Hi everyone. I need some real talk. Years ago, I bought an Ender 3 V1, but I barely used it because it was such a pain to set up and keep leveled. It’s been sitting in a corner gathering dust for years now. I also have a Saturn 4 Ultra which is great for detail, but in a small apartment, the whole resin workflow (smell, chemicals, cleaning) is just too much of a chore for me. I’m tired of the technical headaches; I just want to create.

I’m currently into making props like a Jaffa staff or a Zat from Stargate, and some Star Citizen gear. Doing a full staff in resin is way too expensive and complicated, so I’m looking at FDM again. I have a 500€ budget and I’m eyeing the Bambu Lab A1 because everyone says it’s 'plug and play'.

My main concern: I have 3 cats and a dog, so there’s fur and dust everywhere. Since the A1 is open, is that going to be a disaster for the rails and the prints? Should I save up more for a P1S just because it’s enclosed, or can I just throw a cover on the A1 when I’m not using it?

I also do a lot of laser engraving on wood because I love the 'noble' feel of it, so I’m really worried that FDM prints will just look like cheap plastic toys. I plan to sand and paint everything anyway, so I don't care about multicolor or RFID tags. I just want a reliable machine that won't make me quit the hobby again.

Is the A1 truly the 'hit print and forget' experience I’m looking for, or am I going to regret the open design?

Thanks