Kingroon KP3S: problems, parts and running costs

Checked: 2026-10-16

Summary

A compact budget cantilever FDM printer (180 x 180 x 180 mm) whose rated maximum print speed is 100 mm/s, not the 180 mm/s some listings repeat. The recurring faults are noisy stock fans, manual bed leveling that must be done hot, a weak tabletop spool holder and occasional stepper-driver trouble. Keeping it running costs filament plus an occasional replacement build surface; no yearly dollar figure is reported. It is a good buy at or below roughly $160-170 and the case weakens above about $180.

Common problems and fixes

Noisy stock fans — the hotend and part-cooling fans (3010 axial units) are repeatedly called the loudest part of the machine; 3D Print Beginner called them the noisiest of any printer it tested. Owners replace the fans or the whole toolhead. Not a warranty item: the only first-party term found is a 15-day return/exchange for devices bought directly from Kingroon’s website. [4][8]
Manual bed leveling — the main beginner hurdle; the machine expands as it warms, so it must be leveled hot rather than cold, and the knobs sit close to the touchscreen. [1][5]
Weak spool holder — the separate tabletop holder grips cardboard spools poorly and can let filament tangle. [1][3][4]
Print surface wears out — the stock soft magnetic sheet feels cheap, sticks too well and is a consumable; the common upgrade is a PEI spring-steel sheet. [2][4]
Over-tightened Z-axis rollers — when checking the Z-axis rollers, do not over-tighten them, because that can develop flat spots. [4]

Parts and consumables

Spare 0.4 mm nozzle — some shipments include one spare, others four; the MK8-thread heatblock takes V6 nozzles. [1][4]

Yearly running cost

Not enough data for a yearly dollar figure. Measured power draw is about 10 W idle, 215 W while heating and 75 W while printing, so electricity is small [4]. The recurring spend is filament plus an occasional replacement build surface or PEI sheet and optionally an external MOSFET [4][7]. No subscription is reported.

When it is a good buy

Reviewers frame it as a strong value at or below roughly $160-170, where the direct-drive extruder, linear rails, 32-bit board and touchscreen are unusual for the class: Tom’s Hardware listed $169 retail in December 2022 [1], All3DP used a $159 reference price in June 2022 [2], Product Design Online saw it under $180 in October 2021 [3] and 3D Print Beginner paid about $158 including shipping from an EU warehouse in December 2020 [4]. Above about $180 the case weakens, since manual leveling, the external power brick, the spool holder and the fans remain [3][4]. Owner reports put real prices lower: about $130 from AliExpress around Christmas [12] and one buyer paid $50 for a used unit with extra filament and a glass bed [13]. The 3DPros $225-250 range looks stale and should not anchor value [5]. If the price climbs, the Prusa Mini is the better-refined small printer to compare [3][4].