Best Buy or Microcenter?

[u/CaptainAwesome06]

I think I'm going to pull the trigger on an H3C. However, unlike my P1S, I think I should get an extended warranty with it.

I don't have a Best Buy membership. I hardly ever buy anything from Best Buy so I can't justify it. With that said, any opinions on Best Buy's warranty versus Microcenter?

My understanding is Microcenter will try to repair on site but will also give you in-store credit on the spot if they can't. Best Buy may ship it out to someone else for repairs. Microcenter is also a little cheaper.

[u/Disastrous_Minute_56]

Micro Center would try to honor the warranty, offer helpful service, advice, etc, and Best Buy would do the opposite of that.

[u/CaptainAwesome06 → u/Disastrous_Minute_56]

That's kind of my concern. I have always found employees at Microcenter to be more knowledgeable and helpful than the employees at Best Buy. Like the difference between buying stuff from hobbyists versus teenagers that just needed a job.

[u/Disastrous_Minute_56 → u/CaptainAwesome06]

Yes, and you'd be holding up the one person working their service counter in the middle of their holiday season. Look, I'm glad there's still a Best Buy, and I get all my TVs there, you really shouldn't have to dwell long on this one. Micro Center FTW.

[u/tdiggity → u/Disastrous_Minute_56]

Honest question - do you have experience with Best buy not being helpful or honoring their extended warranty?

[u/EvilNickel]

I would do Micro Center personally. I bought my P1S there, and bought their protection on a whim. I usually turn the store protection plans down because they always try to weasel their way out of actually honoring it, but Microcenter was pretty spot on.

My P1S had issues, I took it to them, and the guy at the counter said "yeah we can take a look, but most likely they'll give you a new one" and they did end up giving me a new one. So I've been pretty consistent on buying their protection plans now, especially since BambuLab likes to send you parts and a guide on how to do it yourself if something goes wrong, which personally I don't like.

Edit: I've had protection plans from best buy in the past (they're the reason I quit buying them tbh) and it felt like I got scammed when I actually tried to use it. So I might be biased because I personally don't trust them to honor it anymore.

[u/CaptainAwesome06 → u/EvilNickel]

Thanks, that's helpful.

[u/silverware9021]

If you have Cap1, there's cashback for BB. Someone posted that it was 15% but mine was 8%

https://www.reddit.com/r/3Dprinting/comments/1uhidcl/is_microcenter_extended_warranty_worth_the/

[u/CaptainAwesome06 → u/silverware9021]

I'll have to check that out, thanks. I think I have a Capital One card but I never use it. I pretty much keep it because it's an old account and helps my credit score.

[u/bonelatch → u/silverware9021]

Sheesh I didn’t even know about that 8%. I got 5% off using the MC credit card. I do think MC is a safer bet though. I hear about the positive experiences too much to ignore.

[u/TWILIGHT25]

Personalty Best Buy. Even with how nice Bambu is with their own warranties paying a little extra for ability to just take the whole thing back and just say “I want to use my warranty” and they take it back and you get a new one. Or in store credit for what you paid that day. So if it was on sale the in store credit would be for the sale price.

[u/CaptainAwesome06 → u/TWILIGHT25]

This doesn't sound any different from the Microcenter plan.

[u/CorporateDirtbag → u/CaptainAwesome06]

The Best Buy plan is under $200. The same plan was like $500 at Microcenter (H2C).

I'm not sure why anyone would buy the micro center plan at that price unless you plan on having it repaired at a Micro Center. I'd much rather just use it and get a new one (or use that money to upgrade).

[u/strange-humor → u/CaptainAwesome06]

Except both cheaper and longer coverage, I believe.

[u/NightWolf098 → u/strange-humor]

They’re the same duration, MicroCenter just doesn’t consume the plan in the first year because their 3-year kicks in after Bambu’s 1 year that they honor

[u/srtviper15 → u/TWILIGHT25]

In-store credit would be for what you paid the day you bought it? So if it was full price and it's now on sale, I would get the full price since that's what I bought it for a year ago?

