My foray into the world of 3D printing began around five years ago with the acquisition of a Prusa Mk3. This machine quickly became known for its robustness and reliability. However, to be honest, my initial excitement waned rather quickly. The magic of additive manufacturing was somewhat lost on me in the chaos of my workshop. After the initial fun of printing small trinkets faded, it was relegated to a closet, essentially forgotten.
Fast forward to about a year ago, and a new contender burst onto the scene: the Bambu Lab X1. It was marketed as a leader in speed and reliability, loaded with features that promised to make 3D printing as simple as plug-and-play. I was completely drawn in by their marketing.
And the Bambu printer truly lived up to the hype, at least initially. Print times that used to stretch to three hours were now consistently under an hour. The machine seemed just as dependable as my previous MK3. There were numerous other improvements as well.
While Bambu utilizes Prusa’s open-source slicer software, they have significantly enhanced it, creating a software experience that feels much more modern and user-friendly. Unlike the MK3, sending prints to the printer over Wi-Fi is straightforward, eliminating the need for constantly transferring SD cards. Furthermore, the X1 includes a built-in camera, enabling remote print monitoring from anywhere with an internet connection.
Moreover, the X1 comes fully enclosed, opening up the possibility of printing with more demanding filaments like ABS, ASA, and various carbon fiber composites. These materials, previously challenging to work with, now printed with almost the same ease as common filaments like PLA. My X1 also came with an AMS (Automatic Material System), which made multi-color printing incredibly convenient.
I was ready to declare the X1 the perfect 3D printer for my needs… until things went wrong. In January, the AMS system malfunctioned, effectively rendering the entire printer unusable. I promptly submitted a support ticket to Bambu and began the waiting game. Three weeks passed before I received any communication from Bambu’s support team. Ultimately, it took over six weeks and numerous hours of my own effort to get the printer operational again. In the end, I had to take apart the AMS myself, diagnose the problem, and then request the necessary replacement parts from Bambu to fix it.
It was, to put it mildly, a frustrating experience. I shared my grievances on various online forums, Reddit, and anywhere I thought Bambu might notice. Ironically, it wasn’t Bambu’s attention I attracted; it was Prusa’s. Just a few weeks after I had my Bambu printer back in working order, a package arrived unexpectedly.
“Ryan, we noticed your difficulties with the Bambu Lab and thought you might be interested in trying out the MK4.”
Now, it’s important to note that the MK4 isn’t a brand-new model. In fact, some might consider it a generation behind the Bambu X1. It’s configured as a bed slinger (compared to the X1’s CoreXY design), lacks an enclosure as standard (though one is available as an optional accessory), and uses a similar, established slicer as the MK3. While it does offer network printing, it requires a bit more setup compared to the X1’s cloud-based system.
Despite these differences, the MK4 is just as fast as the X1, and the print quality is equally impressive, if not slightly superior in some cases. The MK4 simply works – it prints consistently and reliably, print after print. And while setting up prints on the MK4 might require a touch more manual effort, the results are consistently excellent.
From past experience with Prusa printers, I’ve never needed to contact their customer support. However, the general consensus is that Prusa’s support is exceptionally good and remarkably responsive. Prusa essentially built the desktop 3D printing industry as we know it today and they have earned their strong reputation.
This brings up another crucial point: Bambu Lab is a relatively new company based in China. While the company’s location isn’t inherently a concern, the amount of data they might collect is worth considering. As mentioned earlier, most print operations with the Bambu X1 go through their cloud infrastructure, which Bambu owns and manages. The full extent of their data collection practices remains unclear, raising potential privacy concerns for some users.
Currently, both the X1 and the MK4 are in my workshop. Since its AMS issues, the X1 continues to function well, handling any print job I give it. The MK4, as expected, has been consistently reliable, producing excellent prints every time. This leads to the ultimate question: “If you have around $1500 to spend, which printer is the Best Rated 3d Printer to choose?”
Without a doubt, my recommendation leans towards the MK4. It’s the Toyota of 3D printers – unassuming, reliable, and dependable in the long run. And if something does go wrong, Prusa’s support is there to assist promptly.
In contrast, the Bambu Lab X1 is akin to a Lamborghini in the 3D printing world. It’s stylish, fast, and packed with impressive features. However, when problems arise, their customer service experience may leave something to be desired, potentially leaving you waiting and troubleshooting issues on your own.
If you have any questions about these printers or 3D printing in general, feel free to ask in the comments.
