MakerBot’s Replicator Mini 3D Printer

First teased at this year’s CES conference, the MakerBot Replicator Mini has finally started shipping to consumers in the U.S. and will be available in-store later this week.

The compact unit weighs just 18 pounds and stands a mere 15-inches high. It constitutes one of the best attempts yet at a truly mainstream 3D printing device for the home.

Not that the price and small footprint are guarantees of success. Pettis’ Replicator Mini enters a space already occupied by the well-designed and cheaper (at $1,299) Cube 2 3D printer from 3D Systems.

MakerBot’s advantage comes in its brick and mortar retail locations in New York, Boston and Connecticut, outlets that should help demystify the technology for mainstream consumers.

Along with the shipping announcement on Monday, MakerBot also released an unboxing video and a brief but detailed set-up video that illustrates just how easy the device is to get up and running. This is a necessity given the still niche appeal of 3D printing, despite its growing profile in popular culture.

The video walks the user through the process of installing the MakerBot smart extruder, the component that builds the 3D models, and the build platform and the PLA filament, the plastic material used to construct objects.

Also included is a camera that allows the user to monitor the whole printing process remotely — a particularly useful feature given that some builds can take up to six hours.

The cost is $1,375.