Features:

  • Slide-in build plate allows printed objects to be easily removed
  • 3.5-Inch full color touchscreen with intuitive icons makes for easy operation
  • Sturdy, plastic alloy construction ensures stable prints
  • Safe, non-heated build plate. AC Input - 115-230 V, 50-60 Hz, 150 W
  • Wi-Fi, USB, flash drive and Cloud connectivity.Printing material: PLA only.
Perfect for classrooms

This was funded through DonorsChoose for my 5th grade classroom. I teach at a school in a low-income neighborhood where most families don't have wi-fi or computers in the home. This type of technology is completely foreign to most of my students, colleagues, and the community where I work. So having one in my classroom is awesome. In addition to printing projects that my students design, I run the 3D modeling club at lunch, so any interested upper grade student can design and print projects. The first one that we received was defective, but the company provided really consistent customer support and ended up advising that I return this one and re-order. DonorsChoose and Amazon made that process happen within days. My students have been absolutely blown away by what they can create. This is a relatively small 3D printer, but it's perfect for classroom use. I like how the corners are all rounded, making it unlikely that anyone will get scratched if they're goofing off near it. It seems to be sturdy - I regularly take it home on the weekend to run the bigger projects that students have designed. The machine seems to handle this regular movement well. It's also light enough to easily move back and forth, although the actual dimensions make it a bit unwieldy to carry. I did end up making a travel case for it just to make my life easier and to make transportation easier when I can't find one of the pushcarts that roam around the school grounds. Overall, if you're new to 3D printing (as I was when it arrived) I think it's a great starter device and it's so reasonably priced that I'm encouraging my colleagues to write grants requesting this printer so that we can have a few on campus. (Then I don't have such a backlog of projects that need to be run!)

Beyond expectations

I am an engineer and product designer, so I use 3D printers nearly every day. I also have Ultimaker 2 and Zortrax printers that cost about 8x more. This printer has the best user interface of any 3D printer I have used. The FlashForge Finder is comparible in print quality. The FlashForge design is very well though out. I have made print after print for over a week and the printer has been running continuously. I have not experienced any clogs or failed prints (I am using Hatchbox PLA filament). The filament cartridge works fine, but it does not hold 1kg spools. You will want to print an external spool holder. Negatives: Print size is small. Fans are noisy. The firmware designers did a poor job with setup of WiFi (it will frustrate novices). I am extremely happy with my purchase and the FlashForge Finder printer exceeds my expectations.

Great for beginners

I've had this printer for about three months now, and while it hasn't been used much recently, I've been happy with it. I ran it almost every day the first month I had it, and it sat in my basement unused until early last week. It still ran fine despite literally being dusty from sitting there. I want to share a few experiences from this printer. First, I haven't had to contact Flashforge for assistance, but I did send an email requesting some general tips for printing. I got a very quick response from Tang. Second, I read some now-outdated information that gave tips on "touching off" the printer's nozzle and leveling the build plate. On this unit, there is no need to touch off as long as you home the machine (which it'll do if you switch filaments or level the plate), and leveling the plate is easy; Tighten three screws under the plate, the probe next to the nozzle flicks down and measures the distance, and the printer will either tell you to tighten or loosen the corresponding screw, or it'll say it's fine and move to the next location. I think this is great for new users, particularly those who are unfamiliar with automated manufacturing technology. Finally, the part that I struggled with: Loading the filament. Once the nozzle heats up, you're prompted to press a spring loaded lever on the head to allow the filament to be loaded into the nozzle. I pressed down on that lever firmly, which caused the filament to bind and not load into the nozzle. After experimenting, I learned that you shouldn't be forceful with that lever as I was. When prompted, slowly press the lever down while trying to GENTLY push the filament into the loading tube. As soon as the filament slides down the tube, STOP pressing that spring loaded lever down, and hold it at the position it's at. Once the nozzle starts drawing the filament in without you pressing it in, and/or you see melted filament coming out of the nozzle, you're all set and free to release the spring loaded lever. I know that at this time there's cheaper 3D printers on the market, but this is the one I'd recommend. Again, I think it's so user friendly that even those who unfamiliar with operating automated equipment will pick this up well. And while I haven't used this machine non-stop for months or owned it for years, I feel pretty good about the quality of it as a entry level machine.

Great printer, easy to use.

I was curious about 3D printing but knew little about it. After reading the reviews and since the price seemed pretty reasonable I decided to give the Finder a shot. This printer was very easy to setup, only about 20-30 minutes and I was printing my first object. After using it for a couple weeks and printing dozens of different items I am very happy with this printer. It is capable of printing very detailed and intricate objects. The Flashprint software is easy to use and intuitive. 3D printing does require some finesse to get the best results. It comes with a spool of filiment and while it's not bad, I recommend using a quality filiment like Hatchbox or eSun. Leveling the build plate is very important but this printer makes that process very quick and easy. I also recommend calibrating the extruder, which is also easy to do. My only complaint, which is more of a regret, is that it doesn't support ABS filiment. I've put a lot of use into this printer and now I'm wishing I had a bigger printer, the Finder is a little to small for me now so if you're not new to printing you might find the build dimensions a bit constraining.