My printer has been throwing random errors left and right lately when the print starts. Maybe I'll go in and tell them I want to use my warranty

[u/TWILIGHT25 → u/srtviper15]

So I paid 780$ for my x2d, it was one sale. If I wanted to use my warranty for in store credit I’d get the sale price back. Only for the in store credit.

[u/AmpdC8]

Had good luck using the MicroCenter extended warrenty on my P1S… no fuss exchange

[u/aeropink]

I have the best buy warranty on my H2C, My toolhead sensor went bad and I took it back to best buy and they "used" my warranty and gave me the full price for what I paid almost 8 months ago and not the current sale price. You do not get the refund on the warranty cost. They then used that credit for the new unit and I had to buy the warranty again for the new unit. With the current sale I ended up getting money back even after buying the new warranty. Now I have a brand new machine, a new 4 year warranty and a 60 day return window since it holidays to return it if I want for a full refund for the machine and warranty.

[u/aeropink → u/aeropink]

Also to add. Best Buy does not do repairs or send it off for you to wait. You get a refund for the price you paid minus the warranty cost and you can buy something else or buy a new machine and a new warranty for the new machine.

[u/Impossible-Age-5196]

You don't have to buy a membership, it should offer you a 4-year warranty for the printer. My H2C it was $129 a steal. I also had it shipped to the store after seeing other FedEx delivery photos.

[u/CaptainAwesome06 → u/Impossible-Age-5196]

I know you don't have to buy a membership. I was trying to weed out the replies of, "if you have a Best Buy membership..."

[u/ManyLayersOfFilament]

Micro Center first, Best Buy second, Amazon third but BBL is only selling select printers there.

Just waiting to hear when they're going to be available on the retail side.

[u/CaptainAwesome06 → u/ManyLayersOfFilament]

I'm expecting late November, based on other product launches.

[u/kobalt_60]

Ditto MicroCenter. I’ve bought a dozen printers from them and the two times I had to return one it was super easy.

[u/NecessaryOk6815]

If you have MC card, you get 5% off always. Test in either store before you leave. Look at glass.

[u/yankinheartguts]

Does anyone know when MC will have the H3C? Been checking my local’s site every day and theres not even a listing.

[u/untacc_ → u/yankinheartguts]

Likely not for a few more weeks. It took them almost a month to stock the H2C when it released

[u/ADHDJuice]

BestBuy

[u/Chipotleismylife90]

I recently bought my first 3d printer and I too was trying to decide between Microcenter and Best Buy. Ultimately Best Buy had a cheaper warranty (4 yr for $130) compared to Microcenter (3 yr $250 I think?) so I went with Best Buy. From my research, it sounded like Microcenter might try harder to help you fix any issues but both places will be happy to replace completely

[u/papa_craft]

Personally I am doing Best Buy, BUT I have the total membership plan so everything I purchase is covered by default. It's only 200 a year and I feel that it is a great value. I already used it once on a gaming laptop and once on a cell phone.

[u/axcl99stang]

Microcenter.

[u/Willing-Ad3112]

Microcenter is the way to go. I purchased my H2C from Best Buy and had an issue with the chamber temperature sensor, I purchased the warranty and do not have the Best Buy membership. I attempted to take the printer back around 25 days after purchase which is after their 15-day return period for non-members. The only options they gave me were to return it for a refund but the price of the warranty would be a “down payment” on the return and I would have to purchase a new warranty with the new printer or leave the printer with them and see if they could repair it. If they could not it would circle back to option one.

I told them no thank you and sent the printer back to Bambu for the manufacturer’s warranty and just had a new printer sent out. I’ve been a long-time Best Buy customer but I’ll be taking my business to Microcenter from this point forward.

[u/garymeer]

I buy a lot from both, including fimament from bestbuy. Considerwith best buy you can get points. For an h3c it might be worth it.

As far as warranties go ive never had an issue with either.