Best 3D printer around $300

[Caleb SF]

Have $300 to spend and have been looking at getting a 3D printer. I was looking at the Monoprice Select Mini and it was around $200, which is fantastic. It currently has 4/5 stars with 300 reviews but is unavailable. So cna you think of any printer that is around my price range that might be better? 

 

Link of the Monoprice:

https://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-Select-Printer-Heated-Filament/dp/B01FL49VZE/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=sl1&tag=mikeandlauren-20&linkId=5af3dd977d40964a4878c93815b1574c

 

 

*Note: I don't feel to comfortable in having to build one as it might cause overall worse performance due to my installation.*

Thanks!

[gtx1060=value]

i would check out dragoma - also, prebuilt ones that are good are only monoprice and maybe some other brands - @manikyath and @Hackentosher know more than ido

[manikyath]

$300 isnt the right amount of money to spend, the build volume on that printer is pretty darn bleh.

 

beyond that i trust monoprice to make the right choices, but with that build volume, that is money wasted because your first 3D printing upgrade will be a bigger printer.

[Caleb SF]

18 minutes ago, manikyath said:

$300 isnt the right amount of money to spend, the build volume on that printer is pretty darn bleh.

 

beyond that i trust monoprice to make the right choices, but with that build volume, that is money wasted because your first 3D printing upgrade will be a bigger printer.

I mean for me it seems that they are currently overpriced for what they are and I don't think I would be willing to spend a lot more money on something that I don't really have a direct need for, they just seem nice to have. 

[manikyath]

Just now, Caleb SF said:

overpriced

correction: expensive.

if you look at part cost and engineering that goes into these devices, its amazing you can get a decent one for around $500.

[Caleb SF]

2 minutes ago, manikyath said:

correction: expensive.

if you look at part cost and engineering that goes into these devices, its amazing you can get a decent one for around $500.

No I meant what I wrote.

[manikyath]

Just now, Caleb SF said:

No I meant what I wrote.

and i corrected you, because you're misinterpreting the cost of a 3D printer.

 

overpriced and expensive are very different things.

[Caleb SF]

1 minute ago, manikyath said:

and i corrected you, because you're misinterpreting the cost of a 3D printer.

 

overpriced and expensive are very different things.

You can't correct an someone else's opinion. If I say tomatoes taste bad, you can't say "no they taste good" and say that I am wrong.

[manikyath]

Just now, Caleb SF said:

You can't correct an someone else's opinion. If I say tomatoes taste bad, you can't say "no they taste good" and say that I am wrong.

but overpriced or expensive isnt an opinion.

 

you can have the opinion it's more than you're willing to pay, but you cant have the opinion that something is "overpriced" rather than "expensive".

 

 

[Caleb SF]

5 hours ago, gtx1060=value said:

i would check out dragoma - also, prebuilt ones that are good are only monoprice and maybe some other brands - @manikyath and @Hackentosher know more than ido

So I seem to have found 2 slightly larger printers and was wondering what you thought.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-113860-Select-Printer-Filament/dp/B018GZBC3Y/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&qid=1469624709&sr=8-1&keywords=monoprice+maker+select&linkCode=sl1&tag=all3dp0c-20&linkId=416b95f1db50bfbba6beaa31d8254da8

 

So the Monoprice 13860 has a heated bed and it's plate is 8x8" with 7" height. 

 

http://www.gearbest.com/3d-printers-3d-printer-kits/pp_343643.html

 

The Anet A8 has a bed of 8.6x8.6" with about 9" height. It's not heated and I would have to build it. It seems like it has quite a library of parts that I could replace if it has issues. One of the items that it recommends to buy with it is a auto levelling, not sure how well it would work though.

 

 

I looked at the Discovery 200 by Dagoma and it just looks a little cheap compared to its rivals. Although, on 3dhubs.com it was given a 8.4/10.

[gtx1060=value]

10 hours ago, Caleb SF said:

So I seem to have found 2 slightly larger printers and was wondering what you thought.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-113860-Select-Printer-Filament/dp/B018GZBC3Y/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&qid=1469624709&sr=8-1&keywords=monoprice+maker+select&linkCode=sl1&tag=all3dp0c-20&linkId=416b95f1db50bfbba6beaa31d8254da8

 

So the Monoprice 13860 has a heated bed and it's plate is 8x8" with 7" height. 

 

http://www.gearbest.com/3d-printers-3d-printer-kits/pp_343643.html

 

The Anet A8 has a bed of 8.6x8.6" with about 9" height. It's not heated and I would have to build it. It seems like it has quite a library of parts that I could replace if it has issues. One of the items that it recommends to buy with it is a auto levelling, not sure how well it would work though.

