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3D food printers for sale


The 10 Best Food 3D Printers 2022 (All Price Ranges!)

They’re here, and shaking up how we view and prepare food. Food 3D printers are usually hybrid FDM 3D printers that print food pastes rather than plastic filaments, printing delicious chocolate, jam or toffee layer-by-layer to create a custom dessert or savory dish based on your design.

Want to 3D print a model of your face in chocolate? Or print your company’s brand in biscuit to send to potential clients? You can do it all with food 3D printers.

Our ranking below features some of the best 3D printers for printing food, and compares them on accuracy, speed, variety of food types you can 3D printer, and more.

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The Best Food 3D Printers and where to buy them

NameMax Build Volume (mm)SpeedPriceWhere to buy for best price
WiiBoox Sweetin90 x 90 x 7015-70 mm/s$1,599Amazon here
FoodBot S2150 x 150 x 7315-70 mm/s$2,1003DPrintersOnlineStore here
Zmorph VX235 x 250 x 165120 mm/s$4,399Amazon here
CreateBot Food 3D Printer150 x 150 x 10020-30 mm/s$2,1153DPrintersOnlineStore here
Mmuse Delta Food Printer100 x 100 x 100150-300 mm/s$1,1403DPrintersOnlineStore here
FoodBot D280 x 150 x 10025-50 mm/s$5,9993DPrintersOnlineStore here
Mmuse Touchscreen160 x 120 x 15030-60 mm/s$5,7003DPrintersOnlineStore here
  • We’ve also written a feature story on 3D printed food.
  • We also have a more specific ranking on the best chocolate 3D printers.
A food 3D printer prints layer-by-layer, similar to fused deposition modeling (FDM).

What is a Food 3D Printer?

Typical FDM 3D printing involves a 3D printer’s extruder depositing melted plastic filament along the dimensions specified in the STL file. It’s somewhat similar to icing a cake in that regard, but when you’ve completed one layer the next layer is then deposited on top of that existing layer.

3D printed food will have a layered appearance as FDM parts do — if you look hard you’ll see the tiny layers at slightly jagged angles like the steps on a pyramid, or a spring being pressed together.

With the icing a cake analogy, now assume that instead of icing, you can do the same action but with any edible food type. Chocolate, toffee, sugar, jam and savory flavors like tomato sauce / paste and cheese. Instead of being limited in the shapes you can make by the type of cake tin you use, you can now create incredibly intricate structures by perfectly depositing each part of food exactly where it is supposed to be. A 3D printed chocolate. You can see the layers on the side that have been printed on top of each other.

Food 3D printers are similar to FDM 3D printers — one printer on our list is a modified FDM printer — they deposit food instead of plastic filament in exactly the same way. This allows them to be more precise and accurate that any human could be, and also means that menial food jobs in restaurants and kitchens can be automated, saving time and energy.

What’s more, since you only extrude the exact amount of food you need, this makes for more efficient use of food, saving both money and the environment! This is a key and reoccurring theme in additive manufacturing.

Food 3D printers are gradually making their way into STEM education as a novel and fun new way of teaching both 3D printing skills and about what we eat. Food 3D printers for kids are also a great way of family bonding while creating something delicious to eat after, as well as by small businesses who want a new way of creating custom, up-market chocolates and other treats.

Benefits of a food 3D printer

  • Better for the environment. 3D printed food materials can be created from alternative proteins like algae, leaves, and even insects, which are ground into a paste ready to be 3D printed. These ingredients otherwise would not be used, and are a form of protein and nutrients which may be key to future diets.
  • Increased food customization. Though everybody’s food is already arguably customized, it isn’t to the level that food 3D printers offer. Not only can you create and pick the exact ingredients you want, but you can also create custom shapes and geographies that you want your food to occupy. Want a rabbit-shaped chocolate bar? Or an emoji-shaped burger? Easy. 3D printers conquer conquer the first three dimensions for you, saving you the fourth dimension — time.
  • Saves time & stress. 3D food printers can automate the boring and repetitive kitchen tasks for you so you don’t need to do them. Simple tasks such as presentation and laying out of ingredients can be done by the food printer, and if you are creating food from pastes then you don’t need to chop those ingredients up yourself.

The Best Food 3D Printer

We have created our list of the best 3D food printers based on a number of criteria. These include price-performance ratio, speed, amount of materials available, print volume, among others.

Note: this article is not intended to be objective fact, and is based on opinions. This content is independent and features no paid or sponsored content, but we have included links where you can buy a food 3D printer, which we receive commissions on.

1. WiiBoox Sweetin — Food 3D Printer For Kids

  • Country based: China
  • Food 3D printer cost: $1,599 — Available on Amazon here
  • Maximum food printing area: 90 x 90 x 70 mm
  • Food 3D printing speed: 15 – 70 mm/s
  • Accuracy: 100 microns

The WiiBoox Sweetin is sold as the easy to operate, accessible food printer perfect for families at home together. The printer itself comes with a number of models to print out, and you’re free to unleash your creativity by designing or downloading your own STL files to print. It’s super simple to use: just load your design onto the supplied USB and print away!

The Chinese company bring their extensive 3D printing and scanning expertise to food 3D printing. They also sell an LCD 3D printer, an upmarket dual extruder 3D printer, as well as a range of 3D scanners.

The WiiBoox 3D food printer works by preheating the chocolate filament packs (or other food filament type), setting the temperature and speed you want to print at, and then it’s ready to start! You can change the print speed based on how accurate you want your 3D printed chocolate piece to be. Comments on Amazon recommend that you leave any 3D printed chocolate model for at least 10 minutes before removing it however to ensure it has cooled down and solidified.

