While recently presented, unpacked and reviewed the Zonestar P802QR 3D printer. Today, we are reviewing the Creality CR-10 Mini, which we’ve found to be more user-friendly.
In contrast to the Zonestar KIT system, the CR-10 does not have to be assembled from 200 individual parts. While there are a few parts that still need to be screwed together, the instructions are short and straight-forward.
Creality CR-10 Mini 3D Printer Review
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The CR-10 Mini has only one extruder and one power supply unit (including display and control unit), which is housed in an extra housing. This makes the printer look much less fragile and nerdy. Moreover, there are many open cables to lay.
The Creality CR-10 Mini 3D printer has a large build volume of 300 x 220 x 300 mm.
CR-10 Mini Specs
| Model | Creality3D CR-10 Mini |
| Type | DIY KIT |
| Nozzle Diameter | 0.4mm |
| Print Area | 300 x 220 x 300mm |
| Accessories | 8 GB microSD card incl.USB card reader incl. |
| Display | LCD screen |
| Print Speed | Normal 80mm/s, Max. 200mm/s |
| Printing Materials | ABS, Carbon Fiber, Copper, PLA, TPU, Wood |
| Filament Size | 1.75mm |
| File Format | AMF, G-code, JPG, OBJ, STL |
| Slicing Software | Cura, Repetier-Host, Simplify3D |
| Operating System | Linux, Windows, OSX |
| Size and Weight | 7.5 kg for 49 x 42 x 50 cm |
Design and Appearance
The Creality CR-10 Mini looks simple when compared to the Zonestar KIT. On the CR-10 Mini, two to three screws have to be tightened and a few parts have to be put together. However, that is practically nothing compared to the parts that have to be screwed for the Zonestar Kit.
One of the features that makes us excited with the Creality CR-10 Mini is the control, which is much more comfortable to use than that of the Zonestar.
The stable aluminum rails makes the control unit more precise. We’ll talk more about this later in the article.
Another advantage of this printer is the filament holder attached to the control unit.
Another nice detail is the heatable printing platform, which has a glass plate on top. The plate is attached to the printer with small clips.
The advantage of this is that you don’t have to shake the printer directly to loosen the printed object. This means that the printing platform does not move so much and, therefore, doesn’t have to be realigned every time you press.
CR-10 Mini Bed Size
While this Creality is labeled “mini”, it actually has a large build size of 300 x 220x 300 mm. This puts it in the range of the DaVinci Super (300 x 300 x 300mm) and the JGAurora A5 (305 x 305 x320). The CR-10 Mini also has a large build volume than the Original Prusa i3 MK3 (250 x 210 x 200 mm).
Print Quality
Last but not least, we did some print tests after assembly. Of course, we leveled the printing bed before starting to print.
I think you can see the cat’s fur very nicely (this hides the normally visible grooves of the printing). You can also read the details on the collar and on the waving paw. The best way to do this is to click on the picture so that it is enlarged a little.
We also tried to use the Zonestar printer to print out a small skateboard as a birthday present for my nephew. Unfortunately, this failed twice because the object fell over during printing.
The first test print with the CR-10 Mini went smoothly. I find it particularly fascinating that the rotating tires are printed in one print with the actual skateboard. After the pressure, a hearty turn is enough to separate the mini struts and the axis turns.
The Creality3D CR-10 Mini 3D printer is available at various online sites. From the first impressions (volume, processing quality, materials, print quality) I can only warmly recommend the printer.
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