Great 1st Printer. Feels like a Retail Product.

This is my first printer and it has been great. Very well constructed. Looks like a mass market consumer item. Most prints just work - no problems. It can print extreme angles which is great (75% slope no problem). Never had a clog or maintenance issue. I have had a few prints separate from base during print.. but usually that was my fault due to pushing limitations. Probably have about 300 hours on it now and see no degradation. Auto-level is great but once it is set I never calibrate again. I recently purchased a CR-10 which I like as well. The Finder is a "retail" printer. The CR-10 took me 2 hours to assemble. It is a lot more hands on. And it broke after 15 hours. But the print speed/quality is better on the CR-10. Depends on what you want. The only issues I can think of. (I gave it 5 stars so keep that in mind) The print volume is 14x14x14cm. I that is not super especially when you need extra room for a base and supports or want to print more than one item. Software creates bad supports that are hard / impossible to remove sometimes. (I will try to use CURA on it next.. so perhaps not an issue) They have a custom size PLA compartment. Stupid since you can't actually buy the stuff easily AND it is too small (1/2 a standard roll). But I setup my own holder and that works fine with Hatchbox PLA. Turns out the filament detector was turned off by default anyways.

Really is Plug-and-Play!

I have been looking to get into a 3D printer for years now, waiting until the technology improved and prices came down to around $300. I was assuming I would need to purchase a DIY kit for that amount and although I have no experience, was confident that I would be able to build one (but likely would devote to about 40 hours to get it up and running). Then I saw the positive ratings for this model truly being plug and play and considered 40 hours of my time worth the extra $200 in cost. But is it really plug and play? After having this for a week, I can truly say that it is plug and play. After the initial setup, I was able to print out my first piece, no problem. And I was super impressed with the level of detail! You don't need to know anything about 3D printing to use this! At this price though, I seriously considered whether or not to buy the QIDI TECHNOLOGY 3DP-QDA16-01 Dual Extruder Desktop 3D Printer QIDI TECH I, Fully Metal Frame Structure, Acrylic Covers, with2 Free Filaments, Works with ABS and PLA for an additional $200 to get the larger print area, heated bed and ability to print in ABS. In the end, I went with the Finder due to the fact that I was just getting into the market and was spending more than I was originally planning on in the first place. A week after purchase and making prints non-stop, I am happy with my purchase. Every available print file that I've downloaded or purchased so far has been designed to print on the smaller bed so I don't feel I am limited. So for my first 3D printer, this is a fantastic machine and I couldn't be happier with the purchase. I'm using HATCHBOX 3D PLA-1KG1.75-WHT PLA 3D Printer Filament, Dimensional Accuracy +/- 0.05 mm, 1 kg Spool, 1.75 mm, White and have had no problems with them. The quickstart manual doesn't tell you, but to remove the filament, after hitting UNLOAD from the filament menu, push down on the release button by the side of the printer head and then PUSH DOWN the filament first so that the tip gets melted and then gently pull up. Also, make sure to either use the glue to hold down your pieces or flip over the glass and use blue painters tape so the print doesn't lift up in the corners. I made a video to help with how to setup and some tips to get going: [...]

Amazing customer service and great, easy to use printer

This printer is amazing. Before I received it Tang e-mailed me a more detailed version of the manual than what you find in the box. Within an hour of opening my printer I was printing a test cube, then a "Benchy" boat. They looked amazing, not at all stringy or textured like I have seen bad 3D printers make. My 6 year old, with supervision, was able to print himself a Benchy boat and 6 die (dice) as well as bracelet (picture included) which we they spray-painted with copper. It looks incredible. On day 3 my filament stopped extruding and Tang got back to me within hours and over a dozen e-mails later he had walked me through clearing out a clog in my printer's nozzle and then re-calibrating my nozzle (the z-axis). All of these e-mails were sent between 9:00pm and 10:30pm Eastern Time, I do not know where Tang lives but I was not expecting any response that late at night and he sent me videos and look at my photos to make sure I knew exactly what to do. If I ever want to upgrade my printer I will stick with Flashforge because their customer service is amazing.

Awesome printer! I have been enjoying it for the ...

Awesome printer! I have been enjoying it for the past two months and I only encountered 1 failed print and it was my error. A tip for anyone using this printer: Do not use tape or glue to stop warping. Use hairspray....yes hairspray. I use Aqua Net super hold spray, it keeps the print bed clean and it holds the print extremely well.

