3DPrinting

I ended up going with the Flashforge Adventurer 5M for ~$175 https://slickdeals.net/f/18590524-flashforge-adventurer-5m-wi-fi-3d-printer-w-auto-leveling-167-20-free-shipping (You can get 20-60% back from certain cashback websites like TopCashback or Capital One Shopping if you are comfortable with using them.)

You can 3D print an enclosure for the 5M after purchasing an enclosure kit for ~$40 online.

There's also the 5M Pro model for ~$100 more that comes pre-built with an enclosure for sound dampening and printing with materials like ABS. It also comes with a camera and an extra nozzle. I didn't go for it cause of the higher upfront cost, plus I don't expect to print outside of PLA and PETG.

So I had a creality K1 and it was rock solid. I saved up after and just bought a Prusa Core One which I love. Now the K1 was great I got it when it came out on sale at microcenter for 300$ so if you can find it around that price or lower in my experience you can’t go wrong. I only printed PLA on it so I can’t say how other filaments print on it but pla it just worked.

https://www.sovol3d.com/products/sovol-sv08-3d-printer

This one is awesome. Open source everything. Based on the Boron and a pretty good price too.

If you're up for making it a hobby and you like tinkering, have you thought of building a Voron? After using a few off-the-shelf units, I've come to appreciate using an open source project because upgrading components is so easy and second nature. You can incrementally upgrade specific aspects when your wallet and desires dictate it.

I've got the Centauri Carbon and really like it. It is fairly noisy, but we're in a small studio apartment and it's been pretty easy to tune out during the day (Overnight prints are annoying though)

If you're interested in tinkering but a Voron is just too expensive, I'd suggest the Rook 2020 MK2 from Rolohaun. You can get an LDO kit for the MK1 alongside an MK2 upgrade kit. It's coreXY but it's both cheaper and more beginner friendly than a Voron. (1, 2, 3)

If you want a cheap core XY i would go with sovol. I like there near stock Klipper so you will have no headaches updating the Software in the future.

Consider the following:

• qidi q2
• creality k1c
• sovol sv08 max (for something bigger)

I own the k1c and it's been ok reliable for the 6 months I've had it. If you are printing PLA/PETG you will need to keep the door open (and it's breakable glass)

I've got an Anycubic S1

It's half open. It doesn't run Klipper but you can install it if you want. It has cloud features but you don't have to use them. It comes with a proprietary Orca fork but you can run regular Orca or whatever slicer you want.

If you can wait, I'd get a Snapmaker U1.

Avoid Elegoo like the plague. Horrible customer service. Literal months of fighting, explaining the problem over and over, and four escalations before the ticket was just closed.

We got an Anycubic Kobra S1 to replace the Elehoo junk and its been fantastic so far. They also have a 4.0 vs. Elegoo's 2.3 on Trustpilot.

I bought my printer used, it only cost me 50€. Although I had to replace a bearing in the extruder.

Depending on the offers in your area that might be an option. Or I just got very lucky who knows...

I had a micro print farm making covid stuff, like face masks, ear savers, and stuff. I had 2 Ender 5 plus, an an Ender 5. I wound it down and kept 1 E5 plus. My machine is heavily modded and tuned, so it suits me fine, except for multi color.

I'm deciding on the evolution of my setup. My first logical option is mod my E5+ more, and add Bondtech INDX later this year. I'll have a hybrid coreX, fast, multicolor XL printer, but it only makes sense because I have eliminated most of the E5+ weaknesses, and intimately know the printer. At that point it will essentially be a custom one-off machine.

Another option would be to buy a Snapmaker U1, which is an insane value, and is, with the Prusa Core one a true next generation multicolor machine. AMS, And other MMUs, (multi material units), are evolutionary dead ends, made obsolete by tool changers.

A good option may be an enclosed Sovol SV08, essentially a rebuilt Voron, upgraded with the INDX tool hanger.