Prusa 3D Printers Review: Core One and MK4S, Sold Direct
Prusa sells direct from the Czech Republic, not on Amazon. What the Core One and MK4S do better than anything else, and the enclosed printer we would buy on Amazon instead.
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Prusa Research sells its printers direct, from its own shop. They are not on Amazon, so the score and links on this page are for the Bambu Lab P1S, the nearest equivalent you can buy there. This page is about Prusa.
The current printers
- Core One. An enclosed CoreXY printer on a steel frame, with a 250 x 220 x 270 mm build volume, glass doors and active chamber heating to 55 °C. It is the successor to the MK series for most buyers.
- MK4S. The open-frame bed-slinger: 250 x 210 x 220 mm, with an optional enclosure.
Both use Prusa’s Nextruder with load-cell levelling. Both come as a kit, cheaper, or assembled.
What Prusa does better than anyone
Openness. Prusa’s firmware is open source, its printed parts are downloadable, and spares are sold individually. A Prusa can be repaired and modified for as long as you want to keep it.
Support and documentation. Prusa’s assembly guides and knowledge base are the best in the hobby. The kit build teaches you the machine.
That openness is the clearest contrast with Bambu. In 2025 Bambu gated third-party control behind an authorisation layer.
Why we would still point many buyers at the P1S
The P1S is assembled, calibrates itself, has a larger 256 mm bed, and scales to multi-colour printing with Bambu’s AMS. It is on Amazon. For someone who wants to print rather than own an open machine, it is the easier route.
Buy direct if
You value repairability, open firmware and support above convenience. Then buy the Core One from Prusa directly. It is a better long-term machine than the P1S, even if it is not on Amazon.
What works
- The Bambu P1S, our Amazon pick in Prusa's place, has a 256 mm enclosed bed and prints ABS and ASA
- The P1S calibrates itself and ships fully assembled, so there is no kit build
- The P1S scales to multi-colour with Bambu's AMS
What doesn't
- The P1S is a closed ecosystem; Prusa's open-source firmware and parts are what Prusa owners value most, and the P1S cannot match that
- Prusa's support and documentation are better than Bambu's