FlashForge Finder Review

FlashForge Finder Review

EKoCycle Rating:-
8.4/10
Pros
  • Portable and Compact
  • <50db Noise Levels
  • Touchscreen
  • Easy to remove the print plate
  • Easy to fix filament jams. 
Cons
  • The bed is not heated
  • Cannot print long and thin objects

Whether you are a hobbyist or an enthusiast who loves to 3D print right at your home, you will find FlashForge Finder 3D to be ideal for your needs.

The feature list on this 3D Printer seems to be tailor made for home users and novice users.

Flashforge Finder 3D is compact and user friendly without sacrificing on quality of the prints, which by the way, is way superior as compared to other beginner 3D Printers in the same price bracket.

How was This Review Made?

Buying a 3D printer is not a child’s play. You need to be careful about various features. To help you get through it, we undertook all the hard work. We surfed through various websites to cross-check the functioning of this product. We laid equal attention to its features and whether the printer works as good as the company boasts off. Even the amazon reviews were taken into consideration, to give you a trustworthy account.

So worry not, we will sail you through it. Just read along with the Flashforge Finder Review, to know more.

Also Read: Flashforge Creator Pro Review

Things to Consider Before Buying a 3D Printer

If you want to print a Smartphone case, doorstop, or a wrench, you need to choose the right printer that fits all your needs and also your budget. Here are a few factors you must consider when you are buying a 3D printer.

The first thing to consider when buying a printer is whether to buy a resin or filament-based 3D printer. These both are an excellent choice for beginners and professional users. However, filament-based 3D printers are most commonly used.

In filament-based printers, the filament will melt and deposit on the hot end of the print bed. The filament keeps adding layer after layer until the final print is ready. While in the resin printing, UV radiations are used. It makes use of a light source to cure the liquid resin to form layers. Both the printers produce fine details of the print. However, resins are expensive compared to filament printers.

There is no 3D printer that does not produce noise. But the amount of noise produced matters. While some printers seem bearable, some of these are a nuisance when it comes to the amount of noise they produce. 

When you are printing a bedroom, the 3D printer noise will play a critical role. Though you have a dedicated area for 3D printing, still, the printer produces some noise that is heard by neighbors. 

The speed of printing varies from one model of 3D printer to another model. The resin printers have lower printer speed compared to filament-based printers. If you are using the 3D printer for fun, then speed is not a matter. 

In case, if you are using the printer for business purposes, you must consider speed. The small printing jobs that are done at high speed will not have an impact on print quality. If you are printing large prints, the fast speed will take a toll on the fine details. You must buy a printer that meets your speed requirements.

FlashForge Finder 3D Printer

Quality Prints at Moderate Price

The FlashForge Finder 3D printer is a moderately priced printer that is perfect for producing quality prints. It is easy to use and portable. 

The educators and beginners can use this printer to produce 3D prints without compromising on the quality.

 

It fits on the table and other surfaces without creating much clutter. The chassis of the printer lasts longer and can withstand nicks and bumps. The modest built area is limited to print using polylactic acid filament (PLA).

The finder is proven to produce good quality prints. This plug and plug device would entertain every beginner. 

Features and Benefits Offered by FlashForge Finder 3D Printer

The print area that is offered by FlashForge Finder 3D printer is 140 x 140 x 140 mm on every axis, and the print bed is easy to insert and remove. You can print large objects using this printer. The printer is in the shape of a cube. Thus, it becomes easy to slide in and out of the printer without having to recalibrate whenever you perform a new printing task.

The printer uses print material that is non-toxic and is biodegradable. This printer model only supports Polylactic acid (PLA) material. It keeps the complications with the heated print bed that happen due to the usage of toxic materials such as ABS. 

The main benefit that you can reap by using PLS over ABS is that the fumes produced by this PLS are not harmful. You can happily use this printer at your home and in the living environment. 

The Finder is limited to PLA filament but comes with a wide range of striking colors. The filament has a small area of 1.75 mm that slips into the cartridge slot. You can find this slot on the back of the unit. 

The cartridge would make it easy for you to detect when the filament runs out. It also alerts the device so that the filament will not run till the end and interrupt the process.

This feature is often found only in the pricey printers. However, you can find this in this model of cost-effective printers. The best part of having this feature is that it allows you to calibrate the distance between the build plate and nozzle with high precision. 

