Anycubic Kobra S1 Combo review: Excellent when it works, frustrating when it doesn't

The new Kobra S1 Combo is Anycubic's first attempt at a core XY construction 3D printer, and it has so much potential to beat out its rivals.

Anycubic Kobra S1 Combo review
(Image: © Future)

Our Verdict

I've had the new Anycubic Kobra S1 combo 3D printer in my possession for almost a month now, and I really wanted to like this printer. I had such high hopes for it, but after the first two weeks, things went downhill extremely fast, and I experienced one issue after another. I will say that when this printer works, it's fantastic. But I've spent more time in frustration with this machine and dealing with customer service than happily printing with it. If the balance of maintenance with low cost appeals to you, then the S1 might be your next printer and a definite Bambu Lab rival. However, if you're looking for a stress-free printing experience, then I can't confidently recommend this printer until I'm able to get it repaired or replaced.

For

  • Impressive quality prints
  • Ace Pro doubles as a filament dryer
  • Relatively affordable
  • Anycubic customer service is great

Against

  • Several problems in just a few weeks of use
  • Remote printing from the Anycubic app is buggy
  • Not TPU compatible

Why you can trust Creative Bloq Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

Anycubic's latest fully enclosed Core XY construction 3D printer is the Kobra S1 Combo, and as soon as it was announced, I just knew I had to get my hands on one. Unfortunately, the rose-tinted glasses soon faded once I started to receive error messages galore from this printer, and several hours and part replacements later, it still isn't working, and I've sadly given up on it.

I expected that the Anycubic Kobra S1 Combo would be one of the best 3D printers on the market, especially at its competitive price point. A lot of creatives are excited by a new entry to the 4+ colour 3D printing market, and the S1 Combo has immense potential to take on more premium rivals from the likes of Bambu Lab, Creality, and Elegoo in this space.

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Print Volume:

250x250x250mm

Max Print Speed:

600mm/s

Recommended Print Speed:

300mm/s

Maximum Acceleration:

Up to: 20000mm/s²

Multicolour printing:

Up to 8 colours supported

Hotend nozzle temperature:

320°C

Hotbed temperature:

120°C

Nozzle diameter:

Standard 0.4mm (supports 0.2/0.6/0.8mm)

Quiet Print Mode:

44dB

Levelling:

LeviQ 3.0 auto leveling, Z-axis offset

Firmware:

Kobra OS

Display:

4.3-inch capacitive touch screen

Air Filtration:

Activated carbon purification

Software:

Anycubic SlicerNext

Materials:

ASA / ABS / PLA / PLA+ / PETG

Kobra S1 Dimensions:

400x410x490mm

ACE Pro dimensions:

365.94x282.84x234.5mm

Weight (combined):

25.9kg

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The Verdict
6.5

out of 10

Anycubic Kobra S1 Combo

I've had the new Anycubic Kobra S1 combo 3D printer in my possession for almost a month now, and I really wanted to like this printer. I had such high hopes for it, but after the first two weeks, things went downhill extremely fast, and I experienced one issue after another. I will say that when this printer works, it's fantastic. But I've spent more time in frustration with this machine and dealing with customer service than happily printing with it. If the balance of maintenance with low cost appeals to you, then the S1 might be your next printer and a definite Bambu Lab rival. However, if you're looking for a stress-free printing experience, then I can't confidently recommend this printer until I'm able to get it repaired or replaced.

TOPICS
Beth Nicholls
Ecommerce Writer

Beth is Creative Bloq’s Ecommerce Writer and has the fun job of finding you the very best prices and deals on creative tech. Beth kicked off her journalistic career writing for Digital Camera World, and has since earned bylines on TechRadar too. With a Masters degree in Photography, Beth loves getting to tinker with new cameras, especially camera phones, as the resident Samsung fan on the team. Her background working as a tester for CeX let her play around with all kinds of weird and wonderful products, including robots, and she’s recently gotten into 3D printing too. Outside of CB, you’ll find her gaming on her PS5, photographing local shows under the alias Bethshootsbands, and making TikToks of her dog, Tilly. 

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