There are a lot of great 3D printers on the market, but most of them are either a. out of my price range (i.e the Formlabs Form 1), b. Loud and difficult to maintain (i.e RepRap) or C. both. Today I came across a printer that's neither. It's not perfect, but it's pretty damn great.

The printer I saw at NY's CE Week today was the New Matter MOD-t, a $399 FFF (fused-filament-fabricator) printer which produces very pleasant prints quietly, and simply.

The New Matter device is unobtrusive. It's about the size of a microwave, and far more beautiful. Prints are sent via Wifi, so the only visible wire is the power cord. The printer itself is a small, transparent box, with a smooth white base.

The printer uses servo motors, rather than stepper motors, and it flips the traditional model of a fused-filament-fabricator printer, by moving the print-bed forward/backward, and left/right, and the print head only up and down.

These changes make the MOD-t quiet, and really resistant to breaking or failing on a print. There's no bed-leveling, or print-head clogging. This printer just works.

For the beginner-printer who doesn't want to spend more time maintaining their printer than printing, this is fantastic option.

Of course, any printer has its drawbacks:

This printer certainly has its flaws. Buying a 3D printer is a game of compromises. That's why I always tell buyers to ask this question when they look for a printer: Which are you willing to make, and which features/characterstics are a must? It's not customizable or upgradable, as open-source Rep-Rap printers are (the more common low-cost option). The maximum print volume is relatively small, at 6x4x5 inches (though there are many much smaller print-beds). It's also not the most high-resolution, or the fastest printer, though it certainly does alright in both categories.

The MOD-t only prints PLA filament. It can't handle the more putrid ABS plastic. But as far as beginner models go, this is at the top of my list.

The MOD-t starts at $399, takes standard 1.75 mm PLA filament, and has a 90-day warrantee.

(Editor's note: I'm probably going to buy one of these myself. That is one of the highest marks I can give to a product I cover).

Source:
https://geeky.io/2015/06/24/3d-printer.html