I am into 3D printers the last 10 years, going from Ender3 and CR10 to Prusa, Artillery and now to K1 Max and Bambu P1S. I couldn't agree more. I love the variety of topics and the way you present each one! Thank you!
Very well stated. I had an Ender 3 Pro for ~5 years, and it worked but I often didn't print because I almost always had to fiddle with it to get a print. Recently got a Bambu P1S and it's been trouble-free, I've probably run as much filament through it in 2 months than I did the Ender in 5 years.
got into 3d printing last year . bought a p1 s and i dont regret it for 1 second! bambu made it very easy for me to get started into 3d printing world. its not just the printers but the whole eco system. I'm a fan for life !
I've seen quite a few comparison videos for the Bambu models. This was definitely one of the better ones. You highlight the different users and explain it in a down to eath way. Thank you very much!
This is the best way and only decent way to choose any technology platform - great job! Use cases should always be the number one consideration and finding the 3 top decision factors simplifies and accelerates the decision. Bravo! I will refer people to this video for many tech decisions.
I've been shopping, but wasn't ready to commit. Your video helped me understand what printers are for what use case and I haven't seen anyone cover that. I was interested in the P1S, but as a beginner I think the A1 would achieve what I want to make, and be more beginner friendly. Thanks for the tips Katie!
What an interesting channel I have stumbled upon! I am getting into the hobby now and I really appreciate your mix of enthusiasm, style, and thoroughness!
Oooh, how exciting!! Well, you are going to love it...! I've got some beginner modelling videos scheduled in the near future too, so you'll have lots to play around with!!
Arrrggghh! You got me by the balls... I have to get a A1 Combo. Have been using Cheap or diy printers for 8 years, its time to buy a New one. This is the first time I really feel like there is a genuine improvement over my diy printers. Thank you for a very well made video. You are awesome :)
Oh you won't be disappointed - make sure you come back here and tell me I was right!! I was laughing my head off for days when I first bought a Bambu Lab printer, they're soooo much better than the last generation of devices!
Sooo.... I did't make a mistake when i bought my frist P1S.... and your video just proofed that... geezz, never thought that.. thank you for your video.
People disappearing, bodies in the garden, what books do you read?! Even if I'm not interested in the content, I still watch for the entertainment & educational factors. God bless!
I’ve been 3D printing as a hobby for 7 years. Monoprice Mini V2 to Creality Ender 3 to Prusa MK3 to Bambu A-1 Mini w/AMS Lite. I still have all of the older ones but I’d been wanting speed and multicolor, but reluctant to spend money to upgrade what I had. Then when the Bambu A-1 Mini went on sale, and most items I’ve printed already fit on it, I decided that I’d buy another proven printer, and leave the others as backup. They still work great, albeit slower. And since I’ve got the AMS, I can add the A-1 and share the AMS with it if I need larger multicolored nonfunctional prints. 😀
As for resin printing, I recently upgraded from Creality’s LD-002H to Elegoo’s Mars 5 Ultra and it’s amazing. 9K screen at approx the same size, compared to 002H’s 2K, layer height goes down from .05mm to .01mm, tilting vat which reduces peel forces and thus reduces print failures. And, plug-and-print If you want a bigger printer with nearly the same capabilities then get Elegoo’s Saturn 4 Ultra, all features as mentioned before but has a *slightly* lower pixel density iirc the Mars 5 Ultra has a XY precision of 18x18 microns and the Saturn 4 Ultra has 21x21 micron precision
Thanks for this great detailed information. It's good to pay attention to the points you mentioned. I hope to see more of the 3d printers you have. You look(ed) great!
Right on. Your advice about what really matters between the models is absolutely on the mark. I was having fomo getting the A-1 for the enclosure, but after using it for a while, I’ve realized it’s perfect for what I do- organization and crafting for me, figurines and toys for my son, and drum parts for my husband. I love how easy the whole thing is just to use right out of the box and the ease of changing hotends. If they come out with an enclosed larger format, I’m sold. In the meantime, I’d rather have two A1’s than one P1S at this time and for what we need. Does that mean I need to get another?! Yes? 😂
Oh you're spot on! An awful lot of people focus on spending 3x more to get 15% faster printers and things like that - just buy three printers!! Great you found this useful and YES you definitely want another one...... ;) Drop me an email if you'd like to join my discord - sounds like we could brainstorm all sorts of cool stuff on crafting, organisation and the drum parts sounds super interesting too!!!
Excellent high level overview, the right information for newbies without being overwhelming. I appreciate that you spoke about the printers you have direct and extensive experience with, that right there puts you above many others who spit out a review video after limited time with a manufacturer-provided printer. However (you knew that was coming 😂) I think you should have at least mentioned the existence of the A1 Mini for the benefit of those with a more restrictive budget since it is basically an A1. I have an X1C (3700 hours), P1S née P1P (2400 h), 3 AMS units that shift between them, and an A1 Mini (700 h) with an AMS Lite. I love the A1M, it is a rock solid PLA/PETG multicolor baby beast! 95% of what I print fits on the A1M and it is a joy to print multicolor on it. I’m so tired of dealing with waste chute clogs and AMS jams. The simplicity of the A1/A1M system makes it bulletproof. Sorry, off topic…budget. The A1M alone is $199 which is $140 less than the A1. $140 will cover a nice assortment of nozzles, build plates, and a few rolls of filament. The nozzles are compatible with the A1 should one decide to get another printer (which *will* happen as you pointed out). So, great video, yay for speaking based on your experience, and hey everyone check out the A1’s baby brother if you just want a taste of 3D printing koolaid…but be warned you will eventually be back for the whole pitcher. 😈
Hi Radish!! 🤗 Glad you enjoyed and yes it was a challenge trying to keep it accessible - indeed I could have very easily covered the mini! And indeed the P1P, the X1E and a whole raft of aftermarket accessories (eg get a quickchange nozzle for the P1P, an after market high Res screen and it gets even more awesome!) But I decided to just pick one from each range to show the major differences. That said, you're right - the A1 Mini is an extraordinary device for the price! I did actually mention it in my original video, but I cut it out to keep things sharper - I have to explain the fact it has a different bed size to all the others, so you need different build plates, can't use the same PEI sheets, plus it has some differences like non-mains bed heater which makes it's performance different to the A1. I struggle with trying to balance detail with conciseness on these videos as the topics are often 'rabbit holes'! That said, the A1 does seem to be the strong recommendation over the Mini if possible - eg see Bambu's own forum: forum.bambulab.com/t/shoud-i-buy-a-a1-mini-or-a-a1/42264/3 I'll need to release a 'directors cut' of all these videos at some point with all the bits I originally record!! I'm still feeling my way as to the right length - I assume people will be bored by the time I'm still waffling on at the 30 min mark! 🤣
@@handsonkatie Your focus was spot on. You clearly know how to run a productive meeting because that skill transferred well to your video production. You set the goal, lay out the agenda, make your points, conclusion, any questions? Heck, your videos even have bullet points! 😆 I think I muddied my point which was if one has $n (£n for metric users 🙃) but not $(n + 50%) then the A1M is an excellent choice. I agree that if one has the means then the A1 is a better choice for a first printer. My A1M was an impulse buy, something to knock out fun little prints while its two larger brethren are occupied or down for maintenance. Smaller is not the usual upgrade path… Stefan (CNC Kitchen) interviewed the CEO of Bambu Lab last fall, after the A1 Mini was released but before the A1 was announced. If you haven’t watched it I recommend it. Among many other things the CEO explained why they released the A1M when everyone was expecting an XL. The interview was over an hour long so a lot was discussed, all very interesting.
Excellent summary - yes, the A1M is an immensely powerful printer for the money - if you can't stretch the extra bit further, then there's no contest IMO. Indeed I can't think of anything else full stop that I could recommend you spending money on! (I mean how many trips to the Cinema or coffees is that?? Hardly any!). Yes, I remember that video - also I remember Jo Prusa covering related topics for the Prusa Mini too. In a funny way I might also recommend the opposite to what you're saying - ie buy a larger printer first (eg A1) and then it's very hard to argue against an A1 Mini as your second printer (ie you're not limited by size or features as you have the first printer), but the vast majority of your printers will fit the A1 Mini, allowing you to churn out lots of different prints at once! I mean, you can have 2 x X1Cs or one X1C and 7 x A1Ms for the same money....!!!
I have the Bambu Carbon X1, and for my wife I'm going to get her the A1 as her first 3D printer. 👍 I've had her sit w\me and design a few things for herself over this past year in Fusion 360. She took to it really well. She learned how to make leather bags from YT channels a few years back, has a Cricut etc., also does lots of hone remodeling projects, so she's technically minded. I find the A1 to be a bit more accessible, and the best printer for someone starting out w\3D printing - along with the room to grow if needing multiple colors later on.
Brilliant point and agree entirely - and if your wife is into Cricuts and crafting, then you should check out my M1 Ultra video... She'd be in heaven!! (Christmas is coming and I think she deserves it!! 😀)
Thanks for another great video. I've been considering getting my first 3D printer especially with the current Bambu sale on. I've been leaning towards the P1S (possibly Combo). Yes, it is jumping in at a more spendier price point but I think the various extra features which I might not immediately use just feel like it is a bit more future proofed. The technology is still moving forwards so there is always the temptation to hold off for something better. If only the P1S had the screen and nozzle from the A1...
