Creality
Creality K1
$389
Released 2023
Best 3D Printers · head-to-head
A sourced, side-by-side comparison. Anycubic Kobra 3 is cheaper at $349. Every spec and price links to its source.
Creality
$389
Released 2023
Anycubic
$349Cheaper
Released 2024-05
On the specs we track, they're closely matched. The Anycubic Kobra 3 is the cheaper at $349.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Prices verified at capture; live price may differ.
✓ marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.
| Spec | | |
|---|---|---|
| US price | $389 | $349 |
| Brand | Creality | Anycubic |
| Released | 2023 | 2024-05 |
| Technology | FDM | FDM |
| Build volume (mm) | 220 x 220 x 250 mm | 250 x 250 x 260 mm |
| Max speed mms | 600 | 600 |
| Auto leveling | Yes | Yes |
| Multicolor | No | No |
| Enclosed | Yes | No |
| Max hotend temp c | 300 | 300 |
| Release year | 2023 | 2024 |
Sources — Creality K1: matterhackers.com (verified 2026-06-27). Anycubic Kobra 3: store.anycubic.com (verified 2026-06-27).
Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (2 of 7). Matching specs are omitted.
Sourced tester consensus for each — the "what people who used it think" layer, not just specs.
Two whitelisted testers (Tom's Hardware, TechRadar) hands-on reviewed the exact Creality K1 and both recommend it, praising fast speeds, print quality/accuracy and the enclosed Core XY design. Tom's Hardware flagged a clumsy locked-down Klipper, an awkward rear spool holder and reliability hiccups; TechRadar's only real gripe was no multi-filament plus AI camera/LiDAR being paid extras. K1 Max, K1C and K1 SE variants excluded. (2 sourced reviews, 2 lab-tested.)
Praised: Fast print speeds; Excellent print quality and accuracy; Fully enclosed Core XY design handles ABS/ASA well.
Flagged: No multi-filament / single-color only; Awkward rear-mounted spool holder makes loading fiddly; Locked-down, modded Klipper (cloud bind required, no console/config/Z-offset access).
Two whitelisted testers hands-on tested this exact model. Both praise fast speeds, excellent single-filament print quality, the ACE Pro four-color box that doubles as a filament dryer, and quick ~10-20 minute setup. They split on the verdict: TechRadar calls it near the best bed-slinger and scores it 4.5/5, while Tom's Hardware faults heavy filament-purge waste and a half-baked slicer and keeps it off its best-3D-printers list. No PCMag or Wired coverage found. (2 sourced reviews, 2 lab-tested.)
Praised: Fast print speeds; Excellent single-filament print quality; ACE Pro four-color system doubles as a filament dryer.
Flagged: Wasteful filament purge / waste pile during color swaps; Half-baked Anycubic slicer with no purge tuning or Orca support; Multifilament printing is noticeably slow.