So I'm wanting to get a 3D printer so I can be like the cool kids. What's a good printer to get that's easy to use with good prints?
I'm hoping to spend less than $500 (2-300 sounds good) but can be convinced to spend more if it's worth it.
Thanks for the help!

 

It really depends on what you are wanting to print. I have 5 Creality K2 Max because I needed the build volume and having the ability to print multi-materials is great. I have a few other machines as well that print larger but I really like the Creality machines. They have been very reliable for me with almost no problems that weren't self induced. The biggest reason to consider what you are wanting to print is because the different temperatures that are needed for the bed and/or nozzle based on the material. Just using PLA you can get any cheap printer and run fine. You will shortly want to change filament types which may require upgrades to parts or new machines. Just little nick-knack type stuff and any machine on facebook marketplace will probably get you by just fine while you learn.

Brands to take a look at: Bamboo, Prusia, Creality...they are pretty good machines that will be straight forward to use and generally well tuned and supported.

 

anything 2-300 is going to waste more time than they're worth. on the cheap end the lowest i would go would be p1S. i use X1C. Another cheap model i would consider would be the centauri carbon 2. You probably don't need anything multi color so save money there. Don't buy any ender unless you want to spend days of your life fixing/modding it. You want to print parts or learn to fak with a 3d printer ( some people find that more interesting, like building a car vs driving it.)

 

I use a Bambu Labs P1S but I have no prior history or real knowledge of other machines. My requirements was plug and play and for the most part it's met that requirement. I have upgraded the nozzle but that was part of the plans and from my recollection to real difference between it and the X1C. (I may be forgetting something though.) But at this point, I think both machines are outdated and if I had to do it again I'd probably look for one like the H2D as I could utilize multiple heads.

With that said, I agree that $300 isn't going to get you anything but frustrations.

 

I picked up a used CR-10s for 100 bucks 5 years ago. And all Ive done is a new pei bed instead of glass. And have zero regrets with it. Hell Ive pro-typed brake kits countless motorcycle parts and right now a trigger wheel kit for a 12a. look at the used market and just look it up, you will usually find out quick if a machine is junk or good.

 

I have the Bambu Lab X1C and really like it. The H2D wasn't out when I bought mine but would be the one I'd buy today. There are a couple of considerations and those would be price and ease of use. The P2S would be a good budget printer and the H2S or H2D would be the next two levels. The Bambu Lab printers could be considered the Apple of printers where they just work. Granted, like any printer you have to maintain and replace parts if they break.

 

Since we are making car parts, we can't get away with using standard easy to print materials such as PLA and PETG. Most car parts could be exposed to high heat, direct UV, temperature swings, high loads, etc.
This means we are going to want to use more engineering spec materials, which generally requires a printer with a high temperature nozzle, and a heated enclosure. In my opinion things such as multi material systems and other gimmicks are not important for printing functional car parts.

I've heard good things about the Qidi Q2 which meets all of our requirements and can be picked up on Amazon for 500 flat right now, although for that price I would assume there will be some amount of dicking around and troubleshooting. Likely it wouldn't be a simple plug and print machine like other higher end brands.

Ive made a couple things for cars in particular on a 3d printer, one being an articulating phone holder for my truck and the other being a set of mirrors for my FB. I also made this lil switch box for an old WRX tail light that I turned into a lamp. Not directly related but I think it's cool so you're gonna see it. Many years ago I also experimented with making an intake runner for my buddies golf but we printed it out of PETG and it melted on the first autocross lol.

My choice of plastic is ASA which is highly UV resistant, decently strong, and not the worst material to print with the right tools. My current printer is a Prusa MK3S+ that I've semi-temporarily commandeered from my buddy and put in a horrible but incredibly cheap cardboard box enclosure along with a creality space pi filament drier.

 

I have had experience with/owned an Ender 3 Pro, Creality K1, Bambu H2S, and Bambu A1's. If you are looking for something cheap, super simple, easily upgradable and can be operated anywhere with or without WiFi then the Ender 3 will be your machine. If your looking for something to set and forget and reliably print over and over with no tinkering then the Bambu labs is best, it prints faster (like 3 times faster), better quality, and sweet features like auto bed leveling and flow control etc etc. But it is more expensive. I use to be an Ender 3 guy but am making the switch to Creality for its speed and reliability, and the fact I can print things on it from my computer at work due to being a network printer. I use my Ender 3 as a shop printer now for rapid prototyping small items, heck ive even printed upside down with the thing! Haha!

But to summarize, Ender 3 is cheap, easy to upgrade, but slow and not a network printer. While the Bambu is more expensive, its also more reliable (from a successful print standpoint), faster, and can be printed from remotely. (Also has multi-color options!)

 

i have a buddy who has a whole spare room of old printers that people have given him, because they broke, or upgraded or something. as far as cost of entry, its really good. you will need to fix them, and train them not to poop on the carpet and stuff

i have another buddy who has used Prusa's and the new one, which is a couple years old, has been good. quality is decent, and consistent, and the thing runs day in and day out just fine.

anything newer is way better, i feel like the last couple years there has been a big jump in how good everything is

 

Thanks for the feedback guys. All great info!