Monoprice Select Mini 3D Printer Review

Finding a cheap 3D printer that still provides top quality prints can be a bit of an adventure.

The MonoPrice Select Mini 3D printer has a lot to offer – with a very attractive price tag to boot.

There are lower priced models on the market, but they tend to lack quality and customer support while Monoprice focuses specifically on both of those areas.

They do their best to make sure their machines provide quality prints and as a company, provides their customers with easy-to-follow guidance on 3D printing.

But where does it really excel, and where does it fall short?

Here is the good, the bad, and the iffy so you can make the most informed decision.

Monoprice Select Mini 3D Printer: The Details

Specs

• Weight: 9 pounds
• Dimensions: 3 x 7.5 x 13.5 inches
• Filament Types: Any type of filament, from basic to more advanced materials.
• Ready to Print?: Fully assembled and ready to print
• Compatibility: PC and Mac compatible
• Warranty: 1 year replacement warranty and 30-day money back guarantee

How Does it Work?

This Monoprice Select 3D printer comes already assembled, so all you have to do is put the filament into the machine and provide it with a model, via the MicroSD card.

The card actually comes with a few models preinstalled, so you have options to test out the machine and see how it prints.

If you want to try out other models, you can put the MicroSD card in your computer and download a variety of options on the internet.

It also has a USB option and can be connected to Wi-Fi after updating the printer firmware.

Because of the compact size, this machine is best suited for printing smaller models.

Small toys and objects are going to be your best bet, though you could probably print several small components of a larger model and then assemble them separately.

Accessories

The MP Select Mini 3D printer comes with everything you need to get started.

Accessories include:

• Filament rack
• AC power adapter
• AC power cord
• Micro USB cable
• MicroSD card
• Plastic bed scraper
• Bed levelling hex wrench

Features

Lots of Filament Options

PLA filament is probably the best place to start, but there are a ton of other filament options that can be utilized with this printer.

Thanks to the printer’s heated build plate allowing for a broad temperature range, it makes it easy to work and experiment with a variety of materials.

You can start with basic filaments and upgrade to more advanced materials like wood and metal composites, once you are comfortable with the basics.

Compact Design

This printer can fit very comfortably on a desktop, so you won’t have to rearrange the room to make it work in your home.

That’s an attractive model for hobbyists or beginners who want to start 3D printing, but aren’t looking to sacrifice a big part of their workspace.

We’re not sure if its because of its convenient size, or the outstanding quality of the product, but the machine performs quietly.

This is a bonus especially when you’re living with a significant other, roommates or working in a space with others you don’t really want to annoy.

Fully Assembled

If you want to get your printer and get to playing with different 3D prints right away, the Monoprice Select Mini 3D printer has you covered.

It comes ready to go, with no additional machine setup required.

You can skip all the fumbling around and get straight to printing as the printer comes pre-calibrated. Just be sure to do a super-quick check to make sure the bed wasn’t bumped around too much during shipping.

It also includes a bit of sample filament to get you started, but it’s only enough to run the basics tests before you print.

You may want to buy some filament when you purchase the printer, a 1 kilogram spool of 1.75mm PLA Filament is the best choice.

While the 3D printer does come with a manual, and a plethora of YouTube videos to help you along the way, all in all, setup should only take about 30 minutes, and then you’re ready to roll.

Customer Support

Monoprice has cultivated a great community of users who are willing to provide help and guidance, and they also offer a very reactive customer support system.

Since 3D printers have so many intricate parts, it can take time and effort to learn all the ins and outs.

Monoprice’s support team is a helpful tool in navigating this process whether you have a pressing issue, or just want to find out extra tips on using your machine.

Quality Product, Great Price

The price range of 3D printers is pretty wide and the quality can be iffy on those in the cheaper end.

If you are looking for the best cheap 3D printer you can find, this one really is a great bargain.

Monoprice goes to great lengths to back their product and continues to update their designs.

Wi-Fi Enabled

When you unbox the printer, your first course of action should be to update the firmware.

