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Cheap 3d printers 2023
Best 3D Printer for 2022
In the last few years, 3D printing has crossed a rubicon into the mainstream consciousness. Schools and libraries often have 3D printers, and the barrier to entry for hobbyists is lower than ever, with inexpensive machines offering excellent out-of-the-box results.
Because 3D printing technology has come a long way in recent years, I've doubled down on being creative and gotten into 3D scanning and laser cutting as well, which lets you sculpt real-world designs from leather and wood. Advanced printers are also using resin machines that create amazingly detailed prints.
Current 3D printers, which range from affordable (under $300) to high-end (over $4,000), are great gifts for a creative person in your life. Even better, they're great for you to craft your own personalized designs if you're looking to open an Etsy shop or something similar.
These models by Fotis Mint are extremely detailed.
James Bricknell/CNETWe've taken a deep dive into many of the best 3D printers available today. This list includes both small and large 3D printers, with attention paid to print speed, the size of the build plate, the cost of PLA filament, the kind of print head included and other important details. And once you've decided to take the plunge into additive manufacturing -- that's what 3D printing essentially is -- there's an FAQ below.
Our top picks
Dan Ackerman/CNET
Creality Ender-3 S1
Best step-up starter printer
I'd avoided Ender-3 printers for a long while, because they came in kit form and required many hours of assembly, setup and fine-tuning to use. For just a little more than the kit versions, the newer Ender-3 S1 comes nearly fully preassembled, and with high-end features like a direct drive extruder and self-leveling bed.
Print quality even out-of-the-box was excellent, although a lot of that comes down to having good models to work from.
I'd love it to have a touchscreen and Wi-Fi, but apart form those missing features, this is a great way to get polished results from a $400 3D printer.
Read our Creality Ender-3 S1 review.
$399 at Amazon
Dan Ackerman/CNET
Anycubic Vyper
Best for out-of-the-box printing
The Anycubic Vyper FDM printer attempts to be both an affordable 3D printer and easy to use. It's a tricky needle to thread. Plenty of 3D printers offer automatic bed leveling and calibration to make sure prints come out even and firmly anchored to the print bed. This, however, is the first time I've seen a 3D printer run its bed leveling once, with zero manual input from me, and be totally good to go. I printed a 3D test file from the included SD card within minutes of powering on, and I've never seen a first print from a 3D printer come out so perfectly.
Read our Anycubic Vyper review.
$319 at Anycubic
$490 at Amazon
Anycubic
Anycubic Kobra Max
Best to make big projects easily
The Anycubic Kobra Max earned a 9 out of 10 in our recent review, in large part because it's one of the most enjoyable printers I've used in years. The build area is large enough to print entire helmets for cosplay, and the auto-bed-leveling system makes setting the machine up a breeze. The Kobra Max is the best choice for a large build area printer, bar none. --James Bricknell
Read our Anycubic Kobra review.
$549 at Anycubic
Entry-level 3D printers
Prusa Research
Prusa Mini Plus
Small but mighty
The Mini Plus is one of the best small-footprint printers you can buy. It has everything you would expect from a Prusa machine: Auto bed leveling, crash detection and great print quality, all for under $450.
Building it with my son gave us a lot of good insights into how a 3D printer works, and potentially how to fix one.
$429 at Prusa Research
Sarah Tew/CNET
Anycubic Mono
Best inexpensive resin 3D printer
Resin printers are the next step up in rapid prototyping design technology when you want your printing to look as high quality as possible. Just be warned: The liquid resin is harder to work with, and it requires both good ventilation and a portable UV light to properly cure. This model is extremely popular with board game hobbyists who want to print pro-looking miniatures, and sometimes you'll see it fall in price. Note that you can save $20 at Amazon by activating the instant coupon on the product page.
$189 at Anycubic
$250 at Amazon
Dan Ackerman/CNET
Monoprice Mini Delta V2
Best for tiny desks
I had high hopes for this dirt-cheap 3D printer with a tiny footprint.
It's usually under $200 and requires no additional assembly. And I do like it, but it's for a specific audience. This is not the great low-cost entry-level printer I was hoping for. It required some tweaking and troubleshooting to get up and running. The included microSD card was so cheap and corrupted it never worked, the built-in Wi-Fi was never able to connect to my network, and the machine's arms got caught on some poorly installed plastic wire covers (I just ripped the paper-thin covers off).
But once I had all the problems ironed out, it was a reliable little machine for quick jobs. It would make a great second 3D printer, or if you need to fit one into a small space. I especially liked the auto-leveling, which worked well, and the color touchscreen, which is a feature that often gets chopped from low-cost models. If you're willing to put a little effort into getting it set up correctly, it's a great printer for the price.
$153 at Amazon
Midrange 3D printers
Anycubic
Anycubic Photon Mono X
Best for mass-produced gaming minis
Standard resin printers are fine if you want to print small items or miniatures.
