Prusa sent us their latest and most advanced model, the Prusa Core One, to test and share our experience with you. But who is Prusa?
Prusa Research was founded in 2012 by Czech Josef Prusa, who managed to change the 3D printing industry with his ideas and, being a big fan of open source technology himself, he also integrated it into his printers. Since then, Prusa has managed to become one of the most recognisable companies in the field with various distinctions such as the Company of the Year award at the 3D Printing Industry Awards 2023.
However, Prusa has proven that it is a company that wants to return the love to the community. For this reason, it was the first company to offer prizes worth a total of $50,000 in the first annual model competition it organised at the Printables Awards 2024.
All of the above become even more impressive when you consider that the company started in 2012 in Josef’s basement, as a small personal business, and today produces over 10,000 printers per month. Production remains in Europe, and more specifically in the Czech Republic, to ensure the highest quality.
And after this wonderful walk down the history path, let’s get back to the Prusa Core One.
The Prusa Core One Unboxing
Firstly, let me mention that we received not one, but three boxes from Prusa. Of course, the first and largest box was the Prusa Core One. Let’s see what the other two boxes contain.
Inside the two boxes, we have even more boxes! Five kg of filaments or should I say Prusaments? I love the puns that Prusa uses with various peripherals. Their filaments are called Prusaments. They sent us three PLA and two PETG in various colours to try.
In the second box, peripherals and great merchandise. Two black hats with orange details (which are also Prusa’s colours), a cap in the same colours, an extra print sheet with a satin surface and two Nextruders. A V6 nozzle adapter and an extra nozzle, 0.4mm Brass CHT.
I forgot to mention my favorite merch from the box, is none other than the metal mug with all the keyboard shortcuts for the Prusa Slicer! You can drink your coffee while playing with your 3D models and before you know it, you’ll have learned all the shortcuts. Super smart!
Let’s open the “real” box step by step and see what we find along with the Prusa Core One.
The Prusa Core One comes in a fairly large and heavy (almost 25 kg) box. While the box may not seem to have enough foam protection inside, the way the printer is packaged is more than enough to protect it even from a drop.
Prusa gives you two options when purchasing the Prusa Core One. Either buy it as a Kit, which means you have to spend some time and assemble almost everything yourself, or get it pre-assembled. There is a 300 euro difference between these two options. As you can see in the photos below, we chose the assembled model because I was never good with Lego, and I believe that even to this day, I would still try to assemble it. Let’s have a closer look at what’s inside the Prusa Core One box.
- The Prusa Core One
- One kg of Black PLA
- A high-quality USB stick
- Tools
- A screwdriver
- A pair of pliers for removing supports. Probably the best pair of pliers I’ve ever had.
- A tube of lubricant
- 55 plastic screws
- French and Allen keys
- Wet wipes with isopropyl alcohol for cleaning the print sheet
- A smooth steel print sheet
- The classic manuals, which are not so classic in this case. It is probably the first time I have kept the manuals. The first (3D printing handbook) has many tips and examples for the best use of the printer and 3D printing in general, and the second (Prusament) shows all the available materials and colours of Prusaments.
- And the best surprise! A Haribo package. Because as we know, Haribo brings joy to children and also to adults.
The book with all the available Prusaments is not just a boring book full of pictures. It explains everything about the specific material and sometimes shares some interesting stories about it.
Setting up the 3D printer
As I mentioned above, the Prusa Core One Assembled, as it’s called, comes almost ready to use. All we have to do is install the touchscreen, and we’re good to go.
Before the screen, we will need to stick the two rubber bars to the bottom of the printer. Their function is to absorb vibrations during printing. Their installation is very easy as shown in the photo below.
Then, we remove the front bottom part where the cables to connect the screen are located. The metal cover slides upwards to reveal the two holes where we will attach our screen. After connecting it and placing it on its base, all that remains is to slide the metal rod back and we are ready.
In total, the above process took me 3 minutes. Are we ready for our first print with our new Prusa Core One? Not yet. There’s one more short process left. Let’s set up our printer for the first time when it’s first turned on. Let’s first have a look at how beautiful the printer is when it’s finished.
The Basic Settings
Once you turn on your Prusa Core One, you will see a notification on the screen stating that a new Firmware version is available. Of course, you choose Flash to upgrade your new printer.
Then it asks you to select the system language. We chose English, and on the next screen it asks us if we want to run an automatic test and calibration. We selected Yes to start the process. Attention: Before starting the test, do not forget to place the print sheet on the printer’s print bed. After checking all the fans, axes, head and bed temperature, it finally checks the filament sensor. Now, we are ready to start printing with Prusa Core One and Josef’s blessing.
Of course, in order for all of the above to happen, you will need to plug in the USB stick because that’s where the upgraded firmware is located.
