Creality Ender-3 3D Printer Review Basics
The Creality Ender-3 is a semi-assembled 3D printer which comes to your door broken down for compact shipment. All the tools you need to build the Ender-3 come with the kit, and it takes 1-2 hours to complete. With a bit of patience and common sense, almost anyone can assemble the Ender-3. Assembling this printer is like building IKEA furniture – simply screw the pieces together in the right order.
Once built, the Creality Ender-3 offers a sizable build volume measuring 8.6” x 8.6” x 9.6”. A rugged aluminum frame keeps the extruder and print area fairly stable for impressively smooth and detailed prints in resolutions between 100 and 400 microns. Featuring a heated aluminum build plate that reaches a dependable 110°C and an extruder with a max temperature of 250°C, the Creality Ender-3 is equipped to handle ABS, PLA, and TPU filament. We do not, however, recommend using flexible filaments without an extruder upgrade.
Creality Ender-3 3D Printer Review Pros
Easy Assembly
We’ve already mentioned this point but it bares repeating. The Creality Ender-3 may look intimidating at first, but even those with little mechanical experience can built it. It usually takes no more than two hours to construct, and most are done in an hour. That makes the Ender-3 great for beginners who want to learn the “anatomy” of their new machine. Building your machine makes modifying and troubleshooting much easier down the road, too. Of course, coming semi-assembled also allows the Ender-3 to sell for a song, making it a great choice for budget shoppers too.
Print Quality and Overall Value
You might worry that the Creality Ender-3 won’t produce high quality prints due to its low price. We’re happy to assuage your fears. Whether printing with PLA or ABS, the Ender-3 produces highly accurate, smooth prints with limited post correction required. This is in stark contrast to other cheap 3D printer kits, like the popular Anet A8, which need extensive modding and tweaking for similar results.
A big part of the Ender-3’s success is its sturdy metal frame. This printer is also wired and powered well, with a PSU poweful enough to handle the extruder, heated print bed, and axis-motors. Bad wiring and underpowered PSUs are common problem fround in other cheap 3D printer kits but not the Ender-3. The Ender-3 also benefits from good extruder temperature control as well as an exacting filament feeding system. Everything comes together for some truly impressive prints that rival results from much more expensive machines.
Creality Ender-3 3D Printer Review Cons
Many Minor Issues
Quality control isn’t exactly strict at Creality, as evidence by the sheer number of minor problems found in the Ender-3 units. Common problems include bowed build plates, wobbly bases, uneven z-rods, over-long belts, and many more annoying but ultimately non-critical issues. The good news is that most people only experience one or two of these issues. Be prepared for some bumps in the road that require some creative troubleshooting, and don’t be afraid to ask the friendly online community built up around this printer.
Creality Ender-3 3D Printer Review Verdict
There’s no shortage of sub-$300 3D printers, but not all of them are worth your time. The Creality Ender-3 is one of the few that delivers impressive print quality, a spacious build volume, and solid build construction. Creality’s fast and friendly customer service also comes in handy if (when) you run into one of the many little problems that Ender-3s tend to suffer. Creality is usually happy to help you troubleshoot or send out a new part. We feel safe in saying that the Creality Ender-3 is one of the best values in 3D printing today regardless of your experience level.
