EufyMake E1 Revolutionizes Printer Technology

Years ago, long before my time here, Gizmodo established a firm stance against reviewing printers. The rationale behind this decision is clear: few printers stand out with features that truly surpass their competition. Additionally, proprietary printer ink and restrictive software locks transform the printing experience into a costly and frustrating ordeal. Therefore, my enthusiasm for the Anker EufyMake E1 UV printer, which impressively prints on nearly any surface, deserves your attention.

The Anker EufyMake E1 is not your typical printer. It employs a unique type of ink that solidifies almost instantly under ultraviolet light. This innovative technology means it is not suited for standard printing on typical 8.5 x 11-inch paper; rather, it excels at printing on a multitude of surfaces. You can stencil on materials such as canvas, wood, plastic, metal, ceramics, and much more. It is even capable of printing on cylindrical objects like water bottles. Ironically, attempts to print on paper yielded some of the EufyMake E1’s least impressive results.

Nevertheless, it appears that a universal truth exists—perhaps one of Moses’ lesser-known commandments—that states every printer will come with its share of frustrations. The EufyMake lacks on-device menus or buttons, which can be inconvenient. Its Mac and PC-based Studio software, while clean and functional, may exhibit issues with automatic object detection, leading to potential misprints.

The UV printer is not designed for speed. You won’t be producing dozens of customized water bottles like an industrial-scale Etsy maker. To maximize your use of this machine, it is essential to familiarize yourself with its quirks, which are plentiful. What I can definitively state is that the images I printed for friends and colleagues turned out bright, vibrant, and stunning—or at least, most of them did.

The price point is likely to be your most significant obstacle. The EufyMake E1 began as a Kickstarter project that ran until 2025. Anker has confirmed that they have shipped the initial units to all backers. Currently, the basic UV printer bundle is available for preorder at $2,300, with an anticipated launch date of May 6. The EufyMake E1 is tailored for small businesses aiming to establish a DIY studio. Alternatively, if you wish to become the ultimate gift-giving champion, prepare to dig deep into your pockets.

Understand the High Costs Associated with Printing and Supplies

The $2,300 basic bundle includes essential ink cartridges, a mini flatbed, and a larger standard flatbed for printing. If you desire additional accessories, such as the rotary attachment for mugs or a UV DTF laminating machine, be prepared to pay an extra $400 each. For this review, Anker graciously supplied Gizmodo with a comprehensive selection of accessories and multiple objects for printing, including the $2,900 “Deluxe” bundle that features all extra attachments.

Moreover, Anker’s EufyMake brand will attempt to upsell you on bundles of blank ceramic coasters, mugs, metal sheets, canvases, and various other materials suitable for printing. However, it is not necessary to source everything from Anker. I visited my local art supply store and purchased a few dozen flat canvas panels for under $10, and they worked just as well as Anker’s $300 “Basic Bundle Materials Kit.”

Additionally, consider the cost of extra ink. The complete CMYKWG kit retails for $300. A single cartridge of white UV ink costs an additional $43. If you require multiple capsules of white and gray ink, which are essential for achieving a 3D effect in your prints, your expenses can quickly escalate into the hundreds of dollars.

When you receive the large package, be ready to invest a significant amount of time in unboxing and setup. Each ink cartridge comes in its own packaging with foam inserts and a vacuum seal, which contributes to a mountain of waste. After setting up the EufyMake E1, I felt like I was channeling Philip J. Fry from Futurama, painstakingly assembling the two halves of an Oreo cookie just to enjoy the creamy center.

Moreover, the UV printer emits a strong, unpleasant odor during printing. The exhaust from the EufyMake E1 became so overwhelming in our office that we had to open a window. During extended multi-hour printing sessions, the air may become filled with a scent reminiscent of burning plastic mixed with cooked fish—a decidedly unpleasant experience.

Finally, ensure you have ample space on your desk or table for this substantial printer, which measures nearly 23 inches in width and weighs around 44 pounds. It is crucial to place it on a stable surface for printing. The mechanisms responsible for driving the inkjet and moving the flatbed may shake the foundation of your favorite end table if not properly positioned.

