Bambu Lab P1S Review

I’d consider the Bambu Lab P1S if you want your first filament printer—a printer that melts plastic fed from a spool—or you’re tired of adjusting an older printer before every job. Its automatic bed leveling and well-developed print settings take care of much of that work. Reported tests show good-looking results with everyday plastics. The enclosure also helps when printing plastics such as ABS and ASA.

The main drawback is how much checking it still leaves to you. The screen is basic, the camera is slow, and it lacks automatic camera-based failed-print detection. The newer P2S addresses several of those frustrations. I’d choose the P1S when its lower cost matters more than those conveniences.

I’d add an Automatic Material System (AMS), which switches between filament spools for you, only if you’ll use it regularly.

Getting Your First Useful Print From The P1S

You don’t have to build the P1S from a kit, but follow the unpacking instructions carefully. Remove the packing and shipping screws, attach the screen and spool holder, and connect the filament tubes and cables for your setup. If you buy a Combo—a printer bundled with an AMS—follow its specific instructions. The original AMS and AMS 2 Pro packages aren’t packed alike.

For setup over a network, the Bambu Handy phone app guides you through connecting the printer and linking your account. Then run the initial calibration, which checks the printer and measures its vibration.

Automatic bed leveling sets the gap between the nozzle, where melted plastic comes out, and the build plate, the surface you print on. You don’t have to adjust that gap by hand.

Allow more time than the advertised 15-minute setup. One reported setup took 30–45 minutes; another took about 40 minutes before a roughly 15-minute calibration. Those timings cover different steps, so they aren’t directly comparable.

A downloaded model with a suitable P1S print profile is the easiest starting point. A profile contains the settings needed to print it, but check the specified nozzle, material and plate before sending the job.

For your own files, use Bambu Studio, the desktop slicer. A slicer turns a 3D model into instructions for printing it layer by layer. You’ll choose how the object sits on the plate, how thick its layers should be, and whether overhanging areas need supports underneath. These hold up parts of the object during printing and are removed afterward.

Printing a supplied demonstration model successfully doesn’t mean your own bracket will fit or your downloaded figure will stand up without supports. Start with a small, simple object so a mistake costs little time and plastic.

The P1S’s Print Quality At Useful Speeds

The P1S is appealing for decorative objects and ordinary household parts. Reported testing found even surfaces and models whose moving parts worked without sticking together. Those results make it a reasonable choice for organizers, display pieces and prototypes.

Its advertised 500 mm/s is a maximum print-head speed, not a promise about how soon you’ll hold a finished object. The head slows for corners and fine details, and different plastics can only melt and flow so quickly. Layer height, supports and color changes all affect the wait.

One reported test printed two small Benchy test boats in Inland gray PLA. Both used 0.25 mm layers, lines of plastic 0.5 mm wide, two outer walls, three layers each at the top and bottom, and 10% infill—the plastic framework inside the model.

The reported times were 26 minutes at 200–300 mm/s and 18 minutes at a 500 mm/s setting, with little visible difference. Those results apply to that small model and those settings; they don’t tell you the full time from preparing the printer to removing the boat.

Allow for preparation and cooling, particularly on short jobs. Separate testing reported about five minutes for the optional bed-leveling routine before printing. Heating, loading filament and letting the plate cool also take time. Don’t assume the slicer’s estimate covers every step between clicking Print and taking the part away.

Reported tests generally found good first layers, though some prints didn’t stick to the textured plate. Keep the surface clean and select the installed plate in the slicer. Bed temperature also affects how well prints stick; use the plate’s recommended settings for your filament. Leveling can’t compensate for greasy fingerprints or a model that barely touches the plate.

Parts that look good may still be hard to fit together. In a reported test, a tape dispenser made with Polymaker Galaxy ASA printed smoothly without warping at default settings and 0.2 mm layers in 1 hour 17 minutes, yet its pieces fit very tightly. A smooth surface doesn’t prove that a hole or joint is the right size.

If you’re making something that must fit an existing object, print just the section with the hole, clip or joint first. Check the fit before printing the whole part.

Don’t judge strength from appearance either: material choice, the direction of the layers and print settings all matter. Start with the normal settings for your filament; try faster modes once you’re happy with the result.

