What Makes the Zortrax M200 3D Printer So Popular?

Four times a year, 3D Hubs releases a 3D Printing Trends report detailing the most popular 3D printers and materials among 3D Hubs community members. The 3D Hubs community is a good microcosm of the 3D printing world as a whole, and these reports are excellent looks at the current preferences of the people using 3D printers on a regular basis. It’s interesting to track these trends over time, to see what changes and what stays the same. There are a few companies that regularly remain in the top rankings, with their statuses fluctuating only a little, showing that in the 3D printing community, there are definitely some solid favorites.

Highest Rated Desktop 3D Printers

Zortrax is one of the companies that consistently remains at or near the top of the charts. The 3D Printing Trends report for Q3 2017 was released in July, and Zortrax performed very well, with the Zortrax M200 coming at #2 in the Highest Rated Desktop Printer category, with a 4.88 rating out of 5. It was also rated #7 in the Most Used Desktop Printer category, with 3,838 prints made. This was nothing new for the M200, which made the top 10 Highest Rated Desktop Printer list in the first two quarters of 2017 and has remained steadily popular since its introduction.

It’s worth noting that, in the report’s regional breakdown, the M200 was rated the most popular 3D printer in Africa and Central America, the second most popular in Europe and South America, and the fourth most popular in the Asia Pacific region. Zortrax itself is located in Poland, but its products have made their way around the world, and the M200 has become well-loved on a global basis.

Performance for Beginners and Professionals

So what is it that’s so appealing about the Zortrax M200? Quite a bit, as a matter of fact. We were given the opportunity to test it out ourselves, and found that it covered all the bases: it printed well, it was easy to operate, it was fast. We’ve done quite a few 3D printer reviews since then, and while each 3D printing experience has been largely positive, there have been at least one or two negatives for each, as well – except with the M200. That may have been the only 3D printer we tested that delivered more or less a flawless experience.

Zortrax says on its website, “The beginning doesn’t make a beginner,” and that’s an apt quote, as the M200 is suitable for beginners but not your typical “beginner’s printer.” Many 3D printers that are designed to be ideal for beginners are just that – ideal for beginners. I can’t count how many times I’ve read about a 3D printer that is described as a great starter printer, but not something you’d want to use for professional work. And that’s fine – starter printers tend to be machines that are designed to help you learn about 3D printing for a low cost, before you decide if you want to invest in something more expensive and high-quality for further work.

The M200, however, is both a starter printer and a professional printer. Zortrax has a strong commitment to education, and has donated multiple M200 3D printers to schools and libraries in the past. It’s an extremely easy 3D printer to use; kids can easily operate it, and 3D Hubs has rated it the top Plug ‘N’ Play 3D Printer in its 3D Printer Guide multiple times. But its capabilities go far beyond what’s needed for the classroom. It also serves as a good printer for everything from creating professional art to complex medical models; professionals love it because of its precision and resolution, its reliability and its speed.

Ease of Use Expands Applications

The Zortrax M200 is everywhere: in classrooms and workshops, in offices and hospitals. If anything, it’s getting even more popular as more people learn about it and begin putting it to use for diverse applications. The M200 has been reserving a place on all of the Best 3D Printer lists since it was first introduced, and it’s safe to say that it’s likely to stay on most of those lists for a long time.

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[Images: Zortrax]