Recommendation for a 3d printer for a beginner

[fred_dot_u]

It's time for me to dust off my Prusa hat once again.

Even though you want an out of the box printer, consider to save a few dollars to purchase a Prusa kit, rather than fully assembled. The new MK3 versions are a great improvement on the previously easy-to-build MK2. Our public library purchased the MK2 on my recommendation and have been very pleased with the results. Public access and tons of use and it's been soldiering away nicely for more than a year. A fellow makerspace member purchased a MK3 and reiterated how easy it was to assemble.

He recently performed prints for a business on commission and was able to compare his product with that of an online 3D printing service. He said the results were like night and day. The Prusa created models of substantially better quality than the online service.

We have been using various manufacturer's filaments in the library printer with little to no problems related to the printer. Some of the filament was crap (Cube3D!) and yet printed quite well.

If you purchase a kit, you save money and also learn what makes it work. You won't have to worry about minimal problems in the future but those that might crop up are easier to address.

Another makerspace member has a Robo R1 printer and he's had good luck with it, an out-of-the box, ready-to-go printer. His heat bed has failed and he simply uses the machine cold and is still happy with it. I think he also had a controller board fail, but that was replaced under warranty. It was easy to fix, as the machine is simple and easy to open. Also not specific brand filament sensitive.

[Roberts_Clif]

If you purchase a kit, you save money and also learn what makes it work. You won't have to worry about minimal problems in the future but those that might crop up are easier to address.

There are quite a few such 3D Printers that will fit into your price range.
Though I believe that all 3D Printers require maintenance. ("A printer that does not need repair")
This is basically how I an a lot of Users got better 3D Printers than we could afford,
Someone purchased them could not maintain them and sold them at a reduced price.

I would get busy learning about any 3D Printer you decide to purchase,
and anything that should be checked regularly to allow this New 3D Printer its Maximum Performance.

Good Luck with this Perfect 3D Printer an I hope you find it!!!!!!!!!!!!

@fred_dot_u said it Perfectly!!