For more oversized cosplay items, practical models or collections of gaming miniatures, you're going to need a bigger build area.
Enter the Anycubic Mono X, a resin printer that solves that issue by having a build plate nearly three times bigger than the standard Anycubic models. For example, I managed to print the entire blade of a Dune Crysknife, something that would have needed to be split into three parts if it wasn't for the extra build volume.
The Mono X also prints at insane speeds. Because resin prints the entire layer in one shot, they tend to be quicker than traditional FDM printers in the first place, but the Mono X takes this to the extreme with layers printing in as little as 1 second. It's incredible to watch. --James Bricknell
It's still cheaper to shop at Anycubic directly, but you can save $110 at Amazon by activating the instant coupon on the product page.
$349 at Anycubic
$660 at Amazon
James Bricknell/CNET
Flashforge Adventurer 4
Best 3D printer for ease of use
The Flashforge Adventurer 3 has long been one of CNET's favorite midprice 3D printers.
The updated Adventurer 4 brings a handful of iterative improvements that make for a winning evolution. The Adventurer 4 is a fully enclosed unit, which helps control the temperature and block drafts. The build area is 220 by 200 by 250mm, and it has a system for easily swapping out nozzles -- all good features to have in a mid-level to high-end printer.
$849 at Amazon
High-end and professional 3D printers
Creality
Creality CR-30
Best for small biz or pro cosplayers
A word of warning; the CR-30 is not for the beginners out there. It is a complicated machine, and you will need some 3D-printing knowledge to really get the hang of it. It's also a very different beast, and instead of printing on a static-sized build plate, it uses a conveyor belt to create an "endless Z-axis." That lets you print very long things or lots of things over and over again.
If you are a cosplayer looking to make weapons or large armor pieces, the CR-30 gives you a lot of room to create. I've managed to print Squall's Gunblade from Final Fantasy VIII as well as the Whisper of the Worm from Destiny 2 (both were printed in two halves and attached together). It's great for small businesses looking to mass-produce small parts, and with just two CR-30s you could create a small empire on Etsy or Shopify. --James Bricknell
$1,100 at Crealty
$1,100 at Amazon
Sarah Tew/CNET
Glowforge 3D Laser Cutter
Best for woodworkers
I can't begin to tell you how much I love the Glowforge. Laser cutters can create projects from wood, leather, lucite and other materials, making it an interesting creation alternative to filament-based 3D printers. Even better, what would take a 3D printer hours to do takes just minutes in the Glowforge.
With it, I've created laser-etched LED lights, birch wood tool caddies, and even a three-tier box for my Nespresso sleeves. There's a robust community of makers creating and sharing files, but pretty much any line drawing you can create in something like Adobe Illustrator can be turned into a project.
The software is all cloud-based, which adds a layer of complication (you need internet service to use it), but the ability to create amazing gifts and more from simple 0.125-inch or 0.25-inch cheap plywood is pretty empowering.
See some of my laser cutter projects (and download my SVG files) here.
$3,995 at Glowforge (Glowforge Basic)
$4,995 at Glowforge (Glowforge Plus)
3D Scanners
Revopoint
Revopoint Pop 2
Incredible details
While the software has a pretty steep learning curve, the end result is extremely detailed.
I've really enjoyed using the handheld version to scan larger models while the included turntable makes scanning smaller objects a breeze. If you are looking for a professional-grade scanner and can spend some time on the software, the Pop 2 is a great choice.
$800 at Amazon
Sarah Tew/CNET
SOL Desktop Laser 3D Scanner
Best 3D scanner for easy replicas
Recreate pretty much anything by putting it on this 3D scanner, where a rotating base and built-in camera create a 360-degree copy, which is then editable in any 3D program and printable on your 3D printer. Simply scan the object, import the scan into your slicing software for cleanup, and print. The included software alerts you of next steps in the printing process with either sound or texts. Scan quality and print resolution are great, and setup is easy, although you might want to clean up your 3D model a bit in a 3D software app after.
$614 at Amazon
3D printing FAQs
What material should I use to print with?
Most home 3D printers use PLA or ABS plastic. Professional printers can use all sorts of materials, from metal to organic filament. Some printers use a liquid resin, which is much more difficult to handle. As a beginner, use PLA. It's nontoxic, made mostly of cornstarch and sugarcane, handles easily and is inexpensive. However, it's more sensitive to heat, so don't leave your 3D prints on the dashboard of a car on a hot day.
Which brand of PLA is best?
Generally speaking, Hatchbox has never let me down and runs about $25 for a full 1kg spool on Amazon. Some of the printers I tested only accommodate narrower 0.5kg spools. In those cases, I sometimes used a larger Hatchbox roll with a separate spool-holder. Other times, I had good luck with AIO Robotics 0.5kg spools, which are a little more expensive, at $14 for 0.5kg. Amazon Basics and Monoprice can also be good, but for any brand, weird colors like metallic or glow-in-the-dark filament can be hit-or-miss.
