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The Creative in Your Life Will Go Crazy for the Elegoo Neptune 2

A 3D printer is a gift that will get the receiver hooked into "making" in the best possible way.

James Bricknell Senior Editor
James has been writing about technology for years but has loved it since the early 90s. While his main areas of expertise are maker tools -- 3D printers, vinyl cutters, paper printers, and laser cutters -- he also loves to play board games and tabletop RPGs.
Expertise 3D printers, maker tools such as Cricut style vinyl cutters and laser cutters, and traditional paper printers Credentials
  • 6 years working professionally in the 3D printing space / 4 years testing consumer electronics for large websites.
James Bricknell
2 min read

My first 3D printer was a gift. My wife sold an old phone and bought me a sub-$300 3D printer that, well, sucked. But the first time I printed a successful print, I knew I was hooked. Now I own nearly 30 3D printers, and it is my literal job to write about them.
Thankfully, your loved one won't have to suffer through terrible printers the way I did. Now you can get an excellent 3D printer for less than $200, one that will print great straight out of the box and set them on the road to a 3D printing addiction that they will thank you for.

Why it's a great gift: I know that $170 is pretty expensive for a single gift, but for anybody in your life who is creative -- whether they are into art, cosplay or mechanical design -- it allows you to bring your ideas to life in a way that's hard to describe. The Neptune 2 is a great choice because it's one of our favorite 3D printers on a budget in terms of print quality and ease of use. Setting it up takes about five minutes and requires just four screws so anyone can get started easily. The print quality out of the box is excellent, and there are plenty of modifications around the internet to make it even better!

What you'll pay: The price for this 3D printer will depend on which version of it you want and how much you are willing to spend on upgrades. The standard Neptune 2 is less than $200, but if you want to add some nice upgrades, you can pick up the Neptune 2S for about $40 more.

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