Prusa MINI vs MINI+: What Changed, What to Buy
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MINI and MINI+ are successive revisions of the same small Prusa, not two different printers, and the MINI+ is the later one. If you are buying used, buy the MINI+ or a MINI that has been upgraded, and confirm the exact revision with the seller. If you are buying new, Prusa’s current small-format machine is the MK4S (250 x 210 x 220 mm), and the CORE One+ is the enclosed step up (250 x 220 x 270 mm with a 55 degC heated chamber). Both are better buys than hunting a discontinued MINI.
This question comes up because the two names are used interchangeably in listings, forum posts and second-hand ads, and because Prusa kept the MINI platform alive through several hardware revisions rather than renaming the machine each time. A seller writing “Prusa Mini” may be describing either generation.
What follows is what we can state from Prusa’s own current documentation, what we deliberately are not going to state, and what to buy instead if you want a small Prusa today.
Where to buy
The two names describe one platform
The MINI+ is the revised version of the original MINI. Prusa did not launch a separate product line; it iterated the same small bed-slinger and appended the plus. Print sheets are still sold as MINI spare parts today in smooth PEI, satin powder-coated and textured powder-coated finishes, so the platform remains supported for consumables even though it is no longer the machine Prusa leads with.
We are not going to publish a revision-by-revision hardware table here. Prusa’s product page for the MINI is no longer reachable in a form we could verify against, and the differences between MINI and MINI+ circulate mostly as community lore. Repeating unverified spec changes as fact is how buyers end up paying for an upgrade that was never on the machine they bought.
What Prusa actually sells now
| MK4S | CORE One+ (Gen 2) | |
|---|---|---|
| Build volume | 250 x 210 x 220 mm | 250 x 220 x 270 mm (14.9 L) |
| Enclosure | Open; 45 degC in the optional Enclosure | Fully enclosed CoreXY, chamber heats to 55 degC |
| Max nozzle temp | 290 degC | 290 degC |
| Max bed temp | 120 degC | 120 degC |
| Extruder | Nextruder direct drive | Nextruder direct drive, 10:1 gearbox, quick-swap nozzle |
| Weight | 7 kg | 22.5 kg |
| Multi-material | MMU3 | MMU3 (5 filaments) or INDX (up to 8) |
| Screen | 3.5 inch 65k colour | 3.5 inch 65k colour, touch |
The MK4S is the direct descendant of the i3 lineage the MINI belonged to: open frame, moving bed, direct drive, and the same 290 degC and 120 degC ceilings. The CORE One+ is the enclosed CoreXY, and its heated chamber is the part that matters if ABS, ASA or nylon are on your list. Our MK4S page and the MK4S vs CORE One comparison cover that decision properly.
If you are buying a used MINI or MINI+
Treat it as a used printer purchase, not a spec-sheet decision. Ask the seller for the exact model name on the invoice, ask what firmware it runs, and ask whether the print sheet has been replaced, because a chewed-up sheet is a real cost. Print sheets are still available new, which is the good news for anyone inheriting one.
Be realistic about the ceiling: a small bed-slinger from that generation is a fine PLA and PETG machine and a poor choice for high-temperature or abrasive filament. If you want a machine that runs those materials, you want the enclosure and the chamber temperature, not a MINI. See our Prusa MINI page for where the platform sits in the range.
Frequently asked questions
Is the MINI+ better than the MINI? It is the later revision of the same platform, so yes, prefer it. We are not listing the specific hardware differences because we could not verify them from Prusa’s current documentation.
Can I still get parts? Yes for print sheets, which Prusa still sells in three finishes for the MINI. Do not assume the same for every other component.
Should I buy a MINI+ new? Prusa’s current lineup leads with the MK4S and the CORE One+, so a new MINI+ is not the normal purchase path. Buy one of those, or buy a MINI+ used and priced accordingly.
Does the MINI take a MK4S nozzle? No. The MK4S and CORE One+ use the Nextruder, which is a different extruder platform entirely.
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