Creality K1: power use and running cost
Creality's first 600 mm/s enclosed CoreXY; now a budget option after heavy price cuts. 220 × 220 × 250 mm build volume, enclosed.
Power figure: measured. 3D Print Beginner review plug-meter readings (via Filamino's compiled table): ~20 W idle, ~100 W printing PLA, ~370 W during heat-up.
Electricity cost for a print on the Creality K1
Full cost of a print on the Creality K1
Pre-set with this printer's wattage and price for depreciation. Enter grams and hours from your slicer.
Layer heights that suit the Creality K1's Z axis
Z moves 0.0125 mm per full step (lead screws driven by belt, 2.5 mm per motor revolution, 200 steps/rev, 1280 steps/mm). Whole multiples of that are "magic" heights: every layer lands on a full step instead of a less accurate microstep. With steps this fine the difference is academic: any height within 0.01 mm of a multiple is fine.
| Layer height | 0.08 | 0.10 | 0.12 | 0.15 | 0.16 | 0.20 | 0.24 | 0.25 | 0.28 | 0.30 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| On a full step? | no → 0.075 | yes | no → 0.125 | yes | no → 0.1625 | yes | no → 0.2375 | yes | no → 0.275 | yes |
Basis: firmware. CrealityOfficial/K1_Series_Klipper config/K1_CR4CU220812S12/printer.cfg: single [stepper_z] with rotation_distance 8, gear_ratio 64:20, microsteps 16 → one motor belts three Tr8x8 screws through a 20T:64T reduction, 2.5 mm per motor rev, 0.0125 mm full step (1280 steps/mm). Open in the magic layer height calculator.
Questions about the Creality K1
How many watts does the Creality K1 use?
About 100 W on average while printing PLA, 20 W when idle and up to 370 W while heating. 3D Print Beginner review plug-meter readings (via Filamino's compiled table): ~20 W idle, ~100 W printing PLA, ~370 W during heat-up.
How much does it cost to run a Creality K1 for 24 hours?
2.4 kWh, which is $0.41 at $0.17/kWh (US average) or about £0.62 at UK rates.
Does the Creality K1 use a lot of electricity?
No. Running it 8 hours a day for a month costs roughly $4.08 at US rates — comparable to a desktop computer.
What are the best layer heights for the Creality K1?
The Creality K1's Z axis moves 0.0125 mm per full motor step (2.5 mm per revolution, 200 steps). Layer heights that are whole multiples of that — 0.0875, 0.1, 0.1125, 0.125, 0.1375, 0.15, 0.1625 mm — avoid microstep rounding. 0.08, 0.12, 0.16 mm are not exact multiples.