Excellent in every way

Does exactly what it says. It is a preassembled 3d printer that will have you printing in mere minutes (15 mins). I really like the form factor and the color LCD screen. I had originally passed over this printer and purchased the Creator Pro thinking it would be better with the dual extruder feature and larger build plate but I found that printer to be very unstable producing lackluster results. I also found that in order to print using the dual extruders, the STL file has to be setup to use dual extruders or you'll just have to pause at a certain percent in the build and change filament colors. In the end I returned the Creator Pro and bought the Finder and I couldn't be happier. Its so much easier to remove prints with a removable build plate too! This is the closest thing to a consumer ready 3D printer. Update: The printer went down in price from $699 to $499 but I called Amazon and they refunded the difference to me. I have been using this printer to print all sorts of projects and not one has failed. Its dependability really is amazing considering I had originally bought the creator pro and it could not produce consistent results. I'm really liking the removable build plate and ad hoc wireless though I really wish is supported infrastructure. Gcoding to the printer using wireless takes a lot longer than USB but it's very convenient to use WiFi. On a side note, my unit had some rattling screws in it but I was able to unscrew the black back plate and shake them out. After emailing Tang, he sent some photos for me to reference and to compare any screws that may be missing but all were intact. Just a case of dropped screws in the factory? Either way, it works great. I did remove the Flashforge tape on the build plate after experiencing some lifting of prints but I replaced with blue painters tape and every print sticks very well now. You should know that Makerbot Desktop is incompatible but Simplify 3D works great once you load the fff profile. The Flash Print software included works just fine but I like all the extra options in Simplify 3D. I'll add more to the review in a few weeks.

Updated after more than 50 prints - Easy and Powerful - great tech support!

Update January 2017 - Printed with Ninjaflex filament, no issues. The latest FlashPrint software incudes presets for a few different types of filament now, including flexible PLA. This printer just keeps amazing me! Update October 3 - succeeding with large, complicated prints, attached a picture of the skull model I found on Thingiverse. They key is getting the print bed truly level over a large area, which I explained in my June 9th update below. Still love this printer! Update August 17, 2016 - Email support from FlashForge is outstanding. They always respond in 12 hours or less, and whether it's tech support questions or replacement parts needed, they have the right answers. I'm still very happy with the print quality and overall capability - adding a picture of the most recent and very complex print of a skull I downloaded from Thingiverse. I'm also getting better at designing my own parts and decorations using 123D Design, picking up skill from various videos and articles online. What a great hobby, and this printer never lets me down. Update July 31 2016 - I've lost count of how many prints I've done, and this thing is still going strong. Since my last update, I've had a few interactions with tech support - once to order additional blue tape covers and an additional print bed (cheaper than I expected and shipped fast from China), and more recently I had a failure with the board that's installed on the print head and controls the stepper and heater block. I sent a picture and a description of the failure, they responded right away and shipped me TWO replacement boards under warranty. I swapped it out and this thing is printing great again, I printed a Barbie doll chair and table for my daughter. Since my last review, I also printed with Hatchbox PLA filament and that worked really well as well. Overall still very happy with this printer! UPDATE June 9 2016 - after about 30 prints, I'm even more thrilled! You MUST get the printing platform COMPLETELY level to print larger models, and the built-in automatic leveling routine doesn't quite get it there. What I do is this - set the extruder gap with a piece of paper, then use the leveling utility. Then set the extruder gap again, but use the FlashForge print utility from your PC to manually move the printhead around to various points on the print surface, rechecking the gap with a piece of printer paper and adjusting the height knobs to get it fully level. Since doing this, I have had zero issues with one edge of the raft lifting. Yes there is still a small learning curve, but this thing prints AWESOME when it is dialed in. I added pics of my most recent printout of the self-watering plant pot from thingiverse.com to prove it! UPDATE June 6 2016 - after about 20 prints, I stand by my review. Maybe 4.5 stars - it's not quite plug and play over time, be prepared to fiddle with how you print to get more complex designs to print. I have installed a BuildTak stick-on printing surface, and I've had to figure out how to take apart the extruder print head to clear a jam, and I've had to totally disassemble the extruder to clean the print nozzle. However - for the price, it still beats everything else out there. You just can't quite assume yet that you don't need to know anything about 3D printing to use this. But it's sooooo easy, you'll be hooked!!!!! ORIGINAL REVIEW: This is my first 3D printer. I have looked at them for a while, and I have a friend who did a ton of research and bought this intense hobbyist printer, took him all weekend to set it up, and it seems that every other print doesn't come out right for some reason - he is slowly becoming an expert at the entire science of 3D printing. I have plenty of hobbies, and while I wanted a 3D printer to support those hobbies, I didn't want to have to learn a lot to use it. I also didn't want to spend a fortune. When I saw the price drop on this printer, read the other reviews, and watched a few youtube videos, I figured I'd give it a shot. Everything worked exactly as expected! Right out of the box, following simple setup and calibration steps, my first four prints have been a total success. I'm still learning about rafts and supports and fill, but it is just as easy as downloading a model from thingiverse, loading it into the FlashPrint software, and sending it to the printer. And the print quality on the default settings was MUCH better than I'd expected, after seeing what my friend printed on his super hobby machine. Keep in mind that I mostly want to print toys and utilitarian things - shelves, hooks, etc. - and I'm not sure what others expectations are, but mine were blown away. I attached a pic of a toy elephant model I printed - legs and head move. My daughter loved it!

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