The WiiBoox Sweetin is accurate with 100 micron precision so any cakes you decorate or chocolate food you 3D print will look crisp and smooth. Unlike some of the other food 3D printers on this list, the WiiBoox Sweetin appears to only use a 0.6mm diameter nozzle, and though it comes with their own 3D slicer you can also set it up to use Cura.

Overall, it’s a low price food 3D printer with good reliability and is easy to use. We recommend it as a great food 3D printer for kids and families to enjoy spending time together cooking and having fun, and creating delicious chocolates and sweets at the same time.The WiiBoox Sweetin printing Albert Einstein in white chocolate.

2. FoodBot S2

  • Food printer price: $2,100 — Available on 3DPrintersOnlineStore here
  • Max print volume: 150 x 150 x 73 mm
  • Food print speed: 15 – 70 mm/s
  • Accuracy: 100 microns

A versatile food 3D printer, the FoodBot S2 can print chocolate, biscuit, jam, cheese, mashed potatoes, toffee and more! You can change the speed between 15 and 70 mm/s based on the accuracy and intricacy of your print, and alter the temperature based on your preferences.

What stands out however is how great the printer itself looks — if Apple ever made a 3D printer, this is how I imagine it would look. The design is futuristic, elegant and modern; it really adds a sci-fi feel to any kitchen. The 5.2 inch touchscreen and sleek UI add to this atmosphere.

As for accuracy, you’ll have no problem creating detailed food 3D prints with its 100 micron precision, with the ability to use nozzles ranging from 0.3 to 1.5 mm based on your needs. It comes with its own free 3D software to slice and prepare prints, and prints via either USB or SD card.

FoodBot stress how hygienic their S2 food printer is. The actual food filament never touches the printer, as it comes in disposable plastic dispenser tubes and is extruded straight through the nozzle. This makes keeping the printer clean and safe very easy, as there are no innards to clean, just the nozzle. Overall, it’s an impressive and easy to use food 3D printer with a wide variety of materials and uses.

3. Zmorph Fab (with Thick Paste Extruder Add-on)

  • Price: $3,999 — Available at Matterhackers here / Available on 3DPrima Europe here
  • Maximum print volume: 235 x 250 x 165 mm
  • Thick paste extruder available here

Most people know of the Zmorph Fab as a workhorse 3D printer, drawing praise for its reliability, toughness and grit. It’s also known for being unbelievable versatile — it can be converted from a 3D printer into either a CNC mill or a laser engraver!

Now in addition to this, if you buy Zmorph’s thick paste extruder you can also print in chocolate, nutella, cookie dough and a few other food 3D printer filaments too. It prints pastes in a similar way to how it prints plastic filaments, so you benefit from the Zmorph Fab’s 50 micron layer resolution and excellent stability.Thick paste extruder add-on sold by Zmorph allows for chocolate 3D printing.

All the technology developed for the Zmorph Fab that makes it one of the best 3D printers around also works perfectly to make it a great food 3D printer. The accuracy, reliability and stability all apply in food 3D printing, and the Zmorph VX therefore is the perfect 3D printer for those who want a printer that can do it all. It’s ideal if you’ve been looking for both a food 3D printer and standard FDM 3D printer, but don’t want to buy two printers.

It is worth noting however that Zmorph do not certify that the printer’s food prints are edible or take any accountability for that. The add-on is therefore more of a fun extra to have fun at home with your family, but not for those looking to sell chocolate 3D prints or to use it in a restaurant. The printer was not built with food 3D printing strictly in mind, but it is a fun add-on for $250.

4. Createbot 3D Food Printer

  • Price: $2,115 — Available on 3DPrintersOnlineStore here
  • Max food 3D print size: 150 x 150 x 100 mm
  • Speed: 20 – 30 mm/s
  • Precision: 100 microns

There are definite similarities between the Createbot and Foodbot printers, in size, speed, price and appearance. One key difference however is that the Createbot food 3D printer comes in three different colors: Champagne Gold, Simple Silver and Rose Gold. All three options portray a stylish, expensive-looking machine.

It can print many of the same ingredients as the Foodbot S2 3D printer, including chocolate, biscuit, red and green bean paste, lotus seed paste, and other foods. The actual print speed depends on the material used: it is recommended to use 20 mm/s for chocolate printing, and 30 mm/s for other materials.

A cool feature with the Createbot is the ability to operate the printer from your laptop, tablet or smartphone. You can also carefully control the printer’s temperature to ensure prints retain their nutrition and print with the right consistency. Import your 3D printer model into Repetier-Host 3D slicer, slice it, and you’re ready to go!

5. Mmuse Delta Food 3D Printer

  • Price: $1,140 — Available on 3DPrintersOnlineStore here
  • Maximum print volume: 100 x 100 x 100 mm
  • Speed: 150 – 300 mm/s

The only delta 3D printer on our list, the Mmuse delta brings the advantages of high printing speeds associated with these types of 3D printer to the food sector. Whereas some other food printers max out at around 70 mm/s, Mmuse claim the delta food 3D printer can print between 150 and 300 mm/s — depending on the quality of print and type.

It can print materials including chocolate, pancake, candy and tomato sauce, so you have the option of either sweet or savory. Unlike most delta printers it isn’t a DIY 3D printer, instead coming fully assembled and ready to print — saving time and effort. It’s also lighter than most of the other food 3D printers, at a very manageable 5kg.

Rather than offer a wide variety of nozzle sizes, the Mmuse delta sticks with the standard FDM 3D printer nozzle diameter of 0.4mm. It’s more of a fun food 3D printer for kids to enjoy and play with than an industrial food printer for restaurants. Don’t expect pinpoint accuracy and Michelin-level food presentation, but you can definitely still enjoy creating fun food prints of your favorite kids’ TV characters and other fun 3D printed food projects.

