Reliable printer out of the box ?

[Doddy]

Look at your build volume requirements. That pretty much constrains your choice of printer or what you can usefully do with it.

The technology is evolving quickly and models (and filaments) improve on each other year on year. I moved from a home-built RepRap (similar to the prusa) through the Qidi models (Chinese knockoffs of the Flashforges) - just recently replacing a Qidi Tech 1 (dual extruder) with a X-Max (outside your price range) - these have been solid printers that out-performed each other.

My motivation for the latest printer...

1) Build volume
2) LAN support (the tech-1 introduced problems with unsigned USB drivers on Mac which meant I had to print via SD-Card which I couldn't be arsed with)
3) Flexible magnetic build bed - fantastic invention that I'd now never be without. If you've ever swung a hammer to remove an item from the build bed then you'd appreciate being able to remove the bed, lightly bend it and watch the article pop off with ease.
4) Single extruder (rarely/never used dual - and dual introduces build issues with unwanted additional collisions with the item under construction),
5) Physical build - you'll know the benefit of rigidity with a router - the same applies to the 3d printers. More is better.
6) Enclosure - more of an issue with cats and wife - but it's whisper quiet (she's complain at 5am if it's still printing, but.... compared to the earlier models it's do-able), and some passable attempt at filtering odour.

Re. use?, I agree - I hate 3d printed items - generally wrong material and wrong construction for whatever you're building but they can provide a quick, cheap (ignoring printer cost) and nearly-neat solution in many, many situations.

[dudz]

Doddy. Great input.

I see that most if not all have not got a very big build area. What if I wanted to build something at say 400mm long ,150 wide and 150 tall ? I suppose the material would cool too much before the next layer was put down ?