Have you recently broken-up your 3d printer? or you are suffering from low-quality prints? or your 3d printer is too slow and hence giving you loads of headaches? Worry not, we have got a great new option for you. The Monoprice Select Mini 3D Printer v2. It will help you attain an excellent print quality of your favorite prototypes. It is a low budget printer that is a perfect option for beginners but not for the experts.
The Monoprice Select Mini 3D Printer v2 is gaining huge popularity in the 3D printer market. There must be something garnering the attention of people, don’t you think? Well, let us find out.
How was The Review Made?
After looking at various product websites, we had a better understanding of the Monoprice Select Mini. We compared its features. Delved deep into the pros and cons. Looked at various reviews on Amazon and Reddit. Hence, creating a concise yet reliable view of the product.
So read along to decide if this one is yours to buy.
Things to Consider Before Buying a 3D Printer
Few factors you must consider when buying a 3D printer
- Printer type
There are three different types of printers available in the market. These include – Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), Stereolithography, and Selective Laser Sintering. The FDM model printer would create the print by heating and extruding plastic. While FDM is comparatively cheaper, the other two technology printers are pricey.
Stereolithography will make use of the additive process and ultraviolet light to produce a high-quality print. The SLS type of 3D printing uses lasers and powder to create a beautiful layer of print material.
- Price
The price of the 3D printer relies on the quality of output it produces. The higher quality printer would cost you USD 1000, and the professional printers would exceed USD 2000. However, if you want to try using the 3D printer as a beginner, you must go for a relatively cheaper amount.
- Print materials
There are two types of materials commonly used for producing a 3D print. These include – Poly Lactic acid (PLA) and Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS). These are made using thermoplastic materials. They turn malleable when they are heated and become solid when cooled.
PLA is a kind of plastic that is excellent for beginners who want to use 3D printing. It is perfect to create small household items. It is eco-friendly and cools quickly.
ABS is a petroleum-based product that is the choice of many professional 3D printers. It is easy to create print and work. It has a higher melting point.
- Safety
You will be working with the heated plastics. The print bed would be hot and might result in burns when you are not cautious while working with the printer. You must make sure to buy the printers with enclosures to avoid hurting yourself. You need to place the printer in the well-ventilated room.
When you buy the printer, you can get it fully assembled and properly calibrated. You must check the calibration after you receive the product. It is quite easy to use, and it comes with a MicroSD card and a couple of preinstalled models.
The 3d printing learners and enthusiasts can start to produce superior quality PLA prints and have a next-level 3D printing experience.
You can use this type of printer in schools, homes, offices, and libraries. you can also checkout 3d Printer for Sale here.
Check Also: FlashForge Finder Review
Features and Benefits of Monoprice Select Mini 3D Printer V2
- The print bed is fully insulated
The print bed is equipped to print high-quality 3D images. There is a preinstalled build mat that offers high rigidity and stability when moving in Z-axis. This makes the prints clear and highly impressive.
The heated print bed allows you to perform the print operations for different companies with the help of several filament types. It is an upgrade of the feature to its preceding version.
Bed heating produces superior quality prints. The insulation will prevent the damage it causes to the objects that are kept for printing. When you place the printer on the furniture, the insulation will protect the furniture from getting heated and damaged eventually.
- Dual Cooling Fan
There was only one nozzle cooling fan in the first version of this model printer. You can find this fan to be snug within the extruder.
The current version of the printer comes with dual cooling fans. One fan is placed in the extruder and the other on the mainboard. The fans will allow you to regulate the temperature and keep the heat in the print bed at bay. When you print with filaments, the temperature settings are maintained high.
- Color Screen
The screen that has been improved to 3.7 inches is a brownie point to this new printer model. It makes printing a cakewalk. It is highly functional and is capable compared to the earlier version.
You can control every aspect of the printer right from the color screen. You can print through Micro SD card or Wi-Fi. You can connect this to the computer to take 3D printers of your choice.
- Strong Built
The printer is made of superior quality material that stays durable despite extreme tear. The printer heat bed can produce quality prints. The printer would not fail until and unless there is a slicing software error.
- Metal Composite Extruder
The printer is made using the metal hot end extruder. It is is a small enhancement to the previous model of the printer, but it keeps the jam in the filament area at bay. However, it is opening a lot of opportunities for you to print different types of filaments.
- Open-source
The heated build plate with different extruder temperature will allow you to print with several kinds of filaments. You can use open-source software to improve the 3D printing experience.
- Overall Design
This printer has a compact 3D design. It is a small printer that fits on a smaller desk or a table. It is convenient to use whether in homes or in offices.
The small 3D printer is robust in design. However, it is not the kind of printer that looks flimsy. It comes with a smaller footprint with an open-frame design. The best part of the printer is that you can carry it anywhere as it weighs less compared to other printers.
The printer is highly durable and efficient in performing printing tasks. The heated built plate will keep the material soft and workable. It supports different extruder temperatures; therefore, it works with all types of filament material. The open-frame design allows you to witness the print that you get in front of you.
- Different Printing Materials Used
The wide range of temperatures that are supported by this printer allows you to work with different types of printing materials such as ABS and PLA. You can also use other complicated materials to print the 3D images.
You can set the temperature based on the project you are working on. The build plate is smaller in size, so you would be able to create 3D miniature models. Though you can print smaller objects, the print quality is top-notch.
- Usability
It allows you to print with ease. You can adjust the temperature to work with different materials. The 3.7 inches of the screen will allow you to check the printer status besides letting you monitor the temperature, flow rate, and so on. The Micro SDTM card will come with preinstalled models. You can pick any of these models to use the printer to print out of the box images.
It is compatible to use with different printing software such as Repeiter, Cura, and so on. It also allows you to work with the open-source software to produce several print projects as per your preferences and tastes.
- Fully Assembled
The printer is fully assembled. You do not need to waste your time watching the videos to learn how to assemble a 3D printer; instead, you can use it for printing as soon as you get this printer home.
- Compatibility
The printer is compatible to use with Windows operating systems and MAC OS. It also enables you to work with different open-source 3D printing software and 3D image files. Besides connecting to the printer wirelessly, you can also use a Micro SD card or USB to connect to the device.
- Easy to Maintain
This small size and the lightweight printer are easy to maintain when compared to the other large scale commercial printers. The basic components in the printer are easy to maintain. You can wipe off the dust and start using the printer to carry out the print tasks of your next project.
Pros: Things We Love!
- Cost-effective
- Good quality print
- Easy to operate
- Color LCD
- It prints well at low speed
Cons: Points of Improvement
- High-speed printing is not supported
- Have issues with the wireless connection
- Uneven temperature
- Small print bed
- Produce noise
Alternatives to Monoprice Select Mini 3D Printer V2
This printer Anet A8 is a complete DIY starter kit. You will get all the components that you must assemble. As you must self-assemble the kit, so it costs you less but gives you the best performance.
2. Printrbot Play 3D Printer
Final Verdict
The Monoprice Select Mini 3D Printer V2 keeps working without any interruption for hours together. The features will allow you to work on any type of small 3D projects that you have made with the open-source software and 3D design.
Due to different extruder temperature controls, it is compatible to work with different filament and printable materials. Interestingly, it comes assembled and calibrated and perfect to be used by the novice and professional users. Be it working on personal projects or office projects; you must have this printer with you. It is affordable, durable, and produces quality designs.