Note that a 1kg roll prints a lot of stuff.
What settings should I use?
Most 3D printers include or link to recommended software, which can handle converting 3D STL or other files into formats supported by the printer. Stick with the suggested presets to start, with one exception. I've started adding a raft, or bottom layer of filament, to nearly everything I print. It has cut down dramatically on prints that don't adhere to the bed properly, which is a common issue. If you continue to have problems, rub a standard glue stick on the print bed right before printing.
What are supports?
Your 3D models probably need some help to print properly, as these printers don't do well with big overhangs -- for example, an arm sticking out from a figure. Your 3D printer software can usually automatically calculate and add supports, meaning little stands that hold up all those sticking-out parts of the model. After the print is done, clip the supports off with micro cutters and file down any nubs or rough edges with hobby files.
Where do I find things to print?
Thingiverse.com is a huge online repository of 3D files for anything and everything you can think of. Pokemon chess set? It's there. Dyson vacuum wall mount? You bet.
When you're ready to create your own designs, there are a ton of software packages to choose from, but it's easiest to start with the browser-based free TinkerCad app from Autodesk.
Crazy things I've made on a 3D printer
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Amazon to Ban the Sale of 3D Printers by 2023
Published on April 1, 2022 by Madeleine P.
At 3Dnatives, we like April Fools’ Day! So this article was just a little joke for the occasion, Amazon remains supportive of 3D printing development!
You have almost certainly heard of Amazon. The American online retailer currently makes more than 12 million products available for purchase at lower prices. On this platform, you can find video games, clothing, household appliances, and of course 3D printing solutions – until now! That’s because Amazon is planning to make non-company 3D printers disappear from the platform very soon. Amazon has announced plans to ban all 3D printers by 2023. A slap in the face for major 3D printing companies offering their technologies on the popular online portal. Considering that Amazon receives more than 2 billion website visits per month, it’s easy to see why so many 3D printing companies sell their printers there.
Thankfully, Amazon did not keep its customers in the dark for long regarding their decision to ban 3D printers on the website.
In fact, apparently the company is working internally to launch production and soon the sale of its own 3D printer line, including software, expected to be on the market starting in 2024. This is a large step from the conglomerate, as it dares to take in an industry that has proven to enjoy increasing popularity and acceptance.
The company’s own 3D printer should be available for sale on the website from 2024 (photo credits: Amazon)
Amazon: A New Top 3D Printer Manufacturer in the Future?
Though of course the plan to ban 3D printers from Amazon is shocking, the first questions that spring to mind are probably: What can we expect from Amazon’s 3D printer? What innovative and ingenious features will this technology come with? Fortunately, Andy Jassy, CEO of Amazon and successor to the famous Jeff Bezos, cleared some doubts in a recent press release, making it clear that the plan is to take Amazon to the next level. In order to realize Amazon’s vision, the company has decided to put itself forward in the 3D printing sector.
Internally, the board is already convinced that Amazon will have made a name for itself in the additive manufacturing market in just a few years. Already it seems that the board of the U.S. company expects the company to become one of the big players among 3D printing manufacturers in the future.
In usual and unsurprising Amazon fashion, the first concrete plans are already in place from the R&D team to ensure that the company’s entry into the 3D printing industry is guaranteed. David Stafford, as head of the R&D department at Amazon Lab126, is playing a key role in the design and manufacture of the Amazon 3D printer. They plan to offer an affordable 3D printer based on FDM technology that is not only aimed at individuals, but also businesses; priced at under $100, this 3D printer will be found in Amazon Basics’ own product line and reinforces the idea of making 3D printing accessible to everyone.
Features and characteristics of the 3D printer
To ensure that the entry into the field of 3D printing with the future FDM printer is also a complete success for the US company, the printer will have important and practical features: for example, the device, which is to be supplied with a closed power supply unit, is to have an build volume of 1200 x 600 x 450 mm and will be able to offer its users many interesting .
The incredible thing is that it does not plan to just stick to using FDM as a printing technology, but they will be launching an all-in-one FDM/SLA combined machine! As unrealistic as this may sound, Amazon has said that they are very confident in their idea. If it is done successfully, it will also give Amazon even more of an edge as often those looking for cheap printers must choose between SLA and FDM for their needs. With this machine, they could get everything at an incredibly affordable price, even if they are very tight-lipped about the specific details of how the printer will work. What is also known is that with a total weight of 19.4 kg, the printing speed is expected to be 320 mm per second, though whether that is just for FDM or for both is still unknown.
It is still unclear which software the Amazon printer will be compatible with. However, Stafford gