If you want to print small, detailed models at home and on a budget, the Elegoo Mars 2 Pro might be what you’re looking for.
Many of us wouldn’t necessarily think of 3D printing as an affordable hobby, especially if you’re looking to explore resin-based SLA and MSLA printers, but the Elegoo Mars 2 Pro proves you don’t need to spend a fortune to get a premium product. Affordability is relative of course, but you can currently grab the Elegoo Mars 2 Pro for $260 / £230 / AU$640, which is more than a fair price to pay for the quality that you’re getting, placing it in a similar price band as the AnyCubic Photon Mono. The Mars 2 Pro has a slighter larger build volume than that of the original Mars 2 printer, and a metal resin vat rather than the replaceable plastic version. Other differences outside of cost (with the original Mars 2 available for around $200 / £215) is the inclusion of an air filtration system and a rubber seal around the edges of the red acrylic cover, though we couldn’t find available stock for the original Mars 2 on any Australian-based website. The printing capabilities for both printers are the same on paper, so if you can find the Mars 2 available and you’re not fussy about getting a higher quality machine then you can expect the same printing results from either. The build volume, or available printing space, is on the smaller side, not uncommon for resin-based printers as the built plate has to be fully submerged in specialized UV reactive resin to function, but with larger printers available like the Elegoo Saturn or the AnyCubic Photon Mono X you might be tempted to look elsewhere if you think the Mars 2 Pro won’t provide enough space for your prints or you’re looking to batch print for a small business. The space is more than sufficient for printing smaller models though, and many larger figurines can be split into sections to print if you don’t have the space to keep a larger printer. In fact, its compact size and built-in air filter mean that this is a far more ‘home’ friendly option than a larger machine and can be set up somewhere like an office rather than a dedicated printing room. We would still recommend only printing in a well-ventilated space (as resin is a toxic material), but the air filter can at least give us some assurance regarding health and safety. There are a handful of small criticisms we have about the Elegoo Mars 2 Pro, but they’re not enough to dissuade us from purchasing the printer given how many pros it has over cons. If you’re into tabletop miniatures or board games, this is a fantastic machine that will apply churn out high-quality and extremely detailed models with minimal fuss. If you’ve seen the rest of the Elegoo Mars family of 3D printers then you might feel like you’re getting déjà vu when you look at the Mars 2 Pro. The design is very familiar, with a solid metal black base, a textured metal build plate and a clear red acrylic hood to contain fumes during the printing process. You’re not expected to build the printer yourself thankfully, unlike some FDM-style machines that require some assembly out of the box. Instead, the Mars 2 Pro is well packaged and ready to go after you peel off some protecting films from the LCD display and the hood. You also get a handy tool kit included that contains an array of recommended equipment to start printing, such as a metal scraper for removing prints from the build plate, a plastic scraper for removing any failed prints that adhered to the delicate FEP film, a USB stick to load STL files onto, some latex gloves and disposable facemasks to wear for protection and paper filters to filter used resin back into bottles for storage. You also get the required allen keys to adjust the build plate during leveling, and a few extras that were absent in other products like the Elegoo Saturn – a replacement FEP sheet and a drip bracket that allows the build plate to rest at an angle and drip insured resin back into the tank before washing. A frustration we had right off the bat was the resin tank. It’s constructed from solid metal, a definite upgrade from the plastic style used in the original Mars 2, but it’s designed to be slide into place from the side of the machine rather than placed straight down like in the Elegoo Saturn.
