Elegoo Centauri 2 review: A reliable CoreXY workhorse for PLA and PETG
The Elegoo Centauri 2 is an open-frame 3D printer with a fast CoreXY motion system. It is available either as a standalone printer or as part of a combo kit. Picture: Elegoo.
The original Centauri Carbon 2 is a brilliant way to get into high-speed, high-quality printing without breaking the bank. It’s a fantastic printer for those wanting to upgrade from more basic bed-slingers. The Centauri 2 has the core of what makes the Centauri Carbon so good, including the speed and precision of a CoreXY motion system, and is ideal for printing PLA, PETG, and TPU.
The Centauri 2 is an open-frame printer. If you were expecting the enclosed, sleek look of the Centauri Carbon 2, you will be disappointed. To keep the price point competitive, Elegoo removed the enclosure, lighting, camera, auxiliary fan, and exhaust system. The core of the machine is still there, including a solid frame, the bed, the hotend, and that highly efficient motion system. By moving to an open frame, Elegoo has made the machine much easier to maintain.
I received the combo kit for this review, which requires some assembly, including the multimaterial Canvas system. It takes only 30-40 minutes, and the manual's instructions are clear and concise.
It has the same colour display as the CC2, with a clean interface and a responsive screen. If you opt for the combo version, the Canvas system integrates reasonably well into the workflow.
My experience with the Centauri 2 has been very similar to the Centauri Carbon 2; it doesn’t require constant tinkering to keep running, which is a massive plus for those considering it for a print farm or a novice who just wants to print.
The Centauri 2 is not a do-everything machine. If you need to print ASA, ABS, or Nylon, I wouldn't recommend this printer. Without an enclosure, managing the thermal environment for those materials is nearly impossible, and drafts will cause your prints to warp or fail. Instead, get the Centauri Carbon 2, which has been my go-to printer when I need to print ABS.
The included Canvas system works well. This single-nozzle, multi-filament setup does not compete with high-end multi-toolhead systems capable of full-colour printing. The Centauri 2 excels at adding colored accents to parts or using leftover filament from half-empty spools. This setup acts more as a management tool rather than a creative multi-colour solution. Multi-colour printing is possible, but the process is significantly slower and consumes more material than a multi-toolhead printer.
Interestingly, the software menus show that the printer is capable of more. You can see options to activate a light kit, an aux fan, an exhaust fan, and a camera. These are essentially upgrade kits that Elegoo has planned for the future. Since these aren't included in the base price, I wouldn't let their absence influence your decision to buy, but it is good to know the hardware is technically ready for them if you decide to add them later. That said, if you want these features, you’d be better off spending a little extra on the Centauri Carbon 2.
In my testing, the Centauri 2 has been an almost flawless, if somewhat loud, workhorse. I spent a lot of time running it with various filaments, and its behaviour has been remarkably consistent.
One thing you must prepare for is the noise. Because it lacks an enclosure and side panels, the fans and motion system are quite loud. Most of that volume comes from the fans, but since the motion system is also exposed, the mechanical sounds carry further. I would certainly not want this running in the same room I’m working.
When it comes to filament, I tested a range of materials, including PLA, PLA Silk, TPU, and PETG, and for the most part, the results were excellent. To print TPU, you should bypass the Canvas system and feed the TPU directly into the tool head. For PETG, the experience was entirely drama-free. I simply loaded the filament, picked the profile in the Elegoo slicer, and let it run.
The print quality is as good as I’ve seen on any other printer I’ve tested. Not surprisingly, I couldn’t see any difference between the Centauri Carbon 2 and the Centauri 2 prints.
Whether I was printing functional parts or aesthetic models, the layer lines were consistent, and the dimensional accuracy was excellent. The hardware handles the physics of the print very well, allowing the filament to settle correctly.
I found the Centauri 2 produced consistent results with PLA and PETG. It handles the common filaments that make up the bulk of most print farms with a level of ease that makes it very easy to scale up your production.
The Elegoo Centauri 2 is a sensible, no-nonsense tool for those who prioritise CoreXY motion and reliable PLA or PETG printing over fancy enclosures. It's not a multi-colour powerhouse, but its predictability makes it a strong contender for a functional print farm or for those getting into 3D printing.
€299 Elegoo Centauri 2
€349 Elegoo Centauri 2 Combo Elegoo
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
