The best Bambu A1 upgrades are mostly cheap or free: a purge (“poop”) catcher, an AMS Lite top mount, a cable clip, tool storage and a spare nozzle or two. Buildy Bryce, a YouTube maker whose A1 upgrades video has passed 540,000 views, ranked more than a dozen add-ons and put extra nozzles, the AMS Lite and a status screen in his top tier, while a brighter LED strip landed near the bottom (Buildy Bryce, “The Best Upgrades for the Bambu Lab A1”).
Daniel Henry, a YouTube creator, printed what he considers the 10 must-have A1 accessories in his first month with the printer, starting with a compact purge container (Daniel Henry, “Must have A1 beginner 3d print upgrades”). Here are the mods worth printing first, the paid upgrades worth considering, and the ones that are more fun than useful.
Best Bambu A1 Upgrades at a Glance
Prices from Amazon at time of writing. I may earn a commission from links, at no cost to you.
| Upgrade | Type | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Purge (poop) container | Printable | Contains purge waste the A1 flings around |
| AMS Lite top mount | Printable (official) | Saves desk space |
| Cable clip or cable guide | Printable | Tidy cables as the toolhead moves |
| Tool storage box and scraper holder | Printable | Keeps tools close |
| Spare nozzles (0.2 to 0.8 mm, hardened steel) | Purchased | Finer detail, faster prints or abrasive filaments |
| Alternative build plates | Purchased | Grip and finish options |
| Enclosure and vent kit | Purchased | Stable temps, less draft, fume venting |
| Status screen | Purchased | Shows nozzle temp and time left |
Best Printable A1 Mods, According to Daniel Henry
Henry links all of his STL files in his video description (Daniel Henry, “Must have A1 beginner 3d print upgrades”). His list:
- Compact purge container: easy to attach and remove, and it stops purge waste from flying everywhere.
- Time-lapse module: replaces a bracket so the toolhead triggers a Sony RMT-DSLR2 remote for camera time-lapses. Lubricate the button so it doesn’t jam, he says, which he learned the hard way.
- Scraper holder: he uses it far more than he expected.
- Fan cover: printed after he jammed a finger in the cooling fan; it fits the A1 and A1 mini.
- Spare nozzle hook on the frame, for his 0.2 mm nozzle.
- LCD dust cover.
- Cable guide: keeps the toolhead cable flat along the printer through its full Z travel.
- Filament swatch display board by Bambu Lab, instead of the string the swatches came on.
- Tool storage box sized for the tools that ship with Bambu printers, his favorite despite the longest print time.
- Filament clips to keep loose ends tidy; about 20 minutes to print.
One to skip: a build-plate aligner clip on the rear corner of the bed. Henry reported the nozzle hit it after the third layer and stopped the print, so he advises avoiding it until the design is revised (Daniel Henry, “Must have A1 beginner 3d print upgrades”). He also suggests an open window or an air purifier while printing.
Buildy Bryce’s A1 Upgrade Tier List
Bryce tested printed mods and purchased add-ons, many from BIQU’s Panda line (BIQU sent at least one product), and PCBWay sponsored the video (Buildy Bryce, “The Best Upgrades for the Bambu Lab A1”).
| Upgrade | Bryce’s tier | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Panda Knomi status screen | S | Shows nozzle temp and time left, with fun animations |
| 0.6 mm hardened steel nozzle (and other sizes) | S | Faster prints and abrasive filaments; A1 nozzles swap quickly |
| AMS Lite | S | Up to four colors |
| Alternative build plates | A | Included plate is enough for most; Cryogrip gripped well at lower bed temps |
| Printed cable clip by @Hatch_Prints | A | Simple and effective |
| Panda Shelter enclosure and vent kit | A | Stable temperature, humidity sensor, keeps paws away |
| Panda PWR smart power brick | B | Useful, but a simple smart plug suits most people |
| Liquid build-plate glue | Middle | Good adhesion in one test, no control test |
| Panda Lux LED strip | D | Removes the camera cover; can be too bright for time-lapses |
| Panda Branch port hub | Not worth it for most | Only needed when running several powered add-ons |
| Panda Edge aluminum scraper | Not worth it | Well built but overkill |
Nozzles: the most practical paid upgrade
The A1 ships with a 0.4 mm stainless steel nozzle. A larger 0.6 mm nozzle trades some detail for speed, and hardened steel unlocks glass- and carbon-fiber-filled filaments (Buildy Bryce, “The Best Upgrades for the Bambu Lab A1”). Bryce says you can go down to 0.2 mm for fine detail or up to 0.8 mm for huge parts, and reminds owners to update nozzle settings in the slicer after a swap.
Mounting the AMS Lite on top
Bambu Lab’s official printable vertical mount puts the AMS Lite on top of the A1 and swivels so you can reach the spools from the back without moving the printer (Buildy Bryce, “The Best Upgrades for the Bambu Lab A1”). Bryce notes you also need to print and install the braces, because the frame wasn’t built for that weight on top, and the snap-fit parts made him a bit nervous. He ultimately used a one-off CNC-machined aluminum mount manufactured by the video’s sponsor, which he said felt more secure, though he admitted bias.
Video: Buildy Bryce, “The Best Upgrades for the Bambu Lab A1”. Embedded with credit.
Before You Mod
- Check the mod is for the A1, not the A1 mini.
- Avoid blocking moving parts or the bed path; test the first layers of a print after adding anything near the bed.
- Keep firmware updated.
- Read the product page for powered add-ons; Bryce noted the Panda Branch page warns against powering other devices from its ports.
- See our A1 maintenance guide.
Printers
| Printer | Price (Amazon, Oct 16, 2026) | Why it fits | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bambu Lab A1 | $299.99 | The printer these mods are for | Check price |
| Bambu Lab A1 mini | $249.00 (LED lamp kit bundle) | Smaller sibling with its own mods | Check price |
| Bambu Lab P1S Combo | $549.00 | Enclosed step up | Check price |
Bambu A1 Upgrades: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the first A1 upgrade to print?
A purge (poop) container. Daniel Henry printed one first.
Can I mount the AMS Lite on top of the A1?
Yes, with Bambu Lab’s official printable vertical mount plus its braces, or a purchased mount.
What is the best paid A1 upgrade?
Spare nozzles. Buildy Bryce put a 0.6 mm hardened steel nozzle in his top tier.
Do A1 mods fit the A1 mini?
Usually not, though some, like Henry’s fan cover, are made for both. Check the listing.
Do mods void the warranty?
Printed add-ons usually don’t modify the printer, but check Bambu’s terms before changing hardware.
Sources
- Buildy Bryce, “The Best Upgrades for the Bambu Lab A1”
- Daniel Henry, “Must have A1 beginner 3d print upgrades”
- Amazon product listings for the printers linked above, October 16, 2026
Related: Bambu Lab A1 Maintenance Guide | Do You Need a Filament Dryer? | Bambu Lab A1 vs A1 mini | 3D Printed Cable Clips
Notes and disclosure
Note: Printer prices come from Amazon listings on October 16, 2026 and change often. Rankings and tips come from the credited YouTube creators; Buildy Bryce’s video was sponsored by PCBWay and included products sent by BIQU. I have not installed these mods myself.