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[LarrylLix]

I started 3D printing when someone here talked about it many years ago. Many 3D printers later, I now think I have 6 of them now.

I've been running a Creality Ender3 S1 Pro for a few years now, and currently considering a multicolour printer but the detailed information is hard to get at.

What brands are you running and how do you like them?

 

[ano]

I think it depends on what you are looking for. If you want cheap multicolor just for PLA, a Bambu Lab A1 or A1 mini is a good choice. If you want enclosed so you can add other "engineering" materials like ABS, then the Bambu Lab P1S with AMS is a good choice. I have 2 of these, and 2 Bambu Lab X1Carbons, which have a better color display, and I have some older PRUSA printers. The only problem with these multi-color/material printers is they have lots of waste when changing filaments for multicolor. Snapmaker just announced the U1 which is a 4 toolhead printer to greatly reduce this waste, but its not out yet. Bambu announced the H2C to help there also, but not out. If you just occasionally do multicolor, the first two are fine, certainly to get started, and PLA filament is cheap.

I probably print true multicolor 10% of the time or less. You can also do multicolor by printing each piece separately using a different color, and gluing or snapping pieces together, which eliminates waste. So unless you know you HAVE to have many things multicolor, I wouldn't worry about waste to start.

 

[LarrylLix]

I think it depends on what you are looking for. If you want cheap multicolor just for PLA, a Bambu Lab A1 or A1 mini is a good choice. If you want enclosed so you can add other "engineering" materials like ABS, then the Bambu Lab P1S with AMS is a good choice. I have 2 of these, and 2 Bambu Lab X1Carbons, which have a better color display, and I have some older PRUSA printers. The only problem with these multi-color/material printers is they have lots of waste when changing filaments for multicolor. Snapmaker just announced the U1 which is a 4 toolhead printer to greatly reduce this waste, but its not out yet. Bambu announced the H2C to help there also, but not out. If you just occasionally do multicolor, the first two are fine, certainly to get started, and PLA filament is cheap.

I probably print true multicolor 10% of the time or less. You can also do multicolor by printing each piece separately using a different color, and gluing or snapping pieces together, which eliminates waste. So unless you know you HAVE to have many things multicolor, I wouldn't worry about waste to start.

Thanks.
If you have experience with other brands, do you find all the quality hype about Bambu printers to be warranted?

Now there are so many other brands that have equivalent features for about 1/3 of the price. I am still looking at some of the newer Creality models after reading some reviews and comparisons online. Parts are well sourced, typically.

 

[ano]

I've had two Creality printers. One was the Creality CR-6 SE. It was a Kickstarter printer but I bought mine after Kickstarter. It never worked and support was always a joke. "Send us a video," do this, do that. Really stupid things that were just delay tactics. Eventually I got my money back from my credit card company. That was many years ago.

Today, because of Bambu, many other companies have pretty good printers. They are probably 95% there for 50% of the cost. The ones that are 100% there tend to be equal in price. But there are some good bargains out there. If your not in a hurry, wait until black Friday.

So are the other non-Bambu as good? So many people at Bambu made DJI drones, so they are quite experienced with high-volume products. Most 3D printer makers have a different mindset. So I would say the Bambu printers are more polished. Not that other can't be made better. Its like Apple products and others. Today quality of most phone brands are equal, but that wasn't always the case. Differences today in 3d printers are quite small, but not usually zero.