Anticipate Time Requirements for All Aspects of the EufyMake E1

Setting up the EufyMake E1 begins with plugging it in and requires connection to the same Wi-Fi network as your mobile app. However, once that is completed, I recommend switching to the desktop version for all future printing tasks. The app lacks the extensive controls available in the Mac and PC versions of EufyMake Studio. The alignment features, which enable precise positioning of images with their printing surfaces, are significantly less refined on mobile devices.

Patience is essential when working with the EufyMake E1. After powering it on, expect several minutes for ink injection and cleaning processes to complete. Each time you print on surfaces other than mugs, you must capture a “snapshot” of the printing area to ensure proper alignment. Depending on whether you are using the smaller or larger printing bed, this can take between three to seven minutes, as the UV printer needs to measure the depth and size of the item using a laser array and an 8-megapixel downward-facing camera.

If you thought the setup process was lengthy, the printing itself will take even longer, varying based on the size of the canvas or objects. For instance, printing a few coasters may take between 10 to 15 minutes, while a larger fabric canvas measuring 12 x 16 inches could take upwards of 30 minutes to complete.

Using the snapshot feature before printing, the EufyMake Studio software attempts to define the edges where printing can occur. For instance, when printing on a round coaster, it sets boundaries within that circular area. However, the accuracy of these automatic boundaries can fluctuate. While using Anker’s coasters on the smaller flatbed, the UV printer incorrectly assessed the boundaries, leaving a small unmarked white area on top of each coaster.

The snapshot of the print bed serves as a rough estimate of the location for each object you intend to print. For optimal results, it is advisable to manually resize and crop your images so they just exceed the limits of each object. Even so, I encountered numerous instances where I misjudged the size of my print on an irregularly shaped canvas, leading to an unsightly white line along the canvas edge where I failed to account for the dimensions. A physical frame could conceal such minor imperfections, adding to the printer’s overall usability.

Interestingly, the easiest printing experience came from utilizing the rotary attachment. The EufyMake E1 takes just a few minutes to scan the object and generate a grid layout for printing. I successfully created multiple Gizmodo-themed tumblers and water bottles for various colleagues. Despite a slight color mismatch of the “Gizmodo blue” in our logo, I found that this UV printer provided an unparalleled ease of use for crafting merchandise.

Experience Stunning Print Quality with a Few Quirks

Ultimately, the most critical factor will be the final print quality. This is where the EufyMake E1 shines, despite its quirks and oddities. I endeavored to print a plethora of images, spanning both artwork and personal photographs. I even requested images from colleagues, resulting in an overwhelming number of cat pictures that were taken home as memorable keepsakes.

The EufyMake E1 boasts a maximum printing resolution of 1,440 DPI, or dots per inch, which is relatively high for printers of this type. This feature ensures that your artwork emerges with impressive detail. However, the maximum printing surface area is limited to around 13 x 16.5 inches. Anker representatives have indicated that they are working on a larger print bed, but for now, my aspirations of customizing the side panels of my desktop PC will have to wait.

This UV printer exclusively utilizes Anker-made UV ink cartridges, adhering to the classic CMYKWG color profile. It allows for the printing of “millions of colors,” although achieving full color accuracy can be hit or miss, depending on the images you choose. Some prints derived from my colleagues’ camera rolls were breathtakingly vivid, particularly a smartphone photo captured during a skiing trip in the French Alps, which showcased stunningly vibrant reds on canvas.

While various factors contributed to the quality of prints, I experienced moments of disappointment. Recently, I embarked on an amateur photography journey, driven by my recent purchase of the pricey Ricoh GR IIIx. I printed several photos onto small canvas blocks, only to find that the printer overly brightened white areas and muddied some darker regions.

Print quality is highly contingent on image size. For optimal results, upload the largest, highest-quality images possible. However, the EufyMake E1 has a limit of 25MB for file uploads. Your files must fall within this “just right” zone to achieve the best results. I attempted to print one of my photos at a resolution of 1,920 x 1,280 on a metal sheet. The image, depicting foggy winter woods, morphed into an unexpected sepia tone in the final print, which was absent from the original. Individual pixels and streaks became noticeable, as if the DPI highlighted every pixel distinctly.

