The Ultimaker 2 is an arguably high end choice for a 3D printer, but it does deliver very good print quality. This is evidenced by the awards (Best Consumer Product & Best Consumer Software) that it won at the London 3D print show in 2015. The printer is also able to scale down its layer height to 0.2mm (about 20 microns) which is very good for fine and accurate results, and this alone allows us to classify the Ultimaker 2 printer as a very close contender for the title of the best 3D printer in the market. If you’re looking for a 3D printer, go ahead with this review and see why printing Ultimaker is the right choice.
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Why We Like It – Ultimaker 2 3D Printer
The Ultimaker 2 3D printer is one of the most sophisticated 3D printers in the market right now. It relies on Fused Deposition Modelling as its main printing technology, has a clean Apple-like design, and is suitable for home use. For comparison, check out another 3D printer on our review on the MakerBot’s 5th-gen 3D printer – adds wood metal, and more to the mix.
- Works with both PLA & ABS filament materials
- Excellent print quality
- Quiet printing
- USB Printing may be problematic
- Relatively expensive
Performance
The Ultimaker 2 3D printer boasts of a print speed of about 300mm/s, which is a lot faster than the Zortrax M200 at 100mm/s. Its build volume is 9 x 8.7 x 8 inches, and it also spots a heated bed that helps to prevent any warping for printing. Its support for dual extrusion means you’ll be able to mix two colors or materials for printing, and its print cores can also be swapped in line with the material you’d like to use. If you do go ahead and add dual extrusion to the printer, then the best support material you should use for that would be Ultimaker PVA material as it is water soluble. You can read more about this from our Ultimaker 2 Extended review.
Design
As mentioned earlier, the Ultimaker 2 has a very clean milky white frame, making it quite nice to look at. Inside you’ll find LED lighting that illuminates the print area, giving you a clear view of what’s going on. There’s also a print head that holds a single extruder, but it still has space to allow for a dual extruder setup if need be. The 3D printer also always performs an auto bed levelling procedure (just like the LulzBot Mini) before you start printing to ensure the build plate is in the right position. Another printer with auto levelling capabilities that you may be interested in is the Printrbot Simple Metal 3D printer.
Value
When compared to models such as the XYZprinting Nobel 3D, the Ultimaker 2 may be expensive to buy. The upside to this is that parts for it such as print cores are easy to source for incase you want to make some additions or modifications to it. Its automatic bed levelling procedure is also ideal to create the right amount of space between the plate and the nozzle, which is about the thickness of a business card – very difficult to estimate by the eye. The software of choice used to operate this printer, Cura Ultimaker is also very easy to operate.
Ultimaker 2 3D Printer Wrap Up
The Ultimaker 2 is a printer that is mainly marketed towards professionals, but it may also be used by hobbyists who just might be fascinated by printing in 3D. In both cases, the Ultimaker 2 fits the bill, but if you want something that’s suited for more high volume work, consider the Ultimaker S5.
