Snapmaker U1: power use and running cost
Four-toolhead tool-changer CoreXY that does multi-colour without purge waste; a record-setting Kickstarter. 270 × 270 × 270 mm build volume, open frame.
Power figure: measured. Snapmaker U1 FAQ power table: 7.8 W Wi-Fi standby, 117.8 W single-colour PLA, 127.4 W four-colour PLA; max input 400 W at 110 V (1150 W at 220 V).
Electricity cost for a print on the Snapmaker U1
Full cost of a print on the Snapmaker U1
Pre-set with this printer's wattage and price for depreciation. Enter grams and hours from your slicer.
Layer heights that suit the Snapmaker U1's Z axis
Z moves 0.0133 mm per full step (lead screws driven by belt, 2.6666667 mm per motor revolution, 200 steps/rev, 1200 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? | yes | no → 0.0933 | yes | no → 0.1467 | yes | yes | yes | no → 0.2533 | yes | no → 0.2933 |
Basis: firmware. Snapmaker/u1-klipper lava/printer.cfg: [stepper_z] rotation_distance 8, gear_ratio 3:1, microsteps 16 → Tr8x8 lead screws belted 3:1 from one motor, 8/3 mm per motor rev, 0.01333 mm full step (1200 steps/mm). Open in the magic layer height calculator.
Questions about the Snapmaker U1
How many watts does the Snapmaker U1 use?
About 118 W on average while printing PLA, 8 W when idle and up to 400 W while heating. Snapmaker U1 FAQ power table: 7.8 W Wi-Fi standby, 117.8 W single-colour PLA, 127.4 W four-colour PLA; max input 400 W at 110 V (1150 W at 220 V).
How much does it cost to run a Snapmaker U1 for 24 hours?
2.8 kWh, which is $0.48 at $0.17/kWh (US average) or about £0.74 at UK rates.
Does the Snapmaker U1 use a lot of electricity?
No. Running it 8 hours a day for a month costs roughly $4.81 at US rates — comparable to a desktop computer.
What are the best layer heights for the Snapmaker U1?
The Snapmaker U1's Z axis moves 0.0133 mm per full motor step (2.6666667 mm per revolution, 200 steps). Layer heights that are whole multiples of that — 0.08, 0.0933, 0.1067, 0.12, 0.1333, 0.1467, 0.16 mm — avoid microstep rounding. 0.1, 0.15, 0.25 mm are not exact multiples.