Yes, I went with the P1S too as my first Bambu Lab printer. I got it with the AMS, but to be honest 95% of the time I use one colour, so you could easily get without it to start you off. The sales prices are pretty compelling!
Hello Katie, I love your channel and all your videos on gridfinity, underwear etc. My first 3D printer was a used Ender 3, but I never get it to work and it is now a dustcollector in my workshop, maybe it will be upgraded to a laser cutter later, time will show. So in december last year I bought a Bambu A1 and I love it and agree with you that it is easy to use and the good print quality, but all the trouble with the change of the heatbed and the total lack of support that I experienced made me mad and I bought the new Prusa mk4 with the Multi Material Unit and I never look back! I am impressed of the fast support from Prusa - I bought the kit and build it my self and there was an issue with the display, but after one week from I contacted Prusa support and I have a new display - for free, off course, and it works like a dream and is faster and same, if not better, print quality than the A1. If there has been no problems with the support from Bambu I would have bought a P1S or X1C. Bambu has a lot to learn from Prusa and there support in my opinion!
Hey, yes I'm a huge fan of Prusa too - as I covered in the video, I've had a MK3S for many years. I actually found the support a little disappointing at the time when I had a manufacturing fault with it, but I suspect that was more to do with them being mobbed by demand at the time and struggling with this! (much like Bambu may be also at the moment!). Also Prusa's previous MMU attempts were frankly a mess (which I think they as much as admitted!). But, I think both their ethos' are in the right place though, they're both trying to deliver market-leading solutions and really trying to move the industry forward. I think Bambu have the edge in a lot of the stuff at the moment, key advantage is the tool changer on Prusa's side - but this sort of competition is brilliant!
the clean woodworker had me dying!!!! Great video. I did a creailty way back in the day and stopped doing anything with printing for a long time. So this was such a game changer video! Perfect break down. I had no idea we didnt need to bed level anymore!!!!
Bought an A1 Mini in the sale (no AMS) and been having a great time printing stuff. I find a lot of things fit the 180mm cubed space, gridfinity you can do up to 4x4 plates and bins. Easy to scale or cut and join together bigger models if needed. Just in case anyone was put off thinking you NEED a 256mm cubed printer for this sort of stuff. On resin, Fauxhammer has been doing loads of brilliant videos on the resin and miniatures space. There's definitely more mess and hazards and processes to it but the detail they can do is superb.
Great points and yes, the A1 Mini is a great little printer! One of the beauty of modular design is it fits all printers - eg you can just print slightly smaller Gridfinity grids! On resin.... watch this space! 😉
Great video. One more thing to consider is that the enclosed AMS can keep the filament dry with silica containers. A deal breaker IMO. But the closed AMS can’t be used with many soft or abrasive filaments. If you have the space, a big enclosure that fits the A1, the AMS lite motor and a SUNLU S4 is a nice option.
As a question - assuming one bought an A1 and AMS lite, do you build the enclosure without any air ingress/egree or filtration (i.e. when the enclosure is closed for printing, it's a "sealed" environment)? And as a further question, how does the Sunlu S4 fit in to this overall picture (apologies, I've just heard about the Sunlu for the first time)?
Personally I got the A1 mini last fall and it's been great. Looking back I would have gotten the AMS unit bundled with it if I had done more research. Now I'm looking at a second printer with an enclosure. I think having both is good as there are filaments that need the enclosure, but also PLA will probably be the main one I use. For me I can imagine printing larger things on one while printing the smaller items that go with it on the other and cutting down the time overall. Also in hind sight I may have gone for the A1 instead of the A1 mini just for the extra build room.
Another helpful piece of info that might help someone is that if you don't have an enclosure and put your printer in a small room, like my office, you have to be really careful with running a fan to cool the room as it will affect the prints. I feel like I have to choose between shutting down the printer daytime or work in a sauna. Obviously I choose the latter, but I wish I had known about it.
I bought my first 3D printer, an Creality Ender 3 many years ago and remember it taking an absolute age to print my Death Star lamp shade, inc failures!! I recently upgraded to BambuLab X1C in their sale, not long ago. Like going from a Mini Moke to a Bentley Continental!!
Great video, I've been printing since 2010 and the last 14 years have seen huge innovation, admittedly there was a somewhat huge 5 year lull but if you compare today to 2010 it's light and day. We've gone from coreXY to overpriced bed slingers to cheap and cheerful bed slingers back to CoreXY - where next? I've got X1Cs and A1s now - the only thing another company has done better is Flashforge's quick swap nozzles - they're quicker (!!!) than the A1 they just pop in and out, I wish more companies would adopt thing like that it'd make one of the most annoying learning curve for new people. At least we don't need a wrench, a hex wrench and three hands to swap one now!
Love the analogies and you're totally right about the waves of change! You made me laugh with the three hands comment, I always remember thinking that with my MK3S - always a bit of a faff!!
Awesome as always! Has your Apollo AIR-1 confirmed good air quality with the filter of the X1C? That's the main thing putting me off £D printing indoors!
Yes, it's been excellent - indeed it improves the room's quality slightly over time (I imagine as it's sucking in dust/particles and then pulling them through the filter).
Very nice video, I like the approach. Really looking forward to seeing what they do next. A tool changer to allow for 0.2 mm text additions to larger .4mm prints would be amazing. Allows you to get inbuilt labels without the extra hours required to use 0.2 from the start. I have swapped nozzles but it’s a little nerve wracking with those little plugs
Great idea Iain - toolchanging between nozzle sizes could make not just an enormous difference to print detail as you describe, but also print times; for big sections print in a 0.8mm nozzle, then flip to 0.4mm or 0.2mm for the detailed bits!
I upgraded to a P1S from an Elegoo Neptune 4 - absolute night and day, both in terms of speed and reliability (and no more lifted corners because of the enclosure) and I can feel confident leaving it to print unattended. The one thing that's bugging me is the lack of a larger-format printer in the Bambu range. I'm printing merch products, and the one design people have asked for requires a 300mm bed. Sure, I could print the pieces at a diagonal one at a time, but that means I can't print in bulk and it would massively slow me down; an extra 10-15 minutes each print adds up when you're printing a couple of hundred pieces. I can't face going with the K1 Max, but I'm getting closer to it every day.
@@handsonkatie It's basically all but confirmed at this point, and it probably will be their next product release. During an AMA, Bambu said a new product would be dropping sometime this year. My guess it's going to be a larger form factor and/or multi-printhead machine. They did say they would never do a large form factor in the A1 cartesian design, so expect it to be more like the P1S or the X1C.
@@heroflying agree, a large format toolchanger is an almost certainty based on what they've said already... the more interesting part is that they've always surprised with leaping ahead of what people expect, so the real question is what more they can pack in..... 🤓
For me it's the printer that is the most silent - my girlfriend can't stand the sound. Think I'd settle with A1 with AMS Lite and a custom dry box for PETG. Could print PLA with PETG supports, less marks on miniatures. And I have plans that require multiple materials but PLA and PETG should be enough. Haven't seen your videos before, liked your style, subscribed, bell, will check what else you have done.
That ending was Epic Katie!! really loving your videos. I want to purchase my first 3d Printer from Bambu Lab but still not sure even after watching this, I would need it for FPV drone parts and for gerneral Smart home devices (cases for ESP and sensors) and tools. what would you recommend for this ? the A1 with the different nozzles or the enclosed P1S ? Thanks
Thank you!! Glad you enjoyed! For your particular use case, I'd go safety first - for drones, you might end up using some special filaments that can give off nasty fumes, so I'd go for one with an enclosure. The P1S and X1C are still easy enough to change the nozzle, so it's not that big a deal, but go with caution first. They really are all awesome printers, so it's not a huge deal either way!
@@handsonkatie Thank you Katie for your advice. I finally pulled the trigger and bought my first 3d Printer, the P1S combo, and ofcourse used your affiliate link as your great videos are the ones that truly showed their usefulness and convinced me to get one.
@@nabilnabilnabilnabi1 oh how exciting!!! You really are going to love it!!! 🤩🤩 Drop a question in my discord if any questions at all, loads of lovely folk there who can give you all the tips and best things to print first!!!
Altought it applies to any printer, the closed AMS helps keep the filaments dry a bit longer. The X1 also has the capability to dry them (it takes about 8h). I'm also looking for a separate external filament drier so I'm interested in your suggestions. Also a video about the filament type (how they are made - there is a lot of myths there as well - there are even conductive material), and a good detailed guide on which one to use and what could happen if you take the "wrong" one (eg. regular PLA for outdoor, what could happens) ? Thanks Katie.
Hey, yes some of this I'll already cover in future videos - eg myths like PLA outdoors. Short answer, it lasts pretty much forever in the elements, so don't worry! I'll look at filament driers maybe as part of this then too!
Started on davinci pro (xyz printing) then a qidi tech X-Plus then bought the X1C on kickstarter very nice printer remarkable design kinda easy nozzle swap the prints that did go wrong where all human related love it. thanks Katie for making the choice easier for people who are looking into bying one.
@@handsonkatie it sure is as for the Bambu lab i did not need any tinkering yet witch was "normal" with the davinci and qidi tech less on the qidi they are making huge steps the right way 😉
@@go4peace467 yes, I love the way Bambu have inspired all these other brands to play catch up, it's really healthy to see! I'm still looking for a replacement large format printer for my CR10 Max, know Qidi have some interesting ones!
