alt Hacker NewsIt is listed at $495, that’s true. Have you ever tried to buy a machine off alibaba? In my limited experience: unless it says buy it now, with shipping costs listed, it’s probably not the price you see on the listing.
I see this same “pc180” elsewhere for about $1500, so i’d guess that’s what it’d cost when you actually try to buy it.
Maybe I’m wrong, maybe that only applies to the couple machines I have looked into and not this one.
No, you are not wrong. Alibaba is a platform for business to business transactions. The $495 may end up being your price (before all other charges) for a machine if you buy a few shipping containers full of the things. If you want to buy a single one, it will be much more expensive and it will require you to convince the seller that you are planning to set up a business and require a sample or something of that sort.
edit: If you don't want to build a machine, you can find vendors through the PP Bazar[1]. Even fancy ones with CE and made from wood somewhere in Austria :D [2]
[1] https://bazar.preciousplastic.com/
[2] https://www.plasticpreneur.com/