(Anycubic i3 Mega 3D Printer courtesy of GearBest.com)

Here is my review of the Anycubic i3 Mega 3D Printer (Ultrabase version). I also included some observations and tips, hopefully helpful to you if you’re investigating this printer.

Anycubic i3 Mega Pros:

  1. The printer produces very nice prints. So far I’ve printed with PLA and PETG, using test models and my designs, mostly using default settings
  2. Incredibly easy assembly
    • connect frame to chassis with 8 hex cap screws,
    • plug in 3 color-coded cables
  3. Printer has a sturdy steel frame with no plastic printed structural parts. The filament sensor and its mount on the current model are plastic.
  4. The color graphic 3.5 inch TFT LCD touchscreen display is easy to read and use.
  5. Circuitry is not exposed; it is contained within a steel chassis.
  6. Wiring is bundled in spiral wire wraps or plastic tubing.
  7. Fans are safely enclosed.
  8. All metal right-handed direct-drive bowden extruder with well-constrained filament path
  9. All metal J-head hot end
  10. Includes filament sensor.
  11. Included extras:
    • filament spool holder (unassembled, acrylic)
    • extra J-head hot end assembly
    • extra limit switch (end-stop)
    • 1kg PLA filament
    • various tools: pointed tweezers, scraper (spatula), diagonal flush cutters, allen wrenches, open ended wrenches, screwdriver, gloves
    • SD card with firmware, old version of Cura, sample print
    • USB SD card adapter
    • USB cable
  12. The Ultrabase perforated glass heated bed has worked well for me so far. Prints adhere well yet are easy to remove.

Anycubic i3 Mega Cons:

  1. The Menu>Tools>Filament>Filament In function sets the temperature to 230°C, too high for PLA. This doesn’t happen every time.
  2. The magnet-mounted filament sensor, mounted under the extruder, gets knocked around by the heated bed cable when printing lower layers. It falls off the magnet. Maybe I can tie down the cable or improve cable routing.
  3. The menu organization doesn’t always make sense to me:
    • Menu>Setup>Home and Menu>Tools>Axes items could be combined into one screen or grouped together. Both functions are for moving motors, but are in different menus (Setup and Tools)
    • Menu>Setup>Temp, Menu>Tools>Preheat, and Menu>Tools>Cooling could be combined or grouped together. All 3 functions are for setting temperature, but are in 2 different menus (Setup and Tools).
    • Menu>Print goes to Menu>Setup>Status, but pressing the [return to previous menu] button after printing should go back to Menu>Print instead of Menu>Setup. The Menu>Setup>Status [Print] button is inactive (gray) after printing, so printing the next print takes at least 5 button presses, even for the same print.

Anycubic i3 Mega Observations:

  1. Menu>Setup>Status should display a time remaining estimate, not only the elapsed time.
  2. The printer beeps for feedback whenever you touch the screen, but maybe it should only beep when you touch an actual control, not any inactive area.
  3. After pressing the [Print] button, the printer first heats the bed and then the nozzle. The bed and nozzle heating probably should be done simultaneously as the printer does in the Menu>Tools>Preheat function.
  4. The current printer model no longer auto-levels because inductive proximity sensors work with metal, not glass like the new Ultrabase heated bed. (Not complaining)
  5. A zip tie, that holds the extruder cable, placed around the back-right bed-leveling spring, can potentially mess up bed leveling.
    I’d prefer a more aesthetically pleasing warning label, for example a small Anycubic logo along with the warning.
  6. Four fans (2 chassis, printed part cooling, hot end heat sink) can be loud.
  7. Printer is heavy at 14.5 kg and has a somewhat large footprint at around 41cm X 41cm (16” X 16”).


Anycubic i3 Mega Tips:

  1. Three loops of skirt seem to be sufficient to get filament flowing nicely for small prints.
  2. More retraction than the default 6.5mm works better for me for bottom layer detail and adhesion. I’ve tried 7.5 – 9mm.
  3. Adhesion can be maintained by cleaning the cold Ultrabase print bed with cloth slightly dampened with water, then drying.