14 DAY TRIAL // You would think that a product whose formal release happened three months ago would have been up for sale soon after, but that's not what happened with the Replicator Mini from MakerBot. In fact, orders are only now being accepted.
That means that it took the company over two months to reach market availability, since the official introduction at the Consumer Electronics Show, back in January.
It makes us think that the company sped up the launch just so it could ride on the coattails of that particular trade show, which took place in Las Vegas, Nevada.
If so, it was no different from what pretty much every other company did, at that very show or at some point in the past.
Anyway, the MakerBot Replicator Mini Compact 3D Printer is now up for order, so if you have $1,375 to spare, you may as well buy one if you're in the market.
The 3D printer is basically the most affordable one yet, selling for what is technically the equivalent of €985.
The product also happens to have earned four awards at the 2014 Consumer Electronics Show: CES 2014 Editors' Choice Award (from Popular Mechanics), the CES 2014 Best in Show (from Digital Trends and ZDNet), and Best of CES 2014 Greatest Hits (from PC Pro).
Now, let’s see what got the product such praise. First off, the build volume is of 100 x 100 x 125 mm, or 3.9 x 2.9 x 4.9 inches. Not very large, but this is a Mini 3D printer, so no one expected it to be higher.
The Replicator Mini also requires no leveling and can print things at 200 micron resolution, out of PLA Filament.
The MakerBot Desktop software allows you to download 3D models (from Thingiverse), while the MakerBot Digital store lets you buy digital files.
Of course, if you're any good at CAD, you might want to try your own inventions. That's the whole point of 3D printing after all.
Moving on, the MakerBot Replicator Mini 3D Printer is compatible with PCs and Mac systems alike, though it can work in the cloud as well. In fact, thanks to an onboard camera, you can use the MakerBot Replicator 3D Printing Platform and work over Wi-Fi.
Finally, there are two Mini-compatible apps you might want to try if you buy this thing: Maker Bot Mobile (monitor and control the printer from a phone) and MakerBot PrintShop (create 3D prints of all kinds).