Release Notes

PrintMatch Changelog

Every update to PrintMatch, documented. What was added, what changed, and what was removed — in plain English.

v1.4 Latest May 15, 2026

Quiz results simplified to top 3 picks, and a new AI Overview powered by Claude explains your results in plain English — including a plain-language warning when your combination of wants doesn't realistically exist at your budget.

Added

AI Overview — appears above your top picks after the quiz. Powered by Claude (free). Reads your budget and preferences and gives a 1–2 sentence plain-English summary of why these printers were chosen for you.
Low-score warning in AI Overview — if your top match is under 70%, Claude explains in plain English why your combination of wants is hard to satisfy at your budget (e.g. wanting multi-material printing, high-end materials, and minimal maintenance under $300 is nearly impossible — those features start at $700+).

↻ Changed

Quiz results now show only the top 3 highest-scoring printers — the "Best Option at Every Price Point" budget tier row and the extended list of results 4–24 have been removed for a cleaner, simpler experience.

v1.3 May 13, 2026

A big update. New print cost calculator, two new printers, expanded quiz options for tinkerers and multi-material printing, price corrections, a wider budget slider range, corrected carbon footprint values, donation partners, and site policy updates.

Added

FDM print cost calculator — new tool at /calculator.html
Resin cost calculator — new tool at /calculator.html
Carbon footprint calculator — third tab on the calculator page. Enter your material, grid region, wattage, and print time to get a full CO2 breakdown with an A–F grade, real-world equivalents, yearly projections, and tips to reduce impact.
Toxic fume level added to every filament — shown on browse cards, filament modal, and quiz results. PLA/PLA+/Silk/Matte/TPU/PLA-CF are Low, ABS/ASA are Medium, Nylon is High (ventilation required).
FlashForge Creator 5 added to the database — cheapest multi-tool-head printer on the market, 4 tool heads, open frame, $699 base price.
FlashForge Creator 5 Pro added — same as Creator 5 but with enclosure, adds ABS/ASA/Nylon support, $849 prelaunch price.
Prusa Pro HT90 added — industrial delta printer, $11,380, prints literally any filament on the market. For business and serious prototyping only.
New filament quiz question: "Do you have a hardened steel nozzle?" — if you don't, PLA-CF is pushed down in results since it requires one. Having a hardened nozzle does not boost any other filaments.
New quiz option: "I want multi-material AND multi-color printing" — surfaces printers with true multi-material capability (FlashForge Creator 5/Pro, Prusa XL multi-tool, Bambu H2D, H2C, X2D, X2D Combo).
New quiz option: "I want to mod and tinker with it" — gives a scoring boost to Creality, Prusa, and Sovol printers which are the most modification-friendly brands.
Blog post: Cheapest Printers from Every Company, Part 2 — Prusa Mini review. 3/10.
Printer of the Month section on the homepage — May 2026 pick is the Bambu Lab A1 Mini.
Browse page now links to blog posts from printer cards when a review exists (Bambu A1 Mini and Prusa Mini currently).
Printer of the Month section added to the homepage — highlights one recommended printer each month with an image and a link to its review. May 2026 pick: Bambu Lab A1 Mini.
This changelog.
Not Happy With Your Suggestion? quiz — a new 3-step quiz where you pick the printer you were recommended, choose what you didn't like about it (too expensive, wrong brand, too slow, no enclosure, wants multi-color, etc.), answer one follow-up question if needed, and get 4 alternatives showing exactly what you gain and lose vs the original.
3D Printing Glossary — a searchable reference page with plain-English definitions for FDM, filament, build plate, bed slinger, CoreXY, extruder, delta, and nozzle. Accessible from the blog. More terms coming.

↻ Changed

Budget slider in the quiz now goes up to $6,500+ (was $2,500+). Added price stops at $3,000, $3,500, $4,000, $4,500, $5,000, $5,500, $6,000, and $6,500.
Browse price filter extended — now covers up to $5,000+ (previously capped at $2,200+), fixing printers above that threshold being hidden.
Quiz maintenance option reworded: "Some upkeep is fine" → "I want it to work but don't mind changing a few things".
Quiz maintenance option reworded: "I enjoy tinkering and fixing" → "I want to mod and tinker with it".
Elegoo Centauri Carbon price updated to $319.
Blog split into two sections: 3D Printing (guides, reviews, news) and About PrintMatch (site docs, changelog, policies).

Removed

Prusa CORE One + Camera removed from database.
Prusa CORE One + Filtration removed from database.
Prusa CORE One + Cam + Filter removed from database.
Prusa CORE One L + Filtration removed from database.

v1.2 April 28, 2026

Bambu X2D launch coverage, expanded brand support, quiz refinements, and the How PrintMatch Works blog post.

Added

Bambu Lab X2D and X2D Combo added — dual nozzle, enclosed, 300°C hotend, 65°C active chamber.
Snapmaker U1 and U1 + Top Cover added — tool-changing system with ~5 second head swaps.
Qidi Q2C and Q2C Combo added.
FLSUN S1 Pro, T1 Max, V400 Max added.
Blog post: How PrintMatch Works — full algorithm breakdown.
Blog post: My Elegoo Filament Experience.
Blog post: Why Cheap Filament Is Never a Win.
Blog post: Cheapest Printers from Every Company, Part 1 — Bambu Lab A1 Mini.

v1.1 April 2, 2026

Filament quiz, comparison tool, and the first batch of blog posts.

Added

Filament quiz — recommends the right filament based on your printer, use case, and budget.
Compare tool — side-by-side spec comparison for any two printers in the database.
Blog post: PLA vs PETG.
Blog post: The True Cost of Resin 3D Printing.
Blog post: The Real Cost of FDM 3D Printing.
Which Bambu Lab 3D Printer Is Right for You? (2026 Guide).

v1.0 Launch March 29, 2026

PrintMatch goes live. 12-question printer quiz, browse database, and initial printer catalog across Bambu Lab, Prusa, Creality, Elegoo, FlashForge, Anycubic, and Sovol.

Added

12-question printer recommendation quiz with weighted scoring algorithm.
Browse database with brand, price, level, material, enclosure, and multi-color filters.
Initial printer catalog — 88 printers across 7 brands.
Dual result tabs: Influenced (includes creator ratings) and Pure (algorithm only).
Must-have and must-must priority system in the quiz.

Coming Soon

A little sneak peek at what's dropping next on the blog.

📊

Cheapest Printers from Every Company, Part 1 — Bambu Lab A1 Mini

Dropping May 27 · Is Bambu's cheapest printer actually worth it?

📈

Cheapest Printers from Every Company, Part 2 — Prusa Mini

Dropping June 3 · The Prusa Mini is iconic — but does it hold up in 2026?