UltiMaker S8 Review

I’d consider the UltiMaker S8 if you’re already using an UltiMaker and waiting on prints is holding up your work. Faster printing offers a reason to upgrade, especially when finishing a prototype sooner lets you revise it the same day. The drawback is the cost of the whole setup your jobs need, including extra print cores and possibly automatic filament handling or software for team access.

For a first UltiMaker purchase, compare the S6 before committing to the S8.

How Much Time Can The S8 Save On Your Prints?

A reviewer reported that one part took a little over two hours on the S7 and just 34 minutes on the S8. That’s encouraging, but the report doesn’t identify the part’s shape, the filament used, the thickness of each printed layer, other print settings, the printer’s software version or how many times the test was repeated. It also doesn’t establish whether startup was included. You can’t turn that example into a dependable estimate for your own parts.

The S8 is designed to move faster and melt enough plastic to keep up. UltiMaker’s Cheetah motion planner controls how the print head accelerates and rounds corners, aiming to keep movement smooth at higher speeds.

The AA+ and CC+ print cores are removable units that melt and dispense filament, the plastic fed into the printer. They can supply more plastic as the head moves faster. Both changes matter: moving quickly won’t help if the nozzle can’t melt enough material.

UltiMaker advertises travel speeds up to 500 mm/s. That’s how fast the head can move when it isn’t laying down plastic. The speed of printing a wall is a different matter. Small details, material requirements and your chosen finish still affect printing time.

The reviewer reported little change from the S7’s lengthy startup preparation, which can limit the benefit on short jobs.

After printing, the part still needs to cool before removal. Supports hold up parts during printing and must be removed afterward. PVA supports dissolve in water, but that can take hours. These steps can take up much of the time before a part is ready to use, even when printing is faster.

If parts need to fit together, look beyond how good a print looks. UltiMaker quotes a typical difference from the intended size of ±0.15 mm plus ±0.15% of the feature’s intended length. Its testing is limited to selected shapes in PLA and Tough PLA plastics.

That isn’t a guarantee for every hole, part that snaps into place or reinforced nylon part. A favorable print-quality rating doesn’t establish whether dimensions are correct or stay consistent across repeated prints.

When comparing samples, check the surfaces you care about and measure the features that must fit together. Compare the full time from starting the job to having a usable part.

Which Materials Can You Use On The S8?

The S8 uses filament with a diameter of 2.85 mm, so 1.75 mm filament won’t fit its material system. It supports everyday plastics such as PLA and PETG, plus supported engineering plastics and fiber-filled materials. You still need the right core and a matching profile in Cura, the software that prepares models for printing. A profile holds the settings for that printer, nozzle and material.

AA+ cores handle standard materials for printing parts. Fiber-filled filament can wear down a nozzle; the CC+ core has a wear-resistant nozzle designed for these materials. Budget for that core and check for a matching Cura profile.

The newer standard package lists two AA+ 0.4 mm cores; early documentation listed an AA+/CC+ pair. Don’t assume a CC+ core comes in the box. Cura 5.10.2 introduced the CC+ 0.6 mm to replace the earlier 0.4 mm version, so check the nozzle size on the quote too.

Two nozzles let you print the part with one material and its supports with another. PVA needs a separately purchased BB core. A DD core is for the specialized Ultrafuse Support Layer material used with the Metal Expansion Kit. That support option is available only in selected regions and isn’t a substitute for BB with PVA.

Two supported filaments won’t necessarily work together. The part and support materials need compatible printing conditions, and the supports must hold the part during printing and come away afterward. Ask the supplier to demonstrate your exact pair with supported profiles; the printer’s long list of materials doesn’t prove that your combination works.

Your material also needs to suit the S8’s temperature limits: up to 340°C at the nozzle with the appropriate core, up to 120°C on the print bed, and below 50°C inside the enclosed printing chamber. The chamber isn’t actively heated to high temperatures. If your required filament needs a hotter chamber, choose equipment that meets that requirement.

Existing owners should check each older core’s compatibility. UltiMaker’s manual allows older AA and CC cores on the S8 only with files already converted into printing instructions. It says Cura doesn’t support preparing S8 jobs with those cores, so don’t assume you can reuse them for new work.

