But getting started can be daunting. What printer should you get? How much should you spend? Should you get SLA (resin) or FDM (filament)? This article is designed to break through those questions. Let’s start with the resin vs. filament discussion. I recommend resin printers to people who want to produce small items of fine detail. Miniature gamers are a massive market for these, as are model railroaders and modelers of all kinds. Print quality can be exceptional, but they create more mess, smell a bit more, and require careful post-processing and management of somewhat toxic liquids. By contrast, I recommend filament printers to those who want to build objects that meet specific functional needs (rather than display needs). I use 3D printers for brackets, mountings, practical projects, and more. You can also make much larger objects with filament printers, so they’re a staple in the cosplay world for making masks and greeblies. As for price, there are budget considerations. All the printers in this list are lower-cost printers. I have another list of pro-level printers you can check out if you’re able to spend more. Pro-level printers are more robust and – unfortunate for beginners on a budget – often have conveniences like automatic bed leveling that makes the printing process easier. That said, you can go very far with most of the best budget 3D printers listed here. One final note before we kick off this list. I’ve added “Top Pick” indicators to the first few printers. These are the printers I’d feel immediately comfortable recommending to friends who ask about what printer to buy. They’re the “can’t go wrong” choices. That said, the rest of the list offers better prices or different options, so all on this best-of list are great contenders for newbie 3D printing practitioners. Also: Practical 3D prints: A first TinkerCAD project for your 3D printer With a build volume of 180x180x180mm (about 7 inches), the MINI+ has a relatively small build volume, but it’s probably the most “pro” of the printers we’re spotlighting in this guide. It’s designed to be a workhorse in design shops and print farms, but at $399, it’s also accessible to hobbyists and first-timers. If you want a hassle-free experience, this may well be the printer to choose to begin your 3D printing journey. Pros:
High-quality printsNative Prusa slicerMesh bed calibration
Cons: The Mars 3 uses a monochrome 4K LED light source, which means all the pixels of the 6.6-inch display activate to expose the print layer. This iteration adds a chip-on-board (COB) lens with a free-form surface, increasing the uniformity of UV light illumination. Additionally, the Mars 3 comes with a free one-year license to the Chitubox Pro slicer, although you can also use the Lychee slicer as well. Be aware that the price and availability for this printer do fluctuate, so depending on when you look, the price could be higher, or you might need to wait for it to be back in stock. Pros:
High-resolution printsMonochrome display Uniform print quality across bed
Cons:
Chitubox Pro is an extra cost license after one yearRelatively small build areaSupports can be a challenge
Also: Everything you need to know about 3D printing and its impact on your business The Anycubic Mono X is one such printer, and it’s similar in display technology to the Mars 3 we just showcased. With an 8.9-inch 4K monochrome display, Mono X has a larger build area, allowing you to build bigger models. The Mono X also has an improved gantry for smoother prints and better support. To be honest, we see Elegoo and Anycubic running neck-and-neck when it comes to quality printers. You’d have a great solution with either one, but the decision ultimately will come down to which features you want most and whether you want to use the Chitubox or Lychee slicer with the Elegoo or the Photon slicer with the Anycubic. Frankly, both companies have impressive offerings. Pros:
“Just right” build area fits many modelsMonochrome displayExcellent resolution
Cons:
Proprietary Photon slicerSometimes difficult to get the exposure-to-weight ratio right
For a budget printer with a 220x220x250mm build area, the machine has a few decidedly non-budget features. It has a filament run-out sensor, so you can replace the spool and keep on printing if you run out of filament. And it has a removable build plate, which makes removing prints much easier and more reliable. Overall, an excellent printer and a favorite for folks setting up small print farms with inexpensive printers. Pros:
Excellent priceFilament run-out sensorGood print quality
Cons:
Manual bed levelingInconsistent availability
Also: Practical 3D prints: Increasing workshop storage with bolt-in brackets Assembly was easy and straightforward. Print quality using PLA was quite good. I didn’t test with ABS (because I’m not a fan of the stank), but this printer is spec’d to be able to reach 260 degrees C at the hot end. Unfortunately, the hot end isn’t all metal, so you’re not popping above 300 degrees, which does limit some materials. We would have liked to see a removable build plate because some of those prints adhered to the bed like a puppy to mommy during a thunderstorm. Our suggestion is to use blue tape, so you can peel the tape up and free the prints. Overall, though, the MINGDA Magician X is a definite win. Pros:
Direct-drive extruderAutomatic bed levelingEasy to build
Cons:
No removable build platePrints are often very difficult to remove
It features a removable build surface plate, can heat to 110 degrees C in just five minutes, and it comes with a 12-month warranty with lifetime technical assistance and 24-hour customer service. You will need to allocate a few hours to build this printer. It does come with some sub-assemblies already put together, but some kit building is required. With a 220x220 build surface, there’s a heated bed that can improve adhesion. It uses a 1.75mm filament. Pros:
Enormous, vibrant aftermarketLots of available customizationsHundreds of instructional videos and tips
Cons:
Getting a little oldNo automatic bed leveling
Pros:
Low priceHeated bedFilament run-out sensor
Cons:
No Wi-FiNo automatic bed levelingAssembly can take time
Also: Best 3D printer: FDM, resin, and more compared To be clear, the QIDI isn’t $3,000 or $6,000. At a mere 140 x 140 x 140mm build area, it’s a fraction of what the Ultimakers provide. It also doesn’t support dual filament printing and doesn’t provide automatic bed leveling, a camera, or internal lighting. That said, if you want to get a feel for how an enclosed printer might work and do it relatively inexpensively, the QIDI is worth a look. Pros:
Enclosed print areaExtruder cartridges
Cons:
Very tiny build areaNo automatic bed levelingKind of expensive for what it does
Pros:
Dual filament printingExceptional price for dual filament printerIt can be expanded with a laser engraving kit
Cons:
Some users report unreliabilitySometimes difficult to get dual printing to work
Also: Anycubic Vyper: An under $500 filament printer with all the best features And sure, you can toss older, opened filament out when it gets too damp, but we recommend using a filament dryer like the EIBOS CYCLOPES. Just put a couple of rolls in the machine, turn it on, and it sucks out the dampness from your filament, often restoring the filament to new in a short time. It pays for itself if you can recover five or six rolls of otherwise useless filament. Oh, and one more thing. You must watch the original EIBOS Kickstarter Video. Go. Do it now. Trust us when we tell you that Morgan the Cat steals the show. You can’t make this stuff up. Pros:
Can revive old filamentEase of useThat Kickstarter video
Cons:
Not all filament rolls can be savedRelatively large footprint
Once you get under $400, though, especially down under $200, you wind up delving into the world of off-brands. These are quite competent printers but made by smaller or lesser-known companies. Here, I mostly relied on finding what was available and then cross-checking against formal reviews and user feedback. For those where I had any concerns at all (and when you get that cheap, you do), I flagged them in my listing. In this article, we listed Top Picks. For under $500 filament printers, we like the Prusa and the Elegoo Neptune 2. For under $500 resin printers, you can’t go wrong with either the Elegoo Mars series or the Anycubic Mono X. Choose wisely. I do not necessarily recommend you go with the least expensive option because, at least for items on this list, those will be the printers that produce the lowest quality results along with the most frustrations. If you can afford it, you can’t lose by choosing any of my top picks. Also: Biqu B1 3D printer review: Less than $300, some helpful features, but not perfect Good luck, and let us know what you’re working on in the comments below. You can follow my day-to-day project updates on social media. Be sure to follow me on Twitter at @DavidGewirtz, on Facebook at Facebook.com/DavidGewirtz, on Instagram at Instagram.com/DavidGewirtz, and on YouTube at YouTube.com/DavidGewirtzTV.
