Original Prusa MINI+: power use and running cost
Compact cantilever printer known for reliability and low running cost; still Prusa's cheapest machine. 180 × 180 × 180 mm build volume, open frame.
Power figure: measured. Prusa forum owner wattmeter readings: 40-90 W while printing PLA, ~148 W peak while heating; 160 W Mean Well PSU.
Electricity cost for a print on the Original Prusa MINI+
Full cost of a print on the Original Prusa MINI+
Pre-set with this printer's wattage and price for depreciation. Enter grams and hours from your slicer.
Layer heights that suit the Original Prusa MINI+'s Z axis
Z moves 0.0200 mm per full step (lead screw, 4 mm per motor revolution, 200 steps/rev, 400 steps/mm). Whole multiples of that are "magic" heights: every layer lands on a full step instead of a less accurate microstep.
| 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? | yes | yes | yes | no → 0.16 | yes | yes | yes | no → 0.26 | yes | yes |
Basis: firmware. Prusa-Firmware-Buddy Configuration_MINI.h DEFAULT_AXIS_STEPS_PER_UNIT_Z 400 with Configuration_MINI_adv.h Z_MICROSTEPS 8 (TMC2209) → 4 mm lead, matching the Tr8x4 2-start trapezoid nut Prusa sells for the MINI; 0.02 mm full step. Open in the magic layer height calculator.
Questions about the Original Prusa MINI+
How many watts does the Original Prusa MINI+ use?
About 65 W on average while printing PLA, 8 W when idle and up to 150 W while heating. Prusa forum owner wattmeter readings: 40-90 W while printing PLA, ~148 W peak while heating; 160 W Mean Well PSU.
How much does it cost to run a Original Prusa MINI+ for 24 hours?
1.6 kWh, which is $0.27 at $0.17/kWh (US average) or about £0.41 at UK rates.
Does the Original Prusa MINI+ use a lot of electricity?
No. Running it 8 hours a day for a month costs roughly $2.65 at US rates — comparable to a desktop computer.
What are the best layer heights for the Original Prusa MINI+?
The Original Prusa MINI+'s Z axis moves 0.0200 mm per full motor step (4 mm per revolution, 200 steps). Layer heights that are whole multiples of that — 0.08, 0.1, 0.12, 0.14, 0.16, 0.18, 0.2 mm — avoid microstep rounding. 0.15, 0.25 mm are not exact multiples.