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The Flashforge Finder is a 3D printer mainly marketed to people new to the 3D printing world. With a really aggressive low price and focus on ease of use and practicality, the Flashforge Finder can be considered the perfect starter 3D printer. It is also quiet to use, provides good print quality and you can connect it with a USB cable or a Wi-Fi Network. Don’t be discouraged though as this printer has a lot to offer to the advanced user too.

“It has some really great features and technologies, all packed into a clean and compact frame, thus making the whole experience as pleasant as possible for the end user.”

Finder shares some features with its big brother Dreamer while still achieving a relatively low price. This also means that the company had to make some sacrifices to hit that low price point while still delivering a good product to the market. User reviews on various online shops show that it is indeed a good budget 3D printer, but, of course, it’s not as good as some of the best 3D Printers.

In the following sections, we will list the core features of the Flashforge Finder as well as the Pros and Cons. At the very end, you will find the final summary of this 3D printer with an overall rating.

Best Overall

Why Go With the Flashforge Finder? | 3D Printers Online

The Flashforge Finder is the perfect combination of approachability and reliability to be a great classroom performer. Not too big or complicated to overwhelm, but also consistent with no "open source" finicky customizations.

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Table of Contents

Core Features of the Flashforge Finder 3D Printer

Slide-in Build Area: The Flashforge Finder offers a 5.5” x 5.5” x 5.5” (140 x 140 x 140 mm) print area on every axis and the print bed doubles smoothly and is easy to insert and remove. This might not feel like a whole lot of space, but it’s relatively big if you consider that the size of the 3D printer is a perfect cube with dimensions of 16.5” x 16.5” x 16.5” (420 x 420 x 420 mm). It’s also easily removable by sliding it in and out of the printer, eliminating the need for re-calibration.
Non-toxic Filament: This 3D printer is specifically designed to print models using non-toxic, biodegradable plastic filaments know as Polylactic acid (PLA). This strips back the complication of needing a heated print bed to work with more problematic (and toxic) materials like ABS. A big benefit of using PLA over ABS or any other exotic material is that the fumes from the extruded plastic are not harmful and thus the printer can be used in a living environment.
Intelligent Assisted Leveling System: This is a feature mostly found on expensive printers that allow the user to precisely calibrate the distance between the nozzle and the build plate. It uses a sensor on the print head as well as very informative messages on the touchscreen to allow the user to quickly and easily calibrate the printer.
Wired and Wireless Connections: The 3D printer features a 2^nd generation Wi-Fi connection as well as support for a USB flash drive and direct connection with a computer. The printer itself has 4GB of onboard storage, further ensuring that the file will not get corrupted during a print, which is a common problem on 3D printers that rely on an active external connection
Filament Management System: One key feature that allows this printer to be a perfect cube in size is its excellent filament management system. The filament is contained inside a cartridge that slides into the back of the printer. If you are using the Flashforge PLA filament, it can also detect when the filament is running out and alert the user. This feature only works with Flashforges filaments at the moment, and you will have to disable some settings to use any other PLA filament.
3.5” HD IPS Touchscreen: The Finder sports a touch screen at the top of the printer, allowing for easy operation of the printer. It is also able to show previews of the model files before you start a print, as well as a real-time view of printing status.
Plug and Play: One of the main selling points of the Flashforge Finder is that it is a plug-and-play printer. Anyone can start 3D printing immediately and there is no need for test prints. And that is exactly what this printer delivers.

Key Specifications

The following are the key specifications of the Flashforge Finder 3D printer.