@@handsonkatie the Xplus i have is a good machine heard some negatives over the new ones but i bet that would be the same as with Bambu lab, it's like buying a car some have problems from the beginning others have not there is a lot of tech going in them now days. Have you looked at the Peopoly Magneto X build volume 400 x 300 x 300 with a magnetic based linear motor system ? i bet that wil get the heart going for a ride.
I've just looked on the Bambu site and thought they would start around £1500. I was shocked to see the high end model was around £1000 and some around £300 £400. Im going to have to seriously look at these.
I haven't used Qidi yet myself, so I couldn't state whether they're the next generation of 3d printers or not, but I love that they're in the market, I'll need to have a closer look at some point! Any features that you think makes them stand out? Scanning the specs, there's some incremental features, but I might be missing something - I love the fact they've used Klipper for example.
Just heads up.. if you care about filtration, don't depend on the P1S or X1C's filter. It's next to useless. Install something inside the enclosure like the Bento Box.
Oh this is a whole video in its own right (another for my list!) - I'd disagree on next to useless, I have dual air monitors in the room monitoring PM, VOC and dozens more and there's a massive reduction compared to an open bed model. But there's lots of ways to improve even more if you wish like the Bento Box - although you also enter the realm of lots of other areas to watch - for example have you compared the contamination levels of printing in PLA to using an inkjet printer, laser printer or turning on a new laptop.... some eye-watering research!
Love you and your channel, the way you come across and look in the videos is wonderful. I currently have an Ender 3 which is 4 years old used most days I press print and it works, I have an Ender 5+ which works fine but can be fussy sometimes, so I have been looking at Bambu Labs. I like the enclosure but also the quick change of A1, I wonder if they will bring out a V2 of the P1S with all the features of the A1, or do I wait for a bit and see what comes out next - more content pleeez
Hi Mark, thank you for the kind comments, I'm glad you enjoy. Oh they'll inevitably bring out a V2, V3, V4 of all of them, it's hard to say when though!! And then inevitably the older models will be discounted heavily too - so you could likely get two A1s for the price of a new P2S (or whatever it's called) and then never have to change nozzles anyway! But they're great printers all round, so you would be astonished vs an Ender 5+ regardless!
This was the most informative video I have so far seen about BL. But I am looking something bigger and enclosed. Would you be interested in doing a similar review about the Qidi range of printers?
Thank you, very kind of you to say! And I'm in exactly the same place - I've got a CR10 Max (470mm x 470mm) that I've frankensteined into a pretty good place (new extruder, heatbed, PSU, fan, filament detector, touch probe and more), but could really do with a new generation large format printer. I plan to have a look around and see what the best in class is and review that, so happy to look at Qidi as part of that as some of their printers appear well reviewed! But any other brand suggestions, most welcome too!
Thank you for the detailed info you have provided , two things I am looking at , buying the A1 , but building a dust proof enclosure with extraction would work the same as buying the P1s ? second is would you be able to print Carbon Fiber or metal based filaments in the A1?
On the enclosure, loads of options, eg: makerworld.com/en/search/models?keyword=Enclosure And yes it can, although you'll need a hardened steel nozzle and I'd DEFINITELY recommend getting the particle filters/extraction sorted before you touch things like carbon fiber, they have some nasty particles they can give off.
The real buzz comes when you design your own part then print it. I first saw a 3D FDM printer ten years ago. Back then the printer was the hobby. Now they are appliances and being empowered is the hobby.
One thing you didn't cover is bed size. I was looking a a Creality K1-Max as I already have 3 Sunlu Printers with a 310x310x400 print size and there are still things I can not print on them. I also have a Creality Resin printer and that is fantastic for really detailed prints.
Yes, great point although that's a whole can of worms on its own (I have a CR10 Max and there's STILL things too big for it's 470x470 bed!). The 256mm bed for Bambu printers is a real sweet spot though, 95% of all prints will happily fit these without any issues and you can also easily cut/separate prints too if needed
I'd say, if in doubt, go with the P1S. They're all so reliable, it really doesn't make a game changing difference - I think mine has saved about two prints in thousands that I've done, so you won't notice a huge difference for the money (indeed you could get two P1S' for pretty much the same! 😈)
I bought the standard AMS rather than the AMS lite, mostly because I wanted to use it as a dry box, for the more hygroscopic filament types. I still haven't used anything more exotic than translucent PETG yet, and TPU (one of the more hygroscopic types) is marked as "not compatible with AMS" on the Bambu website, so I'll have to sort out an external dry box for that. Ironically, that will likely require printing with TPU to use as gaskets for the dry box...
Yes, I did the same originally (I bought the AMS kit) - it's a huge improvement on other competitors' efforts, so it works great - just not with TPU as you say! I actually print less with colour than I thought I would, but they're great for 'continuing' overnight prints that run out of a certain colour - just load in four and leave them to run!
The best Bambu Lab 3D Printer for me is .... $100 Ender 3 = ))) PS and for its price it have a speaker = )) (Which I turned off after firmware upgrade) PPS you forgot 4th myth that Bambu printers do not need tinkering = ) But you need to service them, regularly. Thats why I bought Ender 3, POM wheels do not need oiling, and I will install POM Z nut soon, so nothing to oil at all. Needless to say, I never oiled anything for two years anyways. = )
Heheh! Oh the Enders are great entry level tinkerer's machines! I can't say I've serviced my first P1S since I bought it at launch and it's been running pretty much continuously, so the evidence speaks for itself...! My Prusa needed oiling, several new thermistors, a new heater, a new bed and some other repairs in the same time period (and I was delighted with its reliability really!). Of course you should follow some maintenance instructions like any machine, but boy mine have been extraordinarily reliable!
Yeah, and as some other blogger said "You can repair Bambu printer easily as any part is under $100" = )) (just the price of my Ender 3) Of course I replaced some parts at the start, as Creality does not want to do it for me(They could fix those child problems and issue *real* Ender 3 V2 instead of what they release from time to time and keep calling them "Ender 3"). But it was under (additional) $50, and after that... Only printing. No need second Z spindle or BS-touch. Just insert SD, select file, press print. I am too lazy to install Wifi mod... yet = ) Actually done nothing with hardware more than a year. And you should follow maintenance guide of Bambulab. If your budget model does not remind you that you need to make service (like X1 Carbon for example) it does not mean that the printer does not require service. Bambulab printers have a lot of complicated hardware which needs service. = ) For example carbon rods, you have to wipe them. This is service. And A1 models have rails, which needed to be oiled, or you will be in big trouble = ) So Bambulab is a good tinkerers printer too. But there is a nuance = )
To me its more about what is your budget and needs. If your want a dirt cheap entry in to 3d printing that will work and is great with most of the new tech you can get a ender 3 v3 se for like $150, that printer is great for the bang to buck ratio for people with a low budget. if you have a bit more to spend the ender 3 v3 ke is the better option as it has klipper and a better motion system for roughly $220. but once you get to the $300 plus range the A1 mini is the best entry level printer. If you want a bigger build plate the A1 is the route to go if you can swing the $400-450 range. heck i got my A1 with the AMS lite for $480 at microcenter on sale. if you want an enclosed printer and have the money the P1S is a great option. really once you get past the $300 range its hard to recommend a printer other than a bambu these days. sure the Creality K1 line is nice but from what i heard from the guys at my local store they seen nothing but nozzle issues and blobbing from that line. now if you want a large helmet class printer that's where you have to do your own research. as i have only used the CR10 but i hear Solvo and elegoo make some damn good large format printers.
Great points - although I really struggle with the A1 Mini at $199 to not recommend 'save a month or two longer' and get that as an entry level! You're totally right on the upper end though, there's a space in the market for someone there...... let's wait and see!!
To be clear, if you turn off cloud you won't be able to use wifi locally. you also need to log in to your online account to be able to update the firmware
Yes, spot on - ie LAN mode works only on the LAN. Likewise firmware updates need to sync check (unless of course you install custom firmware which is possible too)
If not multicolor, the Qidi Q1 Pro is as good as A1, though i use the A1 more often as i like its not enclosed. If i were to suggest a begginer, the A1 mini would be a no brainer. Lan Mode for off the cloud but on the wifi, better than offline mode which is micro sd only
Yes, I really like the look of Qidi's printers, haven't used any myself, but they appear to have done a great job replicating some of Bambu Lab's magic! And love the A1 Mini myself - it's also a great 'extra' printer for people more experienced who start to need to print lots! (for the price you can often get multiple Minis for the same price as a single larger one!)
That could be an option, but you'd need to watch my videos on my golden rules: modularity first!! Definitely could be great for fragile things, so might consider that!
Yes super interesting - they seem to have moved from the very poorly reviewed adventurer 4 to something much more competitive. I don't think I could manage with that smaller bed size, but other than that, it's a great looking product! I also like how they've gone increasingly open source, got a video coming up on that.... ! ☺️
Have you found the x1C (with x-y config) able to print parts more accurately than the A1? I had the opportunity to try the A1 mini and it performed as well as my CraftBot3. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Bob
For the start all the entire range produce exceptionally high quality results, so there's little to judge between them. Putting more complex materials to one side (where the X1C naturally has an edge), the Core XY designs are also better suited to more fragile prints - for example if you imagine printing something very thin and tall (like the Eiffel tower), then not having that model being flung backwards and forwards does reduce the risk of issues and/or print quality issues. Naturally the solution is to slow the print down, but this is where the X1C and the P1S do have a slight structural edge
It's a bit of a piece of string as you can use loads of different filaments eg Carbon Fibre/Nylon is obviously stronger than PLA and you can apply infinite options (eg thickness of walls, infill style/density and so on), but in short you can make pretty much anything as strong as you need. Easily holding 10s of kgs with just PLA, so really wouldn't worry!
