FDM printers Anycubic Kobra Vs Kobra Max are perfect for users working in the creative industry or hobbyists and professionals to model and create their products. These printers are also suitable for beginners who want to spend on a budget. They cover all basic features and perform very well with some crucial differences. Today we will talk about what these printers can offer and which you may like better.
In this comparison, we are going to talk about:
- What to Know Before Buying a 3D Printer
- What are Anycubic Kobra and Kobra Max
- How are the Machines of Anycubic Kobra and Kobra Max
- How is the Print Volume of Anycubic Kobra and Kobra Max
- How is the Print Bed in Anycubic Kobra and Kobra Max
- How is the Print Head in Anycubic Kobra and Kobra Max
- What else Anycubic Kobra and Kobra Max can offer
- How is the Performance of Anycubic Kobra and Kobra Max
- Anycubic Kobra Vs Kobra Max
Before Buying a 3D Printer
Getting into 3D printing is fun. The hobby is already taking off with so many companies offering their machines and growing online communities where you can share experiences and ask for tips. But, generally, 3D printing is not a mass appliance like the paper printer. The machine is relatively difficult to understand and operate by most people with no knowledge of the process. But, we can always spare the time to learn and gather important information.
For starters, a 3D printer is not a straightforward machine. Even at the basics, we have to learn to set up the machine, such as bed level, which is critical to print quality. Most 3D printers, especially the FDM variant, come in parts, and you need to assemble the machine before starting anything. A mistake in connecting the parts and components will affect the performance, and at worst, your machine may not run properly. A 3D printer also needs a slicer, a software where you can tweak the printing requirements.
The software is necessary to command your printers, such as adjusting speed and layer height. You may also need to tweak the machine physically and manually find the cause of an issue. Deciding the purpose of the machine is also crucial. If your focus is the result and you need the machine as a tool, we recommend models with high reliability and support. On the other hand, we recommend affordable but tweakable machines for hobbyists who want to improve every part of their machine.
| Anycubic Kobra | Anycubic Kobra Max | |
|---|---|---|
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| Product Dimensions | 19.13 x 19.13 x 16.93 inches | 32.28 x 29.13 x 10.63 inches |
| Shipping Weight | 15.4 pounds | 41.8 pounds |
| Shop now at Amazon | Check price | Check price |
About Anycubic Kobra and Kobra Max
Like most products, it is best to choose the one that matches the purpose. You can find many different options at different price ranges. Some companies are also better at maintaining product quality and providing customer care. Some are selling very affordable machines, but you are basically on your own after receiving the product. Price can make a massive difference in 3D printers both on the product and also access to company support.
Anycubic is one of the leading players in the 3D printer segment. This company has been around for some time and carries incredible machines in the respective price range. Recently the company launched its new line consisting of Kobra and Kobra Max. These machines are available starting in 2022 and are exciting options for those who want to jump into the 3D printer hobby or upgrade their aging machine. While they sound close to each other, there is little resemblance between them.
The original Kobra is a perfect machine for beginners and new users who plan to upgrade their machines routinely. This machine is affordable and reliable, an excellent combination for almost everyone. But, it doesn’t carry the bells and whistles that Kobra Max is boasting about, and here is where the 400-something price gap lies. The main difference between Anycubic Kobra and Kobra Max is size and features. As the name suggests, Kobra Max is massive, one of the largest printers at this price point.
The original Kobra is already a great machine, and it can produce good print quality with some tuning. It is a perfect machine if you want to get a promising machine at a low price point. On the other hand, Kobra Max is more suitable for users, focusing on getting large prints, convenient features, and high-quality materials. This machine has better parts, but the price gap is primarily due to the build volume. Read also: Anycubic Photon Mono X Vs Elegoo Saturn here.
Anycubic Kobra and Kobra Max Machines
Build quality is usually not an issue for 3D printers because most use metal construction to hold everything together. But, like most FDM printers, we also need to spare time to connect every part of these machines, consisting of top and bottom elements. The Kobra Max is noticeably bigger and heavier than the Kobra. We also notice that some metal parts in Kobra Max, such as the extruder housing, are plastic on the original variant. The machines look clean as the power is tucked below the build plate.