What Does Using The S8 At Work Involve?

The S8’s build space is 330 × 240 × 300 mm, roughly 13 × 9.4 × 11.8 inches. Check the part in Cura with its supports and any extra material around the base; the model’s dimensions alone don’t tell you whether the complete job fits.

Allow more space than the printer’s roughly 19.5 × 23 × 31.5-inch outer dimensions suggest. The manual calls for at least eight inches behind it when using the rear spool holder. With the Material Station underneath, total height rises to about 46.8 inches. You’ll need a suitable bench and access for loading and maintenance.

Automatic bed leveling reduces setup work. Once a print finishes and the display indicates that the plate has cooled enough, you can remove and bend the flexible plate to release the part. Clean the plate and put it back, then confirm that you’ve removed the print so the next job can start. Someone still has to do that between jobs.

The standalone S8 includes its Air Manager filter and uses a rear spool holder. The Pro Bundle adds the Material Station: six enclosed spool bays, humidity control and automatic switching to another compatible spool when one runs out. Those conveniences can help with long jobs, but they aren’t included in the standalone printer.

Desktop Cura is free, and you can send print files by USB or over a local network. Digital Factory lets you prepare files online and manage printers remotely. Its current Free Pro tier includes one printer, one user and two projects, with online file preparation included.

Studio adds team access and more printers. Business adds full single sign-on, so staff can sign in with their workplace account.

If your workplace restricts printer connectivity, assess the separate S8 Secure configuration with IT.

Assign someone to follow the maintenance schedule, including cleaning, lubrication, checks of the filament-feeding mechanism and filter replacement. The built-in particle filter doesn’t make every room suitable. Have your workplace safety team assess ventilation for the materials and number of printers you’ll use, including particle and gas emissions.

What Are You Paying For With The S8?

You’re paying for faster printing, interchangeable cores, material profiles, printer management and reseller support. That combination can be valuable if it fits how your team already works. Familiar software alone, though, doesn’t justify buying another printer.

If your S7 finishes the day’s work overnight and nobody waits for it, the S8 may leave you with the same number of useful parts each morning. Its speed matters more when you’re losing an afternoon waiting to check a design, or when unfinished jobs keep pushing other work back. Compare the delay you’re removing with the complete purchase and running costs.

Budget for the cores your jobs require, filament for parts and supports, replacement filters, worn parts and staff time. Add a Material Station only if easier loading or automatic spool changes solve a regular problem. Include paid Digital Factory access if multiple people need its team features. Keeping filament dry and removing supports remain part of the work.

For your first purchase, the S6 is the closest comparison within UltiMaker’s range. It offers the same stated build volume, Cheetah motion planning and high-flow core platform. The standalone S6 costs less, including in its flexible-plate configuration, but its Air Manager is optional.

Compare quotes with the same filtration, material handling, cores and service coverage before deciding how much the S8’s integrated setup is worth. Shared specifications don’t establish equal results on your jobs.

Support deserves the same attention as hardware. The standard S8 manual specifies a 12-month limited warranty; UltiMakerCare is additional coverage with exclusions. Don’t assume it covers ordinary core wear, every service visit or a replacement printer while yours is repaired. Have the reseller put coverage and repair arrangements in writing.

An error involving the material’s color setting blocked printing during the reported review and was reportedly corrected. More recent Cura releases revised S8 print settings. Use current supported profiles for a purchase demonstration; the old error isn’t evidence of an ongoing fault.

Should You Buy The S8 For Your Work?

Shortlist the S8 if printing time regularly delays your work, your parts fit inside it, and your materials have supported core and profile combinations. It makes the most sense when faster prints let your team check another design or finish more parts that meet your requirements during the working day.

Keep your current printer if it already meets your deadlines. Compare the S6 if you want UltiMaker’s software and material system but don’t need everything included with the S8. Look elsewhere if your essential material needs a hotter chamber or your parts exceed its usable space.

Before ordering, ask the reseller to print one demanding job using the exact configuration and support material you’re buying. If you’ll make the same part repeatedly, request several copies so you can check whether the results stay consistent. Buy when that demonstration meets your requirements and the service terms fit your workplace.