The BEST Entry Level 3D PRINTER Out There | Bambu Labs A1 Mini Review 

This is my second first printer. My first first printer was an Ender 3.... It taught me all the things I didn't know I didn't want to know about 3d printing. :) The A1 mini is fun right out of the box without having to learn bed leveling, e-steps and firmware updates. Take it out of the box, pick a print and you're off to the races. That's what a first printer should be.

you can adjust the multiplier in flushing volumes for the color changes and minimize the amount of waste for anyone that's considering the AMS stuff.

Don’t tempt me to get it, I’m already broke enough

It doesnt have speakers. It uses the stepper motors to make the sounds. You can even upload gcodes to produce MIDI music on them. Pretty neat.

Some things to remember about multi-color waste are that the amount of waste is dependent on how many times the model requires color changes and how many copies of the model can be printed on the same build plate. Minimize color changes throughout the model (which side it prints on can help) Make duplicates on the same build plate. Not only will you minimize waste, you will ensure your print is successful in the event one of the models fails, as it won’t be the only chance at success.

The FLIR accuracy depends on how close the emissivity of the material is to the emissivity setting in the software. It will also be effected by the temperature of the air between the surface and the sensor. These could explain a chunk of the discrepancy.

If anybody isn't sold on the bed size, it's been hinted that because of the naming of this printer (A1 Mini), there will be larger versions of this printer, one of which is apparently helmet-class, so larger than the X1C. There isn't a confirmed date for any of these, but it does get me a little hyped.

A good alternative I would recommend for entry and mid level if willing to drop some features, are the sovol sv06 and sv06 plus. $210-310 and have a bigger build volume and all the important stuff, like autoleveling, runout sensor, and hot temps. Very reliable and took less than 20 min to assemble and start up.

The only thing I would change about advice to the person buying their first printer, is to get the mini without the AMS. Just print a bunch of stuff with one color. Keep it simple. After 5 years with Ender 3s, I just got my Bambu mini without the AMS. The projects I do don't require color changes. If I decide I want an AMS, I can always add that later. Without the AMS, it was only $250! Unreal!

I built the creality ender 3 v2 over a year ago. Wasn't ready to tighten everything down before checking everything was connected correctly. This was a late night 3 hr project while watching a movie. So I put it on my desk with the intent to test and tighten everything up in the morning. That is still the plan...

Purchased! I've wanted a printer for a long time and this is the first I haven't felt like I'm missing something with an entry level device.

I love my X1C and P1P and that is because I can use them as tools. I love the fact that I don't have to tinker(much) with things to just get a print to work. I love the changes to the AMS they ma de for the A1, but I use the AMS for holding multiple materials as opposed to multi-color prints and I liked it so much on the X1C that I purchased one for my P1P (for those less demanding material prints). I am glad that Bambu Labs have released a more approachable model and I love what it had done to the market. I am just holding off for something bigger as the larger offerings I've seen from the competition as nice, but aren't quite at the 'tool' level just yet with maybe one exception but if I'm paying over a $1K for a printer, I don't also want to have to put it together. Can't wait to see some fans printed with the A1 in future showdowns.

I love how this is both true, and a constantly changing statement.

As someone who was in the same boat, starting with an ender 3, I just got a bambulab p1s and I will never turn back. I used to love tinkering on my printer but it gets old fast when you need to get parts done quick. My Voron 0.1 now sits in the corner of shame because this printer just works so well.

Great review mate good work

good review. Only thing I have to add is that the music is from the motors themselves, and I don't think A1 mini uses a speaker for active noise cancellation. they probably use some algorithm to optimize the waveform going to the steppers.

🎉Gd on you m'dude. I'm pulling the trigger on this minia!

Awesome, thank you. I'm looking for my first printer.

I ordered both this and the Neptune 4 Plus. I wanted to go bigger from my Ender 3 S1, but also wanted colour. The Bambu printers just weren't big enough, and these 2 are a very affordable package. Sure the Neptune can't do colour, but I wouldn't do colour prints that large anyway.

