Polaroid PlaySmart 3D Printer Review
Product Name: Polaroid PlaySmart 3D Printer
Product Description: The Polaroid PlaySmart 3D printer took some of the iconic designs of the Polaroid instant camera, including the black and white plastic body, brand logo, and the most popular spectrum color accent, which gives a vintage feel from the 1970’s Polaroid cameras. This budget-friendly machine offers a variety of great features and produces high-quality prints using different filament materials. Through the Polaroid PlaySmart mobile app and Polaroid SmartPrep software, it allows you to start printing, monitor the process, or perform maintenance tasks. Also, with the Polaroid Precise Filament Holder & Scale, you don’t have to wait and keep an eye if the filament is running out because it displays the amount of filament left on the spool.
Offer price: 400 - 600
Currency: USD
Availability: OnlineOnly
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Build Quality
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Performance
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Features
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Easy to Use
Summary
The Polaroid PlaySmart 3D printer is a compact and lightweight machine that comes at a reasonable price. It has a wide variety of filament materials, which gives you the opportunity to create different high-quality model prints in different colors. With amazing features like PlaySmart mobile app, SmartPrep software, and Polaroid Precise Filament Holder & Scale, expect nothing but great results. This desktop 3D printer is specially designed and made simple for beginners through its easy setup and user-friendly interface. PlaySmart is an impressive 3D printer that lives up to the great name of Polaroid.
Pros
Compact and lightweight
Easy setup and user interface
Built-in Wi-Fi camera
Precise filament holder
Multi-color printing
Cons
Small build area
Little pricey
Buggy app
Needs calibration after every use
Not a plug-n-play device
User Review
( votes)Polaroid PlaySmart 3D Printer Review
When you hear the name Polaroid, the first things that come to your mind are probably about Cameras and Films, right? Well, that’s not surprising at all, since the company has been in the high-technology industry for more than 80 years. It started as a small research and marketing company and became a popular camera brand in the market alongside Kodak, Fujifilm, Konica Minolta, and more. But with the Polaroid PlaySmart 3D printer, it might change the way you see the brand. According to the CEO and General Counsel of Polaroid, their first launch of a 3D printer and 3D pen has earned a lot of great responses from the customers. That is why, they decided to create another Polaroid Play line to match its competitors like the Flashforge, Monoprice, and Formlabs.
Overview
Polaroid announces its new 3D printer that comes with a touch of its traditional colorful shiny design. The Polaroid PlaySmart 3D printer took some of the iconic designs of the Polaroid instant camera, including the black and white plastic body, brand logo, and the most popular spectrum color accent, which gives a vintage feel from the 1970’s Polaroid cameras. This budget-friendly machine offers a variety of great features and produces high-quality prints using different filament materials. The print area is a bit small at just 4.7 x 4.7 x 4.7 inches but certainly not a deal-breaker. On top of the PlaySmart is the built-in Wi-Fi camera to monitor and record the printing process and progress. Then, next to the print area is an LCD touch screen controller that is very responsive and easy to operate.
Furthermore, you can control the printer using the Polaroid PlaySmart mobile app. By downloading the app through the App Store or Play Store, it allows you to start printing, monitor the process, or perform maintenance tasks right away. Although you might need to install the Polaroid SmartPrep software to edit, prepare, and save your model in either STL or OBJ formats to a USB drive. Another unique feature of the PlaySmart is its separate Polaroid Precise Filament Holder & Scale, which displays the amount of filament left on the spool. Now, you don’t have to wait and keep an eye if the filament is running out. Also, Polaroid PlaySmart works on three filament materials such as PLA, P-Wood, and PETG yet is compatible with third-party filaments.
