This 3D printer brings you an easy-to-use machine that's a breeze to configure, meaning you can get to printing faster than ever before. However, the software is a bit clunky and confusing and your printed objects might need a little bit of work after being printed to look good.

That being said, there isn't a 3D printer out there with some quirks. Out of all 3D printers, this is the best option for those just starting out in the world of 3D printing.

Design

This printer looks kind of like the UP! 3D printer, and for good reason: Afinia licensed its design from its manufacturer, the Chinese company Delta Micro Factory. The difference: the H479 ships fully assembled, and decreases static shock with improved wiring.

The H479 features a folded steel housing painted dark red, exposed ribbon cable leading from the internal electronic to extruder head. This appears slightly unfinished, but for the most part is ok to look at. There is an extruder cover, fan mount, cable clip on the back, and arm for mounting the spools of material used for printing 3D plastic objects. It's a bit odd that you have to use binder clips to secure the included printing surface to the platform, making it look unfinished.

Despite its appearance, all parts work well. You receive a 1.5-pound spool of ABS plastic filament, which is used to print the objects, as well as a box of various accessories: X-Acto knife and blades, a scraper, big tweezers, snipping pliers, three hex wrenches, small socket wrench, a pair of work gloves, plastic tube, power cables and brick, and a USB cord. The hex wrench attaches the arm that hold the spool of filament, and the rest of the tools are used after printing your product, cleaning away excess material (be careful!)

Functionality

After connecting the H749 to a PC, the printer and the software work very well. The software interface could be more intuitive, but it is still easy to use for the most part. You'll probably need to read the manual to understand calibration and the support-material option screens.

The software is excellent at keeping tabs on material usage, which means it will let you know when it doesn't have the sufficient amount of material left to print an object. Another handy thing to note: it can print with any brand of 1.75-millimeter filament. This is not possible with the 3D Systems Cube and CubeX, giving the H479 an advantage.

It's easy to manipulate your 3D files, and enjoy sending STL files directly to the H479 with its built in memory to save conversion time. It relies on the Insert Copy function to add additional copies of a model, and can also load a different model to a print. The software will rearrange the models on the platform automatically.

Additional Information

The H479 deals with another common problem: keeping the object affixed to the platform during the print. It does this well thanks to three FR-4 perfboards and the binder clips.

Pick one up for $1,599. It's a great entry level 3D printer despite the seemingly high price tag.