Ohh im gonna need to get one of thoose. I have a Cetus that i got from a friend sadly the powercord is nowhere to be found and i cant find a new one so this will be a great buy when i can afford it. Thanks for sharing buddy. Keep up the good work

Bambu Lab really flipped the prosumer segment on its ear. I'm glad to see them continue to push the market to make a better printer. This one seems to aim to be a Prusa mini killer. Exactly the same build volume. The market really needed printers that could be tools.

Honestly I also hate fiddling with printers BUT even the best printer will fail you at some point and when that happens imo it's good to already have the necessary knowledge when that happens. That's why I'm glad my first printer was the Ender 3, the ultimate thinker machine.

Got Prusa MK2, MK3, MK4 and now Bambu A1 mini with AMS Lite. If you tune settings a little it prints even better than MK4 and ofc much faster. Look at the price. A1 mini is no brainer here.

I might pickup one of these, when just the non-bundle A1's go on sale. Then I can use it while I wait for the next generation of their larger printers come out (X1C/P1S v2); since I like the idea of having the upgrade path for 4+ color prints on those machines. Don't plan on doing the print farm thing (this time around), so one small and one large multi-color printer will work for my needs.

I've had the Ender 2 for many years now, and I've upgraded a few things on it. New motherboard with silent stepper drivers, glass build plate, PEI build plate. It's a fairly reliable machine for me, as long as the first couple of layers don't mess up. In the beginning, I was constantly tweaking and tinkering things, I even wrote my own firmware to use ESP3D (which barely works sometimes). Back then it was very feature packed for such a cheap machine. These days however, I just want the same as you: a tool that works and that just gives me the output I want. I buy very expensive power tools because I don't want to mess around with a lack of power or lack of quality, so why am I messing around with a cheap printer? This one really seems to be a great balance between affordable, good user experience, high speed and good quality. I'm not ready to pull the trigger yet, but I'm definitely keeping my eye on it.

This is the printer I have been holding out for.

This is beyond fantastic!!! Moar!!! Moar!!! (Cheap printers like this probably wont compare, but at or below 300 would be a fantastic series.) Hopefully other 3D Printer fabs see this comment and reach out to you. Honestly I'd love to see some absolutely brutal competition right at the $250.00 mark. Having said that, at 300 I really don't see a downside to this machine, other than the propietary nozzle. (Yes correct me if this thought is wrong, but certain parts like nozzles should **always** be standard.)

@Major Hardware with the multi material system have you ever thought about making a fan with different density material like light weight PLA and with regular pla

After watching this video. I decided this was the perfect FIRST 3D printer for our household. When talking about the Bambu printers at Micro Center, it occurred to me that as much as I love this one. I am positive my cats would love it just as much. LOL So maybe the P1S with the covered multi spool???

Your reveal...cut?...at 2:00'ish was flawless. I see you bein' clever :)

300$? Neat!

Fix the AMS to the wall above the printer. Perfect design for wall mounting that triangle footing.

I can't wait to sell my right hand to buy the new flagship when they combine all the new features from all these printers into one. X1 Titanium has a nice ring.

I really hope they make an extension mod or hack for it or someone in the community 😉 lol but I'm thinking of getting it just for the ANC like that's crazy good to think it works in a outside environment 😮

For ABS I like to put my printer in the closet with a small heater. Also helps to dampen the sound

The X1C does have the noise canceling update available. It is so much quieter now.

I'm just starting out with 3D printing, I was originally thinking I should go with a larger one, mostly because it's probably better quality, but this video really showed that the smaller one is still really good... Price was also a problem, the bigger one is obviously more expensive and considering it's something I MIGHT keep as a hobby, do I really wanna spend so much money on something that I end up not being that much of a fan of? So now I'm questioning myself on whether I should get this, sure the lower price is great, it makes me feel more confident that if i buy it I'm not gonna be bummed if I don't enjoy it or find much use for 3D printing, but on the other hand what if it's just too small and I've handicapped myself with my purchase. Then I'd need to buy a larger one and be out of more money. I know you can print smaller things, but it looking dodgy when glued together is a fear of mine, it's something I haven't looked that much into, hopefully there are ways to make cut larger pieces look great when glued together. If there is, this might just be perfect for me.

