It's probably not something I would buy for myself, but I'm really happy there are finally some printers available that I feel comfortable recommending to new users. It's definitely a good time to get into 3d printing. If you like to scratch build, mod and tinker, there are plenty of options available. If you want something big to build props for cosplay or practical prints, there are options for that. If you just want an appliance that prints the stuff you want to print, we've got that now too.
@Teaching Tech - Just a heads up. You put the scrapper thumb rest on the wrong side, that's why it didn't seem to fit. Turn it 180 and move it to the other side with the screws entering from the face with the text (Blade Side). It's actually a really good scraper and has replace all my old ones. The logo is face down and the rounded edge should be pressed onto the bed when used. This sets the perfect angle for the cutting edge of the blade and prevents the blade from digging into the bed.
Thank you for showing loading filament without the ams. Don’t think I’ve seen another review that has done that. Your thoroughness is very much appreciated.
@@YourLordMobius With extreme ease of use and multi material. Not common at all. You cannot deny Bambu is out engineering everyone and delivering extreme value.
@@MrWizard65 i could buy a cheap ender3pro (used $100), throw $200 of upgrades on it, buy a pallet2, and have the exact same if not better machine. No they are not out engineering anyone. They are taking preexisting tech and software and just packaging it in a convenient package. That is what all of their machines are.
I'd say this is a printer also suitable for those who are tired of fiddling about with their printer and just want to print something without having to sort all the various issues,. People like me. I'm still using my E3P and while it's a good printer, tweaking it for my R2 build is tiresome, to the point where I no longer care about layer lines and will deal with them in post. A printer like this at this price point ( we can't all buy Bambu's best) would bring back a lot of the joy I expected from such a project. It can't print the larger pieces,, but there are tons of smaller bits that this would make short work of while the E3P does the large grunt work. Plus, R2's wheels are TPU, which I have been avoiding like the plague (some of us still do that) because of the potential issues. But this little gem would clearly not even hiccup and deliver quality parts.
As always, a clear, concise, and unbiased view of this printer. Thanks for that. I've built two prusa printers and within two weeks of my first X1C I gave them both away. It's a complete new paradigm in 3D printing and I've been doing it since the first 3D systems Cubify over 11 years ago. As an industrial designer, I only want a 3D printer to help realize my designs. I'm not interested in learning how to fix a warped input shaper sensor or replace the accelerometer-- just as I'm not interested in having to figure out how to repair my car or refrigerator. Probably like you, I'm only interested in the best product that works for my requirements. I don't care about brand loyalty or fanboyism and I think that competition between these companies is good for the consumer and for me in particular. Thanks again for sharing.
Same. I can estimate the price for each component and I know that Bambu did so much work on their enginerring and design. I really appreciate a good product, in comparison, I feel that Prusa focuses a lot on quality control, but offering an old product with a high price tag. No one seems to have a problem with that which is a bit odd
From an industrial designer this standpoint is understandable. Even most mechanical engineers often don't think about the production method and it's boundaries. They just want the finished product. But from a students perspective or even the DIY community it's a concerning direction with another closed ecosystem. The trend for private consumers goes to DIY, the right to repair (so the opposite direction) and producing less waste - in which the AMS or the poop shoot system is not good. Bambu Lab could end like Makerbot or even Vanmoof. Let's hope it's not going that way! At the end Bambu Lab is "yet another" printer manufacturer on the market with own pro and cons. - The only winning till now is the competition. But it's not a "complete new paradigm in 3D printing"! Ready to use printers like Ultimaker, Snapmaker or Stratasys have been around some time - especially for product designers! Bambu Lab is just another competitor in the consumer space that lowered the entry point for fast "core XY Klipper" FDM printers, which is an achievement, yes. But not a new paradigm, especially not from an industrial standpoint, because professional machines in the industry still are on another level.
@@hassosigbjoernson5738 you say tomato, I say potato :-) There are certainly many new *inventions* (patentable) that Bambu Lab has created, of which most ***have not been seen before*** in this space. LIDAR is one of them. Their AMS unit is incredibly reliable as compared to previous attempts at mass market units-- and it uses a very different system as well. You have a right to want to keep on tweaking your 1966 VW with it's modular engine you can swap out in 30 minutes-- but there are many of us who prefer our newer generation vehicles which ALSO have IP and require someone much more adept to fix our vehicle. Even *if* we wanted to, and *could,* many of us *wouldn't*. BTW, you do know you can adjust how much filament is wasted on color changes, right? You can even choose to get rid of the purge tower completely and use infill instead. And, FWIW, have you ever seen how much plastic is wasted in injection molding? Sprues, gates, flash, bad runs, etc.. Some, but not all of it is reclaimable.
That attachment method for the nozzle looks amazing. I look forward to all the other brands ripping it off. Seems like a feature that we should have had years ago.
Not really an advance over the Flashforge Adventurers. Probably not that popular because you buy a nozzle for a few cents or a replacement head for $$$$.
@@petercallison5765flashforge parts are running around $10-15. Thats not an obscene amount of cash for a fully integrated hotend that is literally push until it clicks into place. No messing with thermal cement or tiny wires. If people still buy inkjet ink cartridges at $30+ a pop, they'll buy nozzles at half that.
This printer looks great and the price is right. I could easily see buying this for my niece for Christmas. Not a huge cost and I can be confident it won’t be a frustration machine.
Man, I do feel a bit bad for Prusa. I totally understand why they’re so expensive relative to competition, and felt like the prices were fair for what goes into them. BUT…. it’s so hard to justify spending that much on principle alone. Prusa need to find some more solid value propositions to not completely lose this market. Bambu have done something amazing for the 3D printer market, and I hope it inspires more competition.
If you look at my video when I bought a Mini, it was not good out of the box. This has been a breeze by comparison. I've still got a 5 tool XL preorder because that will be a printer that does stuff none of my others can. I agree with your sentiment.