Don’t make the same mistake I did. I forgot to plug in the USB stick, and I sat there wondering what I was doing wrong and how to fix it.
Prusa Core One Design and Features
Let’s now look at my favourite part of Prusa Core One, which is none other than the design. If you’ve read my previous reviews, you’ll know that I admire minimalist and clean design. The design of a product is important to me because it’s what determines whether a specific item will find a place in the gaming room or end up working in the attic. Also, black and orange is my favourite colour combination. Therefore, I have nothing negative to say about the design of the Prusa Core One.
The Prusa Core One is a CoreXY printer with a fully enclosed printing system. This design allows for higher print speeds, better temperature control, and overall, more stability.
The Exterior of the Prusa Core One
If you’ve ever seen a Prusa printer, forget what you knew. The Core One is unlike anything in the MK series. It’s their first full enclosure printer, with a metal frame and a design that’s more like a professional machine than a DIY printer for your office. And yet, while it looks solid and unmodifiable, it’s built with the mindset that you can adjust everything if you need to.
The Prusa Core One is the mid-sized model (and also the printing volume) of Prusa. It is slightly larger than the Prusa MK4 and smaller than the Prusa XL. In the photos below, you can clearly see that the length of the Core One is two bananas and its height, three bananas. Its weight is 22.5 kg.
As I mentioned before, the black colour dominates the printer, with a few orange details that are just enough. Not too many, but not too noticeable either. Its exterior is made of steel while the door, sides and top of the printer are made of polycarbonate material, instead of aluminium and glass.
The steel makes the printer more robust, almost unbreakable, while the polycarbonate material helps maintain the temperature inside the chamber. It is also a more durable and safe option compared to glass. The internet is full of photos of users whose printers have glass doors and have had their doors shattered.
The door covers the biggest part of the front of the Prusa Core One, which opens completely. A very clever feature of the door is its reversibility. You can change the side of the entire door so that the handle and how the door opens are convenient for you, depending on where you have placed your printer. The door closes and stays in place with magnets. Also, the “closing” of the door is completely silent. Of course, there is a sensor on the door that stops printing if you open it accidentally.
Protection above everything else.
On the back of the Prusa Core One printer, we typically find most of the connections, such as the power supply, the Ethernet port, as well as a USB-B port to connect the Prusa Core One directly to your computer. Finally, on the back is the output of two internal fans that help balance the correct temperature inside.
Another nice detail is the NFC chip on the back of the printer. This helps you easily transfer your wireless network ID and password to your printer by simply bringing your phone close to the NFC.
The Prusa Core One Screen
On the front of the Prusa Core one, in the lower centre, is the touchscreen, which on its right side has a USB-A connector so you can load your models in the traditional way and upgrade the firmware (for the first time) as we did a little above.
The screen, at a quick glance, seems to follow a slightly more traditional design as it combines a 3.5-inch colour display with some physical buttons on the side. The buttons may be considered outdated by some, but here, they make using the Prusa Core One easy and precise.
Its UI is simple and clear, focusing mainly on the essential information you want to have quick access to. Temperatures, print progress, speeds, calibration options and profiles are all there with a simple tap on the touchscreen.
The physical buttons next to the screen add a different touch. Following Prusa’s philosophy: “functionality above all else”, these buttons will offer you full UI navigation in case you can’t use the touchscreen. If you’re wearing gloves for example.
Another interesting point is the almost instant response of the screen. It doesn’t stuck, it doesn’t lag, and the transitions are smooth. It may not have impressive animations and other effects, but it is perfect to use.
The Prusa Core One Details
The main detail that really impressed me is that so many of the parts of the printer itself are 3D printed. It reminds me of what we used to say as kids, “I’m going to buy a 3D printer, so I can print a 3D printer.” Only here it’s real. Jokes aside, this is a smart move because it definitely reduces production costs and the way the printer is built, it allows for easy maintenance, as all the parts can be disassembled with a simple screwdriver.
On the sides of the printer, there are two square gaps and on top of them there is an orange, printed piece. These act as handles and do their job perfectly! I have owned other closed-type printers, and every time I want to move them, it is not the most pleasant experience. Prusa shows us that it can be solved really easily.
On the right side (as we look at the printer from the front), there is also an orange holder for the filament roll. I like that once the filament is in there, it does not protrude at all and becomes part of the printer.
The top of the Prusa Core One is also made of polycarbonate material, but there is also a grill that helps regulate the temperature of the chamber. In one of the latest updates, before starting a print, a message appears on the screen asking you to open the grill on the top to prevent the temperature inside the chamber from rising too high.
With the grill, you can adjust the temperature of the chamber and reduce the odours that come out during printing.
The Interior of Prusa Core One
What we see when we open the door of the Prusa Core One is reminiscent of a miniature European precision factory. Everything is in its place, neat and clean. There are no cables hanging here and there, the axes look sturdy and anything that can be covered and protected, is. That alone gives you a sense of security.