Ah, great, thanks again for all you do!! I assumed it would be limited to the materials inputted into the printer and also that they would be pretty weak. So a Christmas decoration would be fine but a coat hanged would snap.
No worries - no, as you can adjust pretty much any parameter - like honeycomb vs rectilinear infill patterns, then the density and more, it really does give you loads of options, eg look at videos like this: th-cam.com/video/hnJ34j99emI/w-d-xo.html You'll see how he's holding amounts like 140kg with ease!! Other videos that show off this: th-cam.com/video/ycGDR752fT0/w-d-xo.html th-cam.com/video/1Xuw93DnWwM/w-d-xo.html Hope this helps, but in short, you can make very strong indeed - and almost certainly stronger than anything you get from a factory (less because it's not possible, but more because things from factories are designed to be cheap as possible!)
Another great educational and well presented video. Bravo. I do not have a 3d printer but very keen to get started. What software would you recommend learning to design thing to fit components like ESP32’s and sensors before purchasing the printer?
Oh you'll not regret it! I'd actually say DON'T learn software first. I could do a starter video on this actually. First thing is get into the habit of searching all the free sites - eg Printables, Makerworld, Thingiverse - try just searching for esp32 and you'll realise how many options are already there. Then I'd get into parametrics - ie thousands of files you can just change the variables, width, height, length etc to customise. Then you get to the modelling part, for really bespoke things - and most of these you'll start with an existing model, and for that I use Fusion 360. There's a free version of this if you want to play around!
@@handsonkatie Thank you so much for the advice. I will download Fusion 360 and check out the library of pre designed files, then I will be using your links to do some printer shopping. Thanks so much. Looking forward to your next video!!
@@grf21a- A pleasure! Enjoy the adventure! I'm looking to build a bit of a course series for Patreons on getting into all these skills, so look out for them in future!
@@handsonkatie Thanks again for all your advice. You have inspired me so much that I purchased a P1S printer today using your affiliate links. I also ordered a few spools of filament to get me started. I am very much looking forward to the learning and journey ahead. I noticed that the link did not take me directly to the P1S page and had to navigate there myself from the home page, so I hope the system captured your referral and credits you accordingly.🤞🤞
@@grf21a- Oh I'm so excited for you, you're going to love it! Do drop me an email if any questions or you can join my discord - it really is a breeze to get up and running, but it's always easier to ask any daft questions anyway!
The open source aspects are changing and your comments soon won't apply as Bambu Lab is locking their printers down to Bambu Lab firmware and slicer. Video will need updating. Great vid so please do update :)
Yes, I was actually already planning a video on 'open vs closed source', so in a weird way it's perfectly timed!! (both Prusa and Bambu Lab becoming seemingly more closed source). I think I'll wait for the dust to settle on the BL side as it seems to be a moving feast at the moment, but should be pretty interesting to see where it ends up!
I absolutely LOVE my X1C and it will go to my grave with me. That said I really wish it had the quick change nozzle that the A1 has. I have 3 nozzles for my X1C and like you I almost never change them. There are times I wanted to but just didn't want to mess with it. I'm really considering getting an A1 to add to my collection because honestly I think the A1 has BETTER print quality (it's splitting hairs to be sure) but the additional ability to swap in say a 0.2mm nozzle to get even better quality is insane.
Well you're going the path I did...! There's no noticeable difference in quality as you say, but the quick change is huge. The other factor is that it'd double your print output speed, which is always a big attraction for me!!
@@handsonkatie The big downside is for some inexplicable reason, Bambu Lab made did not maintain AMS compatibility, so you can't use the full AMS on the A1. That means my investment in AMS units is completely useless on the A1, and I'd either be stuck with one filament or have to reinvest in new dedicated AMS units all over again just for the A1, which I am NOT doing. That's just insane.
I can make it play anything super easy!! Make a list folks and I'll do a mini short of your favourites!! (And I'll have to get the sheet music so I can play along! 🤣🤣)
I really want to buy an A1 but I can't imagine living in a world where I can't get basic spaghetti detection. Is there a workaround or add on available?
I believe it's coming in future firmware updates and you can already use a third party approach, eg forum.bambulab.com/t/psa-spagetti-detection-working-flawlessly-via-octoprint/59286 But I have to say, they're so reliable it's hard to think of occasions when I've used it that it'd saved me!
3D printers as always seemed as a bit of a after market upgrade hobby, started by 5h3 ender 3 and others including X1C and the PS1, but I've not seem much for the A1 mini, which suprises me. Time for a follow up video on upgrades to fill in those occasional grey areas between gardener, craft and workshop personalities. BTH, I like the idea of the A1 but will always want some type of storage box, which says to me i should run it within an enclosure. Got any insights on an A2 mini...
I think the aftermarket scene was a sign of potential for improvement. There's not a huge amount for any of the Bambu Lab printers - mainly as it's quite hard to point to obvious flaws! You can get screens for the P1S, replacement e3d nozzles and the like...so you definitely can if you want....but can't say I've seen the need! A2 Mini - I'd guess for a Bambu XL printer this year and also a start of a refresh. If they follow the same pattern they'd start with the X2C, then the P2S and then the A2, but who knows!!
wish Babmbu made a simple cheap one with at least one size at 400mm so I can print some ideas for organizing my tools closet, 256x256x256 just doesn't cut it as I am not interested in printing D&D figurines like others ;o]] was looking at elegoo neptune 4 max as my first printer but after some research about it's issues I decided to not get it
I've organised my whole workshop using ones this size, I'll show that in future, but it's definitely possible. Anything larger, you can split very easily in the slicer.
Ooh good question, I'll have to think about that - I know Duolingo does a course for example, but probably not the best person as I learnt it growing up!
I am into 3D printers the last 10 years, going from Ender3 and CR10 to Prusa, Artillery and now to K1 Max and Bambu P1S. I couldn't agree more. I love the variety of topics and the way you present each one! Thank you!
Very well stated. I had an Ender 3 Pro for ~5 years, and it worked but I often didn't print because I almost always had to fiddle with it to get a print. Recently got a Bambu P1S and it's been trouble-free, I've probably run as much filament through it in 2 months than I did the Ender in 5 years.
This is exactly my story, the speed and reliability feels like a real game changer
Do you realise you talk about 200$ openbuilds printer from 2015?
got into 3d printing last year . bought a p1 s and i dont regret it for 1 second! bambu made it very easy for me to get started into 3d printing world. its not just the printers but the whole eco system. I'm a fan for life !
Katie, you are lovely and quickly becoming one of my favorite maker channels. Keep it up! 👍🏻
I've seen quite a few comparison videos for the Bambu models. This was definitely one of the better ones. You highlight the different users and explain it in a down to eath way.
Thank you very much!
Glad you found helpful! 😊
This is the best way and only decent way to choose any technology platform - great job! Use cases should always be the number one consideration and finding the 3 top decision factors simplifies and accelerates the decision. Bravo! I will refer people to this video for many tech decisions.
I've been shopping, but wasn't ready to commit. Your video helped me understand what printers are for what use case and I haven't seen anyone cover that. I was interested in the P1S, but as a beginner I think the A1 would achieve what I want to make, and be more beginner friendly. Thanks for the tips Katie!
Great to hear it helped - as a beginner, the A1 will be an immense printer for you!
What an interesting channel I have stumbled upon! I am getting into the hobby now and I really appreciate your mix of enthusiasm, style, and thoroughness!
Glad you enjoy and welcome! 🤗
I've had the Bambu Lab A-1 Combo for over seven months. No issues.
FYI, I just bought an A1 Combo and some PLA with your referral link. Thanks for talking me into a thing I've put off buying for *years*.
Oooh, how exciting!! Well, you are going to love it...! I've got some beginner modelling videos scheduled in the near future too, so you'll have lots to play around with!!
@ thanks, I’m sure they’ll be very handy!
Arrrggghh! You got me by the balls... I have to get a A1 Combo. Have been using Cheap or diy printers for 8 years, its time to buy a New one. This is the first time I really feel like there is a genuine improvement over my diy printers. Thank you for a very well made video. You are awesome :)
Oh you won't be disappointed - make sure you come back here and tell me I was right!! I was laughing my head off for days when I first bought a Bambu Lab printer, they're soooo much better than the last generation of devices!
Katie, you are smart, engaging and have become one of my favorite channels. :)
Sooo.... I did't make a mistake when i bought my frist P1S.... and your video just proofed that... geezz, never thought that.. thank you for your video.
People disappearing, bodies in the garden, what books do you read?! Even if I'm not interested in the content, I still watch for the entertainment & educational factors. God bless!
Imagine Katie appearing from the dark and with a friendly smile asking you: can i help you? Would you say no? :)
One of the best, informative videos I have seen, for a while. Excellent work in persuading me to spend more money 😄
Thank you, glad you found it helpful!! If you're going to get one, then now's about as good a time as any, discount time!!
