Creality K1C Review: Enclosed, Fast and Carbon-Fibre Ready
An enclosed CoreXY printer with a hardened nozzle for carbon-fibre filaments. Where it challenges the Bambu P1S, and why it is louder and single-colour.
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The K1C is Creality’s answer to the Bambu P1S: an enclosed, fast CoreXY printer that sets itself up. The “C” is for carbon. It is the one to look at if you want carbon-fibre-filled filaments.
Why the nozzle matters
Carbon-fibre filaments (PLA-CF, PETG-CF, PA-CF) are stiff, light and good for jigs and brackets. They are also abrasive. They wear a soft brass nozzle out of shape within a few spools. The K1C ships with a hardened steel tip and a titanium-alloy heatbreak, so it handles them from day one. Its enclosure and 300 °C hotend also cover ASA and nylon blends. See filament types explained.
It has an activated carbon filter for odour, and an AI camera that watches for failed prints.
The trade-offs
- Noise and shake. At full speed it is very loud. Reviewers report it shakes and wobbles above about 300 mm/s. Most people run it slower.
- Single colour. There is no multi-colour system in the box.
- Filament changes. Reviewers find loading and unloading more awkward than on Bambu machines.
- Smaller bed. It prints 220 x 220 x 250 mm, against 256 mm on the P1S.
Verdict
Choose the K1C if carbon-fibre parts are the job. Otherwise, the P1S is the smoother machine to live with.
What works
- Hardened steel nozzle tip handles abrasive carbon-fibre filaments from the box; a brass nozzle would wear out on them
- Enclosed, with a hotend to 300 °C, so ABS, ASA and nylon-CF are in range
- Activated carbon filter for odour, and an AI camera that flags failed prints
- Arrives pre-assembled, with one-tap auto calibration
What doesn't
- Very loud at full speed, and reviewers report it shakes noticeably above about 300 mm/s
- Single colour only out of the box
- Changing filament is fiddly compared with Bambu printers
- Build volume of 220 x 220 x 250 mm is smaller than the P1S