Printing Tech	FFF (Fused Filament Fabrication)
Build Volume	5.5” x 5.5” x 5.5” (140 x 140 x 140 mm)
Layer Resolution	100~500 microns
Positioning Precision	XY: 11 microns, Z: 2.5 microns
Printing Speed	40 ~ 200 millimeters per second
Nozzle Diameter	0.4 mm
Product Dimension	16.5” x 16.5” x 16.5” (420 x 420 x 420 mm)
Connectivity	Wi-Fi Network, USB Cable, USB Flash Drive Stick
Operating Systems	Windows 7/ 8 / Vista Mac OS X
Software	FlashPrint
Price	About $299 (Check here for Latest)
Warranty	90 Days

Pros of the Flashforge Finder

It’s Portable: Finder has a fairly portable design and can fit almost anywhere thanks to its clean cube shape with no extra parts sticking from its sides.
Comes with everything you need: Inside your package, alongside the printer, you will also find also get all the tools you need to get the printer started as well as maintain it/fix it:
- One spool of PLA filament
- USB stick;
- Quick Start Guide;
- Power Cable and USB cable;
- Screwdriver;
- Three Allen wrenches;
- a Filament Guide Tube;
Quiet: The printer is relatively quiet while operating at noise levels as low as 50dB
Touch screen: Very easy to use controls on the touchscreen while still allowing for re-calibration and tweaks.
Print plate: The print plate can be easily removed after a print for removing the printed item, and it can be replaced if needed.
Easy software: FlashPrint is very easy to use slicing software that also offers many advanced features for the 3D model like duplicating and cutting and also for the 3D printer itself such as adjusting speeds, temperatures, motor power, and almost anything you can think of.
Easy to fix: Filament jams can be easily fixed with minimum tools.
Small touches: The build platform is very well lit using LED light panels. A simple song is played when a print is finished, and the main body is available in many different colors!
The Price: This printer is very affordable (check this listing), relative to peers.

Cons of the Flashforge Finder

Wi-Fi Problems: It seems to be a common problem for many users of the Finder printer. The Wi-Fi connects with the devices, but it does not always work with the first try. Many people have reported that they were unable to even connect to the printer’s Wi-Fi.
X and Y axis Slam: Yes you read that right. There seems to be a tiny gap between the stopping switches on the X and Y axes, causing the print head to slam into the body of the printer physically. While this does not impact the prints, various DIY tweaks have been made by the community to fix that small problem.
Proprietary Filament: Because this printer is using a custom cartridge to store its Flashforge PLA filament, it is not very easy to use any other aftermarket PLA based filament. Not only that, but there have been various reports of the filament getting tangled inside the storage cartridge.
No ABS Filament: While this is not really a Con, as the product manufacturer clearly states it, it is worth mentioning that this printer will not be able to print anything other than PLA.

Some Alternatives to Consider

While the Flashforge Finder 3D printer is very good for a cheap 3D printer, there are some other 3D printers you might want to have a look at.

1) New Matter MOD-t 3D Printer

This is one of the few 3D printers on the market that offer similar ease of use and pleasant appearance to the Flashforge Finder at a low price. Obviously there will be more compromises.

2) XYZprinting da Vinci 2.0 Duo 3D Printer

While this printer might not be as cheap or as pretty as the Flashforge Finder, it does have a Dual Extruder and a bigger build platform at a very competitive price.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to load and unload change filament?

You can find a thorough step by step guide on how to load and unload change filament in the Finder User Guide.

How can I delete the files on the TF Card?

If you can’t delete the files there must be an error file in the TF card. You can delete the files after you plug the card into the computer and copy the original files from the computer.

Flashforge Finder Review Conclusion: Final Take

The Flashforge Finder is a really good starter 3D printer with potential for more advanced users. It packs some really nice features and offers a lot out of the box. Because of its focus on ease of use and simple interface and software, it is the perfect printer to get you started with 3D printing.

Bottom Line: If you want to enjoy a great printing experience with a clean looking, super quiet, and easy-to-use 3D printer that just works, then the Flashforge Finder is definitely a 3D printer you should consider, especially at that price range.

While you might have a few minor problems, the community is active and growing, and most of the problems have been resolved with the contribution of the community, and the printer is only getting better.

Best Overall

Why Go With the Flashforge Finder? | 3D Printers Online

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We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.