I have an Ender 3 that honestly…I have used like one time to print the benchy and a small smokey the bear print. It’s been collecting dust otherwise. I am wanting to get back into 3D printing because of making things for my work shop (woodworking and mechanic) while also making things for my son, etc.
I have been debating about a P2S but then seeing a bigger build plate would be beneficial for me in the shop setting. I would love to multi-color and multi-material print. Right now, I am only willing to spend around $1500.
My first idea was to get a P2S and just get the feeling of getting back into 3D printing. Then later get the Prusa Core L series if they come out with the Index add on for it after observing others getting it to see how it works out for less material waste.
Then I was debating about just going ahead and getting the H2S and use it and eventually getting maybe the Prusa series. The H2C is too costly right now and I see is slower.
Keep in mind that the biggest cost factor is the filament over time, or rather, the waste, too. So the answer is: it depends on how often you want to print in multiple colors and with multiple materials.
If you only use it once or twice a month, a P2S will do. If you want to use it all the time, I would save up for the appropriate H series. First, you need to estimate how often you expect to print large projects in multiple colors and in multiple materials.
However, only you can answer that question. The P series is excellent, and the H series is outstanding. It is now up to you to decide how much you are willing to pay for filament, or rather, the waste it generates.
In addition to the question of how much building space you need, which only you can answer yourself.
In general, I would like to mention that there are also options for gluing or welding components, painting them yourself, or using colored models that do not require AMS. Also keep in mind: Don’t forget that there are useful accessories, such as various printing plates, which should also be included in your budget calculations.
In short:
low initial costs (P series), high follow-up costs - if multicolor is your focus.
high initial costs (H2C / H2D), low follow-up costs - if multicolor is your focus.
I really am eyeing the Prusa deal with the Index if it comes out. Just waiting for the reviews. Seems like some say it will be better than the H2C and little cheaper.
I mean, I could get the P2S and then wait for the Prusa then. The P2S will be for smaller stuff while the Core L would be for multi color multi filament with a bigger bed.
I just seen folks saying they like the H2S because of more reliability than the H2D and H2C even though it’s one nozzle.
I’ve been watching another video for the ways to reduce filament poop by lowering numbers in the programs, etc. Not sure how well that will work.
First, ask yourself this fundamental question: Why was your old Ender 3 just sitting around, and why aren’t you using it anymore? What caused you to lose interest in it? Perhaps looking back at the past will give you an answer. Something must have bothered you.
Then there’s the choice between Bambu and Prusa: both are outstanding brands, but with completely different approaches. The fact that you are considering both suggests that you are not yet sure which approach is right for you.
Bambu is set up and ready to go, with as little friction as possible. It’s a closed system, with all the advantages and disadvantages that brings. It’s so simple in theory that you can print spontaneously from your mobile phone, although it can be a bit tricky in practice.
Prusa: Open source and complete freedom come with the responsibility of engaging with the device much more. Errors due to incorrect operation are more common, but there is also a large community to support you. Expect a lot of tinkering, adjusting and optimising. You have to like that. Some people want this freedom; others just want a workhorse like Bambu.
In short, what would I do if I were you? First, I wouldn’t do anything for a week to take the stress out of it. During that week, I would think about why it didn’t work out with youre Ender 3.
I think the reason I stopped using the Ender is because I didn’t fully understand how useful 3d printing is. I also see how enclosures can help expand more options for me with certain filaments. Plus like you said, Bambu seems to be more dialed in for users.
I figured if I went with the H2S route other than P2S…that IF the PRUSA set up turns out to not be good…then I can eventually upgrade the H2S with the vortex system to make it H2C.
I thought about the P2S because of the initial cost as you stated, but yes, filament will cost more. But I will have less invested into it all (machine wise)…
The P2S is also out of stock in most places while the H2S isn’t too.
The AMS is the gateway drug of bambu’s ecosystem, you need at least one, and ideally you can keep using it even if you move between printers. So make sure to factor that into your budget.
If you do woodworking, you will love printing jigs. CAD-accurate angles and patterns at the push of a button that you can just fit over the wood, clamp, and go. You cannot live without this IMO, even if you have to dust off your old ender to do it
Yeah, that’s what I was seeing on some woodworkers YouTube videos. I got this Ender like YEARS ago (2019 to be exact). Didn’t see much people using 3D printers much then other than the Ender series. I pretty much forgot it then….then I heard all of the issues people ran into with them, so I just left it be.
I noticed the Snapmaker U1 but again, really no good reviews on that and it seems like it’s not enclosed as much as the Bambu/Prusa series. The price is good. But like everything new, time tells all and I don’t want to hop onto the bandwagon with a lot of money invested before something and tested.
I’m thinking hard on it. I’m still thinking on the H2S..the vortex system will be like $900 for it. If all of these other waste reducing machines aren’t good then I guess I could upgrade it for about the same added cost of buying an H2D right now.
H2D combo will be like $2100-$2200 out the door. Add the vortex system is another $800. Total then would be $3000-ish
H2S combo is like $1619 out the door. Add the vortex system is $900. Total then would be $2500-ish plus tax.