The Anycubic Kobra and Kobra Max have the same control panel, including a card reader at the bottom. This mechanism was not an issue back then because we don’t see any better alternative, but it seems dated in 2022. MicroSD is small and fiddly, easy to get lost, and the fact that we need to plug one from the computer and put it in the machine is too bothersome for today’s convenience. In addition, both machines have two card readers, and we feed the design through the one on the printer, not the control panel.
Anycubic Kobra and Kobra Max Print Capacity
Whether you buy the printer as a tool to produce items or as a hobby to fiddle with, their capacity or print volume is crucial. Most printers don’t provide an option to extend their print volume, which makes the larger models always cost much higher. The Kobra Max increases at least half of the original’s capacity at 17.7 by 15.7 by 15.7 inches, while the former is only 8.7 by 8.7 by 9.8 inches. Depending on what to print, some people may require the extra capacity.
Anycubic Kobra and Kobra Max Print Bed
Surprisingly, the Anycubic Kobra and Kobra Max print beds are different because the original machine has a removable, grainy, PEI-coated print bed, while this Max variant is non-removable. Instead, it uses a glass bed, similar to Anycubic’s large machines, Chiron. The glass is very sturdy and held in place with metal clips. Large build volume and the item’s weight can be concerning for the bed’s stability. Anycubic ensures that the Y-axis can maintain the bed stability by using dual rails, adjustable belts, and a powerful motor.
Anycubic Kobra and Kobra Max Print Head
Now let’s move to see the Anycubic Kobra and Kobra Max print heads. This part is also quite different because you will notice that Kobra Max uses a similar Volcano-style hot end to the Vyper model. This hot end has a two-part cooling fan that blows air from each housing side. This printer also uses a Bowden-style extruder with dual gear and Bondtech apparatus to provide a smooth filament feeding experience. This hot-end system allows Kobra Max to have a larger melt zone and rapid printing speed.
On the other hand, the original Kobra uses a direct extruder system with plastic housing, which has its charm after a while. Typical to FDM printers, you may experience some blockage with some filaments. This Kobra printer has severe blockage when dealing with TPU but taking care of it is straightforward. The print head is surprisingly modular and easy to open. To fix the blockage issue, you need to remove the shroud, fan, and hot assembly before dealing with some cables.
Anycubic Kobra and Kobra Max Features
Both Anycubic Kobra and Kobra Max come with some convenient features, and one of them is automatic bed-leveling. However, the bed-leveling system is also different because the original Kobra uses an inductive sensor to detect the metal print bed below. We are not familiar with this sensor, but it seems to work well without fail or causing fuss. The system appears to map 16-point mesh on each leveling routine to collect necessary information from the print bed. The Kobra Max uses a strain gauge system, similar to Vyper.
Anycubic calls this system LeviQ, with the nozzle probing 25 points across the build platform to gather information. The firmware then uses this information to compensate for the beginning of the print. Unfortunately, the Kobra Max doesn’t have manual leveling knobs if you want to do it manually. However, the feature works reliably, so it is unnecessary, and you can try tinkering with the Z offset when adjusting the distance.
Anycubic Kobra and Kobra Max Performance
The overall performance of Anycubic Kobra and Kobra Max is impressive, especially for the original variant. The Kobra is a compact and reliable machine despite the plastic components. One possible issue is probably longevity, yet you can always fix it later. These machines require some adjustments before they can run perfectly. We find them to have similar quality and precision to machines in the price range. The stock printers on Kobra Max are pretty limited to capacity. You may want to make an external spool holder and buy a larger nozzle when printing large items.
Anycubic Kobra Vs Kobra Max
Both Anycubic Kobra and Kobra Max are good machines with some noticeable differences. Performance-wise they are excellent and reliable, but the Max can print much larger items faster, moreover with a larger nozzle. Other differences are the non-removable glass bed which is more suitable for its massive size, while the original machine has a removable bed and is more compact. While the original Kobra has a plastic print head, it is modular and easy to tinker with.
Conclusion
The decision is yours because we may have different preferences and purposes. We recommend that most people who don’t need the extra capacity choose the original Kobra because it is very reliable for the price point and convenient. But, Kobra Max is the choice if you often print large items.