Anycubic Kobra 3D Printer Review

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Kobra is the newest beginner printer from Anycubics. This machine has a lot to offer.

I reviewed both the Kobra and the Kobra Max, so I’ll be referencing both machines in every review, respectfully. You can check out the Kobra Max review here.

Anycubic Kobra Specifications

semi-assembled

The Anycubic Kobra is semi-assembled and may seem odd as a feature highlighted, but as a beginner it’s great to have minimal setup. Comes with an excellent user manual that guides you through every step of the assembly and setup, including installation and preparation of your preferred Anycubics slicer – the Ultimaker Cura. Anycubic really makes this machine a very easy-to-use machine for newbies to 3D printing, and even includes Cura’s setup profiles for 10x less. The semi-assembled shipping and setup profile is probably my favorite part about the Kobra, as it really dictates what a beginner machine should be.

direct extrusion

The Anycubic Korba is equipped with a direct extrusion system; this is different from the Bowden extrusion that can be seen on the Kobra Max in many ways.

In this layout, the extruder is attached directly to the print head, not the printer’s frame. It must be said that this design has several different advantages and disadvantages.

The extruder pushes the filament directly into the nozzle, significantly reducing extrusion-related issues that can ruin the print. Another result of this is that the filament is easier to retract, reducing fine lines and improving the clarity of the print.

Being close to the extruder also means less torque is required, resulting in a smaller motor and a quieter machine.

Direct drive extruders are also compatible with a wider range of filaments, including flexible and abrasive materials, as the filament no longer needs to be threaded through long Teflon tubes.

Obviously, there is an extra motor in the print head, which adds a little weight. Unfortunately, this slows down the Kobra’s print speed, which is reflected in the recommended print speed of 50mm/sec. This is compared to the 80mm/s recommended by the Kobra Max because of its Bowden Extrusion system. However, lowering the print speed isn’t always a bad thing, as you’re less likely to miss steps when driving at lower speeds, and may improve accuracy.

I must admit, my biggest concern and consequence with direct extrusion is the filament feed and spool placement. As the printhead moves, it must also pull the filament from the spool as it moves along the x-axis. I’m concerned that this extra motion pressure might negatively affect the accuracy of the print. However, I didn’t test this directly because testing and analysis would take too much time.

I also printed some 3D printer tests for the Kobra and Kobra Max to see how they and their recommended settings work in different situations. The threading test showed some interesting results. While there is little to no pulling wire, which is a testament to effective retraction, I did see some distortion in the layers of these pieces. These artifacts can be eliminated by changing the settings in Cura. However, I’m not trying to get a good print. I want to see what the printer can do straight from the box.

The filament feeds directly on top of the printhead, which means the filament spool must be directly above it. Kobra has a very flexible spool holder on top of the frame. During threading tests, I witnessed the spools jiggle and bounce on this unstable spool stand while making tiny jumps or movements between these spindles. The spool won’t fall off, but I’m concerned that this will create vibrations through the machine.

This profile sets the jerk setting relatively low, this is to help eliminate mechanical vibrations from the machine. Jerk is the maximum speed value the machine must decelerate to before changing direction, like a car slowing down a turn. So it does mean that the printer as a whole has to move slower, increasing printing time. But it does reduce vibrations that cause ghost prints.

LCD Monitor

The Kobra features an excellent 4.3-inch color touchscreen display, which makes setting up and preparing the machine easy and painless. Some controls on other 3D printers can be a bit fiddly and annoying. I found the interface to be intuitive, and the user manual again includes a full menu breakdown of the UI, as well as clear instructions on how to use the auto-leveling system on the Kobra. However, I did manage to lock the UI twice, probably due to user error.

Anyclub LeviQ Auto Leveling

Similar to the Kobra Max, the Kobra is equipped with an auto-levelling feature. They all use different methods and sensors for leveling, and like everything, they have different advantages and disadvantages.

Kobra uses an inductive sensor, a fancy kit that generates a magnetic field and senses changes in the magnetic field through the presence of a conductive surface like metal.

Inductive sensors are more accurate and consistent than their mechanical and optical counterparts, and have a lower standard deviation. This is exactly the auto-level sensor you want, especially on a beginner machine, because it’s something you can rely on, and it’s one less thing to worry about when you wrap your head around the printer.

The auto-leveling process is relatively simple, and once activated, the machine warms up and probes the print bed evenly over the entire surface 16 times. The printer uses this information to create the surface profile and adjust accordingly.

Unlike the Kobra Max, however, the user must then adjust the nozzle’s z-offset. This is because the contour created by the sensor is about 1.5mm above the print surface and therefore needs to be informed of the actual position of the bed. In the auto-leveling submenu, there is a setting to adjust the z-offset, which counts in 0.05mm increments. According to the manual, the user places a sheet of paper under the nozzle and lowers the height of the print head until the nozzle rubs slightly against the paper. This is a similar method used on other machines to manually level the print surface, where the user adjusts the 4 corners via wheels. However, on the Kobra, since it’s on a digital system with set increments of 0.05mm, I find myself questioning whether -1.45 is too little or -1.50 is too much, and I personally feel that I need more precision. However, I have come to the conclusion that choosing a lower offset is not a bad idea due to the textured print surface.

Just remembered to actually adjust the z-offset, which I forgot to do twice, and some cute spaghetti balls to remember it.

spring steel

The Kobra has a lovely textured spring steel finish, it was my first time using a metal print finish and I was actually very impressed. The sprint steel plate is held firmly in place by the large magnetic base below, but measuring an average thickness of 0.51mm, the flexible wafer thin base is easily peeled off for removal.

Spring Steel has a textured surface, which is probably the best part of the print platform. As the bed is preheated, it expands so the tactile surface can grip the first layer of the print as the soft filaments are moulded to the surface. Once the print is complete and the print bed cools, it shrinks and the print detaches itself, leaving only fingerprints of the steel surface on the bottom of the print. I have mixed feelings about this as I am happy to have such a versatile surface, however, I am concerned that it is not as effective at removing prints. This led me to check if the print bed was allowed to cool during the pause, which thankfully wasn’t the case. The machine is also able to resume printing after a power outage, but I’m concerned that if the power issue isn’t resolved quickly, this feature may be redundant as some of the print may have cleared itself.

test print

Kobra comes with some nice little additions, like the attention to detail in the user manual. A smaller booklet version is included in the box, but the full version is available on a microSD card. The manual includes diagrams for effective extrusion and explanations for incorrect bonding. They even tell you that the microSD card is actually inserted into the printer upside down. Additionally, on the back of the manual is a large troubleshooting section that provides helpful advice on a number of potential problems.

Price and Availability

At the time of writing, the Kobra has an estimated price of $279, while the Kobra’s maximum price is $699. Final pricing will be confirmed when the printer is released on March 28.

Availability will be provided immediately upon publication.

The existing Anycubic Vyper is a well-reviewed and affordable FDM 3D printer currently retailing for $349.00

final thoughts

The Kobra is a great machine with the potential to create fantastic prints over and over again. This machine isn’t perfect, but it shouldn’t be, which is why I think it’s an excellent printer for beginners, because it can make you grit your teeth.