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More affordable than ever, 3D printers are booming for personal, professional, and educational use. Here’s everything to know before you buy one, along with the top models from our hands-on testing.
The rise of the consumer 3D printer has yielded amazing devices for designers, engineers, hobbyists, tinkerers, and schools alike. I’ve been reviewing 3D printers for PCMag since the first widely available models emerged in the 2010s. Since then, PC Labs has reviewed more than 60 3D printers built around different applications and print technologies. They have ranged from professional printers that cost $5,000 down to budget models as cheap as $200. That’s quite the spread, and we evaluate models based on usability, value, and print quality, subjecting each to extensive hands-on testing and printing a fixed set of test objects. Our current overall favorite 3D printer is the Original Prusa MK4, but we stand by all our picks, chosen for a host of scenarios and users. Read on to see them all: After the products, you’ll find a wealth of 3D printer shopping advice, plus a handy spec comparison.
Original Prusa MK4 – Best Overall
The Original Prusa MK4 provides some significant enhancements over the previous-generation Prusa i3 MK3S+, itself an Editors’ Choice winner: a thicker aluminum frame, an improved bed-leveling system, a redesigned extruder, and a touch screen. The MK4 retains Prusa’s traditional ease of use and setup, superior print quality, and problem-free operation, while providing a speed boost.
The Prusa MK4 is for hobbyists and makers who are willing to spend a bit of money to get a dependable, high-quality, open-frame 3D printer. Plenty of less-expensive 3D printers are available, but all too often they suffer frustrating issues in build-plate leveling and other fundamentals. The MK4 is the culmination of years of refinement of Prusa’s flagship product, which was reflected in its easy setup and problem-free operation in our testing.
AnkerMake M5C 3D Printer – Best Budget
The AnkerMake M5C open-frame 3D printer is easy to assemble and to use. It has a generous print area for its price, and the prints we produced were of high quality, even with the default settings in the slicer software. Having the ability to control the printer from a mobile device is a nice touch. We also like the availability of the fast 500mm-per-second mode. The M5C supports printing with a wide variety of filaments including PLA, PLA+, PETG, ABS, TPU, carbon fiber, and wood composite. AnkerMake provides its own software for print preparation, but according to the company you can alternatively use UltiMaker Cura or PrusaSlicer.
The M5C’s included tool kit adds even more value for people just starting a 3D printing hobby, with Allen wrenches, a filament cutter, and an extra extruder nozzle. Overall, the $400 AnkerMake M5C is an excellent choice for both beginners and 3D-printing veterans.
Anycubic Kobra 2 – Best Budget For First-Timers
Among the things we look for in an entry-level 3D printer are a low price, ease of setup and use, largely problem-free operation, and solid print quality. The Anycubic Kobra 2 ticks off all these boxes, plus it’s one of the fastest 3D printers we’ve tested. It lists at just $279 and is easy to use, too, with a unique extruder made to print as fast as possible. For software, it works with the popular open-source Cura program we’ve seen with numerous other 3D printers, but it also comes with the Prusa Slicer app, with tons of editing options for new and advanced users..
This Anycubic printer is great for newbies thanks to its bargain price, easy setup, and fast operation. Although its output in our tests was nearly misprint-free, print quality was unspectacular, with detailing that makes it a less-than-optimal choice for intermediate or expert users. Still, it’s a fine, low-risk first platform for those getting their feet wet in 3D printing.
Bambu Lab A1 mini – Best Budget Multi-Color
The Bambu Lab A1 mini is not only an affordable 3D printer, but also offers an inexpensive add-on module that can print with any or all of four different-colored filaments, making multi-color creations easy. It generates high-quality prints at a relatively high speed, too. The A1 mini is exceptionally easy to get up and running and continues to be problem-free while you’re printing.
The Bambu Lab A1 mini is a filament-based 3D printer suitable for beginners and budget-minded hobbyists alike. It’s the lowest-cost four-color fused deposition modeling (FDM) printer currently on the market and a superb choice for someone who wants a stellar out-of-the-box experience, simple operation, and some money left in the bank.
Elegoo Mars 3 Pro – Best For Miniatures Printing
Pros
- Extremely affordable 3D printer
- 35 micron layer height is a great sweet spot for printing miniatures
- Tempered glass on top of LCD screen (making it a bit more safe against spills)
Cons
- Not a lot of extra features (heated VAT, wifi connection or auto-leveling)
- Inboarding, UI, and manual are not the best
- Not for bigger miniatures, models, and vehicles
If you want a cheap entry into resin 3D printing your miniatures, the last generation of printers will be your ticket.
I have seen the Elegoo Mars 3 (non-pro) on sale directly from Elegoo for only $119. Sadly, it is now sold out. You can still get some versions of the non-pro Pre-owned from Elegoo. If that is not your ticket, the Mars 3 Pro is still on sale. The pro version has tempered glass and a carbon filter, but otherwise, they are the same machine.
The Mars 3 is getting a bit old as it was released in 2022, but the specs are not that bad. And that price is insane!
Elegoo Neptune 4 Plus – Best Budget 3D Printer for Large Objects
Looking to make big 3D prints for a modest price? The open-frame Elegoo Neptune 4 Plus 3D printer produces jumbo-sized prints, a rarity for sub-$500 3D printers, and in our testing, printed more than 20 objects of generally very good quality. It requires some basic assembly and enough table or bench space to house it, but setup and operation are easy enough. Be sure to add at least one filament spool to your order when purchasing the Neptune, or buy it in a bundle that includes filament.
The Neptune 4 Plus is a good choice for a hobbyist on a budget or a newbie willing to roll up their sleeves. The Neptune supports many filament types and can produce large prints. Some basic assembly is required, but setup is relatively easy, and it consistently produced good-quality prints in our testing.
Toybox 3D Printer – Best 3D Printer for Kids
The Toybox 3D Printer is a device that kids can enjoy with minimal supervision and use to output some nifty toys. A parent will be needed for initial setup—which involves setting up a free account, downloading an app, and syncing your device with the printer—and there should always be an adult around during use by younger children. You can print from a mobile device or through a browser, selecting printable objects from Toybox’s generous selection or designing your own. Printing proved smooth, with no misprints. Filament-wise, it’s PLA only, which is the best choice for beginners.
The Toybox 3D Printer is designed for use by children and young people—Toybox Labs suggests a minimum age of 5, as well as adult supervision. The printer should be fun for people of any age—printing with it is a good activity to bring parents and children together. You can import and print 3D files from outside its ecosystem, but the process can be tricky. That, combined with its minuscule build area and the fact that its filament is limited to PLA, make the Toybox a specialty printer unsuitable for general use, but it’s a great choice for its young target audience.