I am looking to buy a 3D printer for my son (and for myself too). We want to print, not tinker, so it should be something that gives great results right from the start.

Can you guide me to a sensible choice?

My first choice would have to be the Prusa MK3S Plus but it is outside the price range I am shopping for, except if I buy used – would that be bad to do?

Realistic choices:

  • €380 used Prusa MK3S+, with 10 days printing time
  • €400 new Prusa Mini+
  • €250 new Ender 3 V2 Neo

Criteria:

  • High quality, no hassle. I want to print, not tinker.
  • Preferably (semi)assembled.
  • Auto bed leveling.
  • Auto error detection (filament, power, etc.?).
  • Budget up to 600 EUR/USD including extras, excluding filament.
  • Speed is not important.
  • Size is not important.
  • Must not be cloud-based.

Questions:

  • Surface?! Smooth, os satin, or textured? (Why) Should I have more than one kind?
  • (Why) Do I need an enclosure?
  • Square SingerEnglish
    2•1 year ago

    Have you tried wiping your old build plate (guessing it’s the standard ender one) with isopropyl alcohol? That’s a must before first use and every once in a while if the bed gets too greasy and dirty.

    • @[email protected]English
      2•1 year ago

      Yeah, I appreciate the suggestion, but I’ve tried every trick in the book and turned in all the settings. I had a pretty extensive thread on Reddit where people were trying to help me figure it out. In the end I just switched to a PEI plate and it instantly solved all my adhesion problems. Which is fine because I like the texture it puts on my builds anyway.