6. Foodbot D2 — Dual extruder food 3D printer

  • Price: $5,999 — Available on 3DPrintersOnlineStore here
  • Maximum print volume: 80 x 150 x 100 mm
  • Print speed: 25 – 50 mm/s
  • Precision: 100 microns

An upgrade on the Foodbot S2 that also features in our ranking, this extraordinary machine not only can print intricate food structures, but can print them with two materials concurrently!

The dual heads mean you can print either two different colors of the same food material, or two different materials. So you could create your own design in part toffee and part chocolate, or any other combination you want. Additionally, the 3.5 inch touchscreen and ergonomic UX makes food printing a breeze.

This second print head is very useful in commercial business opportunities such as creating custom edible brand logos that need to be in two different colors or materials. Custom cake decorations, intricate chocolate pieces, mini portrait pieces and busts, and general personalized gifts are made easy with the Foodbot D2.

Both the D2 and S2 food printers have solid, sheet metal frames which aid stability, accuracy and precision food 3D printing. The D2 prints at between 25 and 50 mm/s dependent on the material printed, and can be converted to use nozzles varying from 0.4mm to 1.5mm. It’s heavier however, at around 25kg — so keep this in mind if you need something very portable.

7. Mmuse Touchscreen

  • Country based: China
  • Food 3D printer price: $5,700 — Available on 3DPrintersOnlineStore here
  • Print volume: 160 x 120 x 150 mm

Another chocolate 3D printer, the Mmuse is a food 3D printer that looks like something out of the matrix. It’s futuristic and beautiful, selling itself as a chocolate making experience, not just a 3D printer. It’s fast too, able to print between 30 and 60 mm/s of delicious 3D printed chocolate.

There’s a reason for the high price. The Mmuse chocolate 3D printer is designed to be as convenient as possible to operate, so you can 3D print food via WiFi, USB or SD card. The beautiful touchscreen on the Mmuse makes printing a breeze, and features a strong aluminium shell. Mmuse also claim it utilizes an ‘intelligent temperature control technology’, allowing it to 3D print chocolate at the perfect temperature so the chocolate prints as smoothly and evenly as possible. Additionally, Mmuse have designed the printer nozzle to be as easy to clean and replace as possible to maintain hygiene over years of printing.

It comes fully assembled, so all you need to do is get hold of the chocolate bean filament, choose the print settings you prefer, and let it print away. The easy-to-use touchscreen makes delicious chocolate printing a pleasant experience. If you’ve got the money and you love chocolate enough, this may be the one for you. Also, if you’re a chocolatier and want to automate some aspects of production, this could be perfect.

8. Natural Machines Foodini

  • Country based: Spain
  • Food 3D printer price: $4,000
  • Print volume: 250 x 165 x 120 mm

One of the most well-known food 3D printers out there, the Foodini is a food 3D printer breaking barriers left, right and center in the foodtech sector. Foodini, made by Spanish firm Natural Machines, recognize that though cooking is an enjoyable process for many, there are many tasks that could be automated. The Foodini food 3D printer was therefore created to streamline the repetitive tasks which are time consuming and difficult to do by hand.

Foodini is a versatile food 3D printer, able to print pizza, spaghetti, and even burgers. Its glowing reviews led to fairly wide use in restaurants, like the byFlow Focus has similarly achieved. Restaurants which use the Foodini include London’s Food Ink restaurant, the entirely 3D printed restaurant, as well as La Endeca at Hotel Arts, in Barcelona.

Overall, the price is steep, but this is because of how advanced the Foodini is. It’s less of a cooking tool for use within homes and more of an industrial tool for professional kitchens, but this doesn’t make it any less of an incredible foodtech achievement.The Foodini food 3D printer has wide use across restaurants.

9. byFlow Focus

  • Country based: Netherlands
  • Food 3D printer price: €3,300
  • Print volume: 208 x 228 x 150 mm

The byFlow Focus is a sleekly designed food 3D printer with a surprisingly wide reach in businesses around the world. Unlike most fanciful and futuristic machines that seem like they won’t see wide adoption for twenty plus years, the byFlow Focus is a 3D food printer which is already used in a number of restaurants and businesses.

Part of the reason is due to its reliability and ease of use. It can take a multitude of different 3D food printer materials, and switching them round is quick and easy. What’s more, you can even add your own recipes to the machine to 3D print with the ingredients you enjoy most. This allows you all the freedom you need to print any chocolate, pastry, or other 3D printed food dish you like, and byFlow even have over 50 downloadable 3D designs for free on their website.

As a result, businesses such as B2B chocolatier Barry Callebaut giant use byFlow Focus food 3D printers, as well as well-reputed chef Jan Smink in his ‘Restaurant Smink’ restaurant.The byFlow Focus food 3D printer is another food printer used across restaurants, especially in Europe.

10. Choc Edge Choc Creator 2.0 Plus

  • Country based: UK / China
  • Food 3D printer price: €2,330
  • Print volume: 180 x 180 x 40 mm

Originally based out of a uni campus, Choc Edge is now thriving as a leading food 3D printer manufacturer. The Anglo-Chinese chocolate 3D printer company’s third food 3D printer, the Choc Creator 2.0 Plus, is a picturesque and innovative machine. Though it prints edible objects, the Choc Creator still utilizes the same layer-by-layer method as with Fused Deposition Modeling. Retailing at just under $3,000, it’s a great option for niche bakers and chocolatiers out there.

A few reasons why the Choc Edge Choc Creator 2.0 Plus is an industry leader are firstly how easy it is to use. The chocolate 3D printer features a large and responsive touchscreen for easy access and printing. The 0.8mm nozzle is easily removed and changed based on the 3D food material used, with the 30ml metal syringe just as easy to replace. Overall, it’s a one of the best chocolate 3D printer machines on the market, and prints in the same way as your average FDM 3D printer.The Choc Creator by Choc Edge is known as one of the best chocolate food 3D printers around.

