has a bamboo with a wierd problem took 2 weeks to get it sorted. i hope to buy a Xl in the future. i want a machine that just works with as little fuzz as possible.

[@pirobot668beta]

Anycubic was my 'go to' for several years, although I did slip in a Tevo 'Little Monster' for a special project. With the Bambu X1 and AMS, I was able to step away from "the printer is the hobby" mindset. Now my only consideration is: what do I make next? I cleared out a huge inventory of Anycubic spare parts...I kept one Olsonn Ruby nozzle as a keep-sake of the 'old days'.

[@thejellyfisher5009]

Elegoo Neptune 4, Pro and Max versions require knowledge of Klipper to get working right. I had to learn Klipper fundamentals and now its going really good. I'm gonna even add input shaping to it soon.

[@Nicol80145]

Whatever Bambu is doing with the vibrations to get tiny details is outstanding. I think there's more to this tech. Definitely some further refinements and calibration could increase detail even further. High flow PLA and vibration tuned nozzles may one day meet entry level resin printers.

[@improbablewargaming]

Thanks man! I must say. impressive. I see how you grew so large. maybe I will see ya at LVO

[@windforward9810]

You just saved me I was looking at Elegoo’s Giga, would say I would take it off your hands like you I just want a printer to just work not me spending massive amounts of time getting it to work. I preordered a Crealty K2 look like it was going to match Bambu’s machines if you can get one delivered too you not busted up. So I cancel it just too many bad comments on it not working right and the simple thing of bust feet, super glue parts in the case and etc. So like the Giga the K2 would sit not being used I got rid of 6 FDM and 2 resin just for that reason. I would say the resin printer used but they were a little older and I just need the room (bought the GK2 than the Heygears RS which I love it like my Bambu printers. So thanks for the video hope it helps everyone.

[@comediehero]

Would like to have heard your thoughts on the upcoming Prusa Core One. But yeah Bambu is still on top for now. (I got my X1C last week, loving it)

[@FauxHammer]

I filmed this before last week. And I’m kicking myself but like I said with Widi, I had to make a cut somewhere because a new printer will be revealed soon. And look what happened… fuck As for my opinions… I’m excited!

[@MattHealey.]

@@FauxHammeryeah. I was already looking at an m7 max after the livestream but this is tempting as well Might be single very soon if I get them Both lol

[@OwenJonesCymru]

I like the part where you're saying that buying a Prusa is not just buying a printer but to some degree investing in 3D printing development. I have Prusa MK4 and I'm supper happy with it, with their legendary support and the fact they are EU based, not another copycat Chinese brand. OK, the price is higher but the machine is super solid, prints are excellent and overall, definitely money well spent.

[@hauntorthegiraffebiscuit]

It’s alway interesting looking through printer options as someone who prefers a bigger build volume but could not be paid to care about multicolor. Like, I can appreciate the tech and see the appeal, but if I want different color I’ll just prime and paint the plastic. That said, an enclosed climate controlled storage for the plastic sounds pretty handy…

[@tinkerman-q]

Haven't realized I wasn't subscribed. Although I watch pretty much every video you make 😅

[@geosorrell8938]

Kobra 3 1066hrs and counting prints turn out great 😃

[@lorneh6232]

Hey Ross, i dont often provide feedback but ive been watching many of your videos. Your production value is really good and watchable, many thanks and props for your efforts. Have you ever done some digging on resin warpage over time? I use resin for fuctional parts for micro radio control parts (servo gears,propellors, micro ducted fans) there is no way to deny that something you print continues to change shape over time. There must be effects from ambient uv exposure? Any insights would be appreciated. Thanks again for the professional work you do. L

[@Jepespecial]

Perfectly spoken. You sum up my thoughts. I absolute like the philosophy and quality of the Prusa brand. But it's slow to react on user demand. I'll like the new core one printer they announced. And the extra money is ok for an EU company. But I think Bambulab will shake the industry with there next printer release....again!

