First Personal 3D Printer Choice

This is just a relieved rant which is open for discussion.

I posted in the Prusa subreddit the other day asking about recommendations for a Prusa MK4S that I convinced my boss into buying for work and it sent me back down the rabbit hole of 3D printers again.

I have never owned a 3D printer myself but for over 10 years have always wanted one.

Why haven't I just bought one if its been that long? I'm an overthinker. Comparing everything then overwhelming myself as to what is better and then getting cold feet. I always wanted to get a Prusa but the price point was always way too high for me.

I considered a Creality but the mixed reviews had me reconsidering. Since I've always been studying while I work, finding the time to tinker would mean that it would never get fixed or else my studies would suffer as it would consume me.

Bambu labs has come on the scene and I never really considered them because I like the opensource idea and I want control over my stuff. This and the recent controversy steered me away from them for the work printer too if being honest. I'm happy to tinker in work as I'm being paid to. Hence the Prusa.

So here's what I'm doing: I'm getting a Bambu A1 mini as my first personal printer.

I can't deny the reviews this thing has been getting It's also currently £170 (UK) and that's just an impossible price point to beat right now which is also a huge factor in it.

Screw the small print area The bed temp The controversy The lack of open source

The appliance has been made to work with the filaments that it's been made to work with and I can make those work for my projects and for my boredom prints. And it's been made to work out of the box. That's what I want. I just want to start printing. I can make the small print area work in the slicer or by redesigning the parts into smaller pieces and linking up appropriately.

I wanted something to break this constant cycle of looking at printers, getting overwhelmed by price and everything else surrounding it then back off. I've been doing it for over 10 years. I'm buying it to get my started into my own 3D prints and stop sitting on the sidelines watching everybody else do all this cool stuff or debating why they should or shouldn't get a particular brand.

All that said... I'm still a Prusa fanboy at heart. Once I decide I want to upgrade I'm probably going to move to Prusa or when my Masters ends maybe try my hand at building one from scratch for gits and shiggles. I like the idea of being able to tinker with things way too much. But I need one that works and will work reliably for now to get me started.