Yes — it's the default on most printers for a reason. It balances detail and speed well, and nearly every slicer profile online is tuned around it, so you'll spend less time troubleshooting settings that assume a different nozzle size.

Mostly, yes. Slicers like Cura and PrusaSlicer support machine profiles for a wide range of brands. The exception is printers with proprietary firmware or closed ecosystems, which sometimes lock you into their own slicer software.

It varies more by model than by price bracket. Some budget printers use the same core components as pricier machines and just cut costs on extras. Reading model-specific reviews matters more than trusting a price tag alone.

A bed slinger moves the print bed back and forth on one axis while the head moves on the other, which limits print speed at higher accelerations. A CoreXY printer keeps the bed stationary and moves the head on both axes, allowing much faster, more precise motion.

A quick check — belts, nozzle condition, and lubrication — every few weeks of regular use is enough for most machines. A deeper inspection every few months catches wear before it turns into a mid-print failure.