The active noise canceling is something I was trying to make for my generator. If I was smarter I could get it to work better Cause different frequency travel at different speeds and directions so its harder to do than you'd think. So you have to pick the frequencies you want to cancel. Lower frequency sounds are easier. To really do it well you woukd need a microphone you place a distance away in the direction and distance you want the noise canceled. And it records and modifies the cancel waves for the sounds that reaches that spot. Modifying the phase separately for various frequencies. With my basic skills I could reduce the DB some what with just a microphone and amplifier that had a phase correction pot. I'm sure I wasn't 180 out of phase but with a one cyl engine that keeps the same RPM for the most part I could be seconds out of phase but the waves still looked simular.

I don't know about the speed, but those benchies look worth then those that I get from my stock Ender 3 in about 20 minutes of printing. And I am re-building the printing head and adding the Klipper firmware to improve the performance.

Just waiting on mine to arrive. 5 years with the same Ender 3. I've managed to skip the Prusa stage altogether hah!

What about purging it into the infill? Its a setting on the Bamboo Software.

Can you use the AMS to do multi-material prints. E.g. PETG for pla support

@MajorHardware What do you recommend as an entry level / light use 3D printer that can do 250mm minimum in 3 dimensions.?

As far as I know the "speakers" are actually the stepper motors and the noise cancelling is not your typical noise cancelling like when using speakers.

Could you please compare this with the elegoo Neptune 4 pro, I'm looking for my first printer and I don't know what I should get.

Wow that noise cancelling!

I was thinking about getting a bambu, but im not sure i dont like that its not open source.

What red filament is the ghost made of. It looks darker the voxel red

Insane price. A little small for me but i want it

Hmmm very tempting...its my birthday today and my brother just asked me whats something I've wanted for a long time but haven't been able to get lmao

I want one, but they sold out immediately. I just want to redesign the ams to sit on top so it takes up less space.

can you maybe do review on bambu labs a1 mini vs the prusa mini puls.?

There was a system being created idrm by whom, but it was a hot swappable hotel nozzle assembly. Where it would swap out not even the cooler...etc. it would just swap out the hot end ensemble and make it so you didn't have to purge you hot end, because well you're swapping it. You'd just run your extruder in reverse, the hot end would swap in this time, and then with a set up like this with an extruder all hooked up to one feed assembly you could then just let the next filliment fill the new nozzle. And if you color code your nozzles, or even material code them. You don't need a purge block to do it, and the system to my knowledge is fairly cheep. Because you're not having to replace the heater block...etc. its only the nozzle and heat assembly *that attaches to the heater block and cooling when its switched.* I think the model i saw was Petg based because it was a prototype but it did completely eliminate the purge block, but only down side was the filament needed to be hand changed. Which with the stand aside extruder set up of the bambu labs A1 shouldn't be a problem. The major change would be the hot end assembly. I believed they used something like the rapid change e3d nozzle but modified.

Looking for a 3D printer, thank you!!!

Would the AMS Lite work if it was hung upside down above the printer to reduce table space? I suspect the length of each tube must remain uncut do to presets for the filament changes?

Funny thing is, I've been printing for 2 almost 3 years and I've never printed a benchy

Do they sell that hot end kit as a standalone? I'd totally buy one that isn't a pain in the ass to change out. Always leaks at least once when I change a nozzle.

When Does it Poop is it only when switching colors?

You can print an adapter for the carbon spools.

My biggest question would be - is it expandable. Usually the issue comes in with being able to configure the firmware to a larger size. Then, doing the hardware mods. Not that I don't mind it as is, but if I wanted to make it better, I kind of like having the option if I want to - affordably.

