AnyCubic is a 3D printing company from China which has been getting quite a lot of attention from the 3D community lately. Company’s focus is the production of 3d printers, parts, and filaments.
On their website, I was able to find out that AnyCubic was founded in 2011. Their founder Bryant began making his own 3D printer after previously spending the entire savings on a MakerBot.
In 2012 they began producing and selling printers. In the next few years, the company was growing, mainly selling their products through AliExpress, Amazon, and eBay.
The brand name was changed to AnyCubic from Drepart Trade Co in 2015. Today, these guys have over 70 employees and 3 main 3d printers with 2 more in development.
In this article, I would like to clear the confusion and present to you all the differences between AnyCubic printers. The printers I will compare in this article are :
- AnyCubic I3 (Pruisa I3 style printer)
- Kossel (Delta style pritner)
- AnyCubic I3 Mega
Before we unveil which 3D printer is better I3, Kossel or I3 Mega, I would like to tell you that at the time of writing this article, all the information has been gathered through the internet. I spent hours researching, reaching out to manufacturer, sellers and user groups to verify and make sure all the data is correct.
That being said, do not take measurements and other information for granted. I haven’t done the measuring of the size, print volume and other important things myself. We will have to rely on official sources and AnyCubic.
Specs: I3 vs Kossel vs I3 Mega
The easiest way to compare these three 3D printers is to put them side by side and look at each product specification.
- Printer model
- Printing size
- Printer Dimensions
- Printer Weight
- Print Area
- Print speed
- Layer resolution
- Axis positioning accuracy
- Material diameter
- Printer Frame Material
- Platform board material
- Mainboard
- Pre-assembled
- Screen
- Extruder type
- Heated Bed
- Max Nozzle Temperature
- Max Heatbed Tempeature
- Auto leveling sensor
- Filament sensor
- Resume from outage
- Enclosure
- Recommended Material
- Power Input
- Retail price
- AnyCubic i3
200*200*160 mm
460*435*427 mm
~7.8kg kg
220 x 220 x 240mm
8.6 x 8.6 x 9.45″- 20 - 120mm/s
- 0.1-0.3mm
- 0.012mm - X 0.002mm Z
- 1.75mm
- Acrylic
- Aluminum
- TriGorilla
2004 LCD
12864 LCD optional- MK8 (direct drive)
- 260°C
- 110°C
- ABS / PLA
- 110V/220V AC, 50/60Hz 1.5A
- ~200$
- Anycubic Kossel
Ø180×300 mm Pulley version
Ø180×300mm for Linear
Ø230×270 mm Linear Plus version
△315mm*680mm
△380mm*680mm plus version
~5kg-Pulley version
~6kg-Linear version
220 x 220 x 240mm
8.6 x 8.6 x 9.45″- 20mm/s - 80mm/s
- 0.1mm - 0.4mm
- 0.001 mm XYZ
- 1.75mm
- Aluminum
- TriGorilla
- 2004
- Bowden
optional upgrade- 260°C
- PLA
- 100V/240V AC, 50/60Hz
- ~180$
- AnyCubic i3 Mega
210*210*205mm
405mm*410mm*453mm
10kg
220 x 220 x 240mm
8.6 x 8.6 x 9.45″- 20mm/s - 100mm/s
- 0.05mm - 0.3mm
- 0.01mm - X 0.002mm Z
- 1.75mm
- Metal
- Aluminum
- TriGorilla
- 3.5 inch TFT Touch Screen
- Bowden
- 275°C
- 100°C
- ABS / PLA / Wood / Nylon
- 110V/220V AC, 50/60Hz
- ~400$
AnyCubic I3
I3 is the first ever printer made by the manufacturer. It is based on a famous Prusa i3. The printer is quite similar to a popular Anet A8. I3 has an acrylic frame and is the only of the three which has a direct drive extruder.
Kossel
This delta style printer confused me quite a lot. Unlike the other two printers, this one has few variations. Officially, Kossel printer is available in four versions :
AnyCubic Kossel Variations
What is important about all Kossel models is that they do not come with a heated bed. This means you won’t be able to print anything besides PLA (which does not require heated surface) unless you buy a heat bed separately.
AnyCubic Kossel Firmware Related FAQs
What programs can you use with the anycubic kossel?
The Kossel buyer’s guide lists down the different software that you need before you can create some 3D print. These include the Repertier firmware, Marlin firmware, Arduino, and a few drivers among others.
