Hello, I’m a total beginner in 3d printing and I want to get into 3d printing for the sake of building small engineering projects. Considering this I probably won’t need a printer with alot of fine detail like for example small sized textures (I think). So would it make sense for me to just go for the cheapest one that somehow prints ok (I thought of an ender 3 or something like that) or should I spend some more money on a Presa mini (+) or a somewhat similar model. What experiences do you have with low budget printers (250€-400€) for my specific although not very unique use case? I’m very thankful for every answer I get.
I tried a Creality Ender 3 a couple of years ago. Struggled a lot, for me, it required a lot of aftermarket replacements to make it work well. I sold it about 6 mo later.
In Mar, I bought an Anycubic Kobra. Out of the box, worked like a champ and has continued to. None of the struggles I had with the Ender. Only add on was a sensor to let me know when I’m out of filament.
You’ll probably hear from folks who bought an Ender and had great success, and folks who struggled w/a Kobra, though. It’s like an automobile… you’re going to hear good and bad stories for each model.
Honestly, I read a lot of articles and just found what fit my use case, expectations and budget. Your first one will definitely be a learning experience.
Good luck!
As an ender 3 user, I fully agree with your comment.
I bought my ender 3 in 2019. I have great success with it, but I only achieved this level of quality and reliability by fine tuning it and upgrading it. My 150€ printer is now closer to 400€, with all the upgrades.
If I where to buy a new printer today, I would definitely go for something more plug’n’play.
Ender 5 pro and I agree. I quit for a while because I was having too many problems with it. I’ve gotten back to it recently and, even though I’ve fixed most of the problems, I’m looking to upgrade to a p1s. I want to be able to hit print and just walk away or use the app from whereever.
Also if you got it in 2019 it’s likely from before Creality dropped their quality assurance. Back in those days they used high quality components, like genuine Meanwell power supplies, which were later replaced with cheaper noname parts.