Formnext in Frankfurt, Germany, is the place to be for new 3D printer launches, and 2025 did not disappoint. Both Bambu Lab and Prusa Research introduced new printers they had been teasing for months, attracting large crowds eager to see the shiny new tech around their booths.
Anycubic and Creality have breathed new life into their classic bed slingers, BIQU showed off a tasty mod for the Bambu A1, and FlashForge teased an affordable full color resin coming in 2026.
Editor’s Note: Bambu Lab provided travel accommodations for this trip. Coverage remains editorially independent.
Bambu Lab H2C: Seven Nozzles, No Waiting
Bambu Lab officially unveiled the H2C, a dual-nozzle machine with a Vortek nozzle swapper that eliminates the 3D printer “poop” plaguing users since the launch of the X1 Carbon and its AMS system. Tom’s Hardware currently has the H2C under review – you can see a sneak peek here. Like other members of the H2 lineup, the H2C has two nozzles on one head. The left nozzle is a standard H2 nozzle, fastened with a buckle and fed by a single spool holder. The right nozzle is a new design; the printer can automatically swap from a rack of six wireless, induction-heated nozzles and is fed by the AMS system. When kept under seven colors (one on the left and up to six on the right), it produces no “poop”, though it does still require a small purge tower.
Each nozzle can store detailed filament information, so you can dedicate nozzles to high-temperature material to avoid clogging.
The H2C is available for presale right now, with a retail price starting at $2399. You can also bundle the machines with a single HT AMS or make it a laser combo for an additional cost. Printers will start shipping to the US around December 2, 2025.
Prusa Research CORE One INDX: Eight Slender Heads
Josef Prusa held a press conference to announce a partnership with Bondtech to produce a CORE One-compatible tool changer mod. The INDX is a traditional tool changer, with four to eight heads stationed along the front of the CORE One, each fed by a dedicated spool mounted on the side of the printer. This allows for rapid tool changes as each tool head has filament at the ready. The carriage holds the extruder, an induction heater, and parts cooling fans, leaving only the nozzle and Bowden tube on the slender tool heads.
Prusa said the INDX will first be sold as a CORE One compatible kit on the Bondtech site for €499 for 4 tools and €699 for 8 tools. US pricing will be announced after the INDX is available on the Prusa Research site in 2026. An initial run of 1000 specially priced “Founders Editions” kits immediately sold out shortly after the launch.
Prusa said they would release a kit for the CORE One L that could go up to ten heads. Because the INDX is attached to the coreXY’s front bar, the INDX will only be compatible with the CORE One lineup. Bondtech will also sell a DIY INDX kit compatible with Voron and other Klipper printers.
Prusa Research also released an upgrade to the CORE One, making it the CORE One +, which adds a few minor upgrades like the vent opener and TPU switch. Current owners of the CORE One can purchase the upgrade for $9.99 or print the parts yourself for free.
Additionally, a new donut-shaped filament dry box was introduced for $34.99. Injection molded by Prusa Research out of hydrophobic polypropylene (PP), the box fits on the Core One’s spindle, holds a desiccant pack and hygrometer, and allows access to the filament without opening the box.
Snapmaker U1: Four Colors out of Kickstarter
Snapmaker showed off its U1, a four-color tool changer introduced earlier this year that smashed Kickstarter records to sell over $20.6 million worth of printers. The printer has a core XY speed and prints flawless multicolor with very little waste. Tom’s Hardware reviewed the U1 and declared it the “best multicolor 3D printer of 2025”. The machine is now available for pre-order with a retail cost of $849 and a delivery time after March 20, 2026.
During the show, Snapmaker collected funds for a local children’s charity, raising €850. The fundraiser was organized by Snapmaker beta tester Rüdiger Neuweb (in green).
