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Monoprice 3d printer comparison


3D Printer Buying Guide

3D printing has changed what it means to “create”. Ideas and designs that once only ever existed in our imagination can now be turned into real-life objects you can touch and feel or even hold in your hand. Are you the kind of person who comes up with better ways to solve problems? Perhaps there’s a small tool or time-saving device you wish you had but it hasn’t been invented yet? Well, now you can be inventor.

Beyond giving us more ways to create, 3D printing is also an integral part of the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) movement. It takes your child’s curiosity and creativity to new heights helping them think outside the box. Monoprice makes 3D printing accessible to all with a low cost-of-entry for everything you need to get started including printers, filament, and more. Now it’s your turn to make your perfect vision into a reality.

3D Printing Basics

3D printing at the core is just transforming a virtual design into a fully three-dimensional product. The printer achieves that through what is called fused deposit modeling (FDM). Filament is fed into the printer (like ink in a traditional printer), heated, and extruded onto the printer bed in layers. Each layer is a cross section of the final, three-dimensional object.

What You Can Make with a 3D Printer

What’s in it for the average consumer? A lot, actually. Here are a few of the many possibilities:

• Turn ideas into reality
- Wow your child by turning their 2D drawings into 3D creations that can stand out in a place of honor on the kitchen counter, coffee table or home office desk. Show and tell will never be the same.

• Useful Household Items and Custom Cooking Utensils
- Print everyday items that help you organize or stretch your cooking skills with custom tools and utensils.

• Fix Instead of Buy
- Gone are the days when you could buy one blender to last you a lifetime. These days, everything seems to be planned for a 2-year life span at most before you’re forced to upgrade to the latest model. With a 3D printer, you can get around that by searching designs for specialty parts or create your own.

• Toys and Trinkets
- Of course, if you want to just print designs of models - whether they’re reproductions or original creations - a 3D printer is perfect for that as well. See what you can create with limitless imagination and the right tools.

Which Monoprice 3D Printer is Right for You?

Now that you’ve got some ideas of how you can use a 3D printer, you can start looking into the models that we offer. Whether you’re looking to add to your figurine collection or focus on replacing specialty parts for your household items, we have a 3D printer that suits your specific needs. Compatibility with Windows, Mac, & Linux keeps your options open. We ship them with easy to use software like Cura and Repetier, but they’re also compatible with other open source software available.

MP Mini Select

• Remove the element of risk entirely with this affordable starter. The MP Select Mini is a great option for beginners because of its no-hassle approach. Coming fully assembled, pre-calibrated and tested at the factory, all you need to do is run a check so that the bed is level, load in some filament and plug in an SD card. That’s it. Want to know the great thing about it though? It costs less than the price of a current generation gaming console.

Maker Select

• If you’re feeling a bit more confident in your 3D printing skills and want to print larger items, then try the Maker Select. With only 4 screws needed to get up and running, its large 8 x 6 inch build plate plus 7 inches of vertical headroom means you can print more ambitious designs.

Maker Ultimate

• For something on the higher end but still affordable, the Maker Ultimate is a great choice. Capable of professional quality prints with a resolution as low as 20 microns (0.02mm), it prints in extreme detail and precision.
• Print times can be massively reduced with the Maker Ultimate; its stable build platform allows for prints speed of up to 400 mm/sec. The all-metal extruder and heat bed means it can handle nearly any material, even wood and metal additive filament. This is a printer that’s built to last.

Filament Types

The material type is one of the more important aspects of 3D printing. Consider what you’ll be making and how often before you choose a 3D printer.

PLA

• PLA is a common material that doesn’t need heat and is very easy to use. It’s also safe to use when printing something that will be in contact with food, such as cookie cutters or other cooking implements. However, it is also brittle, so it’s not meant for high durability uses. It has a low smell and is nontoxic.

PLA Plus

• PLA Plus has the same features as PLA but with the strength of the ABS filament currently on the market.

ABS and ABS Plus

• ABS is very good for when you need to print something like a replacement part that will undergo a lot of stress. It requires a heated bed and a closed print area for best results, as it is prone to warping. It also produces a stronger smell than the others, so a well-ventilated area is recommended when printing.
• ABS Plus is 40% stronger than ABS for when you need even more durability.

Support When You Need It

Despite being armed with knowledge, there’s always a bit of uneasiness when making a brand new purchase. Thankfully, when you buy with Monoprice you get the confidence of knowing that the individual model you purchased works. Unlike many shady online storefronts, we’re not going quiet the minute you make a payment. We’ve made sure of that by test printing designs on every model so that your first official print will be a successful one.