Prusa has built the entire interior with maintenance and accessibility in mind. If you need to get to an internal component, you don’t need to be a nuclear physicist. It’s logical, it’s clean, and it’s spacious. That kind of order is rare in 3D printers, but here it’s clearly a priority.
The Print Bed
The Core One’s print bed is magnetic and heated, with a flexible PEI sheet, as we’ve come to expect from most Prusa printers. The build volume is 250×210×220mm, which makes it a decent size for a desktop setup. Not huge, but more than enough for 90% of everyday projects.
What makes a difference here is not the size. It’s the accuracy, the thermal distribution, and the feeling that you can rely on the bed levelling without having to think about whether it was done correctly or not while printing. Of course, it has automatic bed levelling because this is 2025. But what makes it stand out is that Prusa has made sure that the hardware behind the levelling is accurate. It’s not just a marketing gimmick, it works.
The printer, as we saw during the unboxing, came with a Steel sheet PEI, which has a smooth surface. For about a year now, I have only been printing on textured PEI, initially because of the better adhesion of the filament on it but I also prefer the pattern it leaves on the printed model.
Prusa sent me an extra sheet to try with the Prusa Core One. A Satin Powder-coated sheet that has honestly become my favourite. It’s somewhere between a smooth and textured sheet, just with a less rough surface. The pattern it leaves on the base of my models is the best and I’ll share some with you below, in the chapter on prints.
The Prusa Core One Extruder
And now for the real gem of the Prusa Core One. Prusa’s new Nextruder v2 is not just a rebranding. It’s designed from the ground up to reduce problems and increase accuracy. The entire assembly is modular. This means that if you need to change a hotend or a component, you don’t have to disassemble the entire head. You don’t even need a screwdriver. On the left of the extruder there are 2 thumbscrews that you unscrew with your hand and change the nozzle.
It is also worth mentioning the smart tensioning mechanism of the extruder, which ensures constant, stable pressure on the filament regardless of the material. The combination with the loadcell sensor for automatic Z offset calibration makes the first layer look like it came out of a fresh ironing session. I don’t know if I can convey the quality of the first layer through a photo, but honestly, you have to see it up close to understand what quality we are talking about.
The CoreXY Motion System and the Z Axis
This is the most important feature that completely changed Prusa’s identity, since the Prusa Core One is their first CoreXY printer. What exactly is CoreXY? I’m glad you asked.
CoreXY is a type of 3D printer that uses a clever mechanism to move faster and more precisely. Instead of the entire top of the printer moving back and forth, only certain parts move. The X and Y axes, that is, right-left and back-and-forth, move simultaneously through two belts that work in sync.
This allows the nozzle to move smoothly and precisely over the object being printed. The height of the model is adjusted by the movement of the print bed. This means that the printer is faster, quieter, without shaking with each print and the models come out smoother.
Other Prusa Core One Features
The Fans
There are 2 fans on the back top of the printer. One of the drawbacks I found is that there is no activated carbon filter to clean the air before pushing it into the room. This means that if you are printing PLA or ABS, you should be prepared for strong odors.
Of course, Prusa allows you to buy the filter separately. There are other solutions too. I found a file for a filter holder, printed it, installed a HEPA filter in, attached it to the back with magnets and it works perfectly.
Two small fans, but enough to lower the temperature when needed.
The LED Lights
At the top of the interior there is LED lighting that diffuses the light perfectly. The LEDs help you see what is happening with your model even in rooms without lighting, as well as the best camera image, whether you just want to have a look at your model or record the entire printing process.
The Prusa Core One also has an LED strip at the bottom of the bed which, when blue, indicates that the printer is running and printing something and turns green once the print is finished. A clever detail that helps you see the progress of your print when you are not next to the printer.
The Camera
I won’t lie. The lack of a camera bothered me. When even much cheaper printers come with a pre-installed camera, I expected the same with the Core One. But that didn’t happen because Prusa sells the camera as an add-on. Therefore, we didn’t have the opportunity to test the camera and see its capabilities.
It would be very helpful to be able to go into the Prusa app and watch the progress of my print, as well as check for possible errors during printing.
