How to distinguish which hotend version for K1 Series

Created by DREMC STORE, Modified on Tue, 17 Feb at 1:47 PM by DREMC STORE

This guide is show you difference and what hotend you should use between 2023/2024 or 2025 version of K1 series hotend, as each version has slightly different design and connector, which will cause incompatibility if you purchased incorrect hotend/spares paired with existing toolhead PCB adapter board or heat sink design. First you want to find out, if you have unicorn nozzle or older first gen (2023) and then connector type to suit your existing or new toolhead PCB Board.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

2024 vs 2025
2024 vs 2023

2024 vs 2025

The thermistor and heater connectors have been updated to the same ones used on the Ender 3 V3/V3 Plus. To differentiate, remove the connector—if it has a locking tab, you have the newer 2025 edition. Similarly, you can check your PCB breakout board. While the connectors differ, the silkscreen on the PCB remains the same, and it is cross-compatible; the only difference is the connector header.

Hotend Connector:

PCB

Creality Offical Note:

(New Version: 2025)

Hotend Spares:

Micro Swiss Adapter Wiring (To use earlier 2023/2024 connector on 2025 Toolhead PCB): https://store.dremc.com.au/products/hotend-adapter-cables-for-newer-creality-k1-k1-max-k1c-and-k1-se

2024 vs 2023

If you have Grub screw as shown in below photo, you have older K1 (2023), if you don't see grub screw you have newer K1C/K1 Max (2024) hotend. Please ensure you compatibility before purchasing spares.

The Hotend PCB board is same for these two version, the major change is heat sink/hotend changes.

Micro Swiss Guide:

Note 1: not Required anymore in 2025, as all hotend kits include hardware for all version within kit.

(Note 2: Micro Swiss now include mounting hardware for both version in M3101 hotend)

Video:

[Note: Audio is in CN]