You seemed to write this with me in mind - "Gardener"! I couldn't ask for a better video
I’ve been 3D printing as a hobby for 7 years. Monoprice Mini V2 to Creality Ender 3 to Prusa MK3 to Bambu A-1 Mini w/AMS Lite. I still have all of the older ones but I’d been wanting speed and multicolor, but reluctant to spend money to upgrade what I had. Then when the Bambu A-1 Mini went on sale, and most items I’ve printed already fit on it, I decided that I’d buy another proven printer, and leave the others as backup. They still work great, albeit slower.
And since I’ve got the AMS, I can add the A-1 and share the AMS with it if I need larger multicolored nonfunctional prints. 😀
I absolutely love your enthusiasm and the way you have presented the information in this video. You're adorable 🥰 Thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
As for resin printing, I recently upgraded from Creality’s LD-002H to Elegoo’s Mars 5 Ultra and it’s amazing. 9K screen at approx the same size, compared to 002H’s 2K, layer height goes down from .05mm to .01mm, tilting vat which reduces peel forces and thus reduces print failures. And, plug-and-print
If you want a bigger printer with nearly the same capabilities then get Elegoo’s Saturn 4 Ultra, all features as mentioned before but has a *slightly* lower pixel density iirc the Mars 5 Ultra has a XY precision of 18x18 microns and the Saturn 4 Ultra has 21x21 micron precision
Great tips!! I'll have a look at the Mars 5 Ultra!
Thanks for this great detailed information. It's good to pay attention to the points you mentioned. I hope to see more of the 3d printers you have. You look(ed) great!
Right on. Your advice about what really matters between the models is absolutely on the mark. I was having fomo getting the A-1 for the enclosure, but after using it for a while, I’ve realized it’s perfect for what I do- organization and crafting for me, figurines and toys for my son, and drum parts for my husband. I love how easy the whole thing is just to use right out of the box and the ease of changing hotends. If they come out with an enclosed larger format, I’m sold. In the meantime, I’d rather have two A1’s than one P1S at this time and for what we need. Does that mean I need to get another?! Yes? 😂
Oh you're spot on! An awful lot of people focus on spending 3x more to get 15% faster printers and things like that - just buy three printers!! Great you found this useful and YES you definitely want another one...... ;) Drop me an email if you'd like to join my discord - sounds like we could brainstorm all sorts of cool stuff on crafting, organisation and the drum parts sounds super interesting too!!!
I really like how you format your videos.
Excellent high level overview, the right information for newbies without being overwhelming.
I appreciate that you spoke about the printers you have direct and extensive experience with, that right there puts you above many others who spit out a review video after limited time with a manufacturer-provided printer. However (you knew that was coming 😂) I think you should have at least mentioned the existence of the A1 Mini for the benefit of those with a more restrictive budget since it is basically an A1.
I have an X1C (3700 hours), P1S née P1P (2400 h), 3 AMS units that shift between them, and an A1 Mini (700 h) with an AMS Lite. I love the A1M, it is a rock solid PLA/PETG multicolor baby beast! 95% of what I print fits on the A1M and it is a joy to print multicolor on it. I’m so tired of dealing with waste chute clogs and AMS jams. The simplicity of the A1/A1M system makes it bulletproof.
Sorry, off topic…budget. The A1M alone is $199 which is $140 less than the A1. $140 will cover a nice assortment of nozzles, build plates, and a few rolls of filament. The nozzles are compatible with the A1 should one decide to get another printer (which *will* happen as you pointed out).
So, great video, yay for speaking based on your experience, and hey everyone check out the A1’s baby brother if you just want a taste of 3D printing koolaid…but be warned you will eventually be back for the whole pitcher. 😈
Hi Radish!! 🤗 Glad you enjoyed and yes it was a challenge trying to keep it accessible - indeed I could have very easily covered the mini! And indeed the P1P, the X1E and a whole raft of aftermarket accessories (eg get a quickchange nozzle for the P1P, an after market high Res screen and it gets even more awesome!)
But I decided to just pick one from each range to show the major differences. That said, you're right - the A1 Mini is an extraordinary device for the price! I did actually mention it in my original video, but I cut it out to keep things sharper - I have to explain the fact it has a different bed size to all the others, so you need different build plates, can't use the same PEI sheets, plus it has some differences like non-mains bed heater which makes it's performance different to the A1. I struggle with trying to balance detail with conciseness on these videos as the topics are often 'rabbit holes'! That said, the A1 does seem to be the strong recommendation over the Mini if possible - eg see Bambu's own forum: forum.bambulab.com/t/shoud-i-buy-a-a1-mini-or-a-a1/42264/3
I'll need to release a 'directors cut' of all these videos at some point with all the bits I originally record!! I'm still feeling my way as to the right length - I assume people will be bored by the time I'm still waffling on at the 30 min mark! 🤣
@@handsonkatie Your focus was spot on. You clearly know how to run a productive meeting because that skill transferred well to your video production. You set the goal, lay out the agenda, make your points, conclusion, any questions? Heck, your videos even have bullet points! 😆
I think I muddied my point which was if one has $n (£n for metric users 🙃) but not $(n + 50%) then the A1M is an excellent choice. I agree that if one has the means then the A1 is a better choice for a first printer. My A1M was an impulse buy, something to knock out fun little prints while its two larger brethren are occupied or down for maintenance. Smaller is not the usual upgrade path…
Stefan (CNC Kitchen) interviewed the CEO of Bambu Lab last fall, after the A1 Mini was released but before the A1 was announced. If you haven’t watched it I recommend it. Among many other things the CEO explained why they released the A1M when everyone was expecting an XL. The interview was over an hour long so a lot was discussed, all very interesting.
Excellent summary - yes, the A1M is an immensely powerful printer for the money - if you can't stretch the extra bit further, then there's no contest IMO. Indeed I can't think of anything else full stop that I could recommend you spending money on! (I mean how many trips to the Cinema or coffees is that?? Hardly any!). Yes, I remember that video - also I remember Jo Prusa covering related topics for the Prusa Mini too. In a funny way I might also recommend the opposite to what you're saying - ie buy a larger printer first (eg A1) and then it's very hard to argue against an A1 Mini as your second printer (ie you're not limited by size or features as you have the first printer), but the vast majority of your printers will fit the A1 Mini, allowing you to churn out lots of different prints at once! I mean, you can have 2 x X1Cs or one X1C and 7 x A1Ms for the same money....!!!
@@radish6691do you have a link of that interview?
Best regards
I want my A1 (ordered and waiting for it to ship) to play Moonlight Sonata! Lol That was awesome 😊
After checking specs, price and print quality, I concluded that my favourite Bambu Lab printer is the Prusa Mini+.
It's an amazing little powerhouse! You'll get so much for your money and I know 90-95% of everything can fit to it anyway!
Well done production. Thank you for the useful information.
Got myself an A1 Mini in the black friday sale, to complement my P1S. Loving it.
It's an awesome little printer, and double the print speed now!!
This video has been more helpful than any other. Immense thanks!
I have the Bambu Carbon X1, and for my wife I'm going to get her the A1 as her first 3D printer. 👍
I've had her sit w\me and design a few things for herself over this past year in Fusion 360. She took to it really well.
She learned how to make leather bags from YT channels a few years back, has a Cricut etc., also does lots of hone remodeling projects, so she's technically minded.
I find the A1 to be a bit more accessible, and the best printer for someone starting out w\3D printing - along with the room to grow if needing multiple colors later on.
Brilliant point and agree entirely - and if your wife is into Cricuts and crafting, then you should check out my M1 Ultra video... She'd be in heaven!! (Christmas is coming and I think she deserves it!! 😀)
Thanks for another great video. I've been considering getting my first 3D printer especially with the current Bambu sale on. I've been leaning towards the P1S (possibly Combo). Yes, it is jumping in at a more spendier price point but I think the various extra features which I might not immediately use just feel like it is a bit more future proofed. The technology is still moving forwards so there is always the temptation to hold off for something better. If only the P1S had the screen and nozzle from the A1...
Yes, I went with the P1S too as my first Bambu Lab printer. I got it with the AMS, but to be honest 95% of the time I use one colour, so you could easily get without it to start you off. The sales prices are pretty compelling!
This was a very comprehensive comparison. Also interesting thought about the possibility of them working on a tool changer.
First video I have ever seen of yours and it was fantastic. Easy Sub. More more more!
Hello Katie,
I love your channel and all your videos on gridfinity, underwear etc.
My first 3D printer was a used Ender 3, but I never get it to work and it is now a dustcollector in my workshop, maybe it will be upgraded to a laser cutter later, time will show.
So in december last year I bought a Bambu A1 and I love it and agree with you that it is easy to use and the good print quality, but all the trouble with the change of the heatbed and the total lack of support that I experienced made me mad and I bought the new Prusa mk4 with the Multi Material Unit and I never look back!
I am impressed of the fast support from Prusa - I bought the kit and build it my self and there was an issue with the display, but after one week from I contacted Prusa support and I have a new display - for free, off course, and it works like a dream and is faster and same, if not better, print quality than the A1.
If there has been no problems with the support from Bambu I would have bought a P1S or X1C.
Bambu has a lot to learn from Prusa and there support in my opinion!
Hey, yes I'm a huge fan of Prusa too - as I covered in the video, I've had a MK3S for many years. I actually found the support a little disappointing at the time when I had a manufacturing fault with it, but I suspect that was more to do with them being mobbed by demand at the time and struggling with this! (much like Bambu may be also at the moment!). Also Prusa's previous MMU attempts were frankly a mess (which I think they as much as admitted!). But, I think both their ethos' are in the right place though, they're both trying to deliver market-leading solutions and really trying to move the industry forward. I think Bambu have the edge in a lot of the stuff at the moment, key advantage is the tool changer on Prusa's side - but this sort of competition is brilliant!