Bonus: The Food 3D Printer That Never Happened — 3D Systems ChefJet & ChefJet Pro

  • Country based: USA.
  • Food 3D printer price: $5,000 & $10,000.
  • Print volume: 203 x 203 x 203 mm.

The ChefJet food 3D printer created by industrial 3D printer giant 3D Systems is an unfortunate case.

3D Systems bought Sugar Labs in 2013, suggesting there may be movements from the American company in the foodtech sector in the future. Then, when they announced and demonstrated the ChefJet Food 3D Printer throughout 2014 and 2015, people couldn’t wait to get their hands on this incredible piece of tech. It could make 3D food structures out of sugar with flavours including chocolate, vanilla, mint, sour apple, cherry, watermelon, and even more!3D Systems’ ChefJet Food 3D Printer now looks like it will get a worldwide release, thanks to a new distribution deal.

But it wasn’t to be. Some internal friction within the company meant that the project was put on hold for several years. Then in late 2017, 3D Systems announced a partnership with CSM Bakery Solutions to create and distribute the food 3D printers along with custom-made food 3D printer material.

Therefore, though the ChefJet 3D printer isn’t out yet, we still felt it was worthy of its place on this list as it will get a release soon, and has demonstrated its ability to 3D print food. We look forward to seeing how far the ChefJet and ChefJet Pro can push 3D printed food in the future. The ChefJet is to retail at $5,000, whilst the ChefJet Pro will retail at $10,000.

Top food 3D printers available this year

What is food 3D printing?

Although it may sound like something from a sci-fi movie, food 3D printers do actually exist. Edible 3D printing is becoming more and more popular not only for professionals but also for personal use. That said, how does food 3D printing work? To what extent is it similar to standard 3D printing?

Most food 3D printers use extrusion 3D printing technology, much like regular desktop FFF (FDM) 3D printers. Instead of using plastic material, though, food 3D printers use paste-type ingredients. The most common ingredients are chocolate, pancake batter, and cream, although there are many other possibilities (even pizza!). They are 3D printed layer after layer, generally through a syringe-like extruder.

To get a better overview of this niche, we have put together a comprehensive list of food 3D printers on the market. This selection is based on available food 3D printers under $6,000. We also mention a few other food customization solutions, including coffee 3D printing, food ornament 3D printing, and 3D printing food molds.

Bon appétit!

Best food 3D printers available on the market

BrandProductBuild sizeCountryPrice

Approximate starting prices based on supplier-provided information and public data. Prices may vary by region, over time and do not include additional products or services (taxes, shipping, accessories, training, installation, …).

Micromake Food 3D printer100 × 100 × 15 mm3.94 × 3.94 × 0.59 in–$ 9991 010 €886 £144,539 ¥Contact
Choc EdgeChoc Creator V2.0 Plus180 × 180 × 40 mm7. 09 × 7.09 × 1.57 in–$ 2,6842 714 €2,380 £388,325 ¥Quote
ZMorphVX250 × 235 × 165 mm9.84 × 9.25 × 6.5 in–$ 2,7992 830 €2,482 £404,971 ¥Quote
byFlowFocus208 × 228 × 150 mm8.19 × 8.98 × 5.91 in–$ 3,6303 300 €3,219 £525,203 ¥Quote
Natural MachinesFoodini250 × 165 × 120 mm9.84 × 6.5 × 4.72 in–$ 4,0004 045 €3,547 £578,736 ¥Quote
MmuseChocolate 3D printer160 × 120 × 150 mm6.3 × 4.72 × 5.91 in–$ 5,4995 561 €4,876 £795,617 ¥Quote

Expand to see more specs

The products in the table are ranked by price (low to high).

BrandProductBuild sizeCountryPrice

Approximate starting prices based on supplier-provided information and public data. Prices may vary by region, over time and do not include additional products or services (taxes, shipping, accessories, training, installation, …).

Micromake Food 3D printer100 × 100 × 15 mm3.94 × 3.94 × 0.59 in–$ 9991 010 €886 £144,539 ¥Contact manufacturer
Choc EdgeChoc Creator V2.0 Plus180 × 180 × 40 mm7.09 × 7.09 × 1.57 in–$ 2,6842 714 €2,380 £388,325 ¥Get a quote
ZMorphVX250 × 235 × 165 mm9.84 × 9.25 × 6.5 in–$ 2,7992 830 €2,482 £404,971 ¥Get a quote
byFlowFocus208 × 228 × 150 mm8.19 × 8.98 × 5.91 in–$ 3,6303 300 €3,219 £525,203 ¥Get a quote
Natural MachinesFoodini250 × 165 × 120 mm9.84 × 6.5 × 4.72 in–$ 4,0004 045 €3,547 £578,736 ¥Get a quote
MmuseChocolate 3D printer160 × 120 × 150 mm6.3 × 4.72 × 5.91 in–$ 5,4995 561 €4,876 £795,617 ¥Get a quote

Pros and cons of food 3D printing

Benefits of 3D printing food

Time-saving

Edible 3D printing can be less time-consuming than traditional cooking. Indeed, users can launch a food 3D print and move on to other activities. Once the food 3D print is launched, there is no more need for manual operation.

Customization

Food 3D printing enables users to customize their food according to special events or simply to their mood. It can vary from writing a name on a birthday cake to 3D printing a heart-shaped pancake, for instance.

Creativity

Edible 3D printing enables cooking aficionados to unleash even more creativity in the kitchen. Users can imagine and actually create intricate designs. Amazing 3D-printed food artwork already exists!

3D printed food art by Marijn Roovers. Source: Marijn Roovers

Limits to food 3D printers

Type of food

Not just any sort of food can be 3D printed. The food must be in the form of a paste, such as cream or mashed potatoes.