There is a sensor that is put on the printer head and allows showcasing informative messages on the screen. These messages will allow users to calibrate the printer accurately.

Unlike other printers, it won’t confine you to SD cards. Rather allows you to connect using USD cable and USD stick. The 3D printer also supports Wi-Fi connection. You can connect the printer directly to your computers wirelessly or with wire. There is 4GB storage on the printer so that the files will not get corrupted during the print. 

The onboard memory will let the printing to storing the files onto the onboard finder first from the USB cable. You can also share the 3D files through a wireless connection. It is convenient for you to avoid hassles when the printer and computer are far away from each other in the office.

The best feature that is offered in this model printer is the top-notch filament management system. The filament is stored in the cartridge that is pushed to the back of the printer. If you are using PLA filament, it will give an alert to the user when the filament is running out.

However, this feature is available only in this model printer. You must disable a few settings to use this feature on this printer model.

The touch screen on the top of the printer will let you perform the operations of the printer with ease. You can also preview the files before taking the print. You can even view the real-time status of the printing on the screen. 

Besides this, it also allows you to adjust the settings such as pre-heating the extruder, loading/unloading the filaments, print progression, and nozzle temperature.

One of the key features that are grabbing the attention of many users is plug and play printing. You can directly get started to print without having to do any testing. This printer delivers what it promises.

During the printing process, the noise level reaches 70 DB. It makes the device to operate without causing any disturbance to your neighbors. There is a soothing noise that is produced to alert you that it is ready to print. You can keep this printer in a shared space in the home without going crazy with the noise.

The slicing software will load when the printer is ON. The software with the finder will provide you with a rich and simple to use interface. You can efficiently work with other software such as 3DMAX, Maya, and other software to generate .stl files. It is the product that supports you with .stl and .obj formats of the files.

The model printer prints non-toxic PLA filament. There is no need for you to worry about the fumes and risks associated with the printing of the material when you use ABS. The nozzle, which is a heated element, is hard to touch even accidentally. The wires are hidden inside, and there is no scope for the wires to catch anything.

If you are a beginner in the 3D printing world, you can buy this printer. You can also allow kids to use it to print toys. The printer has no problem with fun printing objects. The quality of the print is also excellent. 

Though, you can see occasional blemishes and layering issues but can be solved. It is a pleasure for users to operate this printer. The process is simple. All you have to do is to select the file, run it through the software, configure the printer, and trigger the printer using LCD. It is nothing less than a child’s play.

The printer is pre-assembled. When you get the printer, you can remove it from the box and start using it. The package has a guide, power cord, adapter, and filament guide, one spool of PLA, USB cable, glue, and tool bag.

Pros: Things We Love!​

  • Portable and fits in a small space
  • Operate at the noise as low as 50db
  • Easy to control the printing tasks using the Touchscreen
  • Easy to remove the print plate
  • Filament jams can be fixed with ease

Cons: Points of Improvement

  • The bed is not heated
  • Cannot print long and thin objects
  • ABS and other filament are not supportive
  • Filament cartridge is too small 
  • Impossible to remove the support structures

Alternatives to FlashForge Finder 3D printer

1. FlashForge Creator Pro 3D Printer

It is a mid-range printer that comes with dual extruders and can cater to dual-colored prints. It creates less bed adhesion when compared to the other models. It is durable to use for a long time. It prints at high speed.

2. Matter MOD-t 3D Printer

It is one of the fewer models of budget-friendly printers that offer easy operation and is elegant in design. It is simple to set up in 20 minutes. It works with PLA filament to print the objects in impressive colors. It produces superior quality prints with a decent resolution of 50 microns.

3. Dremel DigiLab 3D45 3D Printer

It is the best alternative to the FlashForge Finder 3D printer that is used by the users who are teaching 3D printing to students. This printer supports nylon and eco-ABS. 

The remote printing software allows you to print and monitor the prints from anywhere. You can also print without the internet and using a USB cable.

Final Verdict

Many beginners and educators would show interest in buying FlashForge Finder 3D Printer. It is user-friendly and pocket friendly. The majority of the controls are simple and pretty straight forward. Even if you want to do the initial setup, you do not need to research much. 

The performance of the print is excellent, especially for a new 3D printer user. It is an ideal printer for all users that boasts with its stylish design and produces solid prints. It is safe to use as all the wires are hidden. It is the best printer for the budding 3D printer to get introduced to the world of 3D printing.