If you are new to 3d printing, or looking to buy a 3d printer for someone else, the search can seem overwhelming. There are a variety of options and many will have pros and cons. To determine what printer best suits your needs it's best to narrow the field by answering a few questions:
1. Do you want a single color printer or multi color? A single color printer can only print one color of filament at a time. A multi color printer can usually automatically switch between 4 different colors with no interaction from the user. With the wide range of specialty filaments now available it is possible to make some really cool prints using single color filaments (you can get rainbow filament, dual color, tri color, and now quad color that make dragons look amazing!). But, if you want to print objects that require specific colors (like animals for example) a multi color printer is a better choice. Some printers can be bought initially as a single color printer and a multi color system can be added later, but this is typically more expensive by roughly $100.
2. How big do you want to print? The "average" print size is 250mm x 250mm x 250mm. Anything smaller than this will most likely limit what you can print as a single piece. But, as you get larger than this it is typically harder to keep the printer dialed in.
3. What is your budget? Keep in mind that not only do you have to buy the printer, but you have to buy filament as well. If you start with a multicolor printer plan to spend $80+ on filament so you can fully utilize the 4 color printing!
4. Is an enclosure important to you? An enclosed printer is NOT necessary, but an enclosure provides some benefits. An enclosed printer will keep dust, dirt, and debris from getting on the hot end and build plate and will also keep animals (and possibly kids) out of the printer. But, an enclosed printer will also open the doors to more filament options. Certain filaments, typically engineer grade filaments like ASA and Nylon can only be printed in an enclosed printer. Keep in mind, if you want to print with engineer grade filaments you also need to make sure the heated bed and the hot end are capable of reaching and maintaining the required temperatures for the specific filament you want to print (NOTE: Engineer grade filament goes WAY above what a person should be considering for a first printer - people starting out are best served starting with PLA and then, if needed, move to PETG).
With these questions answered you can start narrowing down your search. Almost all printers available for purchase now use an Orca based slicer so the interface from one printer to another will be very similar. Virtually all printers are easy to assemble (especially compared to 3+ years ago) and almost all printers will print adequately out of the box with minimal calibrations (although all will benefit from tuning the slicer software for your specific filament). Buying a printer is a big decision and if you answer these questions and let the answers guide your purchasing decision you will know you are buying the perfect printer!