If previously 3D printers were perceived as something from the realm of fiction, today it is not. Now these devices are available even for private use, not to mention small or large businesses.
Although the number of owners is growing every year, still the number of owners of these devices is small. They are simply extremely limited in application. Why does a regular user need such a device? Unless for entertainment. Well, the complexity of working with such equipment is the second reason for the low popularity. Everyone will be able to print a small model on a cheap 3D printer from the manual, however, to create a truly complex and useful, you need to have an education or at least a lot of experience in 3D modeling.
Application area
So far, even cheap 3D printers remain abroad for domestic use. They are mainly used in business, for example, for printing gears and other parts for prototyping in factories.
If some users have such devices at home, then usually these are DIY 3D printers assembled by themselves. But not always. Some are available in stores. Even today, you can buy a cheap 3D printer, the price of which will be more than ten thousand rubles. Below we present the cheapest and most popular models.
Cheapest 3D printers
Everything is on sale on the Aliexpress website. There you can buy a 3D printing device. There are many cheap options for assembly, which, although they require serious improvements, but still more or less cope with their task. If you believe the user reviews, then good printers start at a price mark of 12 thousand rubles.
Therefore, when ordering such a device on Aliexpress, you should be vigilant and choose only a trusted seller. Otherwise, you can have a chance to order a non-working device.
The cheapest Russian option
The Russian manufacturer MasterKit offers a compact 3D model MC7 Prime mini. This is a kit for assembly, the price of which is 15500 rubles. The company itself says that it will take the user about 45 minutes to assemble the device. Its low price is due to the lack of a display and a special heated platform. For printing, he uses PLA plastic and materials without much shrinkage.
The cheapest 3D printer from a Chinese manufacturer
The cost of this model may be the same as the price of the already mentioned Russian counterpart. This printer is called WANHAO Duplicator i3, and in the circle of owners it received the nickname "Vanka".
But the device is not only low in price. It is also more or less well assembled and prints well. There is also an updated version of the device, which is slightly more expensive. The printer consists of a control unit and a main frame. Unlike the Russian counterpart, there is a heated platform, which makes it possible to use 3D plastic. Anyway, according to the manufacturer’s statement, the range of printing materials is extremely wide. Interfaces USB, Card Reader and microSD slot included.
Budget Newbie Prusa i3 Desktop
The Russian company Microfactofy introduced the new Prusa i3 Desktop model on the market. This is a cheap 3D printer, the price of which is 28,000 rubles. Yes, it is more expensive than the models presented above, but its cost still allows you to attribute it to state employees.
There is a heated platform, a display, and the print area is 220x220x320 mm.
European "state employee"
The even more expensive Prusa i3 Hephestos printer is offered by the Spanish manufacturer BQ. Its price is 40 thousand rubles. According to the owners, the assembly takes as long as two days. Although in fact this is a short time for assembly. You can appreciate the high quality of the device itself and print efficiency. All at the highest level.
The printer itself is created on the basis of the Prusa i3 circuit, it has a heated platform, a display, as well as interesting instructions for assembly, which vaguely resembles the instructions from IKEA. Initially, the printer platform has dimensions of 20x20 cm, but it is possible to "upgrade" it to dimensions of 20x30 cm.
Inexpensive printer in the case
The cheapest 3D printer in the box is the DA VINCI JR from XYZprinting. Its price is also in the range of 40-42 thousand rubles, so it is not more expensive than the previous model.
The low price is due to the lack of a heated platform and saving on dimensions. In the case there is a closed camera with an area of 15x15x15 cm, a display and an SD card slot. But printing is possible only with PLA plastic, which is very good considering the price. However, there is an opinion that with a good adhesion varnish, which will provide a more efficient adhesion of the model to the platform, the printer can even print with ABS plastic. In any case, it is worth the money.
Cheap printer that eats everything
The MZ3D-256 model from the MZ3D company will cost 45,000 rubles on average. A feature is the ability to print on ABS, HIPS, PLA, FLEX and other materials. There is a heated table, a control knob, plastic parts and a heavy frame with rails. Also, users note excellent technical support, which is also important when choosing such a device.
The smallest cheapest 3D printer - CYBERMICRO
The dimensions of this device are only 200x200x200 mm, the price is 2000 rubles. The Russian company Cyberon Group did this miracle. Given the size, it’s logical to ask what the print area is. It is enough for small items, for example, stands for mobile phones. The print area is 110x110x110 mm. We managed to achieve such dimensions by abandoning the heated platform, Card Reader, and even the power button. It also makes the device simple and concise, but not professional. It is suitable for a person who only knows the basics of the press.
Printers printing metal
All of the above models use exclusively plastic for printing. But if you look for a cheap 3D printer for metal, you are unlikely to find anything suitable. The fact is that such household models simply do not exist, and commercial ones are so expensive that only very large companies can afford them. The price of such a device can reach 250 thousand dollars or more. So while cheap 3D-printers for metal are not available on the market and are unlikely to appear in the near future. All because of the physical properties of the metal itself. That's when the engineers learn how to easily melt it and quickly give it the desired shape, without harming the printer itself, then we can talk about everyday use.