Founder and editor
Software engineer since 2009 and Head of Engineering by day, a maker who has owned several 3D printers, writing practical guides to 3D printers, filament and running costs, with every article saying what was and was not tested.
Sepehr is a software engineer who has been writing code since he was 13 and shipping it professionally since 2009. Today he is Head of Engineering, leading an engineering organisation of 20-plus people across product, platform, mobile and QA.
For over a decade he has built and run his own hardware systems at home, including a fully self-hosted smart home built on Home Assistant, Zigbee2MQTT and Frigate, and writes about that on Smart Home Assistant. He has also owned several 3D printers over the years, so the problems these guides cover are familiar ground. Nozzle Notes is new: for now its guides are researched from manufacturer documentation and labelled as research, not as tests of a specific machine. Hands-on testing, where one variable changes at a time and the results are measured and written down, will be added and labelled as printers arrive.
Nozzle Notes is where he publishes for makers everywhere. When printers and materials are reviewed here they will be bought or loaned, never paid for by brands, and every article says plainly what was tested and what was not.
Every guide starts with a real question a maker is likely to have. I use manufacturer documentation and official sources for facts, say which products I have and have not used, and disclose anything lent or gifted. The full rules are in the editorial policy and how we test.
A nozzle set too close squashes the first layer and can scrape the plate. Here is how to recognise it, raise the Z offset safely and make the setting stick.
10 October 2026 · 4 min read
Four materials cover most home printing. Here is what each is good at, what it demands from your printer, and how to choose without overthinking it.
10 October 2026 · 2 min read
The standard 0.4 mm nozzle is a good all-rounder, but swapping size trades detail for speed and strength. Here is what changes and what to watch for.
10 October 2026 · 2 min read
Wet filament causes stringing, rough surfaces and weak parts. Here is how to spot it, three ways to dry it, typical temperatures, and how to keep spools dry afterwards.
10 October 2026 · 2 min read
Stringing is rarely one problem. Work through the causes in this order: moisture, temperature, retraction, then travel moves, testing as you go.
10 October 2026 · 2 min read
Four consumer resin printers from $179 to $499, compared on maker-listed screens, build volumes and speeds. A research-only list, not a test, with the method stated.
10 October 2026 · 6 min read
Resin 3D printing hardens liquid photopolymer with UV light one layer at a time. Here is how SLA, DLP and MSLA differ, typical specs, and what a beginner needs.
10 October 2026 · 5 min read
Four budget FDM printers from $179 to $349, compared on listed specs and US prices from maker pages. A research-only list, not a test, with the selection method stated.
10 October 2026 · 6 min read
A symptom-first guide to common 3D printer problems: what causes them and what to try first, based on manufacturer troubleshooting documentation.
10 October 2026 · 7 min read
Most failed prints are decided in the first two minutes. Here is the order to check things in, what each symptom means, and the quick test that tells you when it is fixed.
10 October 2026 · 3 min read
ABS and PETG are both tougher than PLA. PETG prints easily on open printers; ABS needs an enclosure but can be smoothed with acetone. Here is how to choose.
10 October 2026 · 7 min read
Anycubic Kobra S1 Combo specs, launch price and who it suits, from Anycubic's own pages. Not tested by us.
10 October 2026 · 5 min read
ASA is the UV-stable successor to ABS with less warping and odor. Here is how they compare on temperature, outdoor use, printing and finishing.
10 October 2026 · 7 min read
The Bambu Lab A1 is an open-frame 256 mm bed slinger sold from £209 in the UK store. Here are the maker's specs, prices and who it suits. Not tested by Nozzle Notes.
10 October 2026 · 5 min read
The Bambu Lab A1 mini is the smallest and cheapest current Bambu Lab printer here at £149 in the UK store. Maker specs, prices and who it suits. Not tested by Nozzle Notes.
10 October 2026 · 5 min read
The A1 and A1 mini share speed, acceleration and AMS lite support. The A1 has a larger build volume and hotter bed. Here is the spec and price gap.
10 October 2026 · 5 min read
The A1 is an open-frame bed-slinger and the P1S is a fully enclosed printer with a carbon filter. Here is what the spec sheets and prices say about each.
10 October 2026 · 5 min read
What Bambu Lab sells, what its wiki says about temperatures, nozzles and the AMS, how RFID spools work, and what to check before using third-party filament.
10 October 2026 · 9 min read
Bambu Lab H2D specs and price from the maker: dual nozzles, a heated chamber, optional laser and cutting kits, and who it suits. Not tested by us yet.
10 October 2026 · 5 min read
The Bambu Lab P1S is an enclosed 256 mm printer listed from £329 in the UK store. Maker specs, prices and who it suits, now that the P2S exists. Not tested by Nozzle Notes.
10 October 2026 · 5 min read
The P2S refreshes the P1S with a hardened steel nozzle, a servo extruder, a touchscreen and an AI camera. Here is what changed, what did not, and the price gap.
10 October 2026 · 6 min read
The Bambu Lab P2S is the enclosed 256 mm successor to the P1S, listed from £449 in the UK store. Maker specs, what changed and who it suits. Not tested by Nozzle Notes.
10 October 2026 · 6 min read
What the Bambu Lab UK store charges for the A1, A1 mini, P1S and P2S, what shipping costs, how returns work and what the store says about warranty. Prices checked 2026-10-10.
10 October 2026 · 6 min read
A spec and price shortlist of four beginner-friendly 3D printers, with the downsides of each and a way to choose between them. Research only, not tested.
