I choose my lulzbot Taz because in had more options than a Makerbot.

I can print pla or abs or many other filaments.

It has dual heads if that is what you want.

see link: www.lulzbot.com/

also see: www.xrobots.co.uk/

My second choice was M2

J

Richard, buy a makerbot. I am trashing my printer and buying one. I am worn out with the frustration of it printing great for a week, and then not printing well for a few weeks while I try to get it printing well again.

Solidoodle also has a printer that has a lot of features, but it won't beat a makerbot and what I have come to realize is that I just want the printer to print without me having to mess with it constantly. I have learned all that I want to learn from building my own printer. Makerbot also print fast compared to other printers. 600 hours on a makerbot = 900 to 1200 hours on other printers.

Thanks @jdebay and @d.cochran...

@d.cochran... So you recommend the Makerbot 2 then? This one Makerbot 2 replicator ?

The important features are

Fully enclosed and Heat bed. One of the newer important features to me is auto leveling.

If you are fine not printing abs, heated and fully enclosed are not important. The replicator 2 has 2 hot ends I believe. It is nice to be able to print 2 colors at the same time but not important to most.

I believe that what Bhouston had in the background of his photo was the printer you mentioned.

I was wrong, the 2x has 2 hot ends. This is a good printer.

@Richard, I just had a look at Makerbots site, I don't think the Mini will be big enough, it's build table is only 4" x 4". It's too bad they came out with the Rep 2X a month after I got my Rep 2, or I would have bought the 2X. The 2X has the dual head option, can print with ABS and PLA plastic and you don't have to buy Makerbot filament. You have to use MB filament in their new generation printers and it's expensive! The on going cost of filament needs to be considered. I can buy filament for half the cost from other sources compared to Makerbots and, in my opinion it works better.

Another 3D printer you may consider is the FlashForge. They have several different models and most are copies of the Makerbot series with some improvements to the printhead.

The basic bottom line becomes what program is used for 3D design and then what program is used to slice your model.

Thanks guys lots to digest... @bhouston... I quickly realized the mini is too small... I assume the 2x is the newest? Robotshop has them for around $2700 CAD + Tax and the basic Replicator 2 is $2195 .... I wasn't planning on that much...

@Doc I am not too interested in designing my own stuff as much as I am printing existing 3d stuff (like inmoov). However, down the road that may change...

I'll check out the flashforge...

@d.cochran .... so you reckon' I would be happy enough with the just the Makerbot 2? Multi colour would not be importand to me... I am also not quite sure I am ready to spend $3000 on the 2x...