As technology gets more mature, 3D printing technology has become more common and start to penetrate to consumer market. As a tech geek, I would definitely want to add 3D printer to my latest �toy� collection.
Among the most established manufacturers, MakerBot might be the most well-known. They have sleek product and probably is the first company that introduces 3D printing to consumer market. But it come at a hefty price tag. Their entry level printer costs USD 999, excluding shipping cost. This is well beyond my budget.
In the end, I decided to buy from alternative manufacturer from China called Tronxy, through Chinese retailer Taobao, for only US$ 275, inclusive of shipping cost. You could find which model I bought here. Downside is, it is a DIY type of printer which you need to assembly yourselves. While fully assembled version is available at additional $40, I decided to assemble it myself. It was kind of fun actually and I really enjoyed assembling it.
For the price you�re paying, do not expect it to come with nice safety enclosure. But who needs a safety device when you know what to expect? I�ve put together in table below the comparison between my Tronxy with MakerBot Replicator Mini+. You can see that it is pretty much comparable to the Replicator Mini+. While some specification might be questionable, I feel it is really worth the money.
| Model | Tronxy P802M | MakerBot Replicator Mini+ |
| Machine weight | 9.5 kg | 9.3 kg |
| Material supported | ABS, PLA, TPU | PLA |
| Filament size | 1.75 mm | 1.75 mm |
| Build size | 22 X 22 X 23 cm | 10.1 X 12.6 X 12.6 cm |
| Printing speed | 100 mm/s | ? |
| Nozzle diameter | 0.4 mm | 0.4 mm |
| Layer thickness | 0.1-0.5 mm | 0.1-0.4 mm |
| Power consumption | 45 W | ? |
| XY axis accuracy | 0.05 in* | 0.8 mm |
| Z axis accuracy | 0.05 in* | 0.8 mm |
| Auto levelling | Yes | No (Build plate is factory levelled) |
| LCD screen | Yes | No |
| Heated bed | Yes | No |
| Camera | No | Yes |
| Operating Sound | ? | 58.8 dBA RMS |
| Software Bundle | N/A. Open source software to be used. | MakerBot Print Software, MakerBot Mobile |
| Price | US$ 275 | US$ 999 |
* The unit is not specified but it appears to be in inch.