That said, the ability to print on virtually any surface makes this UV printer remarkably versatile. A colleague requested a print of an artistic interpretation of his two cats, Danforth and Bolton. The result was surprisingly true to the original image, showcasing clean lines and intricate details. While there were some tonal differences, particularly with the reds appearing slightly darker, the overall representation was impressive.

I also printed classic artwork onto coasters for comparison to their real-life counterparts. Diego Velázquez’s “Las Meninas” emerged with an overall darker tone than the image available on Wikimedia Commons. For instance, Philip IV’s daughter, Margaret Theresa, appeared in a much more tan dress than the white dress depicted in the original painting. Similarly, when comparing a scan of Hans Holbein’s “The Ambassadors” to the printed version, subtle details were lost, particularly in the darker areas of the artwork.

Despite the capability to print on virtually any surface, the choice of base material can significantly influence the print outcome. I have been working on a Nerdy Gurdy, a DIY medieval instrument that requires gluing and painting. I wanted to print images of marginalia figures, including snail-riding rabbits from authentic medieval manuscripts, onto the lid of the keybox. However, I mistakenly informed the EufyMake E1 that I was printing on wood, when it was actually latex paint over wood. The resulting image appeared too vague and transparent. If you’re uncertain, you may achieve better results by selecting “unknown” as the material type before printing.

Discover the Impressive Faux 3D Effect That Consumes Ink

The EufyMake E1 sets itself apart from standard printers by offering the ability to create an embossed, 3D effect by layering ink multiple times. With sufficient ink, you can achieve a painterly effect, reminiscent of multiple layers of oil paint drying on a surface. The printer can create a maximum embossed height of 5mm. If you are familiar with the metal printmaker Displate’s “Textra” designs, the EufyMake E1 provides a similar 3D effect.

Setting up a textured print is straightforward within the EufyMake Studio software. Simply click a button, and the app’s AI will generate contours and thicker areas based on the image’s characteristics.

We opted to print one of Gizmodo’s Senior Editor of Consumer Tech, Raymond Wong’s, photos on Anker’s wooden canvases. A standard flat print usually takes around 30 minutes, but adding the 3D effect extended the printing time to 5.5 hours. The EufyMake E1 first overlays multiple layers of gray and white ink to create the embossed areas, followed by the application of additional colors. Unfortunately, about 40% into the print, we had to replace the white and gray ink cartridges.

The final 3D effect was nothing short of stunning, with a beautiful sheen defining the foreground and background areas. However, the printer inexplicably added a column of purple over the image that was not present in the original photograph. While this did not ruin the overall tone of the piece, it serves as a reminder that unexpected artifacts may appear in prints. The added 3D effect comes at a significant cost, both in terms of time and resources. For smaller 3D art projects, consider reducing the surface area to conserve ink and costs—perhaps a water bottle or a mug would be more suitable.

Designed for Committed Creators and Artists

Unavoidably, with a printer of this magnitude capable of printing on any surface, I constantly battled the temptation to create a collection of art pieces to decorate my office. However, it is important to remember that artists, both living and deceased, deserve fair compensation for their work.

This raises ethical considerations. The assumption that, because an artwork exists online, it can be used without compensation is a troubling mindset. Consider how many artists rely on selling prints as a key component of their income. If you choose to invest in a UV printer, you can print whatever art you desire, but it is important to support creators by purchasing authorized prints where possible. Selling prints of unlicensed artwork could lead to serious ethical and legal ramifications.

If you intend to print your own art for commercial purposes, the EufyMake E1 serves as a versatile, albeit temperamental, merchandise production machine that can easily fit on your desk. Given its price, this device is tailored for dedicated creators. Perhaps you and a group of friends can pool resources to share a UV printer, enduring long waits as everyone tries to print their art.

The EufyMake E1 represents a pioneering innovation. Similar to the earlier boom in 3D printing, we can hope to see more UV printers of this caliber in the future. As more products become available, prices may decrease, and one day you may find this remarkable printer at a more accessible cost.