Great video. I’ve been looking at upgrading from my Ender3 I’ve had for years. You have sold me on the A1. Thanks. Keep up the great content
Great to hear, you'll not regret it!
I especially love the piano part at the end ♥
Thank you so much for your videos ♥
A bloody good video. My limited budget made me accidentally pick the most idea printer for me!
the clean woodworker had me dying!!!! Great video. I did a creailty way back in the day and stopped doing anything with printing for a long time. So this was such a game changer video! Perfect break down. I had no idea we didnt need to bed level anymore!!!!
this video absolutly got a sub from me! So to the point and clear! SOOO GOOD!
Oh totally, Bambu have changed the game from a technical tool to a household device!!
Glad you found it useful! 🙂
Very well made video. I am a new subscriber.
Bought an A1 Mini in the sale (no AMS) and been having a great time printing stuff. I find a lot of things fit the 180mm cubed space, gridfinity you can do up to 4x4 plates and bins. Easy to scale or cut and join together bigger models if needed. Just in case anyone was put off thinking you NEED a 256mm cubed printer for this sort of stuff.
On resin, Fauxhammer has been doing loads of brilliant videos on the resin and miniatures space. There's definitely more mess and hazards and processes to it but the detail they can do is superb.
Great points and yes, the A1 Mini is a great little printer! One of the beauty of modular design is it fits all printers - eg you can just print slightly smaller Gridfinity grids!
On resin.... watch this space! 😉
Great video. One more thing to consider is that the enclosed AMS can keep the filament dry with silica containers. A deal breaker IMO. But the closed AMS can’t be used with many soft or abrasive filaments.
If you have the space, a big enclosure that fits the A1, the AMS lite motor and a SUNLU S4 is a nice option.
Great point - and indeed the enclosure then fixes the filament drying challenge!! Oh it's endless really isn't it! ;)
@@handsonkatie Indeed 😊
As a question - assuming one bought an A1 and AMS lite, do you build the enclosure without any air ingress/egree or filtration (i.e. when the enclosure is closed for printing, it's a "sealed" environment)? And as a further question, how does the Sunlu S4 fit in to this overall picture (apologies, I've just heard about the Sunlu for the first time)?
I've watched this video several times and I still get a lot out of it.
Personally I got the A1 mini last fall and it's been great. Looking back I would have gotten the AMS unit bundled with it if I had done more research. Now I'm looking at a second printer with an enclosure. I think having both is good as there are filaments that need the enclosure, but also PLA will probably be the main one I use. For me I can imagine printing larger things on one while printing the smaller items that go with it on the other and cutting down the time overall. Also in hind sight I may have gone for the A1 instead of the A1 mini just for the extra build room.
Another helpful piece of info that might help someone is that if you don't have an enclosure and put your printer in a small room, like my office, you have to be really careful with running a fan to cool the room as it will affect the prints. I feel like I have to choose between shutting down the printer daytime or work in a sauna. Obviously I choose the latter, but I wish I had known about it.
Great tip! And obviously depends on the climate where you live!!
Don't think the enclosure is going to help all that much if your office is THAT cold....
Good timing. I've been trying all morning to get my Creality printer working. Several spoiled prints. Just ordered the A1. Thanks.
You won't regret it.... just don't take my usage as a recommended practice.... 🤭🤣
@@handsonkatie Certainly. This is my third 3D printer, so I'm clear about what I need.
I bought my first 3D printer, an Creality Ender 3 many years ago and remember it taking an absolute age to print my Death Star lamp shade, inc failures!! I recently upgraded to BambuLab X1C in their sale, not long ago. Like going from a Mini Moke to a Bentley Continental!!
I love these giant leaps in technology!
I enjoyed your content thoroughly and look forward to more content in the future. Your presentation is fabulous and keep up the good work.
Brilliant video, thanks for that, I am waiting for Santa to bring A1 Combo right now :)! You're gorgeous!!!
How exciting!!! You're going to love it!! 😊😊
love your videos as usual Katie, thanks .. I think you made up my mind on what 3d printer to get .
🤗 Well you've got to tell me which one now!!! 😅
@@handsonkatie Bambu Lab A1 Since I am beginner plus it seem to do everything a beginner like me need it to do. ☺
@@gelbalfandahar263 great choice, I'll have to send you some start up tunes! 😉
Great video, I've been printing since 2010 and the last 14 years have seen huge innovation, admittedly there was a somewhat huge 5 year lull but if you compare today to 2010 it's light and day. We've gone from coreXY to overpriced bed slingers to cheap and cheerful bed slingers back to CoreXY - where next?
I've got X1Cs and A1s now - the only thing another company has done better is Flashforge's quick swap nozzles - they're quicker (!!!) than the A1 they just pop in and out, I wish more companies would adopt thing like that it'd make one of the most annoying learning curve for new people. At least we don't need a wrench, a hex wrench and three hands to swap one now!
Love the analogies and you're totally right about the waves of change! You made me laugh with the three hands comment, I always remember thinking that with my MK3S - always a bit of a faff!!
Excellent presentation👍🏻
Very accurate content. I subscribed😊
Awesome as always! Has your Apollo AIR-1 confirmed good air quality with the filter of the X1C? That's the main thing putting me off £D printing indoors!
Yes, it's been excellent - indeed it improves the room's quality slightly over time (I imagine as it's sucking in dust/particles and then pulling them through the filter).
Very well presented!
Very nice video, I like the approach. Really looking forward to seeing what they do next. A tool changer to allow for 0.2 mm text additions to larger .4mm prints would be amazing. Allows you to get inbuilt labels without the extra hours required to use 0.2 from the start. I have swapped nozzles but it’s a little nerve wracking with those little plugs
Great idea Iain - toolchanging between nozzle sizes could make not just an enormous difference to print detail as you describe, but also print times; for big sections print in a 0.8mm nozzle, then flip to 0.4mm or 0.2mm for the detailed bits!
I upgraded to a P1S from an Elegoo Neptune 4 - absolute night and day, both in terms of speed and reliability (and no more lifted corners because of the enclosure) and I can feel confident leaving it to print unattended. The one thing that's bugging me is the lack of a larger-format printer in the Bambu range. I'm printing merch products, and the one design people have asked for requires a 300mm bed. Sure, I could print the pieces at a diagonal one at a time, but that means I can't print in bulk and it would massively slow me down; an extra 10-15 minutes each print adds up when you're printing a couple of hundred pieces. I can't face going with the K1 Max, but I'm getting closer to it every day.
Oh I agree.... I suspect Bambu Lab releasing a larger format printer is a matter of when, not if.... but boy, it'd be great!!
@@handsonkatie It's basically all but confirmed at this point, and it probably will be their next product release. During an AMA, Bambu said a new product would be dropping sometime this year. My guess it's going to be a larger form factor and/or multi-printhead machine. They did say they would never do a large form factor in the A1 cartesian design, so expect it to be more like the P1S or the X1C.
@@heroflying agree, a large format toolchanger is an almost certainty based on what they've said already... the more interesting part is that they've always surprised with leaping ahead of what people expect, so the real question is what more they can pack in..... 🤓
Subscribed! Hoping one day I can be as clear and good at story telling as you!
Moonlight Sonata, my all time favorite classical music piece.... But it sounded better when you played it...
Excellent video, as always.
For me it's the printer that is the most silent - my girlfriend can't stand the sound. Think I'd settle with A1 with AMS Lite and a custom dry box for PETG. Could print PLA with PETG supports, less marks on miniatures. And I have plans that require multiple materials but PLA and PETG should be enough.
Haven't seen your videos before, liked your style, subscribed, bell, will check what else you have done.
That's a great choice - it's definitely a super quiet printer, so will be ideal for your purposes!
That ending was Epic Katie!! really loving your videos.
I want to purchase my first 3d Printer from Bambu Lab but still not sure even after watching this, I would need it for FPV drone parts and for gerneral Smart home devices (cases for ESP and sensors) and tools. what would you recommend for this ? the A1 with the different nozzles or the enclosed P1S ?
Thanks
Thank you!! Glad you enjoyed! For your particular use case, I'd go safety first - for drones, you might end up using some special filaments that can give off nasty fumes, so I'd go for one with an enclosure. The P1S and X1C are still easy enough to change the nozzle, so it's not that big a deal, but go with caution first. They really are all awesome printers, so it's not a huge deal either way!
@@handsonkatie Thank you Katie for your advice. I finally pulled the trigger and bought my first 3d Printer, the P1S combo, and ofcourse used your affiliate link as your great videos are the ones that truly showed their usefulness and convinced me to get one.
@@nabilnabilnabilnabi1 oh how exciting!!! You really are going to love it!!! 🤩🤩 Drop a question in my discord if any questions at all, loads of lovely folk there who can give you all the tips and best things to print first!!!
Altought it applies to any printer, the closed AMS helps keep the filaments dry a bit longer. The X1 also has the capability to dry them (it takes about 8h). I'm also looking for a separate external filament drier so I'm interested in your suggestions. Also a video about the filament type (how they are made - there is a lot of myths there as well - there are even conductive material), and a good detailed guide on which one to use and what could happen if you take the "wrong" one (eg. regular PLA for outdoor, what could happens) ? Thanks Katie.
