Removeable Glass Bed vs. Removeable Springsteel Beds

Question

Removeable beds are starting to get more common in low-price consumer-grade printers. There are pretty much 3 types:

• Unheated beds
• Heated beds from steel held by magnets or clips
• Heated glass beds held by clips

Unheated beds are the lowest class, and not an issue here. What are the pros and cons for a steel/springsteel bed versus a glass bed?

Answer 1

In favor of glass:

• Smoother surface gives you a nicer bottom layer (though Kapton-layered steel is no slouch)
• More even, regular surface makes bed easier to level
• Easy to prep and clean
• More scratch-resistant makes getting under a part with a metal scraper a little less harrowing
• Corrosion-resistant (glass doesn't rust; silicon dioxide is in fact already about as oxidized as it can possibly be)

In favor of steel:

• Flexes for easier release
• Safer (steel plates don't shatter, at least not at temperatures you're likely to use them)
• Conducts heat better for faster and more even heating
• Slightly less expensive on average