You also get the benefit of our stellar support team, who are there to help you if there are any technical issues with your new 3D printer that are beyond you (or a thorough google search). Call support any time and they’ll walk you through it. Even if all you need is help with the assembly, we’ll be more than happy to help you out. Need replacement parts? We got you covered.

Ready to add a 3D printer to your workshop, garage, or home office? Stick with Monoprice for the latest 3D printers, dedicated support, and competitive prices to make 3D printing a worthwhile investment for you.

Monoprice Select Mini Review 2022

4

See Price

Let’s say you’re in the market for a budget 3D printer. It’s tough: there are models that are vastly overpriced, models that have to be manually assembled from parts, and some that simply aren’t good enough to justify even a very low price. What if you saw a printer far less expensive than the rest? Would you trust it?

Maybe you should. We’re talking, of course, about the Monoprice Select Mini. It’s an absolutely tiny printer designed for people looking to explore the world of 3D printing, without breaking the bank. So how does it hold up? Let’s find out!

Filament Diameter1.75mm
Extruders1
Supported MaterialsPLA, ABS, HIPS, PVA, TPU
ConnectivityUSB, SD Card
Printing Speed55mm/s
Build Volume4.7 x 4.7 x 4.7”

Table of ContentsShow

    Design

    This printer’s design is about as simple as they come. It has a single extruder, and prints onto a heated bed. The build area is, as you’d expect, fairly small – roughly the size of a can of Coke. Still, this is about average for a printer in this price range, so there are no complaints on this front.

    Since this printer is designed for beginners, we were pleased to see that it ships fully assembled and pre-calibrated. In fact, thanks to the four-post leveling system, you shouldn’t have to calibrate it too often. Instead, you can focus on the fun part: actually printing things.

    You can control this printer either with a PC or directly, using the built-in screen to select models for printing. There’s also a USB port and SD card slot, and the printer actually includes a USB stick with models so you can get printing right away.

    Printing

    The first thing you should know is that the Select Mini is slow. Its top speed is about half as fast as its rivals, and worse, it tends to fail when running even at that. You’ll be far better served with a slow and steady approach. This seems to create the most consistent, high-quality models.

    Now, bear in mind that this is a budget 3D printer. Despite this, we found its prints come out looking pretty good! Sure, you can still see the layers, and intricate details aren’t replicated all that well, but with a little patience (and post-processing), you’ll find you can actually do quite a lot with the Select Mini.

    Budget 3D printers tend to have one characteristic in common: lack of versatility. You can expect to print with PLA, maybe ABS too, at best. Incredibly, the Monoprice Select Mini supports both of these materials, as well as HIPS, PVA, and TPU. It’s not even limited to using a proprietary filament, so you can really go wild.

    Features

    Part of this printer’s appeal is its simplicity. As such, it doesn’t have many advanced features to speak of. Rather, it tries to make things as easy for new users as possible. Take software, for instance: it works with Cura, Repetier, Simplify3D, and most other popular modeling or slicing programs.

    As you grow more comfortable using a 3D printer, you might want to add some upgrades. The Select Mini is perfect for this, since its inner workings are easily accessible, and its firmware easily flashed. In fact, we’ve found guides for everything from changing the hot end to adding wireless functionality.

    If you’ve used a 3D printer before, it’s unlikely that this model will blow you away. It’s aimed at beginners and has a price point to match, after all. However, if you’re completely new to printing and just want something to tinker with as you learn, there are a few models better than this one.

    Cost

    So how much do you think this printer costs? Brace yourself – it actually retails for around $190, making it among the cheapest 3D printers we’ve seen. Now, it’s not available directly from Monoprice anymore since they’ve released the Mini v2 for the same price. However, it can still be picked up by third-party retailers.

    The freedom to use third-party filament means you can keep your material costs down. Evidently, if you want to print often, this will increase to some degree, but since there’s no support for exotic filaments, things shouldn’t get too out of hand.

    This printer is perfectly priced and has enough versatility to corner the low-end market. Frankly, we’re amazed that this isn’t the go-to recommendation for people looking to get into 3D printing for the first time.

    Support

    Despite its low prices, Monoprice offers a 30-day money back guarantee on all its printers. Once you’ve committed to keeping the unit, a year-long limited warranty takes effect. This is pretty good coverage, especially since there’s no risk of breaking anything during assembly.

    On the other hand, Monoprice only offers basic troubleshooting tips and 3D printing tutorials in its support section. You can use the ticket system, email, phone, or live chat to get more detailed help. Our only issue is that the returns link only works on some pages, throwing an error on others.

    Honestly, this level of support was unexpected. Too often, low-end 3D printers try to sell their product and then wash their hands of it. That’s clearly not the case with Monoprice, and for that, we applaud them.

    Overview of the budget 3D printer Monoprice Select Mini

    3DPrintStory