I know time to install this will be needed, but I figured I would still save several hundreds of dollars which could go toward filament if I went the route of the H-series.
Seems like now it’s better, fun, and more useful with this modern technology of 3D printers than it was before.
Yep, I’m at risk of being hung for heresy here given the forum, but I don’t think the H2 series represents good value unless you absolutely must have the large format, or the dual nozzle for multi-type-material printing. It’s tough to get what you need out of any of those machines for under 2k after you include all the extras [vision encoder, ams, maybe two, a spare plate, 2 spare nozzles, couple spare parts]. I’m waiting for the next generations.
A1, P1S, and Centauri Carbon represent some amazing value for introductory level, although I will say the Centauri Carbon has an order of magnitude more jank than the bambus do. Elegoo’s not good with firmware and quite slow at releasing it. A1 is showing its age a bit too, but its quite a good machine. I have a couple with over 7000 hours, still going strong, and have not “killed” any yet.
My 5c, i really don’t see value in p2s if I’m being honest, it’s not ready for engineering materials, doesn’t have chamber heater. Other than that if you want to use it for pla/petg, it’s especially useless, since you can just buy a1 and don’t spend three times the price for what is enclosed a1 and have the same capabilities. If you fear debris or dust, you can just buy enclosure for it for a cheap price on Amazon. If you want engineering materials or big build size, in this case you need H series
The speed low for multi color on the h2c is silly its fast compared to the h2s and h2d by a lot. There are even models where the speed gained by having a bigger build area and avg speed makes it faster in the end as the ‘toolchanger’ king called the Snapmaker U1. What i miss in this compare is that the h2c was announced 18Nov 2025 and i was printing with it as a normal user 26Nov 2025. The U1 order now and maybe get it in April/May. Prusa Core One L + index not even announced all we know it MIGHT be announced after the Core normal size is shipped as a kit. There is a very good change that both a U1 and/or a INDX system with the same build size as the h2c will be fall of 2026 (thats my bet) as a pre-build unit. Again the h2c has been announced and shipped probably 8 or 10 months before that happens. edit: i know the gfx shows speed h2c as low (good) but i mean in general reviews where people compare it against the U1 and ‘possible’ indx system in a way that show the strength of these 2 printers instead of showing how it compared with say the H2S/H2D.
The base generic settings for Nylon worked really well for a really old crappy unheard of brand on my H2D, so I’d doubt that you’d have to even really care about settings that much for simple stuff like PETG and PLA.
Hey @user_1187429418 Another thing the H2C handles well that your Ender 3 may not offer is TPU. With the added heated chamber and other cool stuffs, even if the traditional toolchangers have a better multi material capability, most of them don’t have the heated chamber or newer extruder tech that makes TPU easier (except maybe the U1, but that’s a really new toolchanger).
If you really just want to be 3D printing with PLA and PETG, you should’ve probably gone with the Snapmaker U1… but then again, if you have the H2C you could always try your hand at more sophisticated projects. “better have it and not need it than need it and not have it”
Edit: obviously the condition of the filament matters a lot more than than the brand. For the person who started this thread, there’s a cool strat for getting the H2C’s toolchange time lower. Optimize the filament path. Someone online got under 30 seconds for an H2C with all AMS directly above the machine, but I think it could go even faster if you put them directly behind the machine and a little bit elevated. The main reason why the H2C isn’t as fast is due to the AMS retraction and reloading of filament. Other than that, the nozzle swapping time is probably the exact same as the traditional toolchangers. compared to the complete toolchange time of 18 seconds, <30 seconds isn’t that far of a gap (btw, this is NOT INDX, that’ll take longer since it also has induction heating you need to wait for, so maybe 26 seconds, which is even closer).
Printing functional parts with dedicated support material using a single nozzle printer like a P or X or H2S requires humungous amounts of purge. If even the slightest trace amounts of the support filament remain in the nozzle when the printer starts printing the primary filament again, the finished print will be significantly weaker and will easily break apart along layer lines.
I gave up trying to do this with my X1C over a year ago. The costs in purging, when a print has to switch on every single layer, was prohibitive. I was purging significantly more than the print itself consumed.
If you’re going to want to print strong mechanically functional parts, you need a H2D or H2C.
I’d go even a step further and say that the max amount the default gcodes let you flush is insufficient to actually clean petg from a pla nozzle and vice versa. It’s more like 3+ grams, which would be like entering “2500” into that box that caps at 900
I went through the same scenario, I had a Ender 3 way back. And tinkered etc and.printed upgrades and finally just quit. I gave it away after it sat. I then happen to see the H2S and H2D I researched youtube. I found a couple of videos that I used to follow, one was usage in a shop. The gent was making pieces for his latheand tools etc, and the comment that got me was “ It just works”
So I got the H2S and it did what he said,I’ve printed PLA,Petg,ABS and ASA.
But key is ready and watch and listen and keep up on maintenance and no question is a.sillt question.