Hi BRUXXUS! I feel bad for Prusa too. I have felt like I should support them because of what they've done in the past for the community, the hobby, and open source. There are things they could do to reduce the cost of their printers. Buying a mini on eBay is around $300. AND they did release their new input shaping firmware just in time for this release. In entrepreneurship, they teach that it is not a good position to be chasing features from other companies. iPhone was plagued with that for a couple of years after Steve Jobs. Now they are back on top. Maybe Prusa will figure it out too. I wish I could afford a prusa xl. That looks fun!!
Yer, but lets face it, Prusa have got away with selling people printers that cost well over a grand that still use 3D printed parts (i.e. lack of injection molding) and have an old fashioned looking design. Most of their models used an incredibly basic screen that costs just a few quid to buy and most of their new models were pretty much the same as the old models with an upgraded off the shelf hot end. Prusa's models worked so well because of the insane time they spent perfecting the profiles (unlike Creality) more than anything else. It's about time they reduced their prices. With Bambu being such a huge competitor they may have no choice but to do that.
@@andyspoo2 No doubt that their pricing just doesn't make sense anymore, but that higher price is going to workers that, I assume, are paid a living wage in a country where cost of living is way higher than in China. I do agree that it may be time for them to optimize some parts of manufacturing, like not using 3D printed parts anymore. Since the overall design has remained the same, I imagine they could have injection molded parts made that could be used for a few more generations of printers.
I have a B1, a K1 and I think saving up for an A1 that would allow fast and easy access to Multi-Colour printing is definitely an option for my collection. Plus, having a printer that would be easy enough for my Wife and Daughter to use straight from a phone app seems like a huge plus.
You know just like everybody else I wanted something more from bambu labs. For the more advanced Market, but putting that aside if I was just getting into 3D printing the ability to have a printer that is lightning fast super easy-to-use and can make multicolor prints for under $500 well I would say that is a homerun for bambu labs.
If something like this was available when I first got into 3d printing 2 years ago (I got a generic anycubic bed slinger so had to deal with all the usual headaches ) I would probably have no major reason to buy the P1P since this A1 mini would have probably met 90% of my needs. Not to say that I don't love my P1P but I am being honest based on my actual printing needs. So this is good news anyone who wants to get started in 3D printing and doesn't want to shell out more than necessary to have speed, quality and mostly hassle-free printing.
I’ve been watching your videos for months now - learning onshape and deciding if I want a printer. I’m time poor, and as such was looking at a printer that just works - and was looking at the P1S - but now this is out it has me thinking. I don’t want to print fancy stuff - most of my prints will be functional - brackets, holders, with little detail. Colour would be nice, but probably not necessary. I now have an even more difficult choice :-)
I have to admit that I am somewhat jealous of this product, because although it is a beginner 3D printer it has few features that I wish my P1P had too: 1) The ability to quickly swap nozzles. I haven't either bother using the 0.6 nozzle that I bought with my P1P because of the hassle (especially the wires even with a full hotend swap). I really hope Bambulab tries to port this functionality as an upgrade to existing P1 / X1 series. 2) The fact that A1 AMS doesn't have to retract all the way for a filament swap is a time-saver compared to the existing P1/X1 AMS solution and also avoids host of wear and tear issues. I doubt existing P1/X1 print heads can be converted/changed to use such solution but maybe for future printers.
Not only are your videos super informative. As a Brazilian guy, Iit bring me great joy to see your love for Senna. You have some of the coolest shirts. Love the videos.
Great video as always. Well thought out etc. Only complaint was the PETG mention. I almost exclusively print PETG on a textured PEI sheet without any issues. I use a heated build plate at 60C and always need to wipe the plate before use to ensure proper bed adhesion. :)
@@LilApethe sale volume proves otherwise, also keep up with Prusa? Like still using 3D printed parts on their printers you mean? You fanboys are so cute.
@@Thekidisalright Prusa sells more printers today than they did before bambu lab. Bambu lab didn't even even put a dent or make a mark in prusas sells. Silly bambu shill.
See I like the Opensource movement but it has a big "Head in butt" problem, Everyone says bamboo just stole features the Open source community made. Well that may be true but they took your mess that requires a degree to use and made it available for the every man, so I have to give them props for that.
Just received mine and, man 3D printers have come a long way since the Ender3 (which i might add was a great leap forward in it's own right) I'm loving the A1 mini, it just works straight out of the box!
Good video Michael. A bit smaller than I thought it was going to be, however, this look like a real plug and play appliance like printer. Given the performance I'd say well done Bambu labs. Please release a bigger version 🙂
Great video. Fine tuning my old relaibles and printing with them while I am saving my money up for when all of these innovations are combined into my ideal printer(s) and I do a "forklift upgrade" of my 3D printer collection. Hats off to Bambu for all of their innovations especially for AMS which is still klunky but a lot further than ever before.
I started 3D printing in 2010 in my 50s with a Mendel and now mostly use Ultimaker, CR and FLSUN, dependent on task. As I get older, and my print requirements are fewer and smaller I might get something like this as I'm doing more two colour prints these days, mostly making signs.
I think it's great! I've been a longtime channel viewer, but I'm partially paralyzed and haven't been able to join in the fun. The A1 mini will allow me to join the movement. I also believe that Prusa printers are way overpriced (i.e., the Sovol SV06), so competition may well cause Prusa and other companies to toe the line and produce newer and more advanced printers at better prices. If they don't, Bambu Labs will control the market and take their market share as well. Thanks for the honest review, but I didn't see anything here or on other channels to dissuade me from buying one. I plan on preordering next week...
I just picked one up as my second printer. My first was the Anycubic kobra 2 neo, and it’s nice enough. But it was nice enough to let me know I wanted something better
Man, Bambu Lab is going hard on these reviews. First CNC Kitchen, then Uncle Jessy, then you, YT is recommending other channels xD They are indeed in full force.
I like the way the multicolour is done with four bowden tubes to the extruder and the way it switches to the next colour. You have to place a box under that filament poop however. This option makes multicolour printing much more affordable.
The flinging poop sideways could probably be fixed with a printed piece that directs the poop straight down, similar to some mods for their other printers, so you wouldn’t need a box to cover the huge possible area for the poops to be flung.
With all the filament wasted with every multicolor print I don't know if this is really useful for several prints. When an IDEX printer (like the Sovol SV04) is producing much less waste with two colors - there has to be a development to make a step further. - Without the need to waste more filament in some instances than the actual model you printing.
