Comgrow K1C 3D Printer Fast Printing Review: The Speed Demon That Tames Carbon Fiber

There’s a unique kind of frustration that every 3D printing enthusiast knows. It’s the feeling of watching a progress bar inch forward for 12, 18, or even 24 hours on a large, complex model. I remember one specific project: a custom-designed enclosure for an electronics project. I needed it to be strong, dimensionally accurate, and ready for a weekend deadline. My trusty old bedslinger printer, a workhorse in its day, was chugging along at a leisurely 50 mm/s. The initial time estimate was a daunting 22 hours. Every layer felt like an eternity, and the constant worry of a power flicker or a filament snag ruining the entire print was palpable. That project finished, but just barely. It was then I knew my workflow had to change. The world of 3D printing had evolved, and the slow, methodical pace of older machines was no longer just an inconvenience; it was a bottleneck to creativity and productivity. The search began for a machine that didn’t just print, but performed—one that could deliver both breakneck speed and the ability to handle modern, high-strength materials like carbon fiber composites.

What to Consider Before Buying a High-Speed 3D Printer

A 3D printer is more than just a gadget; it’s a key solution for rapid prototyping, custom part creation, functional engineering, and artistic expression. Modern high-speed printers like the Comgrow K1C 3D Printer Fast Printing solve the primary problem of their predecessors: time. By dramatically cutting down print duration from days to hours, they make iteration faster, small-scale production viable, and complex projects more manageable. The main benefits are a massive boost in productivity and the ability to work with advanced engineering-grade filaments that require high temperatures and stable printing environments, opening up a new world of functional, durable parts that go far beyond simple plastic trinkets.

The ideal customer for this type of product is someone who has outgrown their entry-level printer or is an ambitious beginner who wants to bypass the slow learning curve of older machines. This includes hobbyists who want to print larger models faster, engineers and designers who need to rapidly prototype functional parts with materials like PETG-CF or PLA-CF, and small businesses using printers for production. However, it might not be the best fit for those on an extremely tight budget or individuals who only plan to print small, simple PLA models occasionally. For those users, a more basic, open-frame printer might suffice, though they would sacrifice speed, material compatibility, and ease of use.

Before investing, consider these crucial points in detail:

• Dimensions & Space: The Comgrow K1C 3D Printer Fast Printing is a fully enclosed machine with dimensions of 25″D x 15″W x 22″H. An enclosure is critical for printing high-temperature materials like ASA or carbon fiber composites as it maintains a stable ambient temperature, preventing warping and layer separation. Ensure you have adequate, stable desk space with good ventilation for this 27.33-pound unit.
• Capacity/Performance: This is where the K1C shines. With a maximum print speed of 600 mm/s and acceleration of 20000 mm/s², it is in the top tier of consumer printers. The build volume of 8.66 x 8.66 x 9.84 inches is generous for most projects. Critically, its performance is defined not just by speed, but by the CoreXY motion system and input shaping that ensure quality is not sacrificed for velocity.
• Materials & Durability: The key selling point is its ability to handle abrasive, carbon-fiber-filled filaments. This is enabled by a 300°C all-metal direct drive extruder, a hardened steel-tipped copper nozzle, and a titanium alloy heatbreak. This robust construction ensures longevity when printing materials that would quickly destroy a standard brass nozzle and PTFE-lined hotend.
• Ease of Use & Maintenance: Gone are the days of tedious manual bed leveling. The K1C features fully automatic calibration, including Z offset, bed leveling, and input shaping tests. This “plug-and-play” experience is enhanced by Wi-Fi connectivity and an AI camera for monitoring. Maintenance is straightforward, though as some users note, it’s important to understand the machine’s specific needs, like keeping the linear rails clean rather than over-lubricating them.

Understanding these factors will ensure you choose a printer that not only meets your current needs but also provides room to grow as your skills and project ambitions expand.

While the Comgrow K1C 3D Printer Fast Printing is an excellent choice, it’s always wise to see how it stacks up against the competition. For a broader look at all the top models, we highly recommend checking out our complete, in-depth guide:

Unboxing the K1C: A First Look at a Plug-and-Play Powerhouse

The arrival of the Comgrow K1C 3D Printer Fast Printing was met with high expectations, and the unboxing experience did not disappoint. The packaging is superb, with the printer nestled securely in foam, arriving fully assembled and calibrated from the factory. This is a far cry from the kits of yesteryear that required hours of intricate assembly. Pulling the 27-pound machine from the box, its quality is immediately apparent. The aluminum frame feels rigid and stable, and the tinted glass door and side panels give it a professional, polished look that contains both sound and heat effectively. The “plug-and-play” claim is largely true; after removing a few transport screws, the boot-up guide on the touchscreen walks you through Wi-Fi setup and initial checks in about three minutes. It genuinely feels like setting up a new smartphone. Compared to its open-frame predecessors like the Ender series, the K1C is a generational leap forward in both design and user experience. The integrated systems, from the AI camera mounted in the corner to the sleek cable management, scream cohesion and thoughtful engineering. It’s a machine built for performance right out of the box, which you can see in its comprehensive feature list.

