• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to site footer
Maker Hacks

Maker Hacks

Ideas, news & tutorials for makers and hackers – Arduino/Raspberry Pi, 3D printing, robotics, laser cutting, and more

  • Home
  • About
  • YouTube
  • Recommendations
  • Contact

Monoprice Ultimate 2 Review

You are here: Home / Reviews and Buying Guides / Monoprice Ultimate 2 Review
FacebookTweetPin
Author: Chris Garrett
Monoprice Ultimate 2

Monoprice Ultimate 2 is a fully-enclosed 3D printer, with auto-level compensation, and filament runout sensor. It has a removable, glass, heated bed, and easily switchable nozzles.

Let’s see how it fares in practice …

After my experience getting the Monoprice SLA 3d printer to run, I wasn’t sure what I was going to face when they approached me and asked if I wanted to try it.

Turns out, I need not have worried.

As you would expect with the additional features I mentioned, it is not the cheapest printer, running at $550 on Amazon. It also has a small build area of 150mm x 200mm x 150mm.

What you gain is plug and play convenience, that additional safety of fully-enclosed (which makes it a good option for classrooms), and the ability to print ABS without worrying about a cool breeze messing up your 8 hour print.

Plug and Play?

Yes, it was, thankfully, very easy to get running.

In the box is everything you need, including tape, tools, filament, usb cable for tethered printing, SD card for untethered printing, and even a selection of the main power chords.

In fact, the longest part of the process for me was cutting all the pieces of plastic that hold it firm during shipping.

I’ve had a lot of issues with things breaking in shipping so I very much appreciate that additional expense and effort.

The included memory card comes with a version of Cura, but seeing as I am on the latest version already I added the Wanhao Duplicator 6 profile and tweaked the bed size and added the G29 in the startup Gcode to provide the bed-level instruction. That’s worked perfectly for me.

Seeing as the glass is covered in tape, which I immediately tore, I have been using a raft until I cut down some buildtak to use instead. Cura rafts are nice and straightforward to remove so it’s no hardship, plus the bed being magnetic and removable means any stubbornly attached prints are easier to remove anyways.

One thing that is odd is the inductive bed-level sensor is quite far offset from the actual nozzle, but as yet I haven’t had a need to mess with it.

What are the prints like?

Keeping in mind I have done zero print-quality tweaks to the profile, not even to set temperatures, I was impressed with the quality of the prints.

With the bed moving up and down in Z and the print head moving in X and Y, it reminds me of a smaller Ultimaker or older Makerbot when they were still good. It means all that bed-weight is not impacting the print at all, and that translates to excellent surface finish.

On the memory card are several examples, so I picked the tug boat at random. It printed beautifully, as you would expect.

My main use going forward for this printer will be D&D terrain, and it has excelled at that.

Who is it for?

This printer will be great for anyone who:

  • … needs to print ABS, or smelly prints, that benefit from being enclosed.
  • … wants to stop curious fingers getting inside the printer, for example schools, makerspaces, and after-school clubs.
  • … can’t be bothered assembling and tinkering (it has been weeks and I still haven’t assembled my Prusa Mk3s. I should have paid the extra $200 and bought assembled 🙁 )
  • … is keen to just print without fuss.
  • … doesn’t need a massive CR-10 sized bed.

Thank you to Monoprice for sending the printer to review. Check out more details and reviews on this printer via my affiliate link below:

Monoprice Ultimate 2 at Amazon

Check out more details and reviews at Amazon.com

Click to See the Monoprice Ultimate 2

Related

Category: Reviews and Buying GuidesTag: 3d printer, abs, enclosed, Monoprice, review
FacebookTweetPin

About Chris Garrett

Marketing Director by day, maker, retro gaming, tabletop war/roleplaying nerd by night. Co-author of the Problogger Book with Darren Rowse. Husband, Dad, 🇨🇦 Canadian.

Check out Retro Game Coders for retro gaming/computing.

☕️ Support Maker Hacks on Ko-Fi and get exclusive content and rewards!

Previous Post:Monoprice MP Mini SLA 3D Printer Review
Next Post:Elegoo Mars Review – Review of the Elegoo Mars MSLA Resin 3D Printer

Sidebar

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • YouTube

Recently Popular

  • Gweike Cloud Review
  • How to choose the right 3D printer for you
  • Glowforge Review – Glowforge Laser Engraver Impressions, Plus Glowforge Versus Leading Laser Cutters
  • Original Prusa i3 Mk3S Review
  • Best 3D Printing Facebook Groups
  • Elegoo Mars Review – Review of the Elegoo Mars MSLA Resin 3D Printer
  • Glowforge ‘Pass-Through’ Hack: Tricking the Front Flap of the Glowforge with Magnets to Increase Capacity
  • How to Make a DIY “Internet of Things” Thermometer with ESP8266/Arduino
  • Wanhao Duplicator i3 Review
  • IKEA 3D Printer Enclosure Hack for Wanhao Di3
  • Creality CR-10 3d printer review – Large format, quality output, at a low price!
  • 3D Printed Tardis with Arduino Lights and Sounds
  • Anet A8 Review – Budget ($200 or less!) 3D Printer Kit Review
  • Make your own PEI 3D printer bed and get every print to stick!
  • Upgrading the Wanhao Di3 from Good to Amazing
  • How to Install and Set Up Octopi / Octoprint
  • Creality CR-10 S5 Review

Copyright © 2023 · Maker Hacks · All Rights Reserved · Powered by Mai Theme