The Marlin firmware can be downloaded directly from AnyCubic’s website along with the specific drivers and slicer software for your printer kit. Make sure to download the driver and slicing software that is compatible with your computer’s OS.
How do you update AnyCubic Kossel auto-leveling firmware?
You will have to update the Marlin firmware for this one. You can download it from the manufacturer’s website or from other reliable sources.
Kossel Pulley vs Linear
The difference between the pulley and the linear version is quite simple. Pulley version uses wheels on the aluminum frame to move. Kossel Linear has standard linear bearings on linear rods which it uses to move around.
In my experience, wheels are always much more silent compared to the bearings, but bearings printers are more accurate and stable.
Kossel Pulley upgraded is the same as a pulley, but instead of 3D printer parts, a printer has parts which were manufactured by injection molding, making them tougher.
Kossel vs Kossel Plus
Kossel Plus is a slightly improved version of Kossel Linear with a larger printing volume, nothing else.
- Ø180×300 mm
- Ø230×270 mm plus version
I3 Mega
AnyCubic’s latest release, I3 Mega is their most advanced 3D printer so far. This model comes in two colors – black and blue.
AnyCubic I3 Mega Features
Besides its metal build quality, easy few minutes assembly and stability it has four features which certainly make it stand out from the crowd.
- Filament sensor
- Auto-level sensor
- Outage resume
- Touch screen navigation
This Bowden type printer will detect when you run out of filament and automatically pause until you insert new filament roll.
Furthermore, it has auto-leveling of the heated bed and will memorize the printing in case of an outage or sudden turn-off. A beautiful touchscreen LCD is responsible for quick and easy user navigation.
AnyCubic I3 Mega Review
Some of the things you can be excited about this printer are that it includes an Ultrabase heated bed, mechanical filament sensor, impressive user interface, SD card, and SD card reader, and most of all produces a decent print quality without costing you a fortune.
However, there are a few complaints raised about this printer as well. For one, the filament spool is said to be of low quality, causing the filament to tangle and ooze out of the printer’s nozzle. Good thing you can use the tweezers and pliers that come with the printer to clean out the nozzle of the excess filament. Other issues included problems with the automatic bed calibration, loose cables, and the noise from the printer.
Final Thoughts on the Different AnyCubic 3D Printer Models
There you have it. I hope this comparison article was helpful. If you want my two cents on which one to get, it’s obvious that the newest I3 Mega has the best features and is able to print plenty of materials out of the box. On the other hand, due to its price tag, it might be a bit over your budget. In that case, based on my research, I would probably go with the Kossel Linear Plus model.
Where to buy AnyCubic 3d printers?
All of these printers are currently on sale on several websites. Some of these retailers have promotions quite often, so make sure to check all the links in order to get the best deal.
- Buy I3 Mega (Gearbest Official Retailer| Official AliExpress Store| Amazon)
- Buy Kossel (GearBest | AliExpress| Amazon)
- Buy I3 (Amazon | AliExpress)
I would like to thank AnyCubic user group for helping me understand the differences clearer.
Thanks for taking your time to read this. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment. If you notice any sort of error in the table or comparison, I’d like to know. Do you own any of the AnyCubic printers? I’d like to hear your experience. Don’t just read, leave a comment, come on.
Helpful AnyCubic links:
NEAT PLA Filament (In-Depth Review)
Zonestar P802QR2 Double Extruders 3D Printer DIY Kit
AnyCubic i3 Mega 3D Printer Review
Geeetech Mini G2S Pro Delta Dual Color 3D Printer Review
Hi Pavle,
Nice article, just a note to let you know you’ve got two typos that I noticed. In the summary “it’s obvios that the newset “, this should read “obvious that the newest”.
I recently brought an i3 Mega and have been pleasantly surprised by it, BUT, there are a could of things which need to be addressed;
1. The design of the hot end held with the metal box with the fans. I’m unsure if it’s the fans or the box design itself but when the fans are operating the noise generated by the fans and the moving is excessive.
2. Hot glue had been used on some of the cables connectors to hold them in place. The glue did not stick down correctly and has broken away. It looks ugly and unprofessional. If the glue had adhered correctly it would make access to the cable difficult.
3. I’m not happy with the “cable tied” cable from the print bed to the back right hand corner level adjustment thumb screw then into the base of the unit. I think it’s placing to much strain on the cable due to the angles the cable must adopt as the bed slides back and forward.
Hey Peter,
Thanks for noticing the typos and letting me know, I corrected them.
Also thank you for sharing your experience with the i3 Mega, I hope that soon I’ll review this printer.