@@hassosigbjoernson5738 The filament waste is certainly a thing, but for hobby use it is a nice way to make multicolor print affordable. If you don't mix colours on the same layer to often, you can reduce the filament waste a bit. For people who plan to do multicolour prints on a regularly base (like me), a multi head printer has it's advantages. These don't only wast so much filament, they are al lot quicker too. These multi-tool printers are not cheap though.
After circling around 3D printing for a couple of years not the A1 mini being in sale for 200€ finally pushed me over the edge. Actually it was more that I needed something, that would cost me somewhere between 70-100€, that can be printed for a few Euros in a few hours. For my small, practical projects I think this will be a great tool to add to my arsenal! I'm looking forward to my first 3D printing experiences.
Great design for entry level or my my case kids, i have had a p1p, then upgraded to a p1s, will now be looking to buy this for my son as he has more items in the print queue then i do at the moment, this will be an awesome machine for his needs and learning
Not sure if it is part of the music, but there is a bit of a background whine in the audio at about the 19:27 mark I thought you might want to know about if you hadn't noticed already.
Actually, while the spring loaded input can detect filament jam, this is just a side effect.Inside is a magnet and a hall effect sensor. So the printer always know the position of the input. If the input compresses the spring, this is detected and the AMS-Feeder is told to speed up. If its released, the AMS-feeder is told to slow down. Actually it's the same as the "Filament-Buffer" on the other AMS. The name "filament buffer" is quite an understatement , as it realy is a "Feeder Syncronizer" to synchronize the AMS-Feeder to the feeder in the printhead. Of course, if the spring is fully compressed, this means the AMS-Feeder can not keep up with the extruders demand. As the AMS-Feeder is dimensioned to fullfill every reasonable request of the extruder, this can only happen, if the filament is jammed (or the extruder has gone crazy). But this information is just a nice side effect, not the main functiion of this feeder-synchronizer.
For the Death Star lamp: Why didn't you use PET-G as interface layer for support? In my opinion, while printing multicolour is nice, the real benifit of an AMS is to do easy to remove support.
I was wondering what that empty disc at the bottom of the toolhead was for as it is a part of the vestigial tooling in the production version. The clear preproduction version reveals the answer. How cool.
I'm not a beginner, but to get into multi color printing it seems like a no brainer. Most of what I print are small models, so I think the bed size will be fine (I have an ender v2, v3 ke, and a 3 max so I have other options) and I wasn't looking to spend the extra on the a1 or the x1. It's supposed to arrive next week and I can't wait to get started
Competition has gotten better on *all* fronts. For A1 Mini, without AMS, Ender 3 V3 SE (Marlin IS), KE (?) and Anycubic Kobra 2 Pro (Klipper) (add your favourite fast 2023 printer to the list) are worthy alternatives with larger print volume and no-fuzz setup (though not as featured). With AMS, there is nothing comparable, but IMO AMS/MMU is closer to multi-color than multi-material, like all systems using single nozzle. Big temperature difference between materials can cause problems. For true multi-material IDEX would be best choice, but price-matching Sovol SV04 would need improvement in firmware (Klipper or Snapmaker J1 -like Marlin) as well as in extruder (lighter, better, higher flow) sections to be a good choice. Though it has 6x print volume (single material).
Due to ongoing problem with my ender 5, I hardlynusentheir full build volume. Over 95% of my print are fit in this size. Sure will buy one when it is available. Too tired to found out whats go wrong on the printer especially i having print problem recently.
I wonder if you could print custom spool holders for the ams lite for different spool types. Maybe it would be possible to have one that holds 10kg spools and is supported by an extra stand.
Thank you for the super comprehensive video! This was the exact type or printer I was hoping Bambu would come out with as it is in my budget range unlike X1C or the others in their line-up for now. Your review reassured me that I made a good choice by pre-ordering! Would you or any others here who by any chance have some idea let me know the exact L x W x H measurements of the A1 with its spool attachment on (not the AMS Lite)? I am in the process of making a custom 3D enclosure for A1, and the specs on the product webpage are not clear which measurements refer to which dimensions. Thank you :)
Very well engineered printer. Now would someone finally make a large bed printer. Something like 12"x36" ish. Doesn't need to print more than say 10" tall. I want to make more functional stuff and they are still making printers focused towards printing figurines.
The CEO confirmed in an interview with CNCKitchen that the XL version is coming, they just didn't want to just 150% the X1C, but instead use the opportunity to make it a new printer and improve their ecosystem. Lots of waiting for now.
very impressive......thanks for the excellent review once again !!!! i heard the sounds are made by the steppers motors !!!! is this true !!! if so this is so sick !!
What concerns me and still no one addresses, it's the security side of software coming out of China with a seamless connection between Website, Mobile App, a Camera and access to the wifi.
You gotta get on the "Booger Flicker" bandwagon since we already got a poop chute for the X1/P1. Got a KP3S 2.0 and it's been great to use. Will get the mega combo to replace it when it comes available.
I have never used a 3D printer, and this sounds like a very good printer for beginners. This printer was recommended by someone as a better choice than the Toybox 3D printer. I am looking for something my preteens can use. Thoughts?
This is by far the most beginner friendly printer on the market. My preteen can use my Voron 0.1 after me setting up all the profiles in Cura and he's happily printing stuff. Also all this automated magic makes it real hard for a person to understand what it's doing. It just depends on what you're going for I guess.
Some reviewers have said the limited edition clear version seems to work better than the production version, which produces more failed prints (for some reason).
But how to define or paint the different colors in the object? The pink color of the nose, the green color of the eyes, the blond color of the hair, etc. .
NOW Dude lemme begin sayin I bought my P1P first printer of my stupid life and you're (Bambulabs are) making me regret the 400 bucks I spent over this one's price. Like if I had bought an X1 when my P1P came out, just like that. 😅 Jokes, I'm curious to see what they put out thanks for the content! You gave me a lot of info while I was lurking into printing past months!
Loved the closing comments about watching many reviews, ignoring the all-positive ones and build a consensus. It's always such a red flag when someone tries to put their view as being the definitive.