Basic Technical Specifications
| Category | Features |
| Printing Dimensions | 250 × 220 × 270 mm |
| Printer Dimensions | 415 × 444 × 555 mm |
| Weight | 22,5kg |
| Filament Diameter | 1.75 mm |
| Extruder | Nextruder, Direct Drive, compatible with E3D V6 (with adapter) |
| Nozzle | Brass CHT 0.4 mm high flow |
| Maximum Nozzle Temperature | 290 °C |
| Maximum Print Bed Temperature | 120 °C |
| Maximum Chamber Temperature | 55 °C |
| Screen | 3.5″ touch, 65k colours |
| Ethernet Connection | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Optional ESP Wi-Fi module with NFC |
| Filament Sensors | 2 |
| Door Sensors | Yes |
| Supported Materials | PLA, PETG, Flex, PVA, PC, PP, CPE, PVB — and with the Advanced Filtration System: ABS, ASA, HIPS, PA |
| Power Consumption | 90W (PLA), 110W (ABS) |
| Power supply | 240W with Power Panic function |
How We Printed our First Model
Here things are simple. All we need is our filament and find the model we want to print. There are many free sites with ready to use free 3D models, but Prusa also has its own official platform: Printables. There you will find thousands of files from an active community of creators, carefully organized and immediately available for slicing.
The best part? If you have imagination and willing to spend some time, you can upload your own models and take part in competitions with cash prizes and gifts, like the one we mentioned earlier, with over $50,000 in prizes!
The Prusa Software and App
I won’t go into much detail about using the Prusa software and app since more or less everyone involved in 3D printing knows how to use a slicer, and Prusa Core One is no exception.
The Prusa Software
Prusa’s software is called PrusaSlicer and is available for Windows, Mac and Linux. The UI is very friendly even for new users. Also, if the model is from printables, it is ready to print without any changes. Usually, designers upload their files with the best possible profile so that it prints perfectly on a Prusa printer.
The Prusa App
The smartphone app is called Prusa and is available on the App Store and Google Play. The mobile app is minimalist, clean, and easy to use. It also keeps you updated on the progress of your print and sends notifications when the print is finished or if there is a problem with the print.
Let’s have a look at the other tabs. In Jobs it shows us if and what we are printing at the moment as well as the history of all our previous prints. In Storage the printer stores some of the files we have printed in the cloud and finally Printables is what its name says.
In Printables you can find the file you want, press print and send it directly for printing from your mobile. The best and easiest. Especially in an era when everything is running fast and you have no time to waste.
What We’ve Printed so Far
Before we share our Prusa Core One prints, we want to say that we first tried the galaxy colours and they are incredible. They have a special vibrancy and help hide the layers in the prints, making the models look even smoother.
How could something so simple make me so happy? Being able to mount the thread on the spool is so clever!
Like most people, we started with the classic benchy since it prints quickly, and you can easily see the imperfections of a print. With the same green galaxy PLA I also printed a Bulbasaur. Then we tried the purple galaxy PLA and printed a large skull that serves as a dice tower for those who play D&D. As well as 2 small dragons with a base for D20 dice (dice with 20 sides).
We switched to black PETG and printed shelves for our IKEA Skadis that we will use to display the figures from our collectable editions. The mount for the HEPA filter, and finally, we decided to push the Prusa Core One to the limit and print a base for the Frostmourne we have, using black PETG.
The Prusa Core One Verdict
The Prusa Core One is not just another 3D printer. It is proof that Prusa continues to actively listen to its audience and deliver the experience we deserve. It is clear that Prusa took their time, listened to the community, saw what the most experienced users want and what scares the most beginners, and built something that covers both sides.
From the moment you take the Prusa Core One out of the box, you feel that it has been designed with attention to every detail. From the quality of the materials to the ease of use. If you are a beginner, you will find an ally who will not let you down. If you are more experienced, you will appreciate the fact that everything just works as it should, as well as the ability to customise it exactly to your needs and style.
Personally, I was sold on the Prusa Core One quietness, its stability and its smart design. It gave me the impression of a closed, robust ecosystem that does not try to impress with unnecessary features, but with essential solutions. With an aluminium frame, polycarbonate panels, silent stepper drivers, a powerful cooling system and a Z-axis supported by a ball screw, we are talking about precision and stability that you rarely find in its category.
The new Nextruder V2 head is smarter, more stable and even easier to maintain, while the built-in NFC scanner and integration with Prusa’s cloud ecosystem show that the company always thinks 2 steps ahead. It is not a flashy gadget. It is a tool. And you understand this by printing, not by reading specs.
Add to all this the Printables ecosystem, the simplicity of Prusa Connect and the guarantee that everything works with European standards, and you have a complete solution that is built to inspire confidence. Overall, the Core One is the most “mature” step Prusa has taken so far. It’s not just an upgrade – it’s a brand-new platform that combines classic Prusa reliability with all the features the market demands in 2025.
If you want to invest in a printer that will work flawlessly for years, with support, software, materials and a community to back it up, the Prusa Core One is clearly made for you. You can get it from the official Prusa store for €1,349 assembled or €1,049 if you prefer to build it all yourself from scratch.
The last few days have been pleasant for me. Every day, I printed something on the Prusa Core One, and while I waited for the print to finish, I travelled to the magical world of Clair Obscur Expedition 33.
At this point, we would like to thank Prusa and, more specifically, Shane for their trust and the review unit they provided us with so we could write this article.