Original Prusa MK4S: power use and running cost
The refined open-source bed-slinger with Nextruder and 360-degree cooling; kit $729, assembled $999. 250 × 210 × 220 mm build volume, open frame.
Power figure: measured. Prusa forum owner measurement (~13 W idle, ~95-100 W printing PLA) consistent with Prusa's official 80 W PLA figure; 240 W PSU.
Electricity cost for a print on the Original Prusa MK4S
Full cost of a print on the Original Prusa MK4S
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 MK4S's Z axis
Z moves 0.0400 mm per full step (lead screw, 8 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 | no → 0.12 | yes | no → 0.16 | yes | yes | yes | no → 0.24 | yes | no → 0.32 |
Basis: firmware. Prusa-Firmware-Buddy Configuration_MK4.h DEFAULT_AXIS_STEPS_PER_UNIT_Z 400 with Z_MICROSTEPS 16 (TMC2130) → two Tr8x8 lead screws, 0.04 mm full step. Open in the magic layer height calculator.
Questions about the Original Prusa MK4S
How many watts does the Original Prusa MK4S use?
About 95 W on average while printing PLA, 13 W when idle and up to 240 W while heating. Prusa forum owner measurement (~13 W idle, ~95-100 W printing PLA) consistent with Prusa's official 80 W PLA figure; 240 W PSU.
How much does it cost to run a Original Prusa MK4S for 24 hours?
2.3 kWh, which is $0.39 at $0.17/kWh (US average) or about £0.59 at UK rates.
Does the Original Prusa MK4S use a lot of electricity?
No. Running it 8 hours a day for a month costs roughly $3.88 at US rates — comparable to a desktop computer.
What are the best layer heights for the Original Prusa MK4S?
The Original Prusa MK4S's Z axis moves 0.0400 mm per full motor step (8 mm per revolution, 200 steps). Layer heights that are whole multiples of that — 0.08, 0.12, 0.16, 0.2, 0.24, 0.28, 0.32 mm — avoid microstep rounding. 0.1, 0.15, 0.25 mm are not exact multiples.