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Hey guys,

I’m new to the 3D printing world and have been doing a lot of research for my company, as we are thinking of buying a printer in the near future. All the research has piqued my interest and I’ve been thinking of getting one for myself. I’m looking for a very cheap printer with quality as good as I can get. I don’t mind putting it together or tinkering with it as it seems like that’s half the fun. So far the Printrbot Simple Maker’s Kit Model 1405 and the HICTOP Prusa I3 seem like the front runners.

Any suggestions or comments? Either on these printers, or others that you guys would recommend.

Thanks for the help!

Brian

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Hey Brian, did you get a chance to look over the 3D Printer Guide - it was put together based on the experiences of our community. Hope it helps!

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Hey Gabriela, thanks for the suggestion!

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I’ve only seen reviews and videos of the printbot simple but it does look good, however I own 2 prusa i3’s the first is the alloy framed i3 with a lot of plastic parts.

I moved to a Steel framed i3 (P3STEEL) which the “HICTOP Prusa i3” is a variant of and I think the Steel framed I3’s are brilliant! with quality stepper motors and good quality Lead screws (try to avoid the m5 threaded rods!) you can get some really nice prints I spent less time fiddling with this printer and more time printing (which is always nice) lack of a enclosed build chamber might be an issue if your printing ABS (I print exclusively in ABS, I’ve never required the enclosed build chamber but I’m thinking of making one for it)

There’s absolutely loads of printers out there to chose from good luck.

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Hey Brian,

@bdkong

Ever considered the PrintrBot Play? It has a small print bed, but the printer itself is a very good start in terms of build quality and (more important) print quality. Less overwhelming variables to take into account when you just start out with 3D printing compared to a Prusa I3. There is a kit available as well for the Play, so if possible go for the Play instead of the Maker edition, when choosing for the Printrbots. The metal construction and the components that are integrated in the Play are superior to the Maker edition.

To make a long story short; the Prusa is nice, but can be more challenging if you want to print asap and print as consistent as possible. (could be handy if you consider running a hub :wink: ) The PrintrBot is more open for entry level operators and can be a good start if you want a robust printer that works well without to many modifications.

Ken

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The printrbot simple is aweso.e industrial weight toll. It can print… I broke mine and am waiting for new parts. In the well to do I ordered a prusa i3. I’m almost where I can have the components working in a week. I’ve seen good things from similar machines. I’m excited about a slightly larger print bed.

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The Printrbot Play can easily produce professional quality prints.