I’m shopping for my first printer, I don’t have any experience with 3d printing but I’m vaguely familiar with the whole process and I understand there will be a learning curve and I’m looking forward to that part.
I’m leaning towards the Creality S1 Pro because I remember the huge hub-bub about the Ender 3 when it first came out and it seems like everyone and their brother suggests it as a good first printer but then when I read reviews it seems kinda janky and I’m an adult with a job so I don’t mind fussing a little but I don’t want to fuss a lot.
I picked the S1 Pro because I think it has an auto-leveling print surface and the name recognition from the previously mentioned Ender 3, but when I try to research other printers I’m completely overwhelmed by the options.
Yeah, it’s pretty overwhelming when you’re first starting out. Aside from budget constraints and the type of printing material used, you need to ask yourself, do I want to tinker with the hardware AND have the time to do so. That will steer you in the right direction.
Personally, I don’t, which is why I bought a Elegoo Neptune 3 Pro several months ago. It’s very similar to the S1 Pro in many ways. I’d recommend taking a look at that one since it’s been well reviewed and also has been working like a champ for me. It’s not perfect, but it’s got the best bang for your budget, especially when first starting out, and it works right out of the box.
Creality’s been a popular brand for years due to the low price point of their printers and its modding community. However, their base printers use cheaper parts, plus their QA isn’t always that great, so I would hesitate recommending them for your first printer.
Overall, nearly anything from Prusa will print with beautiful results, and if you run into a snag, they’ve got robust support to back you up, justifying why they’re more expensive than other printers.
Other companies like Bambu Labs and Flashforge make easy to use 3d printers, with the former getting a lot of deserved hype for how fast their models can print. While they both offer great products, keep in mind that they use closed source designs and require you to buy replacement parts from them, which can hurt you in the long term if something’s discontinued and/or if the company folds. If all that doesn’t jive with you, look elsewhere.
TL;DR: Elegoo Neptune 3 Pro over the S1 Pro since Creality can ship lemons; Prusa = quality + support + $$$; closed sourced printers offer simplicity now with potential drawbacks later.