Anycubic Kobra S1 Combo
- Price
- $499
- Score
- 8.2/10
- Wins
- 0/5
Anycubic Kobra S1 Combo vs Bambu Lab A1 Mini
- The Bambu Lab A1 Mini wins, 9.2 vs 8.2 out of 10.
- Kobra S1 Combo prints 2.8× the volume (250×250×260 ÷ 180³ = 2.79) for $300 ($499 − $199) more.
- Kobra S1 Combo is faster, 600 vs 500 mm/s.
- Pick the A1 Mini if your prints fit in 18 cm.
Specs and US prices from the PrintPick catalog, checked 2026-09-29. Scores are PrintPick ratings out of 10.
Bambu Lab A1 Mini
- Price
- $199
- Score
- 9.2/10
- Wins
- 3/5
The verdict
Buy the A1 Mini.
9.2/10 vs Kobra S1 Combo's 8.2/10, and it wins 3 of 5 categories. If your prints fit in 180mm, stop reading and buy this. It's $199 with Bambu reliability baked in. The only real decision is whether to add an AMS Lite now or later.
Specs, side by side
Teal wins the row.
Kobra S1 ComboAnycubic · FDM
vsA1 MiniBambu Lab · FDM
| Kobra S1 Combo | Spec | A1 Mini |
|---|---|---|
| $499 | Price | $199 (wins) |
| 16.3 L (wins) | Build volume | 5.8 L |
| 600 mm/s (wins) | Top speed | 500 mm/s |
| 0.05 mm | Finest layer | 0.05 mm |
| 12.5 kg | Weight | 5.5 kg |
Features
| Kobra S1 Combo | Feature | A1 Mini |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | 8-color ACE Pro 2 multi-color system | No |
| Yes | CoreXY architecture | No |
| Yes | Auto bed leveling | Yes |
| Yes | WiFi + camera monitoring | No |
| Yes | Direct drive extruder | No |
| Yes | PEI spring steel build plate | No |
| No | WiFi | Yes |
| No | Camera | Yes |
| No | Compact footprint | Yes |
| No | All-metal hotend | Yes |
Value math
$499 ÷ 16.3 L and $199 ÷ 5.8 L. Lower is more printer for the money.
| Kobra S1 Combo | Spec | A1 Mini |
|---|---|---|
| $30.71 (wins) | $ per liter | $34.12 |
| $0.83 | $ per mm/s | $0.40 (wins) |
Scores out of 10
| Kobra S1 Combo | Spec | A1 Mini |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | Value | 10 (wins) |
| 8 | Beginner Friendliness | 10 (wins) |
| 8 | Print Quality | 8 |
| 9 | Speed | 9 |
| 8 | Reliability | 9 (wins) |
| 8.2 | Overall | 9.2 (wins) |
Build space, front view, to one scale
- 250 × 250 × 260 mm
- 180 × 180 × 180 mm
What owners say
8 colors out of the box changes the game. My multi-color prints are finally as detailed as I imagined them.
Kobra S1 Combo owner, r/3DprintingThe ACE Pro 2 is a massive improvement. Less waste, more reliable color swaps, and double the colors.
Kobra S1 Combo owner, Teaching Tech (YouTube)Anycubic's answer to Bambu's multi-color dominance. Competitive on every front.
Kobra S1 Combo owner, All3DPFor $199, this thing is a miracle. Print quality rivals machines 3x the price.
A1 Mini owner, r/BambuLabThe Mini is my most-used printer. It just works, every single time.
A1 Mini owner, Thomas Sanladerer (YouTube)
Pros & Cons
Kobra S1 Combo
- +8 colors out of the box, double what the Bambu A1 Combo offers
- +CoreXY speed at a competitive price point
- +ACE Pro 2 wastes less filament on color swaps than its predecessor
- −Anycubic's software is solid but still behind Bambu Studio
- −Community is smaller than Bambu or Creality
A1 Mini
- +Full Bambu ecosystem at $199, not a cut-down version
- +Footprint smaller than a sheet of A4 paper
- +Prints reliably straight from the box, no tinkering required
- −180mm cube is genuinely limiting for anything beyond small parts
- −No enclosure means ABS is a non-starter
Buy these with it
A printer does nothing without these. Grab them in the same order.
- ELEGOO PLA filament, 1kgThe easy filament to start on. Prints at low temperatures and warps less.
- ELEGOO PETG filament, 1kgTougher and more heat tolerant than PLA, for parts that get handled or sit in the sun.
- SUNLU filament dryer S1 PlusWet filament causes stringing and rough surfaces. A dryer fixes that before you blame the printer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Anycubic Kobra S1 Combo better than the Bambu Lab A1 Mini?
By the numbers, the Bambu Lab A1 Mini scores higher (9.2/10). But "better" depends on your use case, the Anycubic Kobra S1 Combo may be the smarter buy if you need multi-color.
Which is better for beginners, Anycubic Kobra S1 Combo or Bambu Lab A1 Mini?
The Bambu Lab A1 Mini is more beginner-friendly (10/10 vs 8/10) with easier setup and a gentler learning curve.
Is the Anycubic Kobra S1 Combo worth $300 more than the Bambu Lab A1 Mini?
The Bambu Lab A1 Mini actually scores higher (9.2/10) despite costing $300 less. The Anycubic Kobra S1 Combo only makes sense if you specifically need multi-color.
What's the main difference between Anycubic Kobra S1 Combo and Bambu Lab A1 Mini?
Build volume (250x250x260mm vs 180x180x180mm) and print speed (600 vs 500 mm/s). The Anycubic Kobra S1 Combo is best for multi-color; the Bambu Lab A1 Mini targets beginners.