Bambu Lab A1

r/3Dprinting·X320032·Mar 2026

Negative

Considering getting into 3D Printing

It's not the slicer not working offline, it's the printer. That's exactly what I mean by locked down ecosystem. The Elegoo CC1 works great offline but I've read that the CC2 is completely locked down. I had a Bambu A1 for about a year that was always offline but it was a huge pain to get it to work that way. I almost sent it back before setting it up once I saw how Bambu tried hard to force their customers to use their app and cloud, two thing I don't do. The A1 ran good for seven or eight month then it started getting random errors every time I sent a print. There was never an actual error so I was always able to walk out to the shop and click Proceed or OK or whatever the button said, and it would print. It would pop up the same error for three or four prints, then another error for a while, then switch to another. It eventually got to where it would popup the same errors mid print and not be able to recover the print. And finally it started adding in AMS Lite errors and would never let another print start. I talked to some of my software buddies about why it would detect so many false errors and they all agreed it had to be written into the firmware. I was able to use it offline for a while then a timer went off and the problems started with the suggested solution of going online. My A1 and AMS Lite are now a box of parts. Don't buy from a company with a closed eco system.

YouTube·Designs By Brodhead

Positive

PRINT vs PRINT! Elegoo Centauri Carbon & Bambu Lab A1

The A1 is a capable printer that produced very good results, often indistinguishable from the Centauri Carbon to the untrained eye, but it was slightly outmatched in specific print quality aspects and tolerances. Its main advantage is immediate availability.

r/3dprinter·Dragonfish42·Jun 2026

Negative

Bambu A1 combo or Centauri Carbon 2 ?

I own both right now, I vote CC2. 1. There is no appreciable difference in the interfaces of either. The slicers are both very similar and easy to use, as is the display on the unit that I barely touch. 2. I have had prints fail due to the movement of the bed of the A1, that would not have happened on a core x/y. 3. The CC2 has better print quality once your filament is properly calibrated, and noticeably so. 4. The A1 has a known issue Bambu hasn't addressed and probably won't: the heating assembly has 4 screws on the back of it that loosen over time, and as that happens your print quality gets worse and worse. Then you have to take apart your hotend (not hard, but PIA) and tighten those screws. Eventually the screws strip out and you have to buy another. I've bought 3 in 1500 print hours and I have to tighten those screws every 20 print hours or so. Qualifications for my opinion: I own a small Etsy shop and print the exact same model on both printers so I have direct comparison.

YouTube·Joshua Schiergens 3D-Druck

Neutral

Best 3D printer for beginners? Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2

Not directly comparable to the Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 due to its open build space, which restricts the types of materials it can print.

r/3dprinter·zx4133·May 2026

Negative

Printer recommendations for my 11year old 🧐

Good for you. Honestly. That’s usually how it goes though, you don’t have any problems… until you do, lol. And a fire is a big friggin’ problem. A fire hazard like that is not worth the risk, especially not for a kid. I have 2 A1s myself but I refuse to use them until Bambu properly addresses the issue. Melted A1: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DX5Ieo1Ru3\_/?l=1&ig\_mid=8B7B0960-CA22-43D5-96B2-AE1AC8F144F6&utm\_source=igweb&launch\_app\_store=true