Performance Under the Microscope: A Deep Dive into the K1C’s Capabilities

A spec sheet can only tell you so much. The true test of a 3D printer is in the printing. We put the Comgrow K1C 3D Printer Fast Printing through its paces with a variety of materials and models, from standard PLA speed tests to functional parts made from tough carbon fiber PETG. Our deep dive focused on the three pillars of its design: raw speed and precision, advanced material compatibility, and its intelligent, automated workflow.

Speed and Precision: The CoreXY Advantage

The headline feature is, without a doubt, the 600 mm/s print speed. In practice, you won’t always print at this absolute maximum, but the printer’s ability to handle high speeds and, more importantly, its staggering 20,000 mm/s² acceleration, is transformative. We started with the classic 3DBenchy benchmark. On a traditional printer, this takes about an hour and a half. On the K1C, using Creality’s optimized profile, it finished in under 16 minutes. The quality was shocking for that speed; the hull was smooth, overhangs were clean, and the fine details were remarkably crisp. This performance is a direct result of the CoreXY motion system and a rigid die-cast frame, which minimizes vibration and inertia. The automatic input shaping calibration is the secret sauce here. Before the first print, the machine runs a quick test, vibrating the printhead to measure its resonant frequencies and then computationally compensating for them during printing. This virtually eliminates “ghosting” or “ringing” artifacts that plague other fast printers. This level of speed means you can design, print, and test a prototype in a single afternoon instead of losing a whole day, a productivity boost that cannot be overstated. For anyone looking to iterate quickly, this high-speed capability is a game-changer.

Material Mastery: Printing with Carbon Fiber and Beyond

Where the K1C truly distinguishes itself from its sibling, the K1, is its focus on composite materials. The “C” stands for Carbon, and the machine is engineered from the ground up to handle these advanced, abrasive filaments. The centerpiece is the “Unicorn” nozzle and all-metal hotend assembly. This integrated unit combines a hardened steel tip (for abrasion resistance), a copper alloy body (for excellent heat transfer), and a titanium alloy heatbreak (to prevent heat creep). This trifecta allows the extruder to reliably reach and maintain 300°C. We loaded a spool of PETG Carbon Fiber, a notoriously tricky material, to print a set of high-torque sprockets, similar to a project one user mentioned for their production parts. The result was flawless. The clog-free direct extruder, with its bolster spring and ball plunger, gripped the brittle filament firmly without crushing it. The enclosed chamber maintained a consistent temperature, preventing the part from warping and ensuring excellent layer adhesion. The final printed sprockets were incredibly strong, stiff, and lightweight—perfect for a functional mechanical assembly. This ability to reliably create parts from PLA-CF, PA-CF, and PET-CF opens the door to applications far beyond typical hobbyist prints, venturing into custom jigs, functional prototypes, and even end-use parts. The engineering that enables this versatility with advanced materials is truly impressive.

The ‘Smart’ in Smart Printing: AI Camera and Automated Workflow

Creality has packed the K1C with features that streamline the entire printing process, making it exceptionally friendly for both beginners and experts. The automated calibration routine is a revelation. Upon first startup, you press one button on the touchscreen, and the printer handles everything: it uses a strain gauge in the hotend to probe the bed for a perfect first layer, sets the Z-offset automatically, and runs the input shaping test. This eliminates the three most common and frustrating points of failure for new users. The intelligence continues with the built-in AI camera. From the Creality Print slicer or the phone app, we could monitor our prints remotely in real-time, which is a fantastic peace-of-mind feature. More than just a webcam, the AI actively watches for errors. It’s programmed to detect the dreaded “spaghetti” failure, where a print detaches from the bed and creates a bird’s nest of filament. If it detects this, it automatically pauses the print and sends an alert to your phone, saving you from hours of wasted time and material. While we didn’t experience a spaghetti failure during our testing (a testament to the printer’s excellent bed adhesion), knowing this safety net is in place is invaluable, especially on long, overnight prints. This level of automation and intelligent oversight makes the K1C one of the most user-friendly advanced printers on the market.

Reliability and Maintenance: What to Expect Long-Term

No machine is perfect, and it’s important to have a realistic view of long-term ownership. While our experience was smooth, we delved into community feedback to understand potential hurdles. Some users have reported receiving units with a warped print bed or Z-axis binding. These appear to be quality control issues that, while frustrating, are typically resolved by customer support. A more interesting and widespread finding, echoed by one detailed user review, concerns the linear rails. The printer’s rails are self-lubricating, but over time, the lubricant can accumulate and mix with dust, causing gobs that can impede the print head’s movement and lead to layer shifting. The fix, counterintuitively, is not to add more lubricant. Instead, the solution is to wipe the rails clean with rubbing alcohol every five to ten prints to remove the buildup. This is a simple but crucial piece of maintenance knowledge that isn’t highlighted in the official documentation. By being aware of these potential quirks, you can proactively maintain the machine and ensure it continues to operate at peak performance for years to come.

