Current 3D printer recommendations

[Northernboy]

My two 3D printers have been stuck at my place in the continent for a year, so I might want to get one to use here rather than just keep waiting.

They’re base models, an Anycubic Photon S and a Mega S, and given that I’ll get them back one day, I don’t want to replicate what I have.

Are there any newer very good budget models, or is there anything much better available if I jump up to £500-600?

It’s for fiddling around with, not for commercial, or heavy duty use. A hobby, really.

[Crafty_]

Ender3 v2 would fi the bill, I got mine from here https://technologyoutlet.co.uk/collections/crealit...

[Northernboy]

Crafty_ said:

Ender3 v2 would fi the bill, I got mine from here https://technologyoutlet.co.uk/collections/crealit...

Thanks.

Is the Anycubic that I already have not just another version of that though?

[Piersman2]

My lad recently bought one of these...

https://www.elegoo.com/collections/saturn-series

Been really impressed with the results, the detail on some of the tests pieces he's printed frankly amazed me from a 3D resin printer. He's desinged and printed out a few things, but like yourself he's mainly doing it as a hobby, he tried building his own a couple of years ago but never really got it going , this thing was just plug and play, and it looks really smart as well.

[Ambleton]

I must admit that I'm really happy with my Prusa i3mk3s. They are a bit more expensive again, but its taken some stick, very reliable.

I do keep wondering if the PrusaMini would be a nice little machine to have about the place too, but I'm not sure my full size one really gets enough use to justify it

[Crafty_]

Northernboy said:

Thanks.

Is the Anycubic that I already have not just another version of that though?

the Mega S ? they are different printers but yes, its an FDM printer, some work better than others but they are all fairly similar.
the E3v2 has a better motherboard in it 32 bti vs 8 in your mega S

I suppose you could look at one of the cubic printers like the ender 5, bigger build area and works by moving the bed around for the Z axis https://www.creality3dofficial.com/de/products/cre... but its still an FDM just like your existing one, the E3, Prusia i3 (and clones) etc.

[Northernboy]

Crafty_ said:

the Mega S ? they are different printers but yes, its an FDM printer, some work better than others but they are all fairly similar.
the E3v2 has a better motherboard in it 32 bti vs 8 in your mega S

I suppose you could look at one of the cubic printers like the ender 5, bigger build area and works by moving the bed around for the Z axis https://www.creality3dofficial.com/de/products/cre... but its still an FDM just like your existing one, the E3, Prusia i3 (and clones) etc.

Thanks.

[Bullett]

You have a resin and an FDM there, which are you looking to replicate or both?

You've had good advice on the FDM side so I'll mention SLA.

If you want another resin then it has to be a mono screen version, bit more expensive but cuts exposure times from 7-8s to 1-2s. I have an Anycubic Mono SE which works very well indeed but at the price point they are all pretty much the same.

[Northernboy]

Bullett said:

You have a resin and an FDM there, which are you looking to replicate or both?

You've had good advice on the FDM side so I'll mention SLA.

If you want another resin then it has to be a mono screen version, bit more expensive but cuts exposure times from 7-8s to 1-2s. I have an Anycubic Mono SE which works very well indeed but at the price point they are all pretty much the same.

Either or. I want to have a bit of a play, so if there's something super cheap that'll do fine, I can re-make anything that I really need to do better once I get the other ones home, bt if things have moved n in the two years since they were bought then I'm hapy to take a step-up. Being able to print in dial materials could be nice, as could good support for a higher quality of finished product.