Partial cooking

The 3D printing process doesn’t encompass every step of a meal’s preparation. For instance, food 3D printers cannot bake a cake or sprinkle oregano over a pizza.

Price

Food 3D printers are a bit expensive, generally in a price range between $1,000 and $5,000 (although there are exceptions).

Risk of failure

Just like with any other type of 3D printing, food 3D prints can be unsuccessful – too bad if it’s a birthday cake!

Food 3D printers: overview

The byFlow Focus is a compact food 3D printer made by byFlow, a Dutch 3D printing company specialized in edible 3D printing. This food 3D printer targets mostly professionals in the bakery industry.

The Focus works with refillable cartridges containing any kind of paste-type food to create customized meals. Furthermore, users have the possibility to access downloadable recipes.

Contact manufacturer Get a quote Add to comparison

The Choc Edge Choc Creator is a chocolate 3D printer targeting mostly professionals in chocolate and confectionery industries.

In addition, Choc Edge develops three apps, CHOC DRAW, MIX & MATCH and CHOC TEXT, to help users to draw and write on their chocolate 3D prints. A slicing software, ChocPrint, is also available.

Contact manufacturer Get a quote Add to comparison

The Micromake Food 3D printer can 3D print all kinds of paste-type ingredients, such as tomato sauce, chocolate sauce, and salad sauce. Also, the removable heated build plate is able to bake ingredients such as pancake batter.

Contact manufacturer Add to comparison

The Mmuse Chocolate 3D printer is a closed-framed chocolate 3D printer made by Muse, a manufacturer from China. This 3D printer uses chocolate beans as consumables: they melt in the extruder, just as with regular FFF/FDM 3D printing.

Contact manufacturer Get a quote Add to comparison

The Natural Machines Foodini is a 3D printer able to 3D print all kinds of paste-type food. Users can fill the Foodini’s capsules with any type of paste food they wish.

Furthermore, if users choose a specific Foodini recipe, the 3D printer gives instructions on which ingredients to insert into the capsules.

Contact manufacturer Get a quote Add to comparison

Thanks to its thick-paste extruder, the ZMorph VX can 3D print ceramics as well as food!

This multifunctional 3D printer is indeed able 3D print with chocolate, cookie dough, cream cheese, frosting and more.

In addition to paste extrusion, the VX is features CNC milling and laser engraving capabilities.

Contact manufacturer Get a quote Add to comparison

Special mention: Cakewalk

  • Materials: chocolate, meringue, royal icing, ketchup, guacamole, cream cheese, butter, mashed vegetables, Swiss butter cream
  • Price:
    • During KS campaign: €49 to €89
    • After KS = €119

Cakewalk 3D is a precise and practical extruder that converts your desktop 3D printer into a food printer. The screw-in extruder is designed to be easily installed on any type of Cartesian 3D printer. All parts are food-safe and easily washable in your dishwasher.

To adapt Cakewalk 3D to your printer, you just need to 3D print 3 or 4 pieces of support in plastic. Disassembling your plastic extruder, screwing in the support parts, and connecting the motor to your card takes less than 30 min. The extruder then works with your usual slicer.

Cakewalk3D Kickstarter campaign

Edible 3D printing: who is it for?

Restaurants and bakeries

Edible 3D printing is indeed very useful for professionals in the food industry. 3D printed food can be attractive to new customers seeking different food experiences. A restaurant serving 3D-printed food, the Food Ink. pop-up store already exists.

Industrial food production

In the industrial food production sector, edible 3D printing allows manufacturers to vary their product ranges with new creations. Furthermore, food 3D printers can achieve a high level of precision. Barilla, an Italian food company, 3D prints some of its pasta products.

Food 3D printing at home

Food 3D printers are also adapted for personal use. They allow for more creativity in the kitchen with food customization.

What food can be 3D printed?

Ingredients

Virtually any type of fresh food can be 3D printed as long as it’s a paste, or “purée”. For instance, ingredients could be:

  • Chocolate, candy and sugars
  • Pancake batter or cookie dough
  • Dairy products
  • Pasta, wheats and grains
  • Fruits and vegetables

Even pizza can be partly 3D printed! However, users will have to sprinkle their favorite toppings manually.

3D printed pizza by Beehex. Source: Beehex

Food 3D models

To 3D print food, we can let our imagination take over. Users indeed have the opportunity to create their own food 3D models with special CAD software. However, it is also possible to directly download any 3D model on dedicated STL file websites.

How much does a food 3D printer cost?

Food 3D printer price

There are various price points for food 3D printers. Prices can depend on the food 3D printer’s build volume and/or on the variety of 3D printable ingredients it is compatible with.

In general, the minimum price for a food 3D printer is around $1,000 (although the PancakeBot is available for under $400). However, prices may decrease in the future, just as they have for regular extrusion (FFF/FDM) 3D printers.

Other promising food 3D printing applications

Here are a few industries where food 3D printing is already beneficial.

Sustainable food

Food 3D printing could be a part of the answer to the world hunger crisis. Indeed, some food 3D printers use hydrocolloids as a consumable.

This chemical, gel-like substance can mimic food. 3D printed meals with hydrocolloids could also include sustainable ingredients, such as algae.

Medical

As explained above, certain food 3D printers use hydrocolloids to create different shapes and textures for meals. Also, like the EU’s PERFORMANCE program is proving, it can be very useful to make softer meals for people with chewing or digestion problems, especially elders.

In addition, medicine can be presented in the shape of yummy food, instead of pills or powder.

Army

The US Army is carrying out scientific research to provide personalized food for their soldiers.

According to Lauren Oleksyk, a food technologist leading the team at the Army’s Natick research center, a sensor installed in soldiers’ bodies could detect their specific dietary needs. This sensor would be interfaced with a food 3D printer, to produce customized meals.

