Monoprice MP Maker Select v2

The Monoprice Maker Select v2 is an FDM/FFF (Fused Deposition Modeling) printer with a cartesian x-y-z motion mechanism that uses 5 stepper motors: one moves the print bed in y-axis, other moves the extruder in x-axis. Two more are used to move the extruder up/down on z-axis and one more is used to extrude the filament through the hot end. 

Although the printer is not enclosed, it is built in an aluminium frame that provides enough rigidity to achieve great prints. The printer is small enough to fit it in your desk with a great print volume of 7.2 Litres (200 x 200 x 180 mm). However, it comes with a separated control box that can drive you crazy when trying to fit it all together in your desk while you are working.

The extrusion mechanism is perfect for advanced materials that require precise retractions as it uses a direct mechanism. This will make the printer a bit slow and less accurate on the x-axis due to the high inertia produced by the stepper motor’s weight. 

The print bed is heated and can reach up to 70 Degrees according to the Monorprice official website. This helps to prevent wrapping when printing ABS or high temperature materials, but it could not be enough in terms of temperature as some of these filaments require even higher temperatures.

The display/control interface is placed on a separate control box and it is designed to work with all slider software such as Cura and Simplify3D. The display shows current printing information on an LCD display and the navigation is done through the spinning knob. The printing connectivity can be made through MicroSD and USB.

When it comes to special features, the Monoprice Maker Select v2 does not stand out for any special feature. Most of its best features are upgrades designed by the 3D printing community and that you will be able to print.

Nevertheless, the Maker Select v2 comes with a heated print bed that is able to heat up to 70 Degrees. This makes ABS or high temperature materials easy to stick in the printing bed. 

Another point worth mentioning is the reinforced metal frame. Most of the x-y-z 3D printers come with a plastic frame which makes them more flexible and therefore less accurate while printing.

Finally, the direct extrusion mechanism is another feature that improves filament retraction and it prevents extruder clogging but it decreases precision and speed due to the high inertia.

The default printer design does not produce as good prints as we would like it to. You need to bear in mind that this is a DIY 3D printer. In fact, one of the main issues of this printer is the wobbling produced when moving the x-axis and y-axis at the same time. This can be solved with one of the many upgrades shown below in the upgrades section of this review. Many of these upgrades will make the printer achieve great printing performance that competes with more expensive ones.

Monoprice has decided to launch a DIY 3D printer which requires many tweaks in order to achieve a good print performance. The Monoprice Maker Select v2 is a fun machine for tinkerers that are willing to make and print new inventions. The price is not high at all compared with the things you can make and learn with this printer. Besides that, it does not need a lot of maintenance once it is personally tuned. However, if you are looking for a plug-and-play 3D printer that works more consistently without tweaks, there are better options out there for you.

On a final note, it is worth mentioning that Monoprice has discontinued this 3D printer and it is not available for sale on their website.

Mito3D Search Engine has also looked through all internet to find the best upgrades and modifications to print for the Maker Select v2 3D printer. Click this link and check how many modifications users have made to improve your 3D print experience and performance with the Monoprice MP Maker Select v2.