I wanted to get a second 3d printer and I decided that I should try a different brand than my first printer. I went with the Prusa Mini.
I started 3d printing a few years ago, I started with a Creality Ender 3v2 printer. It has served me well, but I wanted to add another printer so I could build things a bit faster and not be tied up waiting for prints to finish. I chose to get a Prusa Mini for my second printer and I couldn’t be happier with my choice.
My Ender 3v2 Review
My first impression with the Ender was a good one, I recall having it up and running fairly quickly out of the box. My first prints weren’t the greatest quality but I still had a lot to learn about 3d printing.
After transfering gcode files to a flash drive and then to the printer a few times I knew I needed a better way to start my prints than manually transferring files. So the first upgrade I made was Installing an Octoprint Server on my Rasberry Pi. Octoprint allowed me to manage my printer via a web interface and even attach a webcam to view the progress of my prints. At this point I was hooked, 3d printing was now all I wanted to.
As time went on and I learned more about how to 3d print I found myself struggling to get the quality prints I wanted. My next upgrades were to add stronger bed springs, a new hotend, and the bed leveling probe for automatic bed leveling. These upgrades did help improve the quality of my prints.
Now fast forward a few years ahead and my Ender 3v2 is still going strong, although I do find myself struggling with it from time to time to get quality prints from it. I find that quality seems to vary from print to print on the Ender which can cause some frustration. Overall I have been happy with the printer but with its age and frustrations i’ve had, I wouldn’t suggests it for someone as their first 3d printer.
My Prusa Mini Review
I wanted to get a second 3d printer and I decided that I should try a different brand than my first printer. I went with the Prusa Mini.
The Prusa Mini has a slightly smaller print bed than the Ender 3v2 (220x220x250 mm) at 180×180×180 mm and the overall size of the printer is more compact making it easy to place on my desk.
I opted to buy the Prusa Mini kit that has to be fully assembled when you receive it. I will say I don’t suggest this option unless you want to spend the time putting it all together. That said I had no issues building the printer and all of the parts fit correctly.
After I had the Prusa Mini fully assembled and setup I was ready to print. My firsts prints came out great, I was very impressed with how well it did on the first run.
I have consistently had much better success with my prints on the Prusa Mini than on the Ender 3v2.
Aside from the better print quality the Prusa Mini comes with a bed leveling sensor and network connection. Prusa also provides an online service called Prusa Connect that lets you remote manage your printer and print straight from their slicing software.
Conclusion
Over all I have been pleased with both 3d printers, but the winner between the two is clearly the Prusa Mini. With its quick setup and quality prints right out the box and with the additional feature that come included in the printer it is easy to see why I prefer using the Prusa over the Ender.
I will continue to use my Ender 3v2 for many years to come and even possibly continue to add upgrades to it. But if you are shopping for a new 3d printer my suggestion is to get the Prusa Mini, you won’t regret it.
Originally published at https://lincolncyber.com on May 14, 2024.
