Original Prusa MINI+: The Small Open-Source Printer, and MINI vs MINI+
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The MINI+ is Prusa’s 180 × 180 × 180 mm cantilever printer: 280 °C Bowden hotend, 100 °C bed, SuperPINDA inductive levelling, open source, kit or assembled, with Prusa support. The “+” added the SuperPINDA probe and a few refinements over the original MINI. Against the Bambu A1 mini it is slower, less automated and more expensive; its case is repairability, open firmware, education pricing and a decade of support. Schools and Prusa loyalists buy it; most first-time buyers should look at the A1 mini.
Where to buy
Specifications
| Item | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Build volume | 180 × 180 × 180 mm | Same as A1 mini |
| Frame | Cantilever, single Z | Compact; some flex at the far X end |
| Max nozzle temperature | 280 °C | Bowden extruder |
| Max bed temperature | 100 °C | Removable spring-steel sheet |
| Levelling | SuperPINDA inductive | Z-offset set once |
| Firmware | Prusa Buddy, open source | Input shaping added later |
| Enclosure | Optional Prusa Enclosure for MINI+ | Temperature controlled |
| Sold as | Kit or assembled | Kit takes an evening |
MINI versus MINI+
Same printer; the MINI+ ships with the SuperPINDA probe (temperature-stable, no more first-layer drift as the bed warms) and minor part revisions. Original MINI owners can fit the SuperPINDA; there is nothing else to chase. See MINI+ upgrades.
MINI+ versus A1 mini
| Spec | Prusa MINI+ | Bambu A1 mini |
|---|---|---|
| Build volume | 180 × 180 × 180 mm | 180 × 180 × 180 mm |
| Extruder | Bowden | Direct drive |
| Max nozzle temperature | 280 °C | 300 °C |
| Levelling | Inductive, offset once | Nozzle probing, no offset |
| Calibration | Manual flow | Auto flow, resonance, belt |
| Multi-material | No | AMS lite |
| Camera | Optional | Included |
| Firmware | Open source | Proprietary |
| Support | Prusa live chat, EU/US | Bambu ticket |
The A1 mini is the better printer; the MINI+ is the better-owned printer. See the A1 mini page and, for the bigger Prusa, the MK4S page.
Who still buys it
- Schools and universities on Prusa education pricing, for repairability.
- Print farms standardised on Prusa Connect.
- Buyers who want open firmware and no cloud.
The units in the box
The MINI+ is Prusa direct. The listings are the MK4S kit, the Bambu A1 mini as the direct comparison, and the Prusa Enclosure for MINI+.
FAQ
Can the MINI+ print TPU? Firm TPU slowly; the Bowden path limits it.
Is the MINI+ being replaced? Prusa has not announced a successor at the time of writing.
LayerWalker
Print defect diagnosis, calibration procedures and parts that actually fit. Corrections welcome through the contact page.
