Paul Francois, product manager at Commonwealth Technologies, thinks that 3D printers would make a great gift for the holidays. In a recent press release, he said, “3D printers, which once cost an arm and a leg, are now truly affordable on the one hand, and easy to use on the other. That makes these devices an ideal gift, especially given the fascination they inspire in almost everyone who gets to see one in action.” Fair enough.
If you are in New Zealand, and you trust Commonwealth Technologies, they are selling the XYZ Printing Da Vinci 1.0, a 3D printer for $899. I looked on Amazon immediately to price compare. First of all, the XYZ is hands down, the most popular 3D printer on Amazon. Most complaints about the popular printer from Taiwan revolve around the bare bones software with terrible English translations or the proprietary filament cartridges, which can remove this printer from a buyer’s list all together.
Comparing the price of Commonwealth Technologies vs. Amazon for the XYZ 1.0 DaVinci really depends on your location. On Amazon, there were two listings that popped up, and there is a serious savings advantage if you live in the United States, where you can purchase a printer for $500 dollars, and free shipping. The next listing was for Japan, where they list the price at $744.24, with an incredible $570.09 in shipping!
The XYZ has become popular with a wide range of users and is sought after by librarians, school teachers and home hobbyists alike. That’s because the Da Vinci is one of the easiest 3D printers to set up and offers an online library of thousands of free 3D designs to download. If you are importing .STL files that you’ve created, you may have to run them through Netfabb to repair and optimize them, and if you have any other problems, they do seem to be pretty diligent about customer service, according to most of the reviews I’ve read.
The da Vinci is the first 3D printer to be resold by the New Zealand outfit, and Paul Francois elaborates on why his company chose this printer:
“You don’t have to be a 3D technical whizz, although you might end up being one after using the da Vinci,” Francois continues. “Export and print out Minecraft creations, design your own robots, print out a Star Wars X wing fighter – the possibilities are as exciting as they are endless. This machine really is a step up in terms of delivering remarkable technology into the hands of anyone who knows how to use a computer. It’s priced at little more than a tablet or smartphone, and is a much more exciting and creative gift for the kids. Instead of being glued to the computer screen playing games, they can use the 3D printer to problem solve, design and create. And that’s what makes it ideal as a gift for the guy or gal who has everything.”
If you are living in New Zealand, and you decide to buy the XYZ da Vinci 1.0, Commonwealth Technologies may be the best option for you. Remember, though the consumable filament is a 600-gram drum which is as easy to change as a regular ink or toner cartridge, and a replacement (12 colors to choose from) retails for around $50, it is a proprietary filament that excludes a wider range of non-proprietary filaments.
Also, if you decide to buy this printer as a gift for the upcoming holidays, shop around. I always swing by Newegg, which sometimes has great discounts with promotional codes.