Which Materials Make Sense On The P1S

PLA, the common choice for decorative prints, is a sensible starting point. PETG is another everyday option for practical parts. Both work with the stock hardware, and neither alone is a strong reason to pay for an enclosure.

For PLA on Bambu’s textured PEI plate, remove the glass lid as the plate instructions direct. Too much heat inside the enclosure can soften PLA before it reaches the nozzle, blocking the filament path. Letting heat escape reduces that risk. Follow the instructions for your filament and plate; the lid shouldn’t always stay on.

The enclosure is more useful for ABS and ASA. Keeping drafts away and retaining warmth helps these plastics resist curling away from the plate. But there’s no separate heater for the enclosed space: the heated bed supplies warmth, and fans manage airflow. Its 300°C nozzle and 100°C bed limits don’t mean every high-temperature filament is suitable.

Reported tests with Bambu ASA found smaller models printed well with a brim, a removable border that helps hold a print down. Wider, flat models still curled at some corners. Even with the enclosure, the model’s shape, print settings and how well it sticks to the plate matter. Nylon and polycarbonate need more care; drying and temperature requirements vary between filament formulas.

The supplied 0.4 mm nozzle is stainless steel, as are the extruder gears that feed filament into it. Filament containing carbon or glass fibers can wear down these parts. Before using these abrasive filaments, budget for a hardened-steel hotend—the heated nozzle assembly—and hardened extruder gears. These upgrades resist wear; they don’t add a heater to the enclosure or make the filament compatible with an AMS.

Flexible TPU can print from the external spool, but don’t expect it to be as easy as PLA. In a reported test, a TPU phone case printed with supports came out noticeably rougher than rigid-plastic prints. Ordinary TPU doesn’t belong in the original AMS or AMS 2 Pro; explicitly compatible products such as Bambu’s TPU for AMS are a separate category.

Dry filament as its maker directs. Desiccant, a material that absorbs moisture, helps keep dry spools dry but doesn’t replace the heat needed to dry a wet spool. Follow the plate’s glue instructions for your filament, too: some combinations need glue to help prints stick or release more easily.

Plan for ventilation even with the enclosure and carbon filter. Heated filament releases particles and gases, including when using everyday plastics, and those features don’t establish that the air is safe to breathe. Use a well-ventilated space; for ABS or ASA, plan effective extraction to capture emissions near the printer. I wouldn’t choose the P1S for those materials if your only available spot is beside you in a poorly ventilated room.

What The AMS Adds To The P1S

The P1S supports the original four-spool AMS and the four-spool AMS 2 Pro. It does not support AMS lite.

Check which Combo you’re ordering. The original P1S Combo includes the original AMS and connection hardware.

The AMS 2 Pro Combo includes the newer feeder, a four-pin cable, power adapter, tube connector, and either a filament buffer or AMS Hub, depending on the version. The Hub connects multiple AMS units. The printer and accessories may arrive in separate boxes.

The original AMS stores spools with desiccant; AMS 2 Pro adds heated drying, up to 65°C. On the P1S, its drying function needs the separate power adapter. Check your filament’s drying requirements: that temperature won’t be high enough for every material.

If you add an AMS later, include cables, a buffer or Hub and any drying power supply when comparing costs.

I’d favor AMS 2 Pro if its drying temperatures suit your usual filament. The original AMS still provides automatic switching if you dry filament separately.

The most useful benefit may be switching between jobs. Keep your usual colors loaded and choose one in the slicer, instead of manually unloading and feeding filament each time.

Automatic refill can switch to a backup spool when one runs out. Before a long print, enable it and confirm the software lists your intended backup; don’t assume any loaded spool qualifies.

Multicolor printing uses more time and plastic. There’s still only one nozzle, so each change requires unloading, loading and flushing out the previous plastic. The discarded plastic exits through the rear chute.

The printer often also builds a separate structure called a prime tower to get the plastic flowing steadily before returning to the model. A model with several colors on hundreds of layers needs far more switching than a sign whose lettering changes color near the top.

Before buying the Combo for a particular project, prepare it in the slicer with multiple colors, then with one color. Compare estimated time and filament use. You may prefer printing separate colored pieces and assembling them.