WonderMaker ZR Ultra : Four Color Kickstarter
We also found WonderMaker on the floor with its fresh out of Kickstarter WonderMaker ZR Ultra $639 four color tool changer. The machine has faced some controversy on social media after Beta testers ended their cooperation with WonderMaker on a sour note. Tom’s Hardware was not invited to review this machine, so unfortunately, we can’t say much about it as yet. However, it does look to be a tool changer in the same style as the Snapmaker U1, but on an open frame.
Anycubic Kobra X: More than it looks
Anycubic has made a huge improvement to its color bedslinger with the announcement of the Kobra X. The machine has internalized the multimaterial system, with all the filament handling done inside the tool head. The system is expected to be much faster and less wasteful. Pricing and the release date were not available, though we suspect this machine will remain in the budget category.
Anycubic was also showing off a bigger Kobra S1 Max Combo and a resin printer with twin tanks for printing with two materials at a time.
Creality Ender 3 v4: Back for Beginners
Creality is keeping their classic beginner line going with a colorful refresh that looks very friendly for younger makers (and the young at heart). The affordable Ender 3 v4 was introduced as a slimmed-down bedslinger combo with a Creality CFS multimaterial box. There are attachment points for your own 3D printed decorations, plus LED lights, which are sure to be a hit on TikTok.
We don’t have pricing or a launch date as yet, so stay tuned.
Creality is also very proud of their new “CubeMe”, an AI-powered tool on Creality Cloud’s Make Now site that will turn your photograph into a 3D printable chibi-style figure. They ran my social media headshot through the program and made a pretty cute little avatar.
Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2: Now in Color
Elegoo showed off the Centauri Carbon 2 Combo, a four color version of the wildly successful Centauri Carbon. A review unit of the CC2 is in the mail as we speak, so all I know is this one is the same size as the Centauri Carbon, but has “smart temperature control” so you can keep the door closed, a hardened steel nozzle rated to 350°C, and a CANVAS system to handle multicolor printing.
Elegoo’s rep said the multicolor system for the first Centauri Carbon was still being worked on and would be made available once it is ready. He also would not confirm the rumors swirling that DJI has invested in the company in order to compete with Bambu Lab, but Tom’s Hardware dug up some clues confirming the rumors ourselves.
BIQU: Enter the (Delicious) Panda Verse
BIQU brought everything, including the kitchen sink, to Formnext to accessorize Bambu Lab printers. BIQU has created a host of clever accessories for any 3D printer, but they have really honed in on Bambu users. Some accessories are incredibly practical, like Frostbite CryoGrip build plates and custom cabinets with built-in printer poop collecting drawers, while others are a bit more whimsical, like the Panda Knomi Smart Display that puts a digital smiley face right on your tool head.
The Panda Treat might just be the most popular device they’ve invented: a full color, food-safe ink printer for your A1. The device attaches to your print head and can quickly print anything under the nozzle with food-safe dye. BIQU was printing on coffee froth for the crowd, and I had a cup. The dye prints in just a few passes and is completely tasteless. It uses a print head similar to an inkjet paper printer, and prints in Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow, which blend into nearly any color. While I was there, a guy stuck his arm under the printer for a “temporary tattoo,” so it’s fairly harmless. The Panda Treat should be ready in a couple of months and will be around $150. It will launch first on the Bambu Lab A1 series and will be compatible with many more printers if it proves to be popular. A BIQU rep said they would like to come out with a regular ink version that could permanently print on regular plastic.
Best of all, the Panda Treat is a removable attachment, so you do not need a dedicated kitchen printer.
FlashForge: Desktop MJP Coming Soon
FlashForge brought a sneak peek of its upcoming MultiJet Printer, which could be the world’s first, truly full color, desktop 3D printer. MJP is an inkjet printing process that deposits thin layers of colorful resin to build up a model. Flashforge said its machine will have 10 million colors and use a water-soluble support material for easy post-processing.
I only saw a handout and a couple of sample prints, but if this comes in under $5000, it could be a real game changer. Right now, this technology is limited to incredibly expensive industrial machines.
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