All these A1 Mini +AMS Lite videos showing piles of filament poop and big purge blocks have got me very annoyed with all this plastic waste. Bambu declares that they want everyone to start doing multi-color printing. Horrors! I’m going to try and fix that problem, if possible. I have an idea, a design, and materials on order. I might ask for your assistance in testing. First I need to see if my solution is viable. I’ll keep you posted!
I'd be very happy to help with testing your solution. I agree filame t waste is what's holding back multi material printing. That's why I still have a 5 tool Prusa XL on order.
Looks good. My only concern is will their customer service and support be the same for this, as for the X1. Where it is great at launch, but sucks 18 months later.
Those filament patches should be mendatory in all big brands. I just got my prusa and it took me a while to scroll through the internet to be sure I would like some of those pistachio green or chalk blue filament from prusament
The limited material compatibility of the A1 mini is undoubtedly a significant drawback, especially for those seeking versatility in their 3D printing endeavors.
if i did not already have a voron 3d printer i probably would have gotten a bambu x1c its a nice no fuss printer i like that they are making a cheaper but sill feature rich one for beginners and its basically set and forget, it took a while to get my voron that tuned lol
I just hope the existence of the many entails the existence of a regular size bedslinger model. Or if they could just sell the print head and the AMS that we could retrofit onto an ender would be great. I would gladly convert my ender 3 any cubic viper and voxelab Aquila to their extruder ams and motherboard
If a person does not own a smart phone "yes there are still some of us who do not" can the initial setup procedures be done? Like the firm ware update you mentioned.
I've been looking into this more. Setup wifi on the printer, don't sign in. Instead set it to lan only mode. Then you can add it in orcaslicer/ Bambu Studio. If you're at home, wireless print sending and monitoring, no app, no account.
Awesome review! As always, the test of any printer beyond quality is how easy is it to get the right settings for printing. Were you getting the quality of prints and ease of removal with support with stock settings? Or were you tweaking them off camera to get that good of quality?
I've already listed all the negatives, major and minor, I have in mind about this printer in comments on first-look videos from other channels. There are a lot of them, mostly involving Bambu Lab's business practices and the omnipresent threat with all Bambu printers that a future firmware update will lock users into only being able to use Bambu-branded filaments, but I don't need to list them in full a third time over here. Suffice to say, I'll never buy one or recommend one to my friends or coworkers. I will say that for the people this printer is marketed to - people who aren't already 3D printing enthusiasts - that "mystery box" thing is a brilliant idea. One of the things that held me back from buying a 3D printer initially was that I didn't know what I would make with it. Including a little project with each printer shows how easy it is to go from 3D model to printed parts to a finished project. Sure, we have Thingiverse, Printables, Cults, and some other good file repositories out there, but there can be some information overload for a new person browsing those sites and just printing a Benchy or the Creality cat or whatever that comes with the printer and gets thrown in the trash doesn't really help anyone.
I've had the Anet A8 for about 7 years now, with periods of more and less usage. It finally gave up on me (just shut down mid-print) and I have looked for an upgrade even before that. The A1 mini seems like a great option as all my prints to date have been relatively small, thus a small build plate is not a problem. Could someone explain to me why it would be a good "beginner printer"? Why would it not suit users like me who have experience since before?
It's probably not something I would buy for myself, but I'm really happy there are finally some printers available that I feel comfortable recommending to new users. It's definitely a good time to get into 3d printing. If you like to scratch build, mod and tinker, there are plenty of options available. If you want something big to build props for cosplay or practical prints, there are options for that. If you just want an appliance that prints the stuff you want to print, we've got that now too.
Same feeling here.
😮I 😅😮😮 12:09
@Teaching Tech - Just a heads up. You put the scrapper thumb rest on the wrong side, that's why it didn't seem to fit. Turn it 180 and move it to the other side with the screws entering from the face with the text (Blade Side). It's actually a really good scraper and has replace all my old ones. The logo is face down and the rounded edge should be pressed onto the bed when used. This sets the perfect angle for the cutting edge of the blade and prevents the blade from digging into the bed.
th-cam.com/video/QN7ZH0Jxq-g/w-d-xo.html
I also had to scratch my head (not with the sharp blade) before i found out how it was supposed to be assembled!
Thanks for pointing that out nicely. I did stare at it for a while and still got it wrong :D
I did it wrong just in the same way and cutted some part off xD
Thx for the explanation ^^
Thank you for showing loading filament without the ams. Don’t think I’ve seen another review that has done that. Your thoroughness is very much appreciated.
Glad it helped. I try to rest as many use cases as I can.
Including that massive pile of color samples for their own filaments is brilliant marketing.
I hope they make them available for everyone.
I ordered one a week ago, and was so inspired by their color selection, I bought 6 different colors ahead of time. Definitely good marketing!
They are literally out engineering everyone. Very impressive.
For the low, low price of all your data.
Dude it's an i2 clone with a couple fancy software features, don't get overly excited.
@@YourLordMobiusso every cantilever Cartesian and CartesianXZ printers are clones of the i2 and i3 with “some fancy software features”?
@@YourLordMobius With extreme ease of use and multi material. Not common at all. You cannot deny Bambu is out engineering everyone and delivering extreme value.
@@MrWizard65 i could buy a cheap ender3pro (used $100), throw $200 of upgrades on it, buy a pallet2, and have the exact same if not better machine. No they are not out engineering anyone. They are taking preexisting tech and software and just packaging it in a convenient package. That is what all of their machines are.
I'd say this is a printer also suitable for those who are tired of fiddling about with their printer and just want to print something without having to sort all the various issues,. People like me. I'm still using my E3P and while it's a good printer, tweaking it for my R2 build is tiresome, to the point where I no longer care about layer lines and will deal with them in post. A printer like this at this price point ( we can't all buy Bambu's best) would bring back a lot of the joy I expected from such a project. It can't print the larger pieces,, but there are tons of smaller bits that this would make short work of while the E3P does the large grunt work. Plus, R2's wheels are TPU, which I have been avoiding like the plague (some of us still do that) because of the potential issues. But this little gem would clearly not even hiccup and deliver quality parts.
