Let’s put aside for a second the loud $/€ 200-249 Kickstarter projects. Those are great and will probably come true but we all know that – if and when those 3D printers do hit the market – the price will be considerably higher. Let’s put aside XYZ’s low price policy on its DaVinci 3D printer line up, as the Taiwanese company is also using its system to sell proprietary filament. Then 696 euro (plus tax), the price of the the Kiwi-3D from Italy’s leading desktop FFF 3D printer manufacturer ShareBot, is a competitive price.
ShareBot recently launched the Kiwi-3D as a DIY kit to be assembled, sold through a specifically targeted Fab Lab program. Now the company is going for a wider target market, looking for a segment of potential users that just want to have a low-cost, ready-to-print system. In this price range, the Kiwi-3D competes as one of the most user friendly – and transportable – 3D printers around.
It has a full metal case and a 100x140x100 print volume, comparable with the $1,500 MakerBot mini, with an adjustable print bed. Print jobs can be started directly from the LCD screen, without connecting the 3D printer to a computer. No frills and very fews thrills but the fact of the matter is that, if you live in Europe, you can order – and have delivered in a few days – a 3D printer for the price of a medium quality photo camera. If you are holding back to get into the 3D printing business the access ticket price is no longer an excuse.