The AMS can also switch to a different material just where temporary supports touch your print, making them easier to remove. This is called a support-interface material. Choose one intended for the plastic you’re printing. Bambu’s Support for PLA/PETG is for that contact layer with PLA or PETG, not whole objects or use with every plastic.

Spool fit is only one compatibility check. Soft or brittle filament can cause feeding trouble even when the spool fits. Reported PLA testing of the original AMS included switching errors that paused jobs. You may still need to unload filament, clear a feeding problem and retry.

What To Expect When Owning The P1S

Check your largest intended print before buying. The advertised build space is 256 × 256 × 256 mm, roughly a 10-inch cube. Bambu Studio normally limits height to 250 mm, and the filament-cutter mechanism reserves part of the plate. Using the full stated dimensions requires following Bambu’s special instructions; check your model in the default P1S profile before counting on that space.

Supports and borders that help prints stick also take room. If a prop won’t fit, you’ll need to print it in smaller parts and put them together.

The printer body measures 389 × 389 × 458 mm, about 15.3 inches square and 18 inches tall. Allow extra space for the rear spool and waste chute, the open front door, and the lid or AMS above.

Put a waste container behind it and keep the chute clear. Choose a sturdy surface that won’t wobble as the head changes direction.

Expect audible fans and rapid mechanical movement. Early tests called it noisy, and later owner reports still describe it as distracting in shared rooms. How intrusive it sounds depends on the fans, speed settings and calibration, so don’t judge it from a single video. I’d give it a separate workspace if you take calls nearby or need quiet to concentrate.

The small monochrome screen uses directional buttons, not touch. You can load filament and control jobs there, but Bambu Studio and Handy make most tasks easier to follow.

The built-in 720p camera updates at just 0.5 frames per second—about one image every two seconds. It’s useful for checking overall progress, not closely inspecting a moving nozzle.

There is no LiDAR laser scanner for first-layer inspection, automatic camera-based failure detection or automatic build-plate identification. Check that the right plate is installed and the previous print and supports are gone. A camera view and automatic leveling don’t replace those checks.

You don’t have to send prints through Bambu’s cloud service. You can print prepared files from a microSD card or use LAN-only mode to send them over your local network. LAN-only operation gives up Bambu Handy’s cloud-based remote access. Bambu Studio is the simplest supported desktop option.

Bambu’s authorization controls changed how other software can send commands to the P1S. Bambu Connect provides an authorized way to transfer print jobs; LAN-only Developer Mode allows third-party software to connect, with responsibility for network security left to you.

If you depend on OrcaSlicer or another integration, check that it supports the printer’s firmware—its onboard software—and your desktop software version before buying or updating.

Routine care includes cleaning the plate, removing scraps and inspecting the nozzle wiper, cutter and filament tubes. Consult Bambu’s P1S maintenance guide before lubricating moving parts.

Don’t oil or grease the carbon rods that guide the print head from side to side. They’re designed to run without added lubricant, which can interfere with smooth movement.

Replacement hotends, extruder components and other model-specific parts are available, but repairs can involve small connectors and disassembly. You’ll still need to learn how to maintain the printer.

When The P1S Is Worth Buying

I’d buy the P1S for a mix of everyday prints and occasional ABS or ASA work, provided the workspace is suitable and its build area fits the projects. It’s also a sensible replacement for an older printer if manual leveling and inconsistent setup are what keep you from using it.

Bambu has said it will continue making and selling the P1S alongside the P2S. The newer model’s arrival doesn’t mean the P1S is discontinued.

Still, compare it with the P2S before spending. The P2S has the same advertised print space but adds a five-inch touchscreen, a clearer camera, automatic calibration of how much plastic flows through the nozzle, failed-print detection and easier nozzle changes. It also comes with a hardened-steel nozzle and extruder gears.

I’d pay more for those features if you expect frequent material changes or want clearer controls on the printer. Compare equivalent AMS packages, since the P2S Combo includes AMS 2 Pro.

If you mainly want PLA and PETG prints, consider the cheaper, open-frame Bambu A1. It offers the same advertised print space, automatic leveling and automatic adjustment of filament flow, without the P1S enclosure.

Choose the P1S alone if you mostly print one material and color. A compatible Combo makes sense for regular spool switching, multicolor work or easier support removal. If quiet operation or unrestricted third-party control is essential, confirm that the P1S can meet your needs before buying.