Unlike filament- and resin-based 3D printers that build objects layer by layer and cost as little as $200, ultraviolet (UV) inkjet printers have existed for decades in commercial settings—from signage shops to packaging manufacturers—and cost $10,000 and up. Until now: Anker's new EufyMake E1 ($2,499) aims to bring that capability to the desks of advanced hobbyists for the first time. At its core, the E1 is a desktop printer that uses UV-curable inks to deposit full-color graphics and raised textures directly onto rigid surfaces, including wood, metal, acrylic, leather, and many plastics. This Editors' Choice winner bridges the gap between 2D inkjet printing and additive layering in spectacular fashion, offering exceptional value and capabilities. We hope it ushers in a new category of tools that expand the traditional 3D printing ecosystem.

Unboxing and Setup: Simple Steps, Plenty of Accessories

This well-packaged printer arrives with everything you need to get started. In addition to the printer itself, you'll find ink and cleaning cartridges, as well as a small and a large flatbed printing surface, each with an adhesive mat. The company also provides three blank rectangular refrigerator magnets for test prints. An air filter, a power cable, UV eye protection, and an extremely clear and thorough quick-start guide round out the box contents.

The first setup step is easy: installing the air filter. It’s an activated carbon filter, commonly used for absorbing volatile organic compounds (VOCs). It works by actively binding chemical vapors to air molecules that pass through it. This is particularly important for the E1, as UV ink curing can produce smells and VOCs. It takes up the entire top third of the machine, hidden behind a modern-looking, glossy-plastic panel. 

(Credit: Michael Lydick)

Next up, you load the ink cartridges: cyan, magenta, yellow, black, white, and glossy. When it comes time to replace them, prepare to shell out: Each one costs $42.99, while a complete kit, which includes a cleaning cartridge, is $299. (The cleaning cartridge is also available separately for $42.99.) That's expensive compared with conventional printer ink you can buy at Costco, but no conventional inkjet can do what the E1 does.

CMYK printing creates full-color images by layering tiny dots of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black ink in precise patterns that blend together when your eyes view them. Instead of mixing colors in a cartridge, the printer combines the four inks on the surface itself, using light reflection to produce the final color you see. On UV printers like the E1, additional white ink can be applied as a base on dark materials to preserve color accuracy and brightness.

The E1’s ink is distinctive in that a UV light, which travels with the inkjet head, instantly cures the ink as it prints, layer by layer. This is more similar to a fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printer, which uses spools of plastic filaments, than to a standard inkjet. Because of this, the E1 can print layer after layer, adding texture and height (up to 0.2 inch thick) to prints with extremely durable, three-dimensional results. 

(Credit: Michael Lydick)

The dedicated cleaning cartridge prevents clogged printheads, a common issue in UV inkjet systems. Because UV ink can thicken or partially cure if left sitting, the printer periodically circulates cleaning fluid through the nozzles to dissolve residue and keep the microscopic jets clear. For that reason, the E1 is designed to remain powered on so it can perform automatic maintenance routines such as timed micro-purges and nozzle wiping. 

(Credit: Michael Lydick)

Powering the machine off for extended periods interrupts these cycles, increasing the risk of dried ink and potential head damage. If you unplug it (as I did, accidentally) and turn it back on a few days later, the E1's software will prompt you to run a full deep cleaning cycle so the printhead fills with maintenance fluid instead of ink, keeping UV ink from thickening inside the jets.

Software: Working in the Studio

The software is called EufyMake Studio, an app available for Windows and macOS. Upon first startup, you’ll be prompted to install and calibrate the small and large build plates included with the machine. The large build plate covers the entire interior of the printer, which is the size of an A3 sheet of paper (12 by 17 inches). The mini flatbed is approximately 3.5 by 13 inches, and is designed to fit within the printer with the doors closed for tighter alignment or smaller prints. The unit can accommodate a maximum object height of 0.2 inch for either plate. Each plate comes with a white layer and calibration marks that the E1’s camera uses to accurately calibrate the servo motors' control movements to a known printed position. 

(Credit: Michael Lydick)

Once that's done, you proceed to the EufyMake Studio's main gallery, which is similar to Bambu Lab's MakerWorld. It has thousands of example projects with virtually every category you could think of for inspiration. 

(Credit: EufyMake)

I decided to get started right away with a test print. Studio guided me through the setup process. I put one of the rectangular fridge magnets on the small bed’s tacky surface, which holds it in place during printing. The E1 then takes a snapshot of the bed surface, comes back with an image of the blank tile, and instructs you to drag the photo of what you want to print on top of it. As you move the photo or rescale it, it becomes translucent. The camera works best in the middle of the flatbed, so if you’re doing a one-off print, stick to the center. 

Here's the result...

(Credit: Michael Lydick)

The surface was dry and durable like enamel. It was glossy, and the colors were vibrant and commercial-grade. I could easily see spending $5 for this magnet in a gift shop. 

I then set out to try other prints. I downloaded a full-color DJI logo and imported it into the software, intending to print it on one of my drone's batteries. I placed the battery on the small bed, lined up the image, and hit Print with the High Quality mode engaged. Fifteen minutes later, I had a personalized battery.