Key Specifications
- Polaroid PlaySmart mobile app
- Polaroid SmartPrep software
- Polaroid Precise Filament Holder & Scale
- Heated print bed made of aluminum-magnesium alloy
- 2.2 pounds Polaroid universal PLA filament
- 0.4 mm nozzle
- 360-degree fan
- 3.5-inch LCD touch screen
- 4.7 x 4.7 x 4.7 inches print area
- 50 to 300 microns layer height
- 12.6 x 10.6 x 11.8 inches dimensions
- 11 pounds of weight
- Built-in Wi-Fi camera
- USB and 2 GB SD card
- PLA, PETG, P-Wood filament materials
Design
On the exterior design of the Polaroid PlaySmart 3D printer, it has the trademark spectrum color accents on the side and the brand logo in front. The overall look is similar to Wanhao Duplicator 10 and has the same size as the Monoprice Select Mini at 120 x 120 x 120 mm. But what separates the PlaySmart apart from other 3D printer is its app control, wherein you can easily send your model prints directly to the printer, control the temperature, and view the print progress via its built-in camera. It also provides 2 GB of internal memory to store your model designs and video recordings. In addition, the Polaroid has a Precise Filament Holder & Scale where it shows the current weight of filament left on the spool, so you will know when to change or replace the filament.
Setup
Good thing that the Polaroid PlaySmart 3D printer is already pre-assembled. All you need is to carefully remove the item from the box and ensure to position it on a flat and stable surface. This helps to minimize the vibration that will result in more accurate prints. So to start, follow the simple steps below to get it ready for printing.
- Remove all protective foam from the printer, as well as the tape in the print bed.
- Insert the PTFE tube at the end of the printer and extruder, then connect the power cable at the back of the printer and switch it on.
- Setup the Polaroid Precise Filament Holder and Scale by putting the filament and two double-A (AA) batteries to power it on. Twist-off the end of the filament or cut the tip at an angle before inserting it into the extruder.
- On the LCD screen, select “Filament”, then “Load” to automatically load the filament. If required, press “10mm More” to extrude more filament.
- Press “Confirm” to complete the process.
Features
Polaroid PlaySmart Mobile App
Controlling the Polaroid PlaySmart 3D printer using your mobile phone is made possible through the Polaroid PlaySmart mobile app. You can download it for free at Google Play Store or Apple App Store and connect the printer via cloud technology. Through this app, sending 3D models to print, monitoring the printing process, and controlling multiple printers is done from just one app. To start, select the “Model Library” on the screen, choose from 15 different designs, and press print. Now, you can easily begin, pause, or end the operation while on the go.
Polaroid SmartPrep Software
Using the Polaroid SmartPrep software will be the best platform for editing your design up until the printing of designs. It allows you to print multiple models or download and print models from the library for free. Just don’t forget to save it in STL or OBJ file before transferring the files to a USB drive. It also has an advanced setting that you can play around when creating a model. However, the SmartPrep software is available for Windows OS only, so if you are using macOS, then you might have to work with Cura software.
Multi-Color Printing
Even if the Polaroid PlaySmart 3D printer has only one extruder, you can still print your print designs in multi-colors. Start by selecting the “Multi-Color” in Polaroid SmartPrep software. Then, set the print model’s height, so the printer will automatically stop when it is time to change the filament color. And right after you save the file, it will show how long it takes to finish the model and how many filaments you need. With these features, you don’t have to worry about running out of filament during the printing process anymore.
Performance
After several tests, we can say that the Polaroid PlaySmart 3D printer is pretty fast. Upon trying the Draft mode, it took us almost 4 hours to print a 4-inch model. But after switching to Fine mode, it lasted for about 10 hours. Compared to Monoprice Voxel, PlaySmart is a little faster for printing drafts, which is great for beginners. Also, the print quality of PlaySmart is really impressive, the print models came out natural-looking with their clean, smooth, and excellent details. However, it lacks the polished looks we get from an SLA (Stereolithography) printer or more expensive FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling).
Conclusion
Start putting your designs into life with the Polaroid PlaySmart 3D printer. It is a compact and lightweight machine that comes at a reasonable price. Learning how to use the printer along with the Polaroid Precise Filament Holder & Scale is made simple through its easy setup and user-friendly interface. And with amazing features like PlaySmart mobile app and SmartPrep software, expect nothing but great results. This desktop 3D printer is specially designed for beginners and amateurs who want to take 3D printing to the next level. Through a variety of filament materials, it gives you the opportunity to create different high-quality model prints in different colors. Sure, other cheaper 3D printers provide good prints but this one is best for anyone who wants to learn 3D printing easily and hassle-free. The bottom line is, PlaySmart is an impressive 3D printer that lives up to the great name of Polaroid. If unsure this is the right 3d printer for you, check out our 3d printers section where we are sure you will find a 3d printer to suit your needs.
