Disclaimer: Anycubic sent me this printer for review, but they haven't seen this review before publication and didn't provide any talking points or compensation. I purchased the wash and cure station personally to provide more insight in my review. All opinions here are entirely my own, based on my 30 days of hands-on use.
After spending a month with the Anycubic Photon Mono 4, I've been genuinely surprised by how robust and user-friendly this machine is. Having had extensive experience of FDM printing but never having tried a resin printer before, I was honestly intimidated by the learning curve, but this printer has proven to be an excellent and affordable way for me to dive into the world of high-detail models.
Setup and Leveling: I Was Printing in 15 Minutes
Getting my Photon Mono 4 up and running was remarkably straightforward—much easier than I expected. Out of the box, I got almost everything I needed to start, including tools, a scraper, and a USB stick. I just had to supply my own resin (unless you buy a bundle), safety goggles, and proper ventilation. Assembly only involved attaching a few components, and I had the whole thing together in about 10-15 minutes. The instruction manual they included had clear, well-illustrated steps that made it foolproof for me.
Leveling the build plate was even easier than I anticipated. Instead of the manual process I was dreading, the printer handles leveling automatically with just one button press—no complex instructions or multiple points to adjust. Once leveled, I found it held its position perfectly throughout my entire testing period without needing any re-calibration.
My Printing Experience
After assembly, I poured resin into the vat and started printing almost immediately. The included USB stick came pre-loaded with a few test files that printed quickly and really showcased what this printer could do. I was impressed they even included a file for a printable funnel—such a thoughtful touch. For my testing, I used Anycubic's translucent blue resin, which gave me beautiful results. I even sliced my own Benchy, and it printed perfectly.
What impressed me most about this printer was its reliability—throughout my entire 30 days of testing, I didn't have a single print failure. The process became as simple as it gets for me: load a file, press print, and come back in a few hours to a finished model. I found removing prints was made easier by the quick-removable build plate. However, the plate itself isn't flexible, which made detaching my models a bit challenging. The provided metal scraper worked for me, but I had to be cautious to avoid scratching the build plate. Fortunately, since I printed most models on supports, any minor scratches I made on the plate surface had no impact on my final print quality.
An Invaluable Accessory: My Experience with the Wash & Cure Station 3
I can't overstate how much the optional Wash & Cure Station 3 improved my post-processing workflow. This all-in-one unit requires a cleaning agent—I used Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA) for standard resins, though you can use just water with water-washable resins—but it proved reliable, easy to use, and streamlined the messiest part of my process. After removing a model from the build plate, I could place it directly into the washing basket, submerge it, and let the station do the work. Once cleaned, I simply removed the washing container, placed the included turntable onto the base, and cured my model under the UV lights. It became an essential companion that I'd highly recommend bundling with the printer.
My Experience with Photon Workshop
I found the Photon Workshop slicer easy to navigate, and it generated supports for my models quickly. As a beginner, it had everything I needed to get started. However, when I compared it to other third-party slicers I tried, I noticed it was missing some advanced features like more sophisticated hollowing tools and smarter automatic support placement. I also found that the supports it generated were occasionally difficult for me to remove cleanly without damaging my models.
FDM vs. Resin: What I Learned
As an FDM printer user, I had to understand some key differences. I discovered that resin printing involves significantly more post-processing (washing and curing) and requires strict safety precautions. However, I found the trade-off was a massive leap in print quality and detail. I could capture intricate features and produce smooth surfaces that were difficult for me to achieve with FDM. It also unlocked my ability to create truly translucent or transparent parts. The one major limitation I found was that multi-colour printing, like what I've seen on the Bambu Lab X1C, isn't possible.
Essential Safety Precautions I Learned
Working with liquid resin demanded my respect. I needed to ensure that I always used the printer in a well-ventilated room to manage the fumes. I made wearing nitrile gloves and safety goggles non-negotiable to protect my skin and eyes from contact. I also found a respirator highly recommended to avoid inhaling airborne particles and fumes.
Summary:
For its price—I typically see it around £160 ($214) on sale—the Anycubic Photon Mono 4 is an outstanding value proposition in my opinion. Its small build volume (153.4 x 87 x 165mm) limited me for larger projects, but I found it more than adequate for miniatures, jewellry, and detailed figurines.
What I Appreciated:
- Ease of Use: An incredibly simple and forgiving printer that was perfect for me as a beginner.
- High Reliability: The printer worked flawlessly for me without a single failure during my testing.
- Great Print Quality: The 7-inch 10K mono screen produced sharp, highly detailed models for me.
- Quick Setup: I went from unboxing to printing in under half an hour.
What Could Be Improved:
- Non-Flexible Build Plate: Made print removal more difficult for me than it needed to be.
- Slicer Limitations: I found Photon Workshop functional but lacking the advanced features of other slicers I tried.
- Small Build Volume: Limited the size of objects I could print, though this is an expected trade-off at this price point.
TLDR:
The Anycubic Photon Mono 4 has proven to be an exceptionally reliable and easy-to-use machine that lowered the barrier to entry for me into high-quality resin printing. While it has its limitations, particularly the small build volume and basic slicer, its affordability and consistent performance make it a fantastic choice for anyone like me looking to take their first step into the world of resin 3D printing. I would strongly recommend it to any beginner or someone with more experience who wants a compact and affordable printer.
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