Hey, yes some of this I'll already cover in future videos - eg myths like PLA outdoors. Short answer, it lasts pretty much forever in the elements, so don't worry! I'll look at filament driers maybe as part of this then too!
Started on davinci pro (xyz printing) then a qidi tech X-Plus then bought the X1C on kickstarter very nice printer remarkable design kinda easy nozzle swap the prints that did go wrong where all human related love it. thanks Katie for making the choice easier for people who are looking into bying one.
It's kinda nice really to have experienced these earlier printers, it does help you realise how far things have come in such a short space of time!
@@handsonkatie it sure is as for the Bambu lab i did not need any tinkering yet witch was "normal" with the davinci and qidi tech less on the qidi they are making huge steps the right way 😉
@@go4peace467 yes, I love the way Bambu have inspired all these other brands to play catch up, it's really healthy to see! I'm still looking for a replacement large format printer for my CR10 Max, know Qidi have some interesting ones!
@@handsonkatie the Xplus i have is a good machine heard some negatives over the new ones but i bet that would be the same as with Bambu lab, it's like buying a car some have problems from the beginning others have not there is a lot of tech going in them now days. Have you looked at the Peopoly Magneto X build volume 400 x 300 x 300 with a magnetic based linear motor system ? i bet that wil get the heart going for a ride.
Yes, I saw the Peopoly Magneto X - that could be an excellent option if it's a reliable beast! I'll have to have a closer nosey!
I've just looked on the Bambu site and thought they would start around £1500.
I was shocked to see the high end model was around £1000 and some around £300 £400.
Im going to have to seriously look at these.
Absolutely - and if you look without AMS, things like the Mini start for £180... seriously worth a look!! 😉
since September 20th : Qidi Plus 4. Technically the next step in Evolution of 3d printers
I haven't used Qidi yet myself, so I couldn't state whether they're the next generation of 3d printers or not, but I love that they're in the market, I'll need to have a closer look at some point! Any features that you think makes them stand out? Scanning the specs, there's some incremental features, but I might be missing something - I love the fact they've used Klipper for example.
Just heads up.. if you care about filtration, don't depend on the P1S or X1C's filter. It's next to useless. Install something inside the enclosure like the Bento Box.
Oh this is a whole video in its own right (another for my list!) - I'd disagree on next to useless, I have dual air monitors in the room monitoring PM, VOC and dozens more and there's a massive reduction compared to an open bed model. But there's lots of ways to improve even more if you wish like the Bento Box - although you also enter the realm of lots of other areas to watch - for example have you compared the contamination levels of printing in PLA to using an inkjet printer, laser printer or turning on a new laptop.... some eye-watering research!
Pretty sure you will breathe more toxins just driving behind some cars in traffic or walking in a city than a 4 hour 3D print...
The ending 😂 Well played 👏
Saw your page on snazzy labs’ cable management video
Love you and your channel, the way you come across and look in the videos is wonderful. I currently have an Ender 3 which is 4 years old used most days I press print and it works, I have an Ender 5+ which works fine but can be fussy sometimes, so I have been looking at Bambu Labs. I like the enclosure but also the quick change of A1, I wonder if they will bring out a V2 of the P1S with all the features of the A1, or do I wait for a bit and see what comes out next - more content pleeez
Hi Mark, thank you for the kind comments, I'm glad you enjoy. Oh they'll inevitably bring out a V2, V3, V4 of all of them, it's hard to say when though!! And then inevitably the older models will be discounted heavily too - so you could likely get two A1s for the price of a new P2S (or whatever it's called) and then never have to change nozzles anyway! But they're great printers all round, so you would be astonished vs an Ender 5+ regardless!
This was the most informative video I have so far seen about BL. But I am looking something bigger and enclosed. Would you be interested in doing a similar review about the Qidi range of printers?
Thank you, very kind of you to say! And I'm in exactly the same place - I've got a CR10 Max (470mm x 470mm) that I've frankensteined into a pretty good place (new extruder, heatbed, PSU, fan, filament detector, touch probe and more), but could really do with a new generation large format printer. I plan to have a look around and see what the best in class is and review that, so happy to look at Qidi as part of that as some of their printers appear well reviewed! But any other brand suggestions, most welcome too!
@@handsonkatieI'me in the same predicament ,but i think i will wait for the new larger bambu labs printer that is due out this year.
I have all of them. No 1. A1 - No2. A1 Mini - No 3. CX1. Beleive me. No brainer.
Excellent Video
Thank you for the detailed info you have provided , two things I am looking at , buying the A1 , but building a dust proof enclosure with extraction would work the same as buying the P1s ? second is would you be able to print Carbon Fiber or metal based filaments in the A1?
On the enclosure, loads of options, eg: makerworld.com/en/search/models?keyword=Enclosure
And yes it can, although you'll need a hardened steel nozzle and I'd DEFINITELY recommend getting the particle filters/extraction sorted before you touch things like carbon fiber, they have some nasty particles they can give off.
ANYCUBIC makes great resig printers
Made me think I should hold out just a bit for perhaps an update to the X1c that might be close
Enclosures are more about regulating the temperature and humidity of your print
The real buzz comes when you design your own part then print it. I first saw a 3D FDM printer ten years ago. Back then the printer was the hobby. Now they are appliances and being empowered is the hobby.
And just wait until you scan the object you want it to fit, then import and print the part which perfectly fits! 😀
One thing you didn't cover is bed size. I was looking a a Creality K1-Max as I already have 3 Sunlu Printers with a 310x310x400 print size and there are still things I can not print on them. I also have a Creality Resin printer and that is fantastic for really detailed prints.
Yes, great point although that's a whole can of worms on its own (I have a CR10 Max and there's STILL things too big for it's 470x470 bed!). The 256mm bed for Bambu printers is a real sweet spot though, 95% of all prints will happily fit these without any issues and you can also easily cut/separate prints too if needed
This video is beyond helpful thank you! I'm stuck between the P1S and the X1C -- do you find the lidar sensor for detecting failed prints worth it?
I'd say, if in doubt, go with the P1S. They're all so reliable, it really doesn't make a game changing difference - I think mine has saved about two prints in thousands that I've done, so you won't notice a huge difference for the money (indeed you could get two P1S' for pretty much the same! 😈)
I bought the standard AMS rather than the AMS lite, mostly because I wanted to use it as a dry box, for the more hygroscopic filament types. I still haven't used anything more exotic than translucent PETG yet, and TPU (one of the more hygroscopic types) is marked as "not compatible with AMS" on the Bambu website, so I'll have to sort out an external dry box for that. Ironically, that will likely require printing with TPU to use as gaskets for the dry box...
Yes, I did the same originally (I bought the AMS kit) - it's a huge improvement on other competitors' efforts, so it works great - just not with TPU as you say! I actually print less with colour than I thought I would, but they're great for 'continuing' overnight prints that run out of a certain colour - just load in four and leave them to run!
The best Bambu Lab 3D Printer for me is .... $100 Ender 3 = )))
PS and for its price it have a speaker = )) (Which I turned off after firmware upgrade)
PPS you forgot 4th myth that Bambu printers do not need tinkering = ) But you need to service them, regularly. Thats why I bought Ender 3, POM wheels do not need oiling, and I will install POM Z nut soon, so nothing to oil at all. Needless to say, I never oiled anything for two years anyways. = )
Heheh! Oh the Enders are great entry level tinkerer's machines! I can't say I've serviced my first P1S since I bought it at launch and it's been running pretty much continuously, so the evidence speaks for itself...! My Prusa needed oiling, several new thermistors, a new heater, a new bed and some other repairs in the same time period (and I was delighted with its reliability really!). Of course you should follow some maintenance instructions like any machine, but boy mine have been extraordinarily reliable!
Yeah, and as some other blogger said "You can repair Bambu printer easily as any part is under $100" = )) (just the price of my Ender 3)
Of course I replaced some parts at the start, as Creality does not want to do it for me(They could fix those child problems and issue *real* Ender 3 V2 instead of what they release from time to time and keep calling them "Ender 3"). But it was under (additional) $50, and after that... Only printing. No need second Z spindle or BS-touch. Just insert SD, select file, press print. I am too lazy to install Wifi mod... yet = ) Actually done nothing with hardware more than a year.
And you should follow maintenance guide of Bambulab. If your budget model does not remind you that you need to make service (like X1 Carbon for example) it does not mean that the printer does not require service. Bambulab printers have a lot of complicated hardware which needs service. = )
For example carbon rods, you have to wipe them. This is service.
And A1 models have rails, which needed to be oiled, or you will be in big trouble = )
So Bambulab is a good tinkerers printer too. But there is a nuance = )
To me its more about what is your budget and needs. If your want a dirt cheap entry in to 3d printing that will work and is great with most of the new tech you can get a ender 3 v3 se for like $150, that printer is great for the bang to buck ratio for people with a low budget. if you have a bit more to spend the ender 3 v3 ke is the better option as it has klipper and a better motion system for roughly $220. but once you get to the $300 plus range the A1 mini is the best entry level printer. If you want a bigger build plate the A1 is the route to go if you can swing the $400-450 range. heck i got my A1 with the AMS lite for $480 at microcenter on sale. if you want an enclosed printer and have the money the P1S is a great option. really once you get past the $300 range its hard to recommend a printer other than a bambu these days. sure the Creality K1 line is nice but from what i heard from the guys at my local store they seen nothing but nozzle issues and blobbing from that line. now if you want a large helmet class printer that's where you have to do your own research. as i have only used the CR10 but i hear Solvo and elegoo make some damn good large format printers.
