I’ve had access to a roommate’s 3D printer, but they’ll be moving away soon :(
Wondering if people have takes on machines that are considered entry level today but may have evolved handy features since, well, when you were an entry level user.
If this isn’t the right place for this please be nice I’m sorry
EDIT: okay I left out way too much detail for this to be answerable.
I’ve been printing for a year, so im not absolute beginner tier, and can benefit from some of the fancy gizmos like auto leveling, multi filament, etc. but i dont really venture beyond PETG and PLA. I mostly use 3D printing in other maker/diy projects; creating custom fixtures, quick tools and jigs, attachments for sewing machines, table saws, tool organization etc. You get the idea. Im not a mechanical engineer or prototyping medical equipment. I just really enjoy the power of being able to model something i need, print it, and immediate use it to complete a project. I dont do any figurines.
My budget is a maximum of 300 canadian dollars, including filaments, replacement parts, and add-ons. I am impartial to any brands or companies, i actually would perfer something that doesnt have proprietary bullshit, but the printers my roommate have are a (GEETECH) Ender 3 Clone and a TwoTree SP-5. The two tree is really awesome, but also over kill for what i need personally.
Other considerations are that It should be relatively compact, not mini/micro or anything, I would rather print twice or rearrange the models on the print bed some times and have more space than the other way around.
As opposed to buying a cheap printer, screwing around with it for weeks and buying $500 in parts, calibrating constantly with annoying tricks and hacks, and getting frustrated because a new hobby is more effort than it’s worth?
OP asked for an entry level printer. There’s good entry level options besides absolute bottom of the barrel creality ones, although those are also good enough to see if it’s a hobby you want to spend more money on. “Hey anyone have recommendations for a cheap car I can get? I just learned to drive.” “Buy a corvette!”
A p1p is an entry level printer. It’s just one that’s already assembled instead of someone entering the hobby to buy a cheap printer then get discouraged at having to spend as much or more to bring it up to the same standards if they had just bought a good one to begin with. Your Corvette strawman isn’t even accurate. If I was recommending an X1C or the new $3500 prusia one then it would make more sense. As of right now you’re telling OP to buy a junked car and repair it so it can drive smoothly while learning to drive. Someone new to the hobby probably won’t understand all the settings.