The 'just works' philosophy is appealing to many people.
As always, a clear, concise, and unbiased view of this printer. Thanks for that. I've built two prusa printers and within two weeks of my first X1C I gave them both away. It's a complete new paradigm in 3D printing and I've been doing it since the first 3D systems Cubify over 11 years ago. As an industrial designer, I only want a 3D printer to help realize my designs. I'm not interested in learning how to fix a warped input shaper sensor or replace the accelerometer-- just as I'm not interested in having to figure out how to repair my car or refrigerator.
Probably like you, I'm only interested in the best product that works for my requirements. I don't care about brand loyalty or fanboyism and I think that competition between these companies is good for the consumer and for me in particular. Thanks again for sharing.
Same. I can estimate the price for each component and I know that Bambu did so much work on their enginerring and design. I really appreciate a good product, in comparison, I feel that Prusa focuses a lot on quality control, but offering an old product with a high price tag. No one seems to have a problem with that which is a bit odd
From an industrial designer this standpoint is understandable. Even most mechanical engineers often don't think about the production method and it's boundaries. They just want the finished product.
But from a students perspective or even the DIY community it's a concerning direction with another closed ecosystem.
The trend for private consumers goes to DIY, the right to repair (so the opposite direction) and producing less waste - in which the AMS or the poop shoot system is not good.
Bambu Lab could end like Makerbot or even Vanmoof. Let's hope it's not going that way!
At the end Bambu Lab is "yet another" printer manufacturer on the market with own pro and cons. - The only winning till now is the competition.
But it's not a "complete new paradigm in 3D printing"! Ready to use printers like Ultimaker, Snapmaker or Stratasys have been around some time - especially for product designers!
Bambu Lab is just another competitor in the consumer space that lowered the entry point for fast "core XY Klipper" FDM printers, which is an achievement, yes. But not a new paradigm, especially not from an industrial standpoint, because professional machines in the industry still are on another level.
@@hassosigbjoernson5738 you say tomato, I say potato :-) There are certainly many new *inventions* (patentable) that Bambu Lab has created, of which most ***have not been seen before*** in this space. LIDAR is one of them. Their AMS unit is incredibly reliable as compared to previous attempts at mass market units-- and it uses a very different system as well. You have a right to want to keep on tweaking your 1966 VW with it's modular engine you can swap out in 30 minutes-- but there are many of us who prefer our newer generation vehicles which ALSO have IP and require someone much more adept to fix our vehicle. Even *if* we wanted to, and *could,* many of us *wouldn't*.
BTW, you do know you can adjust how much filament is wasted on color changes, right? You can even choose to get rid of the purge tower completely and use infill instead. And, FWIW, have you ever seen how much plastic is wasted in injection molding? Sprues, gates, flash, bad runs, etc.. Some, but not all of it is reclaimable.
Do you work for Bambu Labs by any chance?
@@hassosigbjoernson5738 What do the professional machines do that these hobby machines can't? Why are they so much more expensive?
That attachment method for the nozzle looks amazing. I look forward to all the other brands ripping it off. Seems like a feature that we should have had years ago.
I was quite impressed the first time I changed it. Getting the sock back in is the only hard part.
Not really an advance over the Flashforge Adventurers. Probably not that popular because you buy a nozzle for a few cents or a replacement head for $$$$.
@@petercallison5765flashforge parts are running around $10-15. Thats not an obscene amount of cash for a fully integrated hotend that is literally push until it clicks into place. No messing with thermal cement or tiny wires.
If people still buy inkjet ink cartridges at $30+ a pop, they'll buy nozzles at half that.
This printer looks great and the price is right. I could easily see buying this for my niece for Christmas. Not a huge cost and I can be confident it won’t be a frustration machine.
Thanks for the recognition on the remix. I had the same issue with warping on that part
This is such a no fuss mini printing powerhouse, I’m all for it!
Man, I do feel a bit bad for Prusa. I totally understand why they’re so expensive relative to competition, and felt like the prices were fair for what goes into them. BUT…. it’s so hard to justify spending that much on principle alone.
Prusa need to find some more solid value propositions to not completely lose this market.
Bambu have done something amazing for the 3D printer market, and I hope it inspires more competition.
If you look at my video when I bought a Mini, it was not good out of the box. This has been a breeze by comparison. I've still got a 5 tool XL preorder because that will be a printer that does stuff none of my others can. I agree with your sentiment.
Prusa isn’t trying to harvest and sell your data and prints.
Hi BRUXXUS! I feel bad for Prusa too. I have felt like I should support them because of what they've done in the past for the community, the hobby, and open source. There are things they could do to reduce the cost of their printers.
Buying a mini on eBay is around $300. AND they did release their new input shaping firmware just in time for this release. In entrepreneurship, they teach that it is not a good position to be chasing features from other companies. iPhone was plagued with that for a couple of years after Steve Jobs. Now they are back on top. Maybe Prusa will figure it out too.
I wish I could afford a prusa xl. That looks fun!!
Yer, but lets face it, Prusa have got away with selling people printers that cost well over a grand that still use 3D printed parts (i.e. lack of injection molding) and have an old fashioned looking design. Most of their models used an incredibly basic screen that costs just a few quid to buy and most of their new models were pretty much the same as the old models with an upgraded off the shelf hot end. Prusa's models worked so well because of the insane time they spent perfecting the profiles (unlike Creality) more than anything else. It's about time they reduced their prices. With Bambu being such a huge competitor they may have no choice but to do that.
@@andyspoo2 No doubt that their pricing just doesn't make sense anymore, but that higher price is going to workers that, I assume, are paid a living wage in a country where cost of living is way higher than in China. I do agree that it may be time for them to optimize some parts of manufacturing, like not using 3D printed parts anymore. Since the overall design has remained the same, I imagine they could have injection molded parts made that could be used for a few more generations of printers.
I have a B1, a K1 and I think saving up for an A1 that would allow fast and easy access to Multi-Colour printing is definitely an option for my collection. Plus, having a printer that would be easy enough for my Wife and Daughter to use straight from a phone app seems like a huge plus.