Great points - although I really struggle with the A1 Mini at $199 to not recommend 'save a month or two longer' and get that as an entry level! You're totally right on the upper end though, there's a space in the market for someone there...... let's wait and see!!
To be clear, if you turn off cloud you won't be able to use wifi locally.
you also need to log in to your online account to be able to update the firmware
Yes, spot on - ie LAN mode works only on the LAN. Likewise firmware updates need to sync check (unless of course you install custom firmware which is possible too)
If not multicolor, the Qidi Q1 Pro is as good as A1, though i use the A1 more often as i like its not enclosed. If i were to suggest a begginer, the A1 mini would be a no brainer. Lan Mode for off the cloud but on the wifi, better than offline mode which is micro sd only
Yes, I really like the look of Qidi's printers, haven't used any myself, but they appear to have done a great job replicating some of Bambu Lab's magic! And love the A1 Mini myself - it's also a great 'extra' printer for people more experienced who start to need to print lots! (for the price you can often get multiple Minis for the same price as a single larger one!)
Is there a printer preference for printing with food grade filament, like PETG?
Looking at the woodworking/power tools in neogrid - have you thought about shadowfoaming them? Would look awesome imho!
That could be an option, but you'd need to watch my videos on my golden rules: modularity first!! Definitely could be great for fragile things, so might consider that!
The flashforge adventurer 5m is just as good if not better than the bambu.
Yes super interesting - they seem to have moved from the very poorly reviewed adventurer 4 to something much more competitive. I don't think I could manage with that smaller bed size, but other than that, it's a great looking product! I also like how they've gone increasingly open source, got a video coming up on that.... ! ☺️
Have you found the x1C (with x-y config) able to print parts more accurately than the A1? I had the opportunity to try the A1 mini and it performed as well as my CraftBot3. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Bob
For the start all the entire range produce exceptionally high quality results, so there's little to judge between them.
Putting more complex materials to one side (where the X1C naturally has an edge), the Core XY designs are also better suited to more fragile prints - for example if you imagine printing something very thin and tall (like the Eiffel tower), then not having that model being flung backwards and forwards does reduce the risk of issues and/or print quality issues. Naturally the solution is to slow the print down, but this is where the X1C and the P1S do have a slight structural edge
How does the output of a 3d printer compare in strength to a factory manufactured item?
It's a bit of a piece of string as you can use loads of different filaments eg Carbon Fibre/Nylon is obviously stronger than PLA and you can apply infinite options (eg thickness of walls, infill style/density and so on), but in short you can make pretty much anything as strong as you need. Easily holding 10s of kgs with just PLA, so really wouldn't worry!
Ah, great, thanks again for all you do!! I assumed it would be limited to the materials inputted into the printer and also that they would be pretty weak. So a Christmas decoration would be fine but a coat hanged would snap.
No worries - no, as you can adjust pretty much any parameter - like honeycomb vs rectilinear infill patterns, then the density and more, it really does give you loads of options, eg look at videos like this: th-cam.com/video/hnJ34j99emI/w-d-xo.html
You'll see how he's holding amounts like 140kg with ease!!
Other videos that show off this:
th-cam.com/video/ycGDR752fT0/w-d-xo.html
th-cam.com/video/1Xuw93DnWwM/w-d-xo.html
Hope this helps, but in short, you can make very strong indeed - and almost certainly stronger than anything you get from a factory (less because it's not possible, but more because things from factories are designed to be cheap as possible!)
Another great educational and well presented video. Bravo. I do not have a 3d printer but very keen to get started. What software would you recommend learning to design thing to fit components like ESP32’s and sensors before purchasing the printer?
Oh you'll not regret it! I'd actually say DON'T learn software first. I could do a starter video on this actually. First thing is get into the habit of searching all the free sites - eg Printables, Makerworld, Thingiverse - try just searching for esp32 and you'll realise how many options are already there. Then I'd get into parametrics - ie thousands of files you can just change the variables, width, height, length etc to customise. Then you get to the modelling part, for really bespoke things - and most of these you'll start with an existing model, and for that I use Fusion 360. There's a free version of this if you want to play around!
@@handsonkatie Thank you so much for the advice. I will download Fusion 360 and check out the library of pre designed files, then I will be using your links to do some printer shopping. Thanks so much. Looking forward to your next video!!
@@grf21a- A pleasure! Enjoy the adventure! I'm looking to build a bit of a course series for Patreons on getting into all these skills, so look out for them in future!
@@handsonkatie Thanks again for all your advice. You have inspired me so much that I purchased a P1S printer today using your affiliate links. I also ordered a few spools of filament to get me started. I am very much looking forward to the learning and journey ahead. I noticed that the link did not take me directly to the P1S page and had to navigate there myself from the home page, so I hope the system captured your referral and credits you accordingly.🤞🤞
@@grf21a- Oh I'm so excited for you, you're going to love it! Do drop me an email if any questions or you can join my discord - it really is a breeze to get up and running, but it's always easier to ask any daft questions anyway!
I love my A1
They're outstanding machines!
Can the Bamboo P1S or other support clear filament?
Absolutely! 😁
that invovation snark :D
Whatever do you mean? I was simply eating a piece of fruit..... 🤭😉
The open source aspects are changing and your comments soon won't apply as Bambu Lab is locking their printers down to Bambu Lab firmware and slicer. Video will need updating. Great vid so please do update :)
Yes, I was actually already planning a video on 'open vs closed source', so in a weird way it's perfectly timed!! (both Prusa and Bambu Lab becoming seemingly more closed source). I think I'll wait for the dust to settle on the BL side as it seems to be a moving feast at the moment, but should be pretty interesting to see where it ends up!
@@handsonkatie Good idea. I have a sneaky feeling they might backtrack some, if not most, of their plans. Great videos BTW :)
I agree and thank you!
I absolutely LOVE my X1C and it will go to my grave with me. That said I really wish it had the quick change nozzle that the A1 has. I have 3 nozzles for my X1C and like you I almost never change them. There are times I wanted to but just didn't want to mess with it.
I'm really considering getting an A1 to add to my collection because honestly I think the A1 has BETTER print quality (it's splitting hairs to be sure) but the additional ability to swap in say a 0.2mm nozzle to get even better quality is insane.
Well you're going the path I did...! There's no noticeable difference in quality as you say, but the quick change is huge. The other factor is that it'd double your print output speed, which is always a big attraction for me!!
@@handsonkatie The big downside is for some inexplicable reason, Bambu Lab made did not maintain AMS compatibility, so you can't use the full AMS on the A1. That means my investment in AMS units is completely useless on the A1, and I'd either be stuck with one filament or have to reinvest in new dedicated AMS units all over again just for the A1, which I am NOT doing. That's just insane.
Sweet holy cow! Can you make it play the Imperial March next time?
I can make it play anything super easy!! Make a list folks and I'll do a mini short of your favourites!! (And I'll have to get the sheet music so I can play along! 🤣🤣)
@@handsonkatie Well, looks like you've already got item #1
Oh, maybe add Korsakov's "Flight of the bumblebee" (hope you like challenges ;-)
@@nashaut7635 🤣🤣 love it!!
I really want to buy an A1 but I can't imagine living in a world where I can't get basic spaghetti detection. Is there a workaround or add on available?
I believe it's coming in future firmware updates and you can already use a third party approach, eg forum.bambulab.com/t/psa-spagetti-detection-working-flawlessly-via-octoprint/59286
But I have to say, they're so reliable it's hard to think of occasions when I've used it that it'd saved me!
How's the home assistant integration?
It's great!! Use it every day!
3D printers as always seemed as a bit of a after market upgrade hobby, started by 5h3 ender 3 and others including X1C and the PS1, but I've not seem much for the A1 mini, which suprises me. Time for a follow up video on upgrades to fill in those occasional grey areas between gardener, craft and workshop personalities. BTH, I like the idea of the A1 but will always want some type of storage box, which says to me i should run it within an enclosure. Got any insights on an A2 mini...
I think the aftermarket scene was a sign of potential for improvement. There's not a huge amount for any of the Bambu Lab printers - mainly as it's quite hard to point to obvious flaws! You can get screens for the P1S, replacement e3d nozzles and the like...so you definitely can if you want....but can't say I've seen the need!
A2 Mini - I'd guess for a Bambu XL printer this year and also a start of a refresh. If they follow the same pattern they'd start with the X2C, then the P2S and then the A2, but who knows!!
wish Babmbu made a simple cheap one with at least one size at 400mm so I can print some ideas for organizing my tools closet, 256x256x256 just doesn't cut it as I am not interested in printing D&D figurines like others ;o]]
was looking at elegoo neptune 4 max as my first printer but after some research about it's issues I decided to not get it
I've organised my whole workshop using ones this size, I'll show that in future, but it's definitely possible. Anything larger, you can split very easily in the slicer.
i am wanting to purchase some interlinked zigbee smoke alarms can you recommend any
Hmm, I've got Nest ones which have worked well for years, but there may be better/newer ones now!!
@@handsonkatie diolch yn fawr iawn.... can you recommend any links etc for learning welsh
Ooh good question, I'll have to think about that - I know Duolingo does a course for example, but probably not the best person as I learnt it growing up!