Aoseed X-Maker review: "The ultimate child-friendly 3D printer"

Aoseed X-Maker on a carpet, with the machine lit up
(Image: © Benjamin Abbott)

12DOVE Verdict

If you're looking for an easy, reliable 3D printer to use with kids (be it at school or home), the Aoseed X-Maker excels. It's not necessarily the fastest, but the patient builder will find something of a far higher quality than they might expect.

Pros

  • +

    Easy, stress-free printing

  • +

    Straightforward to use

  • +

    Surprisingly good quality

Cons

  • -

    Slow

  • -

    Small build plate

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I don't say it lightly, but the Aoseed X-Maker (which is designed for children) might just be one of the best 3D printers I've ever used. 

Yes, I know – that's very dramatic. And no, this doesn't mean it produces the most detailed models. It's not the quickest machine on the block either. But it is easy. Far easier than the competition, anyway. There's a real lack of faff with the Aoseed X-Maker, so if you're searching for a machine to use with your kids, in school, or in a club, this is beyond perfect. 

Features & design

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PriceRow 0 - Cell 1
Printer typeFilament
MaterialPLA / ABS
Nozzle0.4mm
Build platformFlexible magnetic
Build volume150*150*150mm
LevelingSelf-leveling
Interface3.5in touch screen
Printer size360*360*380mm
Weight10.9Kg

While the Aoseed X-Maker is relatively modest so far as features go, it's got all the basics. There's a touchscreen, a heating platform, a flexible build plate for easy print removal, and its own slicer. 

However, it does manage to impress with a couple of extra bells and whistles. For starters, it's powered by Wi-fi and boasts power-loss recovery. Crucially, it's levelling free too.

Aoseed X-Maker with door open, on a carpet

(Image credit: Benjamin Abbott)

As for the actual design, the X-Maker ticks all the boxes you'd want for a child-friendly printer. Namely, it has an enclosed shell to make sure that little fingers don't get trapped in the machine's workings while it's creating something cool. 

Speaking of that enclosure, the X-Maker's aesthetics won me over too. Besides a classy white shell, it has light-up panels at the top and bottom that elevate the design.

Performance

A rhino toy made by Aoseed X-Maker

(Image credit: Benjamin Abbott)

So, first things first; the X-Maker is slow. While it doesn't need to be fast, it can be quite… well, 'pondering' nonetheless. This isn't an Anycubic Photon Mono M5s or a Creality Ender-5 S1, suffice to say. But realistically, if you're buying for kids, you don't need it to be a whippet. 

Plus, the level of detail it pumps out with each print is pretty astonishing. Even basic toys, figurines, or dungeon tiles for the best tabletop RPGs come out looking far better with the standard settings than they do on most other machines I've tested.

The software is really easy to use – just load the 'thing' you want, save, and hit go

That's a miracle considering how the Aoseed X-Maker largely deals with all of the settings itself; these are kept behind closed doors. Indeed, the software is really easy to use – just load the 'thing' you want, save, and hit go. That's it. It'll handle the rest.

The supports are easy to remove too. While some machines provide supports that are so strong they're basically impossible to take off, this feels much more like a resin machine. Just peel, and you're done.

Should you buy the Aoseed X-Maker?

The Aoseed X-Maker works to print something

(Image credit: Benjamin Abbott)

Honestly, I wish more printers had the kind of excellent performance that this one does. Yes, it's not going to win awards for speed. But in terms of making excellent prints for kids and showing them the ropes, it's without equal.

Looking for the ultimate child-friendly 3D printer? This is it.

Buy it if...

✅ You want a printer for kids
This machine is perfect for schools or younger children. It's easy to understand, takes out a lot of the confusing setting jargon, and is very reliable.

✅ You want something easy
If you don't want to take a degree in 3D printing and just need something that does what you want easily, this is ideal.

Don't buy it if...

❌ You want something fast
If you're expecting something quick off the mark, you'll be disappointed with this one.

❌ You want a large build area
This is a little smaller in terms of build area, so large projects will have to be done in bits.

How we tested the Aoseed X-Maker

I put this 3D printer through its paces for a couple of weeks, tasking it with creating toys from the supplied files as well as my own projects. This included dungeon tiles for D&D, and an owlbear that I made for a colleague.

For more on our process, be sure to check out the 12DOVE Hardware Policy.

Disclaimer

This review sample was provided by the manufacturer.

Looking for more to keep your little ones entertained? Be sure to have a look at the top board games for kids.

Benjamin Abbott
Tabletop & Merch Editor

As the site's Tabletop & Merch Editor, you'll find my grubby paws on everything from board game reviews to the latest Lego news. I've been writing about games in one form or another since 2012, and can normally be found cackling over some evil plan I've cooked up for my group's next Dungeons & Dragons campaign.