The BIQU B1 belongs to a buyer lane that still exists even if the market talks mostly about enclosed CoreXY machines and near-appliance desktop printers. Some buyers are not chasing the most polished box on the bench. They want an affordable open printer with familiar upgrade paths, a silent 32-bit board baseline, and enough openness to keep tinkering worthwhile.
If you want to compare it with the rest of the buyer-intent gear on the site first, browse the full Product Reviews archive.
That keeps the BIQU B1 relevant for a certain type of owner. It is not the cleanest modern ownership path, but it can still appeal to makers who prefer a machine they can understand, modify, and grow over time instead of replacing parts only inside a closed ecosystem.
What makes this product relevant
The BIQU B1 earns review coverage because it sits at the intersection of beginner affordability and mod-friendly ownership. On paper it combines a mainstream build size, silent-board hardware, spring-steel sheet, filament sensing, and an open-source identity that still means something to people who like changing boards, probes, hotends, or firmware later.
It also fits naturally beside the rest of the site's BIQU and BIGTREETECH coverage. GoodPrints already covers boards, probes, hotends, toolhead parts, and larger BIQU printers. The B1 is the simpler entry point: a lower-cost open-frame printer that can grow into that wider upgrade ecosystem.
Why this is distinct from nearby reviews
GoodPrints3D already covers the BIQU B1 SE Plus, the BIQU Hurakan, and the SKR Mini E3 V3. The BIQU B1 lands in a different buyer question.
The B1 SE Plus is the bigger-bed open printer lane. The Hurakan is the more modern Klipper-ready DIY lane. The SKR Mini E3 review is about upgrading an existing printer. The BIQU B1 is the affordable all-in-one starting point for buyers who still like a classic open-source machine with known upgrade room.
Who this is for
- makers shopping for a lower-cost first printer that does not lock them out of future hardware changes
- buyers who enjoy upgrading boards, probes, hotends, and extruders over time
- printer owners who would rather learn on an open machine than buy a sealed appliance-style platform
- classroom, hobby, or garage users who want a familiar bedslinger format with a broad community style of ownership
Who should skip it
- buyers who want the smoothest out-of-box ownership and should look harder at newer enclosed machines
- people whose main goal is faster modern motion rather than mod potential
- shops that need a more production-ready machine with cleaner containment and less tuning overhead
What looks strong
- the open-source identity keeps the upgrade story believable
- silent-board hardware, filament sensing, and spring-steel removal give it a better baseline than older entry printers
- the BIQU and BIGTREETECH ecosystem around it makes follow-on upgrades easy to understand
- it can appeal to buyers who still want a machine they can learn from, not just consume
Tradeoffs to keep in mind
- this is an older-style open-frame ownership path in a market that has moved toward faster, cleaner enclosed systems
- the value depends partly on whether you actually want upgrade headroom instead of a more finished stock experience
- budget open printers can still ask more from the owner in setup, tuning, and long-term maintenance
Where it earns bench space
The strongest case for the BIQU B1 is a bench where learning and customization still matter. If you want to understand your machine, swap components later, and treat the printer as something you can shape instead of merely use, the B1 has a clearer story than many low-cost printers that exist only to be cheap.
It also pairs well with adjacent GoodPrints reviews like the BIQU MicroProbe V2 review, the SKR Mini E3 V3 review, and the BIQU H2 V2S review if your longer-term path includes turning a basic open machine into something more capable.
Editorial take
This is not the machine for everyone, and that is fine. The BIQU B1 is still worth covering because there are buyers who want a lower-cost open printer with real upgrade room and a more hands-on ownership style. For them, the B1 can still make more sense than paying extra for polish they do not actually value.
Should you buy it?
Buy it if you want an affordable open-source printer that can teach you the hardware side of 3D printing and grow with upgrades over time. Skip it if your real goal is a cleaner, faster, lower-touch machine that behaves more like a finished appliance from day one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the BIQU B1 still worth buying?
It can be, especially for buyers who care about openness, upgrades, and learning the machine. It is less compelling for people who want the easiest modern ownership path.
Who is the BIQU B1 best for?
It is best for makers, hobby users, and tinkerers who want a lower-cost open-frame printer with known upgrade potential and a familiar community-driven ownership style.
Is the BIQU B1 better than the B1 SE Plus or Hurakan?
Not automatically. The B1 is the lower-cost mod-friendly lane. The B1 SE Plus makes more sense when you need more build room, and the Hurakan is the better fit when you want a more modern Klipper-led direction.
Related reading
For nearby buyer lanes, read the BIQU B1 SE Plus review, the BIQU Hurakan review, the SKR Mini E3 V3 review, and the first-layer troubleshooting guide if your real bottleneck starts with setup rather than hardware choice.