X
CNET logo Why You Can Trust CNET

Our expert deal-hunting staff showcases the best price drops and discounts from reputable sellers daily. If you make a purchase using our links, CNET may earn a commission.

Don’t Sleep on This $250 Sale on 3D Printing Goods From Bambu Lab

Bambu Lab's Black Friday sale features $250 off top 3D printers, plus discounts on filaments, materials and bundles.

Headshot of Aashna Gheewalla
Headshot of Aashna Gheewalla
Aashna Gheewalla Associate Writer
Aashna Gheewalla is an Associate Writer at CNET. She previously worked as a Deals Writer at Wirecutter and a Health Advocacy Writer at GoodRx. She spends her free time teaching and practicing Pilates and trying out different restaurants.
Headshot of James Bricknell
Headshot of James Bricknell
James Bricknell Senior Editor
James has been writing about technology for years but has loved it since the early 90s. While his main areas of expertise are maker tools -- 3D printers, vinyl cutters, paper printers, and laser cutters -- he also loves to play board games and tabletop RPGs.
Expertise 3D printers, maker tools such as Cricut style vinyl cutters and laser cutters, and traditional paper printers Credentials
  • 6 years working professionally in the 3D printing space / 4 years testing consumer electronics for large websites.
Aashna Gheewalla
James Bricknell
5 min read
Bambu Lab X1 series 3D printer on red CNET background
Bambu Lab/CNET

Black Friday is upon us, and Bambu Lab has kicked off a massive sale on its top-of-the-line 3D printers, plus the filaments and accessories you'll need to use them. The sale only lasts through Dec. 3, though, so if you've been eyeing a 3D printer, now is the time to buy.

Bambu's products include some of our favorite 3D printer models, and this $250 price cut is Bambu's biggest sale of the year -- an even better deal than the $50 discount Bambu offered in honor of its two-year anniversary earlier this year. It doesn't matter if you're new to the hobby or a seasoned pro, these prices are hard to beat. 

3D printing has exploded in popularity over the past few years as prices have fallen and products have become much more user friendly. Previously a niche hobby, it's now an entire ecosystem. Almost anyone can buy and use a 3D printer, but where to begin? With so many kinds of 3D printers, choosing one can be overwhelming.

We love Bambu Lab's 3D printers because they're quick, versatile and accurate. Bambu's A1 Mini Combo, in particular, is the perfect gift for those just getting into 3D printing. While prices are pretty good on the Bambu lineup, the Black Friday sale is a great opportunity to get one for less -- or even a better chance to treat someone this holiday season.

With that, you can find some picks from its Black Friday sale below. Just note that the sale itself is set to run until Dec. 3.

A1 series deals 

The 3D printer is excellent, with fast, quality printing at a great price. Adding the AMS Lite elevates it to the best printer you can buy right now. Four-color printing for less than $500 is such a good price, I'm still shocked the company can manage it.

The A1 creates a lot of waste when printing in color, but that's not a good reason not to buy this machine. Whether it's your first printer or another one for your collection, the A1 Combo is the No. 1 printer to buy right now.

P1 series deals

The P1S is an updated version of our previous best 3D printer winner, the P1P. Each of the machine's updates -- plastic side panels, glass top and door, camera, part fan and LED light -- makes the P1S our No. 1 pick for an enclosed machine. The quality of the models and the speed at which it can print them are amazing, and very few printers can do both of those things at anywhere near the same price.

X1 series deals

The X1C also includes an automatic material system, or AMS. That's a small unit that sits on top of the X1C and feeds four rolls of filament into it. An AMS lets you print a single model with four different colors, or it lets you use different materials in the same build. 

The Wi-Fi is rock solid and while also having an SD card slot, also seems to have more onboard memory, making it significantly faster than the P1P at transferring files. The X1C also comes equipped with a camera that allows for 1080p time-lapse videos, print monitoring via the handy app and even livestreaming in the latest update.

Accessories and filaments

The AMS is the part of the printer that gives you extra colors to work with. Most of the deals above come with one AMS, but being able to grab another means you can print up to eight different colors. The P1P, P1S and X1 Carbon allow multiple AMSes, so go crazy and get that color system while it's $100 off.

What our expert James Bricknell thinks

Bambu Lab has changed the landscape of 3D printing in the last two years, and while its printers are reasonably priced at the best of times, snagging a bargain when possible always makes sense. I've been working with and testing printers for the better part of a decade now, and these are the printers I would pick.

Beginners

If you want to buy your first 3D printer, I can't recommend the A1 Combo enough. It's tailor-made for new people wanting to get into the hobby, and with the AMS Lite color system, you can start printing four-color prints immediately.

Intermediate

The P series printers are the right bracket for those with more knowledge and need more control over their 3D printing. The P1P is the cheaper of the P series, but if you have a little more to spend, the P1S with an AMS is going to be a better all-round product. The enclosure makes it good for exotic filament, and the AMS works wonders.

Power users

While some of you might find the X1 Carbon to your liking, if you are creating a print farm for your business and you aren't printing carbon fiber or nylon-style filaments, then it's likely overkill. The P1S will do the job and save you $500 in the process. That $500 could go to getting you another AMS, for one of your machines, letting it print eight colors at a time. 

Why this deal matters

3D printing can be an expensive hobby, so it's important to take advantage of good deals when they come around. This Black Friday sale will significantly lower the cost of entry for anyone looking to get a new machine, and it offers experienced users a chance to stock up on filament and other supplies they'll use all year long. In addition, the Bambu Lab brand comes highly recommended by expert James Bricknell. Not only is this the best deal we've seen from Bambu all year, we don't anticipate anything better coming along in the near future.

There are so many good deals that it's going to be hard to choose. However, if these 3D printers aren't cutting it for you, check out our list of the top 3D printer deals happening right now. 

Of course, Bambu Lab isn't the only retailer offering Black Friday deals right now. Thousands of price cuts are taking place. We've rounded up the best ones across tech, health, sleep, kitchen, security, software and much more.

Watch this: Watch How Scientists Can 3D-Print Human Heart Tissue

Impulse Buys Under $25 That Make Surprisingly Great Gifts

See all photos