The NOVA3D Elfin 3 Mini promises the same quality as its big sister, the Elfin 2 Mono SE, in a smaller and cheaper package. After a few weeks of printing, from steampunk octopuses to a Squid Game chibi, I can say it delivers.
Small, yellow and solid
When I made this video in November 2021, the Elfin 3 Mini cost around 170 euros on Amazon. It arrives in one piece, so there's nothing to assemble. In the box you get a nice yellow spatula, tools, a USB stick, filters, gloves and a manual. You calibrate the plate, pour in the resin and you're ready.
What I love most is the design. That triangular, pyramid-like shape makes it look like a piece of tech that can sit next to your Mac without ruining the look of your studio. The frame is all metal and feels really firm and stiff, with a single metal Z axis. It's a monochrome printer with a bright and intuitive 3.5-inch touchscreen, Wi-Fi to send files straight from your computer, and a quoted speed of 18 to 39 mm per hour.
The prints
I started with the files on the USB stick: a NOVA3D logo and a steampunk octopus. The level of detail is beyond any FDM printer. They were still a bit dirty because I was waiting for my new wash and cure station and washed them by hand. If you've never had a resin printer, expect something beautiful. Prints look professional, like they came from a shop rather than an apartment.
With Christmas coming I printed an "impossible ball" with three or four spheres inside each other, which I plan to paint gold for the tree. Then a Squid Game chibi, printed hollow to save resin, which my colleagues at work went crazy for, and a detailed Pikachu. That one fell on the floor and the hollow tail broke, so I had to glue it, but the print itself was great.
The good and the bad
The good: the all-metal frame, the solid Z axis, the design, Wi-Fi and the touchscreen. The bad: there's no internal storage, so if the USB stick isn't plugged in, sending a file over Wi-Fi does nothing. And all the connections (USB, power) are on the back, which is annoying on a shelf, because you have to turn it around and could spill resin while doing it. Still, it's another example of progress bringing the price down while keeping quality very high.