Introducing the Snapmaker U1: Speed, Colour, Precision and a Smarter Approach to Multi-Material Printing

Jack Davison
14 hours ago
2 min read

This summer, Snapmaker made waves on Kickstarter with its game-changing U1 Colour 3D Printer, a four-tool-head Core XY machine designed to transform multi-colour and multi-material printing

What Sets It Apart

SnapSwap™ tool changing delivers head-to-head swaps in just 5 seconds without purging, dramatically reducing filament waste
High-speed performance: print speeds up to 300 mm/s, travel speeds up to 500 mm/s and acceleration up to 20,000 mm/s².
Precision engineering ensures alignment offset under 0.04 mm with dimensional accuracy of ±0.1 mm.
Sustainable design: in one benchmark, a four-colour dragon print took 5 hours on the U1 using only 96g of filament compared with 30 hours and 483g wasted on conventional printers (Yanko Design).
Smart material handling: RFID-tagged spools allow automatic filament loading. Toolheads feature direct-drive extrusion, stainless steel nozzles up to 300 °C, thermal isolation and auto-cleanup routines.

Real-World Validation

TechRadar awarded the U1 a near-perfect score of 29/30, praising its fast tool-swap system and compact yet powerful build footprint (270 × 270 × 270 mm within a 500 × 600 × 700 mm frame) . Tom’s Hardware highlighted its hands-free auto-levelling and eddy-current sensor for accurate toolhead alignment, along with ease of assembly and excellent filament conservation.

Specs at a Glance


Build Volume	270 × 270 × 270 mm
Motion System	Core XY with carbon-fibre rods and linear bearings
Speeds	Print: up to 300 mm/s, Travel: up to 500 mm/s, Acceleration: 20,000 mm/s²
Tool Swap Time	Approx. 5 seconds (no purge)
Precision	Alignment offset < 0.04 mm; Dimensional accuracy ± 0.1 mm
Nozzle / Bed Temp	Nozzle up to 300 °C; Heated bed up to 100 °C
Filament Handling	RFID auto-recognition; Direct-drive; Auto-loading
Calibration & Sensors	Auto bed levelling, eddy-current alignment, input shaping, power-loss recovery, filament run-out detection, obstruction detection and a built-in AI camera (via OTA update)
Software & Connectivity	Snapmaker Orca/OrcaSlicer, Klipper firmware, Wi-Fi and USB
Environmental Impact	Up to 80% filament savings compared with conventional printers

Crowdfunding Buzz and Pricing

The U1's Kickstarter campaign has been a runaway success. It raised £6.1 million on day one, surpassing previous records, and has now crossed £6.7 million from over 9,300 backers.

Early-bird perks: £590 launch price. With a £24 refundable deposit, backers receive £79 cashback, bringing the effective cost down to £536
Retail price after launch is projected to be around £790

Why It Deserves Your Spotlight

The Snapmaker U1 isn’t just another printer. It is a step forward for accessible, high-performance, multi-material 3D printing. It combines:

Speed and convenience, eliminating long purge times.
Precision and reliability, with tight tolerances and advanced calibration.
Sustainability, significantly cutting filament waste.
Smart automation, from material loading to remote monitoring.
Proven demand, with one of the strongest Kickstarter campaigns the 3D printing industry has seen.