You know just like everybody else I wanted something more from bambu labs. For the more advanced Market, but putting that aside if I was just getting into 3D printing the ability to have a printer that is lightning fast super easy-to-use and can make multicolor prints for under $500 well I would say that is a homerun for bambu labs.
There are some nice technology steps on this printer that will make there way to whatever is next at least.
If something like this was available when I first got into 3d printing 2 years ago (I got a generic anycubic bed slinger so had to deal with all the usual headaches ) I would probably have no major reason to buy the P1P since this A1 mini would have probably met 90% of my needs. Not to say that I don't love my P1P but I am being honest based on my actual printing needs. So this is good news anyone who wants to get started in 3D printing and doesn't want to shell out more than necessary to have speed, quality and mostly hassle-free printing.
Not only because the price is good, its quality is the best!!!! and they are always improving their products
THE youtuber I was looking forward to hear about the A1!! Thanks Michael!
Fantastic review, Michael! Thanks a bunch! 😃
Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊
I’ve been watching your videos for months now - learning onshape and deciding if I want a printer. I’m time poor, and as such was looking at a printer that just works - and was looking at the P1S - but now this is out it has me thinking. I don’t want to print fancy stuff - most of my prints will be functional - brackets, holders, with little detail. Colour would be nice, but probably not necessary. I now have an even more difficult choice :-)
I have to admit that I am somewhat jealous of this product, because although it is a beginner 3D printer it has few features that I wish my P1P had too:
1) The ability to quickly swap nozzles. I haven't either bother using the 0.6 nozzle that I bought with my P1P because of the hassle (especially the wires even with a full hotend swap). I really hope Bambulab tries to port this functionality as an upgrade to existing P1 / X1 series.
2) The fact that A1 AMS doesn't have to retract all the way for a filament swap is a time-saver compared to the existing P1/X1 AMS solution and also avoids host of wear and tear issues. I doubt existing P1/X1 print heads can be converted/changed to use such solution but maybe for future printers.
Add 3rd element, the touch screen is a welcome update for it's price while the P1P or even the p1s lacks it
Not only are your videos super informative. As a Brazilian guy, Iit bring me great joy to see your love for Senna. You have some of the coolest shirts. Love the videos.
Man 3d printing tech is getting so much better. I wish I had the room for this system lololo
Great video as always. Well thought out etc. Only complaint was the PETG mention. I almost exclusively print PETG on a textured PEI sheet without any issues. I use a heated build plate at 60C and always need to wipe the plate before use to ensure proper bed adhesion. :)
Me too, on the Prusa MK3 and then the Bambu P1P. This is the first time I've had any trouble at all.
Bambu labs did a great job, I do hope prusa can keep up.. competition is great
They're all trying to keep up with prusa.
@@LilApethe sale volume proves otherwise, also keep up with Prusa? Like still using 3D printed parts on their printers you mean? You fanboys are so cute.
@@Thekidisalright Prusa sells more printers today than they did before bambu lab. Bambu lab didn't even even put a dent or make a mark in prusas sells.
Silly bambu shill.
See I like the Opensource movement but it has a big "Head in butt" problem, Everyone says bamboo just stole features the Open source community made. Well that may be true but they took your mess that requires a degree to use and made it available for the every man, so I have to give them props for that.
Just received mine and, man 3D printers have come a long way since the Ender3 (which i might add was a great leap forward in it's own right) I'm loving the A1 mini, it just works straight out of the box!
I'm glag you liked my model :)
Thanks for the video
Good video Michael. A bit smaller than I thought it was going to be, however, this look like a real plug and play appliance like printer.
Given the performance I'd say well done Bambu labs. Please release a bigger version 🙂
One of the best 3d printers I have ever had
Great video. Fine tuning my old relaibles and printing with them while I am saving my money up for when all of these innovations are combined into my ideal printer(s) and I do a "forklift upgrade" of my 3D printer collection. Hats off to Bambu for all of their innovations especially for AMS which is still klunky but a lot further than ever before.
I started 3D printing in 2010 in my 50s with a Mendel and now mostly use Ultimaker, CR and FLSUN, dependent on task. As I get older, and my print requirements are fewer and smaller I might get something like this as I'm doing more two colour prints these days, mostly making signs.
The Sovol SV04 IDEX could be a good alternative for two colors - with less waste and a bigger build plate.
I think it's great! I've been a longtime channel viewer, but I'm partially paralyzed and haven't been able to join in the fun. The A1 mini will allow me to join the movement. I also believe that Prusa printers are way overpriced (i.e., the Sovol SV06), so competition may well cause Prusa and other companies to toe the line and produce newer and more advanced printers at better prices. If they don't, Bambu Labs will control the market and take their market share as well. Thanks for the honest review, but I didn't see anything here or on other channels to dissuade me from buying one. I plan on preordering next week...
I just picked one up as my second printer.
My first was the Anycubic kobra 2 neo, and it’s nice enough. But it was nice enough to let me know I wanted something better
Man, Bambu Lab is going hard on these reviews. First CNC Kitchen, then Uncle Jessy, then you, YT is recommending other channels xD They are indeed in full force.
A much better marketing strategy than Kickstarter I think.
I like the way the multicolour is done with four bowden tubes to the extruder and the way it switches to the next colour. You have to place a box under that filament poop however. This option makes multicolour printing much more affordable.
The flinging poop sideways could probably be fixed with a printed piece that directs the poop straight down, similar to some mods for their other printers, so you wouldn’t need a box to cover the huge possible area for the poops to be flung.
With all the filament wasted with every multicolor print I don't know if this is really useful for several prints.
When an IDEX printer (like the Sovol SV04) is producing much less waste with two colors - there has to be a development to make a step further. - Without the need to waste more filament in some instances than the actual model you printing.
@@hassosigbjoernson5738 The filament waste is certainly a thing, but for hobby use it is a nice way to make multicolor print affordable. If you don't mix colours on the same layer to often, you can reduce the filament waste a bit.
For people who plan to do multicolour prints on a regularly base (like me), a multi head printer has it's advantages. These don't only wast so much filament, they are al lot quicker too. These multi-tool printers are not cheap though.
After circling around 3D printing for a couple of years not the A1 mini being in sale for 200€ finally pushed me over the edge. Actually it was more that I needed something, that would cost me somewhere between 70-100€, that can be printed for a few Euros in a few hours. For my small, practical projects I think this will be a great tool to add to my arsenal! I'm looking forward to my first 3D printing experiences.
Great design for entry level or my my case kids, i have had a p1p, then upgraded to a p1s, will now be looking to buy this for my son as he has more items in the print queue then i do at the moment, this will be an awesome machine for his needs and learning
I agree, great printer for kids (and big kids).
@@TeachingTech haha this big kid already has his😉
Nice review. I appreciate tha balance
Good Job Michael. An honest review for an honest printer :)
Great review and looks like an awesome printer
The build volume, account activation, cloud tie up reminds me of my first 3d printer, Cetus mk2.
Not sure if it is part of the music, but there is a bit of a background whine in the audio at about the 19:27 mark I thought you might want to know about if you hadn't noticed already.
Great video as always
Thanks for sharing 🙂
Very impressed. I have the creality 3 v3 se which I'm super happy with, especially at half price, but this is great engineering!
Bambu Lab, the Apple of 3d printing.
Actually, while the spring loaded input can detect filament jam, this is just a side effect.Inside is a magnet and a hall effect sensor. So the printer always know the position of the input. If the input compresses the spring, this is detected and the AMS-Feeder is told to speed up. If its released, the AMS-feeder is told to slow down. Actually it's the same as the "Filament-Buffer" on the other AMS. The name "filament buffer" is quite an understatement , as it realy is a "Feeder Syncronizer" to synchronize the AMS-Feeder to the feeder in the printhead. Of course, if the spring is fully compressed, this means the AMS-Feeder can not keep up with the extruders demand. As the AMS-Feeder is dimensioned to fullfill every reasonable request of the extruder, this can only happen, if the filament is jammed (or the extruder has gone crazy).
But this information is just a nice side effect, not the main functiion of this feeder-synchronizer.
Oh man ... I want that mouse kit ... Cool AF
For the Death Star lamp: Why didn't you use PET-G as interface layer for support? In my opinion, while printing multicolour is nice, the real benifit of an AMS is to do easy to remove support.
Fair points. I guess the idea is to show the click and print easy option, as that is what a new user this printer is targetted at will do.
Great video Michael, I will share on my group and Socials.
Thanks Jerry.
The Bambu Labs A1 mini is an odd-looking printer, resembling oversized thread spools with a tiny build platform.
I was wondering what that empty disc at the bottom of the toolhead was for as it is a part of the vestigial tooling in the production version. The clear preproduction version reveals the answer. How cool.
I'm not a beginner, but to get into multi color printing it seems like a no brainer. Most of what I print are small models, so I think the bed size will be fine (I have an ender v2, v3 ke, and a 3 max so I have other options) and I wasn't looking to spend the extra on the a1 or the x1. It's supposed to arrive next week and I can't wait to get started
Thank you for the objective review.
Competition has gotten better on *all* fronts.
For A1 Mini, without AMS, Ender 3 V3 SE (Marlin IS), KE (?) and Anycubic Kobra 2 Pro (Klipper) (add your favourite fast 2023 printer to the list) are worthy alternatives with larger print volume and no-fuzz setup (though not as featured).
With AMS, there is nothing comparable, but IMO AMS/MMU is closer to multi-color than multi-material, like all systems using single nozzle. Big temperature difference between materials can cause problems.
For true multi-material IDEX would be best choice, but price-matching Sovol SV04 would need improvement in firmware (Klipper or Snapmaker J1 -like Marlin) as well as in extruder (lighter, better, higher flow) sections to be a good choice. Though it has 6x print volume (single material).
Due to ongoing problem with my ender 5, I hardlynusentheir full build volume. Over 95% of my print are fit in this size. Sure will buy one when it is available. Too tired to found out whats go wrong on the printer especially i having print problem recently.
I am probably gonna buy this thing instead of messing with an Ender or something just for it to work properly.
Their engineering team is flexing left and right on other printers.
Great review, impressive printer.
I wonder if you could print custom spool holders for the ams lite for different spool types. Maybe it would be possible to have one that holds 10kg spools and is supported by an extra stand.
Thank you for the super comprehensive video! This was the exact type or printer I was hoping Bambu would come out with as it is in my budget range unlike X1C or the others in their line-up for now. Your review reassured me that I made a good choice by pre-ordering!
Would you or any others here who by any chance have some idea let me know the exact L x W x H measurements of the A1 with its spool attachment on (not the AMS Lite)?
I am in the process of making a custom 3D enclosure for A1, and the specs on the product webpage are not clear which measurements refer to which dimensions.
Thank you :)
Very well engineered printer. Now would someone finally make a large bed printer. Something like 12"x36" ish. Doesn't need to print more than say 10" tall. I want to make more functional stuff and they are still making printers focused towards printing figurines.
What do you mean finally ?
There are already larger printers. Just not for beginners or low prices
The CEO confirmed in an interview with CNCKitchen that the XL version is coming, they just didn't want to just 150% the X1C, but instead use the opportunity to make it a new printer and improve their ecosystem. Lots of waiting for now.
Do a timed test on how long the A1 takes to switch colors compared to X1.
I just got the X1 as my first but I'd possibly get a A1 and take it to work.
RIP Prusa mini
very impressive......thanks for the excellent review once again !!!! i heard the sounds are made by the steppers motors !!!! is this true !!! if so this is so sick !!
I heard that too. No speaker built in. I didn't want to open the case to verify so didn't mention it in the video.
Yes it’s generated by the motor. Same with their DJI drone designs. They said it can play 3 tracks at the same time with the 3 motors.
Excellent review Michael
Cool..... always good info, cheers thanks 😃
Thanks for sharing~ Im new in this area.
What concerns me and still no one addresses, it's the security side of software coming out of China with a seamless connection between Website, Mobile App, a Camera and access to the wifi.
21:27 does that model print fine on a Prusa or voron etc? That thin bit that lifts would likely pop off on the others. Mouse ears probably only fix…
Good video. Thanks
You gotta get on the "Booger Flicker" bandwagon since we already got a poop chute for the X1/P1. Got a KP3S 2.0 and it's been great to use. Will get the mega combo to replace it when it comes available.
I have never used a 3D printer, and this sounds like a very good printer for beginners. This printer was recommended by someone as a better choice than the Toybox 3D printer. I am looking for something my preteens can use. Thoughts?
This is by far the most beginner friendly printer on the market. My preteen can use my Voron 0.1 after me setting up all the profiles in Cura and he's happily printing stuff. Also all this automated magic makes it real hard for a person to understand what it's doing. It just depends on what you're going for I guess.
Highly recommend the A1 or the A1 Mini to anyone.
Some reviewers have said the limited edition clear version seems to work better than the production version, which produces more failed prints (for some reason).
But how to define or paint the different colors in the object? The pink color of the nose, the green color of the eyes, the blond color of the hair, etc.
.
NOW Dude lemme begin sayin I bought my P1P first printer of my stupid life and you're (Bambulabs are) making me regret the 400 bucks I spent over this one's price. Like if I had bought an X1 when my P1P came out, just like that. 😅 Jokes, I'm curious to see what they put out thanks for the content! You gave me a lot of info while I was lurking into printing past months!
Is there any physical reason to not swap that top cap with an Ender 2 Pro style handle to create the perfect mobile printer? Obviously without ams.
I think this would be possible.
Impressive.
Loved the closing comments about watching many reviews, ignoring the all-positive ones and build a consensus.
It's always such a red flag when someone tries to put their view as being the definitive.
Have they stopped encrypting the massive logfiles sent when one asks for support?
Do we know what is actually leeched from the computer?
All these A1 Mini +AMS Lite videos showing piles of filament poop and big purge blocks have got me very annoyed with all this plastic waste. Bambu declares that they want everyone to start doing multi-color printing. Horrors! I’m going to try and fix that problem, if possible. I have an idea, a design, and materials on order. I might ask for your assistance in testing. First I need to see if my solution is viable. I’ll keep you posted!
I'd be very happy to help with testing your solution. I agree filame t waste is what's holding back multi material printing. That's why I still have a 5 tool Prusa XL on order.
Looks good. My only concern is will their customer service and support be the same for this, as for the X1. Where it is great at launch, but sucks 18 months later.
"Usual browsing activity" CHUCK!
Those filament patches should be mendatory in all big brands. I just got my prusa and it took me a while to scroll through the internet to be sure I would like some of those pistachio green or chalk blue filament from prusament
I'm almost convinced that I need to get rid of my single color Prusa machines and replace them with a few of these.
The A1 minis pricing may seem aggressive, but it falls short when you consider the competition.
The limited material compatibility of the A1 mini is undoubtedly a significant drawback, especially for those seeking versatility in their 3D printing endeavors.
Thanks for the info
if i did not already have a voron 3d printer i probably would have gotten a bambu x1c its a nice no fuss printer i like that they are making a cheaper but sill feature rich one for beginners and its basically set and forget, it took a while to get my voron that tuned lol
I wish the cheap AMS would be for sale and used for the X1.... it seems nice for pla... which is mostly what we print i guess
Would the AMS still work OK if it was wall mounted ?? Or would that cause issues?
I just hope the existence of the many entails the existence of a regular size bedslinger model. Or if they could just sell the print head and the AMS that we could retrofit onto an ender would be great. I would gladly convert my ender 3 any cubic viper and voxelab Aquila to their extruder ams and motherboard
I’ve ordered it just for the Bambu filament samples
Dang! That Bambu company is really pushing the boundaries. At $300 it seems like a no-brainer.
If a person does not own a smart phone "yes there are still some of us who do not" can the initial setup procedures be done? Like the firm ware update you mentioned.
The wifi setup is done without the app, and you can skip the app binding part. So I think yes.
Thank you. I have one on order so will find out once I get the printer.@@TeachingTech
I've been looking into this more. Setup wifi on the printer, don't sign in. Instead set it to lan only mode. Then you can add it in orcaslicer/ Bambu Studio. If you're at home, wireless print sending and monitoring, no app, no account.
Thank you. Once the printer arrives I will give it a try.@@TeachingTech
Do you recommend having a rubber tipped stylus for the touch pad controller? My fat workers' fingers always find these things troublesome.
The only time I found the screen small was setting up wifi with the onscreen keyboard. After that it's been ok.
Awesome review! As always, the test of any printer beyond quality is how easy is it to get the right settings for printing. Were you getting the quality of prints and ease of removal with support with stock settings? Or were you tweaking them off camera to get that good of quality?
Looks like I might get this when I get my neptune 4 pro returned
I've already listed all the negatives, major and minor, I have in mind about this printer in comments on first-look videos from other channels. There are a lot of them, mostly involving Bambu Lab's business practices and the omnipresent threat with all Bambu printers that a future firmware update will lock users into only being able to use Bambu-branded filaments, but I don't need to list them in full a third time over here. Suffice to say, I'll never buy one or recommend one to my friends or coworkers.
I will say that for the people this printer is marketed to - people who aren't already 3D printing enthusiasts - that "mystery box" thing is a brilliant idea. One of the things that held me back from buying a 3D printer initially was that I didn't know what I would make with it. Including a little project with each printer shows how easy it is to go from 3D model to printed parts to a finished project. Sure, we have Thingiverse, Printables, Cults, and some other good file repositories out there, but there can be some information overload for a new person browsing those sites and just printing a Benchy or the Creality cat or whatever that comes with the printer and gets thrown in the trash doesn't really help anyone.
I've had the Anet A8 for about 7 years now, with periods of more and less usage. It finally gave up on me (just shut down mid-print) and I have looked for an upgrade even before that. The A1 mini seems like a great option as all my prints to date have been relatively small, thus a small build plate is not a problem. Could someone explain to me why it would be a good "beginner printer"? Why would it not suit users like me who have experience since before?
"usual browsing activities"
*Looking at pictures of Chuck Norris*
Wow is this a rare glimpse of humor from teaching tech?
As a 3D printing newbie, Im interested in multi-color printing, but the A1 minis price is a deterrent.