What Other Users Are Saying

Our findings align closely with the broader user experience. There is widespread praise for the printer’s out-of-the-box performance and value. One user, who runs five K1Cs for producing production parts, states, “I was really surprised at what this printer can do,” highlighting its capability in printing demanding materials like PC carbon fiber for sprockets. This speaks volumes about its reliability and the quality of its output. Many beginners also find the K1C to be an excellent entry point into the world of high-speed printing. As one first-time user noted, “This is my first ever adventure into 3d printing and the Creality K1C has made it pretty easy,” praising the simple setup and Wi-Fi connectivity.

However, the feedback isn’t universally flawless. The most common critical points revolve around potential hardware inconsistencies and the learning curve for maintenance. Several users mention the risk of receiving a printer with a warped bed or Z-axis issues that require troubleshooting or replacement parts. Another user wrote a detailed account of solving a persistent layer shifting problem, which turned out to be caused by lubricant buildup on the guide rods—a problem not covered in the manual. This feedback is crucial; it confirms the Comgrow K1C 3D Printer Fast Printing is a powerful machine that, while largely automated, still benefits from an owner willing to learn its specific maintenance needs.

How the Comgrow K1C Stacks Up Against the Competition

The 3D printer market is fiercely competitive, and while the K1C is a standout, it’s important to see how it compares to other options that might cater to different needs. We’ve looked at three key alternatives that serve different segments of the market.

1. ANYCUBIC Photon Mono M7 MAX 3D Printer

This is an important comparison because it highlights a fundamental choice in 3D printing technology: FDM vs. Resin. The ANYCUBIC Photon Mono M7 MAX is a large-format resin printer. Instead of melting filament, it uses a 13.6-inch 7K LCD screen to cure liquid resin layer by layer. The primary reason to choose this over the K1C is for applications requiring extreme detail and a smooth surface finish, such as miniatures, jewelry, or dental models. The trade-off is significant: the workflow is messier, requiring gloves, ventilation, and post-processing steps like washing and curing. The materials are also not as mechanically robust as the carbon fiber composites the K1C can handle. If your priority is intricate detail above all else, the Photon is the superior choice; for functional, strong parts and ease of use, the K1C wins handily.

2. Creality K2 Plus Combo 3D Printer High-Speed Multicolor

The Creality K2 Plus Combo can be seen as the K1C’s ambitious older sibling. It takes the same core concepts—high speed, CoreXY, AI monitoring—and elevates them. The two main reasons to step up to the K2 Plus are its significantly larger build volume (350x350x350mm) and its included Creality Filament System (CFS), which enables automatic multi-color printing with up to 16 different colors. This is a machine aimed squarely at prosumers and small businesses who need to create large, vibrant, multi-material prints without manual intervention. It represents the next level of FDM printing, but it comes with a substantially higher price tag. If you don’t need multi-color capability or a massive build area, the Comgrow K1C 3D Printer Fast Printing offers much of the same core performance for a fraction of the cost.

3. R QIDI TECHNOLOGY PLUS4 High-Speed 3D Printer

The QIDI PLUS4 is arguably the most direct competitor to the K1C, targeting a similar user base focused on engineering materials. It matches the K1C’s 600mm/s speed but pushes the material capabilities even further. The PLUS4 features a 65°C actively heated chamber and a 370°C direct extruder, which makes it even more adept at printing high-warp, industrial-grade filaments like PPS-CF. It also boasts a larger build volume (12x12x11 inches). The choice between the K1C and the PLUS4 comes down to specific material needs. For users who need to print primarily with PLA, PETG, ABS, and their carbon fiber variants, the K1C is more than capable. For those venturing into the most demanding engineering-grade thermoplastics that require an actively heated chamber to prevent delamination, the QIDI PLUS4 offers a performance edge, albeit likely at a higher price point.

The Final Verdict: Is the Comgrow K1C the Right 3D Printer for You?

After extensive testing and analysis, our verdict is clear: the Comgrow K1C 3D Printer Fast Printing is a phenomenal machine that punches well above its weight class. It successfully bridges the gap between hobbyist-level accessibility and professional-grade capability. Its combination of incredible speed, out-of-the-box carbon fiber readiness, and a genuinely simple automated setup process makes it a standout in the current market. It democratizes high-speed, advanced material printing, making it accessible without the steep learning curve or high cost typically associated with such features.

While not entirely immune to the occasional quality control hiccup or maintenance quirk seen across the industry, its core performance is solid, reliable, and deeply impressive. We strongly recommend it for ambitious beginners ready to start with a future-proof machine, hobbyists upgrading from older, slower printers, and engineers or small businesses who need a dependable workhorse for rapid prototyping with functional materials. If you’re looking for a printer that respects your time and expands your creative possibilities, the K1C is an exceptional choice. You can check its current price and get started on your high-speed printing journey today.