The Anycubic S1 has been specifically designed to compete with the Bambu Lab P1S, a midrange powerhouse and one of the best 3D printers of the last few years. It does exceptionally well for its price. I have been using it with the optional ACE color system, and so far, I've had very little in the way of complaints. The only real issue is the software, as it lacks some of the core features that other slicers have. Thankfully, most 3D printers work with most slicers at this point so that you can choose a third-party option.

The print area is a good size at 250 by 250 by 250 mm, and the enclosure allows you to print different filaments like ABS and PETG without issue. The door and removable top also help ventilate the S1 when you're printing PLA, so you get the best of both worlds.

The A1 Mini Combo is an almost perfect entry to the world of color 3D printing. It's well priced, and while the build area is small, the print quality and the fact that you can print in four colors straight out of the box is amazing. If you're looking for your first printer and want to try color printing, this is a no-brainer. I've been using the Mini pretty much constantly since it arrived at my door, and if I want a print that doesn't fail and looks amazing, this is the machine I use.

The only real downside to the A1 Mini is the print bed size. At 180mm x 180mm, it's the smallest on this list -- and yet, with the AMS color system attached, it takes up the most space of any 3D printer here. Remember that if you only have a small space to build your 3D printing workshop.

The Adventurer 5M and the 5M Pro are two excellent 3D printers from Flashforge. They aren't fancy, and you can see they take heavy influence from the P series from Bambu Lab -- but what they do, they do well, and they do it at an enticing price. A solid CoreXY printer that can print solidly at 300mm/s is not to be sniffed at, and one that's under $300 is well worth your time. I especially like the Flashprint software that allows you to network several printers at the same time effortlessly. Great for schools and small print farms.

This small resin printer is a popular option from Elegoo's Mars line. Because of the 9K monochrome LCD (these printers use light from an LCD to cure liquid resin), it can print much faster than older printers. Standard 3D printing simply can't reproduce the level of detail on models. The Elegoo Mars 5 is the latest and greatest, but at this price, the Mars 4 is the better budget machine.

If you're looking to make small batches of D&D minis or custom jewelry pieces for cosplay, then the Mars series is the right machine.

The Elegoo Saturn 4 is my favorite resin printer right now. It prints incredibly detailed models at a speed that is often astonishing. The bed size is much larger than the printers in the smaller category, while its footprint is much easier to deal with than other, larger printers. You can print finely detailed cosplay pieces or multiple tabletop miniatures with equal ease with the Saturn 4, making it perfect for a small business.

Most home 3D printers use PLA or ABS plastic. Professional printers can use all sorts of materials, from metal to organic filament. Some printers use a liquid resin, which is much more difficult to handle but offers sharper details. As a beginner, I recommend using PLA. It's nontoxic, made mostly of cornstarch and sugarcane, handles easily and is inexpensive. It's also more sensitive to heat, so don't leave your 3D prints on the dashboard of a car on a hot day.

Most 3D printers include or link to recommended software, which can handle converting 3D STL or other files into formats supported by the printer. Stick with the suggested presets to start -- with one exception. I've started adding a raft, or bottom layer of filament, to nearly everything I print. It has cut down dramatically on prints that don't adhere to the bed properly, which is a common issue. If you continue to have problems, rub a standard glue stick on the print bed right before printing.

Your 3D models probably need some help to print properly, as these printers don't do well with big overhangs -- for example, an arm sticking out from a figure. Your 3D printer software can usually automatically calculate and add supports, meaning little stands that hold up all those protruding parts of the model. After the print finishes, clip the supports off with micro cutters and file down any nubs or rough edges with hobby files. 

3D modeling takes time to master. While the barrier to entry has gone down significantly, your biggest challenge with 3D printing will be to learn how to design the object that you want to print.

The time to 3D print an object can vary vastly from 30 minutes to multiple days. This largely depends on the size and complexity of the design as well as the material being used for printing. A higher quality print with a smoother finish will take longer to print.