(Credit: Michael Lydick)

Hooked, I started reaching for more objects to print on, like my external power bank. I found a NASA logo, and this time told Studio I wanted the image raised and textured. Its built-in AI figured out that the letters should be raised above the field of blue, in addition to the white border. Not quite sure I knew what I was doing or if the settings were right, I chose High Quality again, with a 0.1mm white layer underneath the printing, and hit Print again.

I was absolutely dumbfounded by the quality of what came out. I ran my fingers over the raised texture and marveled at the detail and color accuracy. 

(Credit: Michael Lydick)

Next, I tested out the AI module inside the Studio app (more about that below), asking it to create a “Daytona Beach coaster with the words coming through the splashing waves with emphasis on blue and orange as the design elements.” Here's the excellent result...

(Credit: Michael Lydick)

At this point, my imagination was brimming with possibilities, and I wanted to load more things into the E1.

Workflow: An Intuitive and Customizable Printing Process

Overall, the workflow is extremely intuitive and eminently customizable. For my next print, I put a 3D-printed container for small tools into the E1. I then selected Snapshot in the app to tell the printer that there was something on the bed that I wanted to print on. Its internal lasers and camera measured the box and located it on the preview photo returned to me. The Snapshot function takes about 90 seconds. 

(Credit: EufyMake/PCMag)

Then, I used the Text feature and chose a style from the automated Template folder that I thought looked cool. I edited the text easily enough and was able to drag it around and resize it on top of the orange box. On the right-hand side, I told the printer I wanted the letters raised up, in CMYK mode, with a 0.2mm base layer of white underneath to keep the orange from bleeding through.

(Credit: EufyMake/PCMag)

I chose a 1mm letter height and was shown a preview of how it would look. I chose High Quality and hit Print, then pressed the physical Start button on the top of the printer, which activated a pleasant gong sound. 

About 15 minutes later, I had this in my hands...

(Credit: Michael Lydick)

If you’ve printed a text label on something using a 3D printer like the Bambu Lab H2C, you know that reaching for the 0.2mm nozzle for this level of fine detail work can be a cumbersome workflow interruption. Using the E1, by contrast, is a liberating, fun experience.

AI Features: Just Tell It What You Want to Make

The EufyMake Studio software has a token-based AI object generator that helps you create ideas on the fly. A free option exists, but I opted for the $15-per-month level and was able to create some impressive images, including a snazzy 3D business card. After using the AI generator for my design, I selected the Raised Texture print setting, and the printer's onboard AI identified which parts of the card design to raise and which to recess in the preview it generated.

Moments later, I had a personalized card...

(Credit: Michael Lydick)

It’s a little blurry where the text is because I didn’t use the included two-sided tape to secure the card, so it shifted during printing. This was a quick, inexpensive lesson, and I remembered to secure the rest of my print objects.

I also used the AI module to create a panel of a Vincent van Gogh painting for a light box to sit beside my bed, and was again amazed at how easily the E1 generated, scanned, texturized, and printed it.

(Credit: Michael Lydick)

Print Quality: Simply Exceptional Output and Textures

Next, using the large build plate and some wood-slat picture frames, I created custom Daytona Beach-inspired artwork for my rental condo, making it feel “vacation-y” with a nod to the local history of the town and racetrack nearby.

(Credit: Michael Lydick)

I chose a combination of flat, glossy, and raised-texture prints for a diverse collection of hanging photographs throughout the home.

(Credit: Michael Lydick)

Photos like this would have cost at least $100 at the local home goods store.

(Credit: Michael Lydick)

Finally, I used the digital transfer film to make raised texture stickers for some insulated mugs. I uploaded photos of my Toyota Land Cruiser and my wife's Dodge Challenger and asked EufyMake Studio's AI to do its thing. I opted for High Quality and Raised Texture, choosing Sticker as the print material:

(Credit: Michael Lydick)

You need to laminate the stickers using the optional UV DTF Laminating Machine ($399) so you can peel the adhesive backing off the stickers after cutting them out. Be careful when you place the sticker: The adhesive is no joke, and once it’s on there, it’s not coming off. (I’ve tried several times.)

(Credit: Michael Lydick)

It occurred to me after I made these stickers for the mugs that I could have instead used the optional rotary attachment (also $399) and printed directly onto them. Eufy also sells an assortment of six white tumblers and mugs to print on ($149). I loaded the rotary tool into the E1, and the EufyMake Studio immediately recognized it. I then took a plain white tumbler and loaded it into the holder of the rotary tool. I told the AI generator the size of the final print, that I wanted a rectangle filled with daisies, and dragged the output over to the print preview. I selected High Quality and Flat White CMYK as my choices, and here's the finished product:

(Credit: Michael Lydick)

The rotary tool has a cool function that raises or lowers the right side to level the tumbler with the print head above. The Studio app will ask you what the general shape of the tumbler is (flat, angled, small bottom, wide top, and so on) when setting up the screenshot scan, which tells you precisely the dimensions of the "unwrapped" print area to make designing easier. There are also extra guide bearings you can screw into the wide tumblers to hold it firmly as it’s printing and turning.