 

 

I looked at the Discovery 200 by Dagoma and it just looks a little cheap compared to its rivals. Although, on 3dhubs.com it was given a 8.4/10.

ok, so the anet a8 is the best option for a kit - get a e3d v6 extruder with a titan motor thingy for another 40 bucks or so on aliexpress.com and call it a day - or go check out some diy prusa i3 builds https://toms3d.org/2017/02/23/building-cheapest-possible-prusa-i3-mk2/

 

that one is all diy but will perform just as well if you do it correctly - i would wait for his youtube videos to finish though

[gtx1060=value]

and by the way - pls respect @manikyath - he's telling you the cold hard truth - cheap printers like this don't print well out of the box - you need to tinker and make extensive upgrades - if you want a good printer with a really small print volume https://www.ono3d.net/about/

the ono is using smartphone light to print with a special resin - print volume is really small but it seems to print well

[manikyath]

11 hours ago, Caleb SF said:

So I seem to have found 2 slightly larger printers and was wondering what you thought.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-113860-Select-Printer-Filament/dp/B018GZBC3Y/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&qid=1469624709&sr=8-1&keywords=monoprice+maker+select&linkCode=sl1&tag=all3dp0c-20&linkId=416b95f1db50bfbba6beaa31d8254da8

 

So the Monoprice 13860 has a heated bed and it's plate is 8x8" with 7" height. 

 

http://www.gearbest.com/3d-printers-3d-printer-kits/pp_343643.html

 

The Anet A8 has a bed of 8.6x8.6" with about 9" height. It's not heated and I would have to build it. It seems like it has quite a library of parts that I could replace if it has issues. One of the items that it recommends to buy with it is a auto levelling, not sure how well it would work though.

 

 

I looked at the Discovery 200 by Dagoma and it just looks a little cheap compared to its rivals. Although, on 3dhubs.com it was given a 8.4/10.

the monoprice you linked is a rebrand of a wanhao, more specificly the older/lower end model of the one i have.

it has a lot of issues, but is a really good platform to get started, i do suggest to swap out the nozzle with a micro swiss full metal hotend thing, and do some improvements to cooling.

 

as for the anet... it "works", and that's about it. it's insanely underpowered, appareantly the building instructions are less than ideal, and iirc the print quality is less than ideal as well.

[Caleb SF]

4 hours ago, manikyath said:

the monoprice you linked is a rebrand of a wanhao, more specificly the older/lower end model of the one i have.

it has a lot of issues, but is a really good platform to get started, i do suggest to swap out the nozzle with a micro swiss full metal hotend thing, and do some improvements to cooling.

 

as for the anet... it "works", and that's about it. it's insanely underpowered, appareantly the building instructions are less than ideal, and iirc the print quality is less than ideal as well.

So stay away from the Anet then? Also it seems like no matter what I buy, i will be upgrading it slightly. The monoprice + $40 swiss full metal hotend. or the Anet + $80 extruder + $40 motor. Is there something that is $400 that has nothing wrong?

 

How underpowered is it? What is the main problem that makes it underpowered? 

 

 

Also the monoprice one literally just went out of stock or was taken off...

[manikyath]

2 hours ago, Caleb SF said:

So stay away from the Anet then? Also it seems like no matter what I buy, i will be upgrading it slightly. The monoprice + $40 swiss full metal hotend. or the Anet + $80 extruder + $40 motor. Is there something that is $400 that has nothing wrong?

 

How underpowered is it? What is the main problem that makes it underpowered? 

 

 

Also the monoprice one literally just went out of stock or was taken off...

the monoprice one is an older model, the "official" wanhao ones seem to be difficult to find stock of as well, as for the not upgrading bit, that's not a thing for that price.

 

as for the anet, it's a matter of corners being cut, and if they can shave off cost by getting a lower power hotend, they will get a lower power hotend. that kind of stuff, mostly.

 

i do have to say one word of caution about the anet: appareantly in its default setup the mains wiring clamps on the power supply are exposed. which in essence basicly means that that thing is a death trap if you're not very aware of the crap you're dealing with.

--

besides, i should also add, i pay €35 per roll for colorfabb fillament, you may be underestimating the cost of a 3d printer

[Caleb SF]

21 minutes ago, manikyath said:

the monoprice one is an older model, the "official" wanhao ones seem to be difficult to find stock of as well, as for the not upgrading bit, that's not a thing for that price.

 

as for the anet, it's a matter of corners being cut, and if they can shave off cost by getting a lower power hotend, they will get a lower power hotend. that kind of stuff, mostly.

 

i do have to say one word of caution about the anet: appareantly in its default setup the mains wiring clamps on the power supply are exposed. which in essence basicly means that that thing is a death trap if you're not very aware of the crap you're dealing with.

--

besides, i should also add, i pay €35 per roll for colorfabb fillament, you may be underestimating the cost of a 3d printer

How long does a roll last you? What size prints are u making? Overall though you think the monoprice is a better deal?

 

Also to clear things up, this is practically free. I have a csgo knife that is around $250 and I no longer play csgo. So this is just something I will actually use

[manikyath]

8 hours ago, Caleb SF said:

How long does a roll last you? What size prints are u making? Overall though you think the monoprice is a better deal?

 

Also to clear things up, this is practically free. I have a csgo knife that is around $250 and I no longer play csgo. So this is just something I will actually use

well, i buy 750gr rolls, and at standard settings my phone stand came in at about 100 grams. which isnt counting potential failed prints. (which does happen, no matter the printer)

[Caleb SF]

15 hours ago, manikyath said:

well, i buy 750gr rolls, and at standard settings my phone stand came in at about 100 grams. which isnt counting potential failed prints. (which does happen, no matter the printer)

Is the Tevo Tarantula better than the monoprice? Or should i just stick with the monoprice maker select?