The da Vinci Color mini is a full-colour 3D printer for the rest of us

These days, some inkjet printers cost less to buy than a set of replacement cartridges. But in the land of 3D, colour printers are still the things of dreams. The da Vinci Color mini ($999) wants to ‘democratise’ 3D printing, bringing it to the masses. Well, relatively speaking. After all, a grand isn’t cheap, but that price-tag’s less than those attached to rival systems. Likewise, the unit’s 24kg boxy form, described by its creators as “compact” and “sleek”, might raise an eyebrow until you see the competition. Still, the most important bit is the printing, and there the mini’s 3DColorJet tech has CMY ink droplets absorbed into plastic filament. Perfect for your prototypes and custom objects (at least those that’ll fit into a 13cm cubed box), or going all meta and using the da Vinci Color mini to create some mini da Vinci Color minis.

Craig Grannell Contributor

About

I’m a regular contributor to Stuff magazine and Stuff.tv, covering apps, games, Apple kit, Android, Lego, retro gaming and other interesting oddities. I also pen opinion pieces when the editor lets me, getting all serious about accessibility and predicting when sentient AI smart cookware will take over the world, in a terrifying mix of Bake Off and Terminator.

Areas of expertise

Mobile apps and games, Macs, iOS and tvOS devices, Android, retro games, crowdfunding, design, how to fight off an enraged smart saucepan with a massive stick.