Aerospace: NASA food 3D printer

Beehex, an American startup, has received a grant from NASA to develop a food 3D printer.

Indeed, the aerospace agency aims to allow astronauts to produce their own food during long-term space missions to go to Mars!

3D printed food ecosystem

Food ornament 3D printers

Coffee 3D printers: 3D printing on coffee

There seems to be no connection between the portrait of the Mona Lisa and coffee. However, thanks to coffee 3D printers, it is possible to see the beautiful smiling lady in a cup of coffee. Indeed, a combination between 3D printing and inkjet printing technologies allows these machines to draw images on top of any foam-covered beverage.

As such, the Ripple Maker, a coffee 3D printer made by Ripples, can help users print “their own selfies, favorite quotes, or special messages and images on their drinks”. Another existing coffee printer is the Lixian 3D CafeMaker.

Cake ornament 3D printers

Bakery industry professionals also use 3D printers to adorn cakes or pastries. Thanks to edible sheets of paper and ink, any kind of image (including photos) can be 3D printed to decorate cakes.

Food extruders

If users already have an FFF 3D printer at home, another solution exists to 3D print food: food extruders. These tools generally feature universal compatibilities with regular extrusion 3D printers. Some of them, such as the Structur3D Discov3ry, allow 3D print with non-only edible food and clay, silicone, etc. An open-source extruder, the BotBQ Extruder, can 3D print raw meat – a good fit for your future barbecue!

3D printed food molds

3D printers can also 3D print very useful tools for food production: this is the case of 3D printed food molds. Users can create their own molds and print them in 3D to customize cakes, for example.

Ripple Maker coffee 3D printer. Credit: Coffee Ripples

Conclusion

Food 3D printers are suitable for professional, industrial, and personal use-cases. Only paste-type ingredients are printable, but a wide range of food – from pizzas to cakes – can be created. As 3D-printed food can be customized according to users’ needs, it can be helpful in many fields, such as medicine.

3D printed food may also represent a hope for the world hunger crisis in the future. What food 3D printers are still missing is the ability to actually cook or bake. That is why cooking robots could be more and more popular in the future.

90,000 characteristics, pros and cons of each model

Home / Useful / Top 10 food 3D printers 2021

07.04.2021

Content

    • What is the food 3D printer
      • Scope
      • Raw materials used
    • Types of food 3D printers
    • Popular manufacturers
    • Top 10 best food printers: a list of the most current models
      • 1. PancakeBot 2.0
      • 2. Wiiboox Sweetin
      • 3. Choc Creator V2.0 Plus
      • 4. Choc Creator V2.0 Plus 3D Food Printer with Cooling Chamber
      • 5. byFlow Focus
      • 6. Chefjet Pro 9014
      • 8. Mmuse – Chocolate 3D Printer
      • 9. ZBOT Commercial Art Pancakes Printer F5
      • 10. ZMorph VX
    • Selection Guide
    • Output 9
    9002 A food printer is a high-tech device that is used to create culinary masterpieces. The decorative design of food products has reached a new level thanks to the use of modern technologies: high-quality and large-format printing is carried out on cakes, waffles, pancakes and even coffee. Here are the top best 3D food printers in different price categories for people who are fond of cooking.

    What is a 3D food printer


    The main feature of a food 3D printer is the raw materials used: instead of printing ink, the device is filled with edible ingredients. The database stores a large number of different recipes, and in order to print a dish, you just need to select one of them and activate the printing process. The final product is layered on a work surface or on a plate: it can be baked in the oven or sent to the freezer.

    Application


    Futuristic 3D Printed Sugar Candy


    Cookies printed with glaze


    Chocolate logos of famous companies


    Cream Photo Print

    Buying a food 3D printer is worth the owners of coffee houses, author's bakeries and private workshops. The finished product has a unique shape and bright appearance. Food printers are often used to create custom wedding cakes, cartoon character cookies, Christmas gingerbread cookies, and so on. The possibilities of a baker who owns such a device are endless: the main thing is to buy quality products.

    Raw materials used

    The following ingredients are used as raw materials:

    • Chocolate without additives and impurities;

    • Mastic;

    • Sugar;

    • Whipped cottage cheese;

    • Vegetable and fruit pastes;

    • Fish and meat pates;

    • Flour;

    • Cheese, etc.

    The confectionery pattern is applied to sugar, wafer or shock transfer paper. The first type has a sweetish aftertaste and aroma of vanilla. Due to the snow-white surface, no additional coating is required: the drawings look bright and clear. The wafer paper is made from rice flour and does not have a special taste, due to the light shade, the final drawings look less clear. Shock transfer paper is completely transparent and is suitable for transferring a design to a product (for example, a cake). For the packaging of finished products, food-grade plastic for a 3D printer is used.

    Interesting! Food printers are involved in waste reduction. Unattractive fruit and confectionery leftovers are used in the preparation of printing mixes. This makes it possible to use the means of production more efficiently.

    Types of 3D food printers


    Cooking enthusiasts can take advantage of the following food printing devices:

    1. Food 3D printers are devices that print dishes whose recipes are listed in a database. The final product is layer-by-layer superimposed on the work surface, and the raw material comes from filled cartridges;

    2. Confectionery printers are used to transfer images onto specialty paper or to design small confectionery products such as candies. Such printers print an image on pre-prepared paper: rice, wafer or shock transfer;

    3. Food plotters transfer the image not to paper, but directly to the finished product. For example, a plotter is used to transfer an image directly onto a cake.

