HICTOP Creality CR-10 3D Printer Review

As more people become familiar with 3D printing and how it can help them in their everyday lives, the art of creating a multi-dimensional product right in your own home grows more popular.

As the craft expands, more printers come onto the market with better and more user-friendly designs. One such machine that boasts of easy assembly is the HICTOP Creality CR-10 3D Printer.

When 3D printers first became available to the public, they were for very technically-minded people who were willing to take the time to assemble the printer.

Now, however, assembly can be done in a flash, allowing you to be printing in no time.

The HICTOP has only three parts to put together, has the capacity to print large objects, and can print continuously for over 100 hours (wow!).

While there have been some complaints that the printer breaks after using it a couple of times, and that the bed takes a long time to heat up, let’s take a closer look.

Then you can decide for yourself if this is the right 3D printer for your needs.

HICTOP Creality CR-10 3D Printer: The Details

Specs

• Weight:7 lbs.
• Dimensions: 23.6 x 19.3 x 24.2 inches.
• Print Dimensions: 300 x 300 x 400 mm.
• Filament Types: PLA, TPU, metal, and wood filament.
• Ready to Print?: Some assembly is required before you can print, but you do not need to be an expert.
• Compatibility: Compatible with both Mac and PC.
• Warranty: One-year warranty.

How Does It Work

Depending on your skill level, working a 3D printer can be fairly simple or be quite difficult. The better machines come with easy-to-understand instructions, while others make you try to figure it out on your own.

But don’t let that stop you. There are lots of resources on the internet, and if you can’t think up an original design, you don’t have to. There a quite a few websites that have pre-generated prints.

If you want to create your own design or can’t find something that is close enough to your idea, there’s a great deal of varying design software out there.

Pick the one that seems the best for you (or the easiest), create your design, send it through a splicing software, and then send it to your printer.

Don’t worry about the splicing software either. There are several available, with Cura being an example of one for beginners as well as those who are more advanced. It works with the HICTOP Creality CR-10, and it’s free!

Repetier-Host and Simplify3D software all work as well.

Once you send your design to the machine, the file will tell the printer what to do. You just have to sit back and watch your creation come to life.

Once your design is done, let it cool, and that’s it! You can create something else or go and enjoy what you just made.

Accessories

• HICTOP 3D printer DIY kits (including build plate and tempered glass).
• Spare screws.
• Wrench kit.
• 2kg PLA Filament.
• Roll of masking tape.
• The Quick Assembly booklet.
• Spare extruder nozzle.
• USB cord.
• Micro SD card and card reader with the instruction manual, sample print files, and software instructions for slicing your print files.
• Spool holder.
• Power cord.
• Tools and zip ties.
• End stops and braces.
• Spare filament guide tube.

Features

Metal Frame

The CR-10 3D printer’s frame is completely metal to ensure its stability and durability. You won’t have to worry about the frame of the printer breaking apart as you create your next project.

You also don’t have to worry about the outside of the printer wearing down for a long time.

Three-Inch LCD Screen

The LCD screen is on the control box, which is easy to manage via the knob on the box, dialled to whatever selection you desire.

The LCD screen can also be used in lieu of a computer as long as you have the SD card with prints on it inserted into the machine.

Aluminum Heated Large Print Bed

The print bed on the CR-10 is also made of an aluminum alloy. It has a tempered glass plate that is held in place by four clips.

The bed is also quite large at 11.8 x 11.8 x 15.7 inches! And since the bed is also heated, you can use different kinds of filaments, including PLA and wood.

The print bed is removable for cleaning or to make it even easier remove your print.

Control Box

The metal control box on the CR-10 contains the power supply, the motherboard, and the LCD screen.

You have everything in one place and don’t need to look all over the printer for the buttons or knobs to control the machine.

Open Source Software

You don’t have to worry about what software works with the CR-10. It is compatible with most open source software for slicing like Cura, Repetier-Host, or Simplify 3D.

You can use whatever program you are familiar with or whatever is the easiest for you. One less anxiety to have, especially if this is your first printer!

Single Extruder

The HICTOP CR-10 has a single extruder that the filament comes out of to make your creation.

The nozzle reaches up to 250°C (482°F) and can extrude up to a 1.75mm filament.

HICTOP Creality CR-10 3D Printer Review

The Positives

Easy Assembly

With the intricate way some 3D printers need to be assembled before you can use them, the fact that the HICTOP CR-10 DIY Kit only has three parts you need to put together is a great feature.

The amount of time that users have experienced when assembling the machine has been between 10-30 minutes, depending on how quick you are. Here is the basic assembly:

First, you need to bolt the aluminum frame to the base. The printer comes with the screws you need to accomplish this.

Then you will want to insert the end stops. These simply screw in, using a provided Allen wrench.

Next, you’ll want to attach the glass bed. There are four clips that hold it in place. Then, attach the filament spool holder onto the control box.

Attach the wires to the control box to their proper connections. Everything is labeled so this should be a fairly easy task. Then attach the cables to the control box.

Next, you will have to switch the power supply from 220V to 110V if you are in the U.S., and then plug in the power supply.

Finally, just fit the filament guide tube onto the extruder, insert the SD card, turn on your printer, and set up the SD card using the prompts on the LCD screen.

Then guess what? You’re done with the assembly! You can start printing!

You may have to level the bed using the LCD screen, but this shouldn’t add much time to the assembly process.

Make Bigger Prints

The printer bed on the CR-10 is much larger than others of its kind. Since the print bed is 11.8 x 11.8 x 15.7 inches, the limit to what you can make is really up to your imagination!

You also don’t have to worry about making smaller prints and then having to fit them together to create something bigger. You can do it all at once to make a solid product.

Continuous Printing

You won’t have to worry about the printer overheating when you are creating bigger items or when you want to print more than one item in a day.

The CR-10 can print continuously for over 100 hours. That is a little over four days of printing if you go non-stop!

This is a great plus for small business owners as you’ll be able to produce a number of projects without your machine slowing you down.

High-Resolution Prints

You can also expect high quality with the CR-10. As it prints in 50-micron resolutions, whatever object you’re making will have perfect edges and look as if it were made professionally by a manufacturer.

With this low amount of resolutions though, the print may take longer, but the resulting product is worth it.

The Negatives

Takes Time to Heat Up

There were some complaints that the print bed took too long time to heat up. While the printer did the job once it reached temperature, it was a common complaint among the testers.

It may be something to consider when thinking about how long a print is going to take you.

Can’t Keep Up

There were quite a few users who complained about the CR-10 breaking after a few uses. Some had the y-axis break, and some had the wiring go out.

Other users got their printer, found out it was broken, exchanged it for a new one, only to get a broken one again!

While these occurrences are rare, be sure to be in contact with HICTOP’s customer service department so they can advise you how to move forward with a faulty product.

Can’t Use All Kind of Filaments

Many testers couldn’t use certain kinds of filaments with the CR-10. ABS filament needs a more enclosed area to keep the heat consistent, so it cannot be used.

While this may not deter all buyers, it is something to consider when deciding on this printer for you.

Overall Verdict

After considering the pros and cons of the HICTOP Creality CR-10 3D Printer, we are cautiously recommending it.

You can create much larger prints than most others on the market and the print quality is top-notch. That can’t be stated enough.

But, because a number of users had problems with the printer breaking or malfunctioning, you may want to think twice before purchasing.

Where to Buy the HICTOP Creality CR-10 3D Printer

There are just a few flaws to consider with the HICTOP Creality CR-10, but the positives and overall quality of this 3D printer have been turning heads.

This printer has been featured on a number of websites and blogs in the industry, with customers and enthusiasts raving about its performance.

Even with its popularity, this machine can still be tricky to find both in-store and online and is also known to be sold out – so if you do find it, it’s best to make a quick decision.

But of course, you can easily find this 3D printer on Amazon.

You’ve made it to the end of our HICTOP Creality 3D Printer review. Curious to give it a try?