Will you review a the new ender 3 v3 se?

Can you try if the ams can be used on the p1p or p1s?

They've said that they may be able to offer tge noise cancellation on the Carbon later as a firmware update, no additional hardware should be necessary.

I'm still going for a Neptune 4 Pro or Neptune 4 Plus so I can build myself " The 100 " xD

It's actually the motors that make the music. Drone motors do the same thing.

@Microcenter get them in ASAP!

Lol, damn that ad really gave your pop filter a work out.

Hmm that printer sounds great but i would need the asl thingii

I thought the "speakers" it uses for sound and noise cancelling was actually the motors. Am I just misinformed? I heard they were planning on updating the other printers to do the noise cancelling at some point too.

its funny i just got the neptune 3 plus, i couldnt image going smaller xD

They did say they are backporting the noise cancelling and I don't think need any new hardware

i think it good

So when are you replacing the fan in it with a silent fan from the showdown lol

Does the AMS lite work on the X1C?

I can't modify or make any significant changes to this thing it's all closed source and proprietary so for me Bambu Lab is far from the "BEST" & it really depends who you ask.

See. I've used 3D printers as tools as well. But I also view my tools to do what they need to do with no bells and whistles. I don't think $300 is a good entry level price. That seems more like a price for a hobbyist. I did learn that the FL sun printers $200 though. So there's that.

I hipe they do a spftware update to fix that camera fps

Isn't that valve timing wayyyyyy off? 😆 Good review, will consider.

6:37 its probably not recommended because the bed moves and so does the part through "cool" air

No speakers, it actually uses the motors to make the sound.

Not me thinking about how I can offload my E3V2 to subsidize getting an A1 kekw

The color change poop you showed off for the multicolor benchy was deceiving, because those colors are stacked. Had you had the colors running 90 degrees in a side by side pattern, the poop would be tremendously worse. I dabbled in these "Multi-color" contraption for years now. They are extrememly wasteful. However if you selling the item and you account for the waste in the sale, then it might not bother you. It really comes down to what your printing, and how the colors are oriented. Also keep in mind that batch printing will also save filament, because whether it's one item or twenty of them. It's only pooping the same as 1 item would.

Gonna have to disagree with calling a $300 printer 'entry' level. Entry level is the $99 Ender 3 Pro.

Impossible to get Bambu Lab to answer emails, I've now given up

A1 has poop yeet mode!

I think that I would still recommend an Ender 3 as a first printer. Not that this isn't a cool printer but the Ender 3 is 100 bucks less and still reliable enough to work out of the box for the most part. Also that build plate is just too small. I also worry that all of the extra tech on it will make it less reliable overall.

Only ... it does NOT have speakers! All sounds that it makes and also the noise-cancelation are all done with the stepper motors!

"It's the first thing you have to run it's required by law"

I'd get one for me, if they shiped to brazil. Some people bring and sell them, at 3 times the price.

Like all Bambu printers there is too much poop with the AMS, sometimes more required than the print. One would think that with all their so called great engineers they would solve this issue. Oh, but wait. They do sell filament, don't they. Until this issue is solved I would not even consider buying with AMS. On the other hand, using it without the AMS (that is using one color) makes it a great entry level system.

These machines are great for youtubers and as a tool but not as the 1st machine.

I dont see many options to ship it out of asia Edit: Nvm I was on a global page

From 319€ here... Not available now, though.

US $299 Australian $750.. outside of my budget and then some.. ouch.

Sure, 180mm… but how many rods to the hogs head?

according to their site they are not shipping to the united states

Can you please give away one to the subscribed comments? Its so cool, but so expensive! I think everyone likes it! Like so he Can see!

I clicked link to but one. It said $299. Happy, ready to pay. Next page opens $459. Now I'm skeptical. Not gonna buy now. I hate bait and hook tactics.

Better than the Prusa MINI+?

A1 mini looks to be 299.... i just bought an Elegoo saturn 3 ultra for 200 more