    There are several types of food 3D printers:

    • Extrusion - paint is applied to the surface before the dish is created. The process is controlled by the computer with the loaded image. The system has an extruder that heats the food mixture, and the distribution of raw materials depends on the print head. The raw material is loaded into a syringe placed in the head. This means that in order to combine different shades, you have to periodically stop printing and change the syringe;

    • A carousel-type food 3D printer also has an extruder, but its main feature is the method of feeding raw materials: the containers rotate around the working surface, the supply and dosage of the material used depends on the recipe specified in the program. The storage can contain countless recipes, and operation does not cause difficulties even for an inexperienced user.

    Popular manufacturers

    Eminent manufacturers offer the best value for money food 3D printer. Quality devices provide accurate printing, high speed, durability, simplicity and ease of use.

    Wiibox

    This company manufactures 3D printers with high build quality and high productivity. These are universal mechanisms that fill both chocolate paste and mashed potatoes. Numerous positive reviews confirm the high quality of Wiibox products.

    byFlow

    The Dutch company byFlow specializes in food printing technology. The pursuit of excellence helps the company open up new horizons: the technique prints products from spinach, meat emulsion and other materials. High build quality, ease of use and durability - all these characteristics are applicable to the products of this company.

    Choc Edge

    Choc Edge is committed to revolutionizing the world of chocolate making. Numerous experiments and focus on consumer feedback help to create more powerful devices that provide the optimal temperature for preparing and storing chocolate figures.

    Attention! Printing dishes helps save time on cooking: instead of culinary worries, the user can simply activate the printing process and get on with other things.

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    Top 10 Best Food Printers: List of the Most Current Models

    Before you buy a food 3D printer, you need to familiarize yourself with the most popular devices on the world market. The top is based on ratings and customer reviews.

    1. PancakeBot 2.0


    PancakeBot 2.0 is easy to use, which means it's suitable for inexperienced users too. Users can choose from suggested designs in the software, or create their own. Used to print pancakes.

    Pros:

    • Ease of operation;

    • A wide range of proposed projects;

    • High speed.

    Cons:

    2. Wiiboox Sweetin


    Buying a food printer from Wiiboox is worth not only for confectionery lovers, but also for ordinary chefs: the device prints cakes, cookies and even mashed potatoes. The main raw materials can be meat, cheese, chocolate, jam, mashed potatoes, dough and much more. A convenient touch panel helps to set the desired mode of operation, and a stylish appearance complements the interior of any establishment.

    Pros:

    • Versatility: the ability to print not only sweet dishes, but also side dishes;

    • Attractive appearance;

    • High build quality;

    • Convenient control by touch panel.

    Cons:

    • High price.

    3. Choc Creator V2.0 Plus


    When talking about which chocolate 3D printer to buy, it is worth mentioning the numerous advantages of Choc Creator V2.0 Plus. The new model has become more perfect: the developers have worked hard to eliminate the shortcomings of the previous version. The modern model has small dimensions, thanks to which it can be used in any kitchen, and the uniform heating of the syringe ensures high-quality and uninterrupted operation. In practice, the chocolate printer has shown tremendous potential: it prints complex figures from chocolate.

    Pros of :

    • Attractive appearance;

    • Uninterrupted work;

    • Durability;

    • The ability to create durable and beautiful chocolate figures.

    Cons :

    4.

    Choc Creator V2.0 Plus 3D Food Printer with Cooling Chamber


    The new version of the Choc Creator V2.0 Plus printer is equipped with cooling chambers by popular demand. Users say that maintaining the optimal temperature in the room to preserve the integrity of chocolate figures is too problematic: therefore, the new device cools the raw materials. The price of a food 3D printer with a cooling system is slightly higher than a classic one, but the high performance of the final product justifies any costs.

    Pros of :

    • Availability of a cooling system for finished products;

    • High printing precision;

    • Long service life;

    • Ease of use: You can turn the fans on and off with the side buttons.

    Cons :

    • High price.

      Attention! Confectionery food 3D printers are often used by artists to create edible masterpieces. This is a unique technology that helps to unleash the creative potential of the chef.

      5. byFlow Focus


      Food printer from the Dutch company byFlow, which specializes in 3D printing of food. The compact high-tech device is used for the bakery industry, and the cartridges are suitable for the application of any pasty ingredients.

      Pros:

      Cons:

      6. Chefjet Pro


      Buying a ChefJet Pro food printer is a must for people who dream of making bright and stylish sweets. The device is created on the principle of inkjet printing: sugar-containing powder materials are used instead of paints. The final product is made by powder layering. The printer is suitable for combining different shades and creating gradients.

      Pros:

      • The ability to create unique flavors;

      • Neat and bright printing;

      • Aesthetic appearance of the device.

      Cons:

      • High price.

      7. Foodini


      The 3D food printer from Foodini works on the principle of a stationary printer, but instead of printing inks, layer-by-layer imposition of edible raw materials is used: dough, cream, chocolate, cream, etc. The device is versatile: the user himself can choose the material, or use ready-made cartridges with products.

      Pros:

      • Practicality;

      • High build quality;

      • Attractive appearance;

      • Availability of an online platform with unique recipes.

      Cons:

      8. Mmuse – Chocolate 3D Printer

      The closed MMuse 3D printer is suitable for chocolate printing. Chocolate beans are used as raw materials: they are heated in an extruder and fed to the work surface through the print head.

      Pros:

      Cons:

      9. ZBOT Commercial Art Pancakes Printer F5

      ZBOT Commercial Art Pancakes Printer F5 3D Printer

      A food printer from Chinese manufacturers is used in the process of making pancakes of various shapes. Ease of operation allows the device to be used by children under adult supervision.

      Pros:

      • Ease of operation;

      • High build quality;

      • Affordable cost.

      Cons:

      10. ZMorph VX

      A multifunctional 3D printer capable of printing not only food, but also rubber, ABS plastic, polylactide, PVA, nylon, elastic and metal materials. The product is able to print with chocolate, butter, cookies, icing and other ingredients. In addition, there is a function of engraving and CNC milling.