This will help ensure your prints turn out great and allow you to make use of the Wi-Fi connection on this machine.

Monoprice Select Mini 3D Printer Review

The Positives

Quality Prints

One of the best things about this printer is that it really does produce quality prints, rivalling its more expensive counterparts.

This is complemented by the ability to use all different kinds of filaments in your projects.

It puts the power in the hands of the crafter, which can inspire a lot of confidence when you start exploring different kinds of models.

This machine may be small, but is durable enough to take on hours of printing while still producing high quality prints.

Here’s a video of the Monoprice Select 3D printing the Eiffel Tower:

Great for Beginners

Because of the supportive community and intuitive user menus, this printer is really good for people who are just starting to explore the world of 3D printing.

All 3D printers require a certain level of dedication and toying around as you get started, but this model makes a lot of the basics very easy to learn.

The printer comes with two slicing softwares already included on the SD card ready to slice any recognizable STL file, allowing beginners to do the least before printing.

You may notice that as you get used to working on the machine, your preferences can change. No need to worry, as the Monoprice 3D printer can be easily modded to your level, growing with you as time goes on.

Easy Controls

The controls on this machine are easy to navigate and understand while the back-lit LCD screen makes sure you can easily read and see what you’re attempting.

The menus are also very user-friendly and intuitive, which alleviates the kind of confusion that comes along with more complicated menus.

The Community

Though this is not necessarily part of the printer itself, the online community of Monoprice Mini 3D printers is pretty big and very supportive.

If you aren’t sure what to print or are having trouble understanding how to get the print you want, there are lots of people out there willing to provide advice and guidance, so you can make the most of this machine.

Satisfaction Guaranteed

Monoprice has set up a 30 day money-back guarantee, as well as an additional 1 year replacement warranty to ease your worried mind.

Take the 30 days to set-up and play around with your new machine, and if you decide it wasn’t worth it, simply contact Monoprice to get a full refund without the extra restocking fee some manufacturers usually tack on.

Adding mods or personalizing your printer won’t void the warranty unless your tinkering is what caused the failure.

Though it should be noted that shipping and handling costs won’t be refunded.

Rest assured that everything else can be replaced during the 1 year warranty. Check out Monoprice’s website for more warranty information.

The Negatives

Heat-bed Thermostat Inaccuracies

This is another common problem you will want to watch out for. The temperature sensors can, at times, malfunction.

Like with most 3D printers, you will want to check on any of your prints frequently, to make sure all parts of the machine are functioning correctly and heating properly.

Build Plate Problems

Overall this machine is great, but there can be issues with the Build Plate failing to heat.

This is definitely the kind of thing you want to closely monitor, because if it fails, you should contact Monoprice (or Amazon, if you ordered through them, and are still within their exchange window) immediately.

As long as it is a failure on their end, they should be able to get you set up with a replacement pretty quickly.

Might Be Too Small For Some Users

While this is a great starter printer, those looking to print bigger projects might find it a tad difficult to maneuver.

The small bed and build frame, while convenient for space, may cause some bumping when dismounting.

It’s worth it to take some extra care when attempting bigger projects, or rather, save the big parts for a larger printer.

Overall Verdict

The Monoprice Select Mini 3D Printer is well suited for beginners because of the price-tag and level of support that Monoprice and their community provides.

If you have lots of experience with 3D printers, this machine might be a little too simple with fewer features offered in comparison to other machines within this price range.

However, if you want a good introduction to 3D printing, this machine is definitely a great option for that.

It will require some trial and error and troubleshooting, but that is par for the course with most 3D printing machines.

This is printer will provide a really great experience as you figure it all out.

Where to Buy the Monoprice Select Mini 3D Printer

Thanks to its compact size and affordable price tag, the Monoprice Select Mini 3D Printer is a very popular choice.

To start, check out the following online retailers:

• Monoprice (from $219)
• Walmart (from $239)
• Newegg (from $239)

And of course, it’s available on Amazon.

So that’s our review on the Monoprice Select Mini 3D Printer. Are you tempted to give it a try?