Technology1 min read

After printing 40,000 whistles, this is the 3D printer I’d buy

By · Via The Verge · Published by Everything Blog

In short

The Bambu Lab P2S Combo earned the premier recommendation after enduring 6,770 total hours of print time across multiple units to manufacture 40,000 whistles. The fully enclosed machine features a touchscreen interface and is normally priced at $749, with a limited-time promotional discount dropping it to $649 through December 1st. Automated filament management handles calibration, feeding, and rewinding inside an airtight chamber that protects spools from moisture degradation for months. By contrast, cheaper competitors like the Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 Combo suffered mechanical breakdowns, bed-leveling malfunctions, and worn extruder gears during comparative testing.

Key points

  • The Bambu Lab P2S Combo provides superior reliability and easier maintenance compared to…: The Bambu Lab P2S Combo provides superior reliability and easier maintenance compared to budget multi-color alternatives.
  • An integrated automated material system handles filament calibration and loading while pr…: An integrated automated material system handles filament calibration and loading while protecting supplies inside an airtight chamber.
  • Cheaper enclosed printers lacking sealed filament storage demand frequent repairs that di…: Cheaper enclosed printers lacking sealed filament storage demand frequent repairs that disrupt long-term printing workflows.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

I’ve been wanting to try 3D printing, people tell me. Which printer should I get?

After printing 40,000 whistles, this is the 3D printer I’d buy

One year later, the Bambu P2S Combo is the only 3D printer I can easily recommend.

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I finally have a fairly easy answer: the Bambu Lab P2S Combo. The auto-loading, fully enclosed touchscreen printer is one of the very few I can recommend. It’s the only one I’d buy for myself. It’s on sale for $649 through December 1st, but I’d vouch for it even at its normal $749 price.

I’ve spent an entire year testing the P2S alongside several competitors, printing 40,000 whistles for ICE whistleblowers along the way. After racking up 6,770 hours of print time across four different printers, I’m sure of my recommendation.

Some people who know 3D printers will argue with me:

- Some will say you shouldn’t support Bambu because it’s profiting at the open-source community’s expense.

- Others will say…

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