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Bambu Lab A2L Printer Review!
Technology
Adam Savage’s Tested

Bambu Lab A2L Printer Review!

⏱ 21 min video · 3 min read1 Jun 2026Worth watching
TL;DR
Norm from Tested reviews the Bambu Lab A2L, a large-format bed-slinger 3D printer with a 330x320x325mm build volume priced at $470. The review covers print quality, the optional $70 cutting/plotting module, and raises concerns about Bambu Lab's ecosystem lock-in policies.
Key points
1
The A2L features a 330x320x325mm build volume (over 1 foot in each dimension) and uses a servo-based extruder with filament feedback, the same generation found in the H2S and X2D.
2
Being an open-air bed-slinger, it is limited to PLA, PETG, and dry TPU — not ABS or engineering filaments — and the heated bed only reaches 80C, down from 100C on the A1.
3
The optional $70 cutting module (same as the H2S accessory) enables vinyl cutting up to 0.5mm thick and pen plotting, making it suitable for schools, homes, and maker spaces.
4
At $470 ($570 with AMS Light), it sits close to the P2S at $550, creating a trade-off: larger open-air volume with cutter support vs. enclosed printing with engineering filaments.
5
Bambu Lab's move to lock firmware updates behind Bambu Connect and restrict third-party AGPL-licensed code from cloud services is flagged as a concern, though not yet a dealbreaker.
Verdict
Skip the AMS Light combo ($570) and instead spend the extra $100 on the $70 cutting/plotting module — multi-color printing on a single extruder generates excessive waste filament purges, making the cutter a better value add.
If you already own an A1, the A2L is a meaningful upgrade primarily if build volume is your bottleneck — going from 256x256mm to 330x320mm lets you print wearable helmet pieces in 4 parts instead of many more.
Choose A2L over P2S ($550) if build volume and the cutter/plotter module matter more to you than enclosed printing and engineering filament support; choose P2S if you print ABS or need a sealed chamber.
When using the pen plotter feature, use cardstock rather than standard paper — the strong grip mat can tear regular paper or cause it to curl when removed.
Notable quotes

At 400 bucks, this would have been such a great price point for this product, a no-brainer, an astounding price.

If they ever get to a point where features that we normally expect from buying hardware today get taken away because they're then put behind a paywall, then we're going to have to change our evaluation of that.

There is no visible sign of layer shifting, of wobbling. It is really, really clean.

Worth watching?
Worth watching the full video?
Watch if you are deciding between Bambu Lab printers or want to see the cutting and plotting module in action — the footage of the Vader helmet and Eiffel Tower prints gives strong real-world scale context you cannot get from specs alone.
Topics
TechnologyBambu Lab

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