Printrbot’s Play 3D Printer is a replacement for Printrbot’s Simple Maker, a model with a sloppy and basic design that was previously released. The Play is a significant upgrade, providing a 3D printer that is both usable and consumer-friendly on a large scale, with numerous features that appeal to both newcomers to 3D printing and seasoned 3D printing enthusiasts.
It costs only $399, and many people consider it to be one of the best 3D printer models available in terms of overall value. The printer is classified as an entry-level model due to its low price, but it includes many features found in higher-end printers.
Printrbot did an excellent job of balancing advanced design features, unit cost, and the production of a high-quality printer that can be relied on in the long run. In this article, you can check the ultimate guidelines for Printrbot Play Reviews.
The Printrbot Play Design
The Play isn’t particularly attractive, but it does have a white or black frame and a lot of aluminum components that give it a nice, modern look.
Even at a glance, it’s clear that the designers put a lot of effort into quality control and making sure the final product looked and felt like something much more expensive.
The print bed is unusual in that it is simply a solid piece of aluminum that requires no adjustments because it is securely bolted to the machine’s other moving parts. The belt tension is manually adjustable, but the printer’s management software handles all other tweaks and settings.
This design style keeps things simple and straightforward, which is ideal for Printrbot Play Review users who are new to 3D printing. In fact, as a seasoned user, having a simple and reliable unit like this can be quite refreshing.
Clearly feeling how the unit fits together is perhaps the most compelling test of the Play’s quality. It feels far more solid and rigid when fully assembled than many other, far more expensive 3D printers.
It gives the impression that the unit is well-made, and even after many printing jobs have been completed, you won’t have to spend much time tightening parts or ensuring structural integrity.
Printing and Features
The play’s print quality is excellent. The quality isn’t as consistent as it is on some of the higher-end machines, especially when printing highly detailed products. Regardless of a few flaws in 100 percent consistency, it provides excellent printing quality for a unit that costs less than $400.
Users of the Printrbot Play 3D Printer frequently comment on how this 3D Printing performs better than their main printer for a variety of printing tasks.
The printer has two fans: one that is aimed at the print area and effectively cools the PLA as it prints, and the other that is aimed at the extruder and hot-end. The second is used as an additional heatsink.
If the PLA is left to constantly heat up without an effective cooling mechanism, it can clog up in some less expensive 3D printers. However, the Printrbot’s Play 3D Printer design does a fantastic job of avoiding this issue, and we had no issues in this area during multiple tests.
The extruder is made of aluminum, with stainless steel drive gear. It has a spring-loaded lever that can be used to adjust the tension. The components are well-made, and the design is something you’d expect to find on a much more expensive unit in most cases.
Overall, the printing operations are smooth, of high quality, and among the best of any under $1,000 unit we’ve tested. While the Play isn’t perfect, it delivers far more than you’d expect from a $400 3D printer of this size. In fact, if this is your first 3D printer, you may have unrealistic expectations because the Play outperforms many more expensive models. After checking Printrbot Play Review, you can also check the quality of the 3d printer.
Because the Printrbot Play lacks a heated print bed, you’ll have to stick to PLA because ABS isn’t practical without one. Furthermore, the hot end has a high-temperature range of around 240 degrees, so any plastics that require higher temperatures will not work.
Features
- Area to construct: 4 x 4 x 5
- 50 microns of resolution
- Printing Speeds: Up to 80mm/sec
- Printing with Filament-PLA Auto Leveling Structural Non-Heated Bed Belt
- Design-GT2 USB Connection and Micro SD Card Capable Build-Powder coated steel with aluminum body
- Cura Motors-NEMA 17 Software Recommendation
- Dimensions total: 14 x 11 x 12
Downsides
Working with the Printrbot Play 3D Printer has a number of drawbacks, one of which is the lack of a heated bed, which means you can only work with ABS. This is probably not a significant limitation for novice users who are just getting started with 3D printing, but it could be a problem for more experienced users who require more flexibility.
The size of the Play is the Play’s second limitation. While its small size has its advantages, it also limits the size of your build area and, as a result, the size of the products you can print. This is a limitation you won’t be able to get around, but the excellent print quality allows you to print multiple smaller parts that will fit together nicely to make a larger final product.
Most printers in this price range have a smaller build area of some kind, so most users should be aware of this when considering the Play.
Conclusion
This Printrbot Play Review is ideal for beginners. When compared to some other lower-cost units that do not provide the same level of 3D printing quality or smooth operation, the printer was a breath of fresh air. We thought the design was fantastic, and it had the appearance and feel of a much more expensive printer.
Printrbot appears to have avoided some of the common issues that other budget units face, based on our experience and other user reviews, and clearly has a good quality control process in place.
Any of the above disadvantages are far outweighed by exceptional printing quality that will most likely surprise you. This unit comes highly recommended by us for both beginners and experienced users looking for a smaller, low-cost 3D printer with excellent quality.