10 October 2026 · 6 min read
A skirt primes the nozzle, a brim widens the first layer and a raft builds a base. Here is what each does and when to use it, from slicer documentation.
10 October 2026 · 6 min read
Premium PLA can cost roughly double budget PLA, yet the stated tolerance is often the same. What the extra money buys when you compare cheap vs expensive filament.
10 October 2026 · 7 min read
A bed slinger moves the bed back and forth; a CoreXY printer keeps the bed still in XY and moves a light toolhead with two fixed motors. Here is what that means for you.
10 October 2026 · 7 min read
Creality lists the Ender-3 V3 SE with auto leveling, a direct extruder and a 250 mm/s top speed. Here are the maker specs, prices and who it may suit.
10 October 2026 · 4 min read
Creality K2 Plus and K2 Plus Combo specs, price and who it suits, from Creality's own pages. Not tested by us.
10 October 2026 · 5 min read
A step-by-step beginner guide to Cura: install, add your printer, choose Recommended settings, slice, preview and print your first model.
10 October 2026 · 4 min read
Which is the best slicer for 3D printing? A research comparison of the three main free slicers: where each came from, what each lists as its strengths, and a simple way to choose between them.
10 October 2026 · 7 min read
A direct drive extruder sits on the toolhead; a Bowden extruder sits on the frame and pushes filament through a tube. Here is how that changes printing.
10 October 2026 · 7 min read
Electricity cost per 3D print is watts divided by 1,000, times hours, times your price per kWh. Use maker power figures, then check with a plug-in meter.
10 October 2026 · 6 min read
Elegoo Centauri Carbon specs, launch price and who it suits, from Elegoo's own announcements and store page. Not tested by us.
10 October 2026 · 5 min read
The Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra is a 10-inch 12K mono LCD resin printer announced in April 2024. This page lists the maker's specs and price, what changed from the Saturn 3 Ultra, and who it may suit.
10 October 2026 · 5 min read
FDM printers melt filament and suit larger, tougher, lower-cost prints. Resin printers cure liquid with light and win on fine detail, with more cleanup and safety steps.
10 October 2026 · 7 min read
1.75mm vs 2.85mm filament: most printers use 1.75 mm filament. 2.85 mm, often sold as 3 mm, is for UltiMaker, BigRep and some professional machines. Here is how they differ and how to pick.
10 October 2026 · 6 min read
How to spot a clogged nozzle and clear it, from a hot push and needle clean to a cold pull, plus prevention tips. Steps follow Prusa's documentation.
10 October 2026 · 7 min read
PETG is prone to stringing. Fix it in this order: dry the spool, lower the nozzle temperature, tune retraction, shorten travel moves, then check cooling and the nozzle.
10 October 2026 · 4 min read
Warping is plastic shrinking as it cools and pulling corners off the bed. Fix adhesion first, then control temperature swings, cooling, speed and brim.
10 October 2026 · 5 min read
An FDM 3D printer melts plastic filament and lays it down in thin layers. Here is how the slicer, extruder, hotend and motion system work together.
10 October 2026 · 8 min read
A filament dryer is only useful if it reaches the right temperature for your material and fits your spools. Five checks, with maker figures and prices checked 2026-10-10.
10 October 2026 · 7 min read
Multicolor FDM prints change filament mid-print. Single-nozzle systems must flush the old color out, which creates waste. Tool changers and dual nozzles avoid some of it.
10 October 2026 · 8 min read
A beginner guide to OrcaSlicer: safe download, presets, Simple mode, a first slice, the built-in calibration order and where your profiles are stored.
10 October 2026 · 5 min read
PLA+ (also written PLA plus) is a marketing label for modified PLA, usually tougher and a little easier to print. Here is what the data shows, what the price gap is today and who should pay it.
10 October 2026 · 6 min read
Prusa CORE One specs, launch price and the newer CORE One+ (Gen 2), from Prusa's own pages. Not tested by us.
10 October 2026 · 5 min read
An enclosure helps with some materials and noise, and hurts with others. Here is a plain way to decide which style fits what you will print.
10 October 2026 · 2 min read
A slicer cuts a 3D model into layers and writes the G-code your printer follows. Here is how slicing works, the main settings, and which free slicers exist.
10 October 2026 · 4 min read
PETG is a tough, low-warping filament that prints hotter than PLA. Learn what it is, its properties, typical print settings, common problems and when to use it.
10 October 2026 · 6 min read
TPU is a flexible, wear-resistant filament for grips, gaskets and tires. Here is what it is, how hardness works and how makers recommend printing it.
10 October 2026 · 7 min read
Skip the spec-sheet noise. Decide what you want to make, set a realistic budget, check the features that matter, and know your UK consumer rights before you pay.
10 October 2026 · 3 min read
Current UK store prices for popular 3D printers, what each price band gets you, and the costs people forget, all read from the makers' own UK stores on 10 October 2026.
10 October 2026 · 5 min read
Everything between the box and a finished first print, in the order to do it: set up, load filament, check the first layer, slice, print and remove it safely.
10 October 2026 · 6 min read
PLA is the easy default, PETG is the tougher all-rounder. Here is how they differ on temperature, strength, heat, warping and stringing, and how to pick.
10 October 2026 · 5 min read
Filament is usually the big cost and electricity the small one. Here is the maths with a worked example, plus the hidden costs people forget.
10 October 2026 · 2 min read