[@LegalEliminator]

I've been a bambu x1c enjoyer since about march of this year, and it was such a shock to me. I had previously come from an anycubic i3 mega and a creality ender 5 plus. it was quite literally plug and play, and has been ever since. for the most part, the only issues i've had with the printer itself have been user error. I've recently had the pleasure of getting used to the AMS since about october, and it's been a bit of a challenge. there were one or two teething problems with filament getting stuck for seemly no reason, and the rollers in slot 1 now look wavy thanks to the jams causing the spools to drag. But the main issue i've been having is the poops from flushing piling up and causing errors during prints. apparently this has something to do with the recent firmware update, but I'm not so sure. it does mean that for the first time since having my x1c I'm now having to babysit it to make sure it doesn't pause cause of poop build-up. here's hoping there's an update from bambu that will help to fix it.

[@SeithonJetter]

Thanks for the video. I know it's a bit trite, but an actual end cap with the printers ranked or a suggested "buy this as your entry level machine." or "buy this for large format printing" would be helpful, tho I do understand you are trying to give a more nuanced look at each one. Also editing seemed fine? certainly i can't complain :)

[@trulsdirio]

2024 has actually been the year I took the plunge and got printing myself, after sitting at the side lines for close to six years. The Ender 3 was the first printer I thought about getting, since it was the first i could afford back then, during my first apprenticeship. I even had on in my virtual cart many times, but always hesitated to buy one. I was concerned about the work it would be, because I know myself and while I love making thing, I can't stand having to make things work. I then lost interest in the whole printing thing for a couple of years, until the Kobra 2 peaked my interest late last year. I almost got one for Christmas, but once again was turned off by conflicting reports on its performance, reliability and quality. The Bambu A1 mini really intrigued me, since there was a pretty unanimously great reception of it and for the first time there were not many conflicting reports, so when the anniversary sale came around I just couldn't resist any longer and ordered one! Before it even arriving I was already designing my first models in Fusion 360 and one it came I was pretty much blown away by how easily and reliably I could make my creations become real. There is something so magical about having an issue, thinking of a solution, designing it, sending it from my PC to the printer downstairs and then a couple of hours later going down to see the thing I made up just sitting there, waiting to be used. I have had one failed print and that was entirely my own fault for not cleaning the print bed. Everything else has worked perfectly and I am so glad I waited until now to get a printer, since I am sure I would have long since abandoned it out of frustration and never have gotten to experience this! All that being said, I still just sold my A1 mini. Why? Because projects I could not do with the small print volume have started pilling up and I decided to get a bigger printer. Since my experience wit the mini was so great, I chose the full sized A1 and am looking forward to firing off some of those prints I could not do until now. The printer has not yet arrived and I am amazed by how often I thought to myself "Oh I need this, I will just quickly print it" in the past week, just to be reminded I don't currently have a printer here. This little appliance has absolutely become an invaluable part of my toolkit and I can absolutely recommend anybody to take the plunge and get one themselves.

[@brucehirsch5437]

I'm one of AnkerMakes original kickstarter backer. They still provide support for their machines but decided to go away from 3d printers I do believe as they are working on a UV printer now in lue of their multi color system. I'm hoping their UV printer will be just as good as their 3d printer as I am backing this myself. But I have also moved on to the Bambulab X1c too. I still have my AnkerMake as it is still a wonderful machine. And yes, as I am a glutton for punishment, I still have my OG Cr-10 and OG Ender 3 pro. Getting ready to install the new co-print multi color system on those. Hopefully it will also improve to print quality on them. Fingers crossed! Lol

[@williamw6046]

Love the 3 seashells reference. 😂

[@jmltechsol]

Nice editing Mr new editor. Oh and good video as well Ross! 😂

[@joshuadavid1804]

Comments for the algorithm king, likes for the throne of engagement.

[@sUASNews]

Great, honest thoughts well done.