Update January 2017 - Printed with Ninjaflex filament, no issues.  The latest FlashPrint software incudes presets for a few different types of filament now, including flexible PLA.  This printer just keeps amazing me!

Update October 3 - succeeding with large, complicated prints, attached a picture of the skull model I found on Thingiverse. They key is getting the print bed truly level over a large area, which I explained in my June 9th update below. Still love this printer!

Update August 17, 2016 - Email support from FlashForge is outstanding.  They always respond in 12 hours or less, and whether it's tech support questions or replacement parts needed, they have the right answers.  I'm still very happy with the print quality and overall capability - adding a picture of the most recent and very complex print of a skull I downloaded from Thingiverse.  I'm also getting better at designing my own parts and decorations using 123D Design, picking up skill from various videos and articles online.  What a great hobby, and this printer never lets me down.

Update July 31 2016 - I've lost count of how many prints I've done, and this thing is still going strong.  Since my last update, I've had a few interactions with tech support - once to order additional blue tape covers and an additional print bed (cheaper than I expected and shipped fast from China), and more recently I had a failure with the board that's installed on the print head and controls the stepper and heater block.  I sent a picture and a description of the failure, they responded right away and shipped me TWO replacement boards under warranty.  I swapped it out and this thing is printing great again, I printed a Barbie doll chair and table for my daughter.  Since my last review, I also printed with Hatchbox PLA filament and that worked really well as well.  Overall still very happy with this printer!

UPDATE June 9 2016 - after about 30 prints, I'm even more thrilled!  You MUST get the printing platform COMPLETELY level to print larger models, and the built-in automatic leveling routine doesn't quite get it there.  What I do is this - set the extruder gap with a piece of paper, then use the leveling utility.  Then set the extruder gap again, but use the FlashForge print utility from your PC to manually move the printhead around to various points on the print surface, rechecking the gap with a piece of printer paper and adjusting the height knobs to get it fully level.  Since doing this, I have had zero issues with one edge of the raft lifting.  Yes there is still a small learning curve, but this thing prints AWESOME when it is dialed in. I added pics of my most recent printout of the self-watering plant pot from thingiverse.com to prove it!

UPDATE June 6 2016 - after about 20 prints, I stand by my review.  Maybe 4.5 stars - it's not quite plug and play over time, be prepared to fiddle with how you print to get more complex designs to print.  I have installed a BuildTak stick-on printing surface, and I've had to figure out how to take apart the extruder print head to clear a jam, and I've had to totally disassemble the extruder to clean the print nozzle.  However - for the price, it still beats everything else out there.  You just can't quite assume yet that you don't need to know anything about 3D printing to use this.  But it's sooooo easy, you'll be hooked!!!!!

ORIGINAL REVIEW:

This is my first 3D printer.  I have looked at them for a while, and I have a friend who did a ton of research and bought this intense hobbyist printer, took him all weekend to set it up, and it seems that every other print doesn't come out right for some reason - he is slowly becoming an expert at the entire science of 3D printing.

I have plenty of hobbies, and while I wanted a 3D printer to support those hobbies, I didn't want to have to learn a lot to use it.  I also didn't want to spend a fortune.  When I saw the price drop on this printer, read the other reviews, and watched a few youtube videos, I figured I'd give it a shot.

Everything worked exactly as expected!  Right out of the box, following simple setup and calibration steps, my first four prints have been a total success.  I'm still learning about rafts and supports and fill, but it is just as easy as downloading a model from thingiverse, loading it into the FlashPrint software, and sending it to the printer.

And the print quality on the default settings was MUCH better than I'd expected, after seeing what my friend printed on his super hobby machine.  Keep in mind that I mostly want to print toys and utilitarian things - shelves, hooks, etc. - and I'm not sure what others expectations are, but mine were blown away.  I attached a pic of a toy elephant model I printed - legs and head move.  My daughter loved it!
Update January 2017 - Printed with Ninjaflex filament, no issues. The latest FlashPrint software incudes presets for a few different types of filament now, including flexible PLA. This printer just keeps amazing me! Update October 3 - succeeding with large, complicated prints, attached a picture of the skull model I found on Thingiverse. They key is getting the print bed truly level over a large area, which I explained in my June 9th update below. Still love this printer! Update August 17, 2016 - Email support from FlashForge is outstanding. They always respond in 12 hours or less, and whether it's tech support questions or replacement parts needed, they have the right answers. I'm still very happy with the print quality and overall capability - adding a picture of the most recent and very complex print of a skull I downloaded from Thingiverse. I'm also getting better at designing my own parts and decorations using 123D Design, picking up skill from various videos and articles online. What a great hobby, and this printer never lets me down. Update July 31 2016 - I've lost count of how many prints I've done, and this thing is still going strong. Since my last update, I've had a few interactions with tech support - once to order additional blue tape covers and an additional print bed (cheaper than I expected and shipped fast from China), and more recently I had a failure with the board that's installed on the print head and controls the stepper and heater block. I sent a picture and a description of the failure, they responded right away and shipped me TWO replacement boards under warranty. I swapped it out and this thing is printing great again, I printed a Barbie doll chair and table for my daughter. Since my last review, I also printed with Hatchbox PLA filament and that worked really well as well. Overall still very happy with this printer! UPDATE June 9 2016 - after about 30 prints, I'm even more thrilled! You MUST get the printing platform COMPLETELY level to print larger models, and the built-in automatic leveling routine doesn't quite get it there. What I do is this - set the extruder gap with a piece of paper, then use the leveling utility. Then set the extruder gap again, but use the FlashForge print utility from your PC to manually move the printhead around to various points on the print surface, rechecking the gap with a piece of printer paper and adjusting the height knobs to get it fully level. Since doing this, I have had zero issues with one edge of the raft lifting. Yes there is still a small learning curve, but this thing prints AWESOME when it is dialed in. I added pics of my most recent printout of the self-watering plant pot from thingiverse. com to prove it! UPDATE June 6 2016 - after about 20 prints, I stand by my review. Maybe 4. 5 stars - it's not quite plug and play over time, be prepared to fiddle with how you print to get more complex designs to print. I have installed a BuildTak stick-on printing surface, and I've had to figure out how to take apart the extruder print head to clear a jam, and I've had to totally disassemble the extruder to clean the print nozzle. However - for the price, it still beats everything else out there. You just can't quite assume yet that you don't need to know anything about 3D printing to use this. But it's sooooo easy, you'll be hooked!!!! ! ORIGINAL REVIEW:

This is my first 3D printer. I have looked at them for a while, and I have a friend who did a ton of research and bought this intense hobbyist printer, took him all weekend to set it up, and it seems that every other print doesn't come out right for some reason - he is slowly becoming an expert at the entire science of 3D printing. I have plenty of hobbies, and while I wanted a 3D printer to support those hobbies, I didn't want to have to learn a lot to use it. I also didn't want to spend a fortune. When I saw the price drop on this printer, read the other reviews, and watched a few youtube videos, I figured I'd give it a shot. Everything worked exactly as expected! Right out of the box, following simple setup and calibration steps, my first four prints have been a total success. I'm still learning about rafts and supports and fill, but it is just as easy as downloading a model from thingiverse, loading it into the FlashPrint software, and sending it to the printer. And the print quality on the default settings was MUCH better than I'd expected, after seeing what my friend printed on his super hobby machine. Keep in mind that I mostly want to print toys and utilitarian things - shelves, hooks, etc. - and I'm not sure what others expectations are, but mine were blown away. I attached a pic of a toy elephant model I printed - legs and head move. My daughter loved it!