      Pros:

      Cons:

      • High price.

      Selection guide

      The modern market offers a wide range of food printers. Before making a purchase, you need to carefully study the characteristics of each model and build on your own preferences. Experts have created several recommendations for choosing:

      • In case you want to create realistic images for confectionery 3D printing, pay attention to the diameter of the nozzle: the narrower it is, the more accurate the image will be;

      • It is better for people living in regions with a warm climate to purchase chocolate 3D printers with a cooling system: such devices ensure that the figurines are kept at the optimum temperature;

      • The possibility of self-refilling the cartridge is the most practical and economical way to operate the printer;

      • Print speed is an important consideration for restaurant owners. Large batches of dishes must be produced quickly, and for home use this is not a very strict selection criterion.

      Output

      In the catalog of our online store, you can choose the best food printers from famous brands to create culinary masterpieces. Explore our range, learn about the characteristics of each printer and make great purchases.


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      what's next for 3D printing

      The prospects for 3D printing

      Already, the prospects for 3D printing are extremely promising. Scientists are actively developing existing 3D printing techniques, developing new technologies and types of materials, and finding new areas of application. Many call 3D printing the technology of the future, and for good reason. The technique is able to completely turn the usual way of life, changing the way most things are produced. In fact, a 3D printer is a real multifunctional factory, small and compact. Due to this, the future of 3D printing can definitely be called successful.

      3D printers can significantly reduce production costs, thereby reducing the cost of products. Judging by the growing trend towards the popularization of 3D technologies, raw materials for 3D printing will become the main commodity unit in the future. In general, the prospects for 3D printing are defined for many areas. And now we will try to reveal them as much as possible.

      The future of 3D printing

      If you try to imagine the future of 3D printing, the imagination paints a rather interesting picture. Given the great interest of scientists in the 3D bioprinting technique, which is one of the most promising 3D printing technologies, the production of artificial organs on a 3D printer is not far off. It is also safe to say that the future of 3D printing will bring us dramatic changes in areas such as:

      • Construction. 3D printing of houses, or contour construction, attracts many with its futurism and simplicity. The first steps in this direction have already been taken. The pioneers in 3D printing of houses were the Chinese, followed by the government of Dubai who discovered contour building. The first 3D printed office building has already been built in this city of the future, and an entire block is planned to be printed in the near future. And just recently, the first printed house in Europe was created on a 3D printer;
      • Electronics. When listing the prospects for 3D printing, this point should be given special attention. Scientists believe 3D printing of electronics is the future of digital device manufacturing, and with good reason. Graphene properties and its application in additive manufacturing are currently being actively researched. A huge breakthrough in this area is the creation of a graphene battery with an unlimited service life on a 3D printer;
      • Automotive and aerospace industry. The future of 3D printing is largely based on its ability to reproduce almost any element of varying complexity. In this regard, 3D printing is already widely used in the development of aircraft, machines and satellites. The ISS even has its own 3D printer, not to mention a number of successful 3D printing of cars.
      • Pharmaceutical industry. Yes, yes, you can imagine. The future of 3D printing is in the manufacture of tablets and other medicines. This is confirmed by epilepsy pills legalized in the USA, made according to a special technique. The essence of this perspective of 3D printing is the gradual release of active substances, so that instead of many tablets, you can drink just one.
      • Food industry. 3D food printers are gradually gaining space in cafes and restaurants. While this is probably one of the most raw 3D printing technologies out there, it has potential. Food 3D printers are especially interesting for the possibility of making food for astronauts, as well as the freedom to display culinary talent. This is confirmed by the amazing 3D-printed desserts of our compatriot.

      Other questions and answers about 3D printers and 3D printing:

      • Finance Which 3D printer manufacturers are best?
      • Finance What is the best 3D printer to buy?

      The future of 3D printers

      Now let's try to imagine the future of 3D printers. There are several important points to be noted here. Below we list the most likely scenarios for the future of 3D printers.

      • Improving the reliability and quality of devices. Surely, many users are looking forward to this, because most of the existing models of 3D printers cannot boast of uninterrupted operation and the absence of printing errors;
      • Large distribution. It is certain that the future of 3D printers will please us with their popularization. Even now, one can observe a growing trend towards the use of 3D printing in almost all areas of industry. In parallel with the fact that more and more users learn about the possibilities of technology, the demand for desktop 3D printers is also growing;
      • Availability. In continuation of the previous paragraph, it is worth noting that the growing demand for 3D printers will lead to lower prices for these devices. The use of 3D printing for domestic purposes is gaining momentum, which brings new equipment manufacturers to the market. Naturally, such a step will entail a reduction in the cost of devices;
      • Enlargement of the construction area. 3D printing of large-sized objects has long occupied the minds of developers. Of course, this applies to industrial 3D printers, because the functionality of 3D printing at this scale will allow you to create full-fledged components, for example, cars and aircraft;
      • Expanding the range of available materials. The future of 3D printers depends a lot on 3D printing materials, because more means more possibilities. The development of special equipment and related materials is being carried out by many companies, and news about the release of new polymers is constantly appearing.

      3D technologies of the future

      Summing up, it remains to consider only 3D technologies of the future. These include various futuristic scenarios that, to one degree or another, are already beginning to develop today. These include the technique of virtual reality, 3D scanning to create the perfect clothes and shoes, 3D printed makeup, and more. In a way, 3D technologies of the future also include bioprinting. By the way, scientists are talking about building the first 3D printed settlement on the Moon and Mars, so the prospects for 3D printing are also relevant outside the Earth.

      This was a list of the main scenarios for the future of 3D printing. Let's see how they are destined to come true. If you have additional questions that we have not covered, write to us by e-mail and we, if necessary, will add your questions! Best regards, 3DDevice team.

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