I can recommend the Elegoo Centauri Carbon, a CoreXY and enclosed 3D printer that is raved on by reviews. If you will only print PLA, PETG, and maybe some ABS with a bit of tinkering with settings, it’s a nice option. It won’t be as good for engineering-type filaments, and it doesn’t have a multi-material unit (yet, but don’t buy things based on promises!)
The Qidi Q2 is an upgraded version of the Q1 Pro, the latter having been noted as an exceptional value. The Q2 is relatively new and doesn’t have too many reviews, but from the specs, it is a big jump from the Q1 Pro (it has a heated chamber, for example). The Q2 is also compatible with their “Qidi Box” multi-material unit, which could be something you are looking for given that you want multi-colour prints!
And of course, if you want the most reliable machine with the best customer service, you have Prusa’s Core One. It’s expensive, but you’re supporting a company that emphasises upgradeability and manufactures their hardware in Europe. It won’t be the best value though purely based on feature set, but if you like what Prusa stands for, that could be of value to you!
*correction, Elegoo does now sell the “Canvas” as an add-on for the Centauri Carbon. It looks like it has, as of writing this edit, sold out, so it is certainly very popular!
You can also get the Centauri Carbon 2 Combo, which includes the Canvas out of the box and has a very big hat to cover the tubes. Haven’t looked into it too much, so I’m not sure if there are any other changes.
Just as an update, Elegoo did finally release their multi material solution (canvas). I was ready to get my first printer a few months back but decided to wait for this and also to see what the reviews would be like for the Snapmaker U1 with its multiple heads that can do multi-material with much less waste.
All this stuff isn’t so fresh in my head anymore and I need to look into all this again but just wanted to point out Elegoo did release the solution now.
One more thing, looks like they also have a Centauri Carbon 2 Combo (which includes the Canvas) that can be ordered on their website. It has a funny hat to cover the long tubes!
Yeah I’m not gonna lie the way they designed this cooled me off the Elegoo a bit, if just because it looks a bit silly haha. But it’s still great, my step dad has the CC1 and all his prints are great. I’m more interested in making practical parts (for filmmaking) so really I don’t care that much about multi colour but I’m more interested in multi-material (for example so supports can be a different, cheaper filament) and QoL like auto-spool change, and I would still want a multi-colour here and there to make stuff for my kid.
It’s time I look at the whole current landscape again and see if it’s time to plunge ;p
The hat is very funny. I wonder if there will be 3D printable mods that use all that empty space for something (that said, in the 3D printing world, mods for the printers are ubiquitous and I wouldn’t be surprised if that is already in the works somewhere)
Oh, I didn’t know that! That’s pretty cool. It’s on pre-order right now, so it’s not properly released just yet, but it’s quite close to it! It also looks quite unique, being very tiny without an enclosure or a dedicated spool holder. Perhaps this will make it more reliable (like how the AMS Lite was reported to be more reliable than the enclosed AMS)
I think it went on sale and sold out immediately so back to “pre-order” and indeed also the CC2 is there. And good point about the reliability, but then I guess I need to get a filament dryer separately.
I can recommend the Elegoo Centauri Carbon, a CoreXY and enclosed 3D printer that is raved on by reviews. If you will only print PLA, PETG, and maybe some ABS with a bit of tinkering with settings, it’s a nice option. It won’t be as good for engineering-type filaments, and
it doesn’t have a multi-material unit (yet, but don’t buy things based on promises!)The Qidi Q2 is an upgraded version of the Q1 Pro, the latter having been noted as an exceptional value. The Q2 is relatively new and doesn’t have too many reviews, but from the specs, it is a big jump from the Q1 Pro (it has a heated chamber, for example). The Q2 is also compatible with their “Qidi Box” multi-material unit, which could be something you are looking for given that you want multi-colour prints!
And of course, if you want the most reliable machine with the best customer service, you have Prusa’s Core One. It’s expensive, but you’re supporting a company that emphasises upgradeability and manufactures their hardware in Europe. It won’t be the best value though purely based on feature set, but if you like what Prusa stands for, that could be of value to you!
*correction, Elegoo does now sell the “Canvas” as an add-on for the Centauri Carbon. It looks like it has, as of writing this edit, sold out, so it is certainly very popular!
You can also get the Centauri Carbon 2 Combo, which includes the Canvas out of the box and has a very big hat to cover the tubes. Haven’t looked into it too much, so I’m not sure if there are any other changes.
Just as an update, Elegoo did finally release their multi material solution (canvas). I was ready to get my first printer a few months back but decided to wait for this and also to see what the reviews would be like for the Snapmaker U1 with its multiple heads that can do multi-material with much less waste.
All this stuff isn’t so fresh in my head anymore and I need to look into all this again but just wanted to point out Elegoo did release the solution now.
One more thing, looks like they also have a Centauri Carbon 2 Combo (which includes the Canvas) that can be ordered on their website. It has a funny hat to cover the long tubes!
Yeah I’m not gonna lie the way they designed this cooled me off the Elegoo a bit, if just because it looks a bit silly haha. But it’s still great, my step dad has the CC1 and all his prints are great. I’m more interested in making practical parts (for filmmaking) so really I don’t care that much about multi colour but I’m more interested in multi-material (for example so supports can be a different, cheaper filament) and QoL like auto-spool change, and I would still want a multi-colour here and there to make stuff for my kid.
It’s time I look at the whole current landscape again and see if it’s time to plunge ;p
The hat is very funny. I wonder if there will be 3D printable mods that use all that empty space for something (that said, in the 3D printing world, mods for the printers are ubiquitous and I wouldn’t be surprised if that is already in the works somewhere)
Oh, I didn’t know that! That’s pretty cool. It’s on pre-order right now, so it’s not properly released just yet, but it’s quite close to it! It also looks quite unique, being very tiny without an enclosure or a dedicated spool holder. Perhaps this will make it more reliable (like how the AMS Lite was reported to be more reliable than the enclosed AMS)
I think it went on sale and sold out immediately so back to “pre-order” and indeed also the CC2 is there. And good point about the reliability, but then I guess I need to get a filament dryer separately.
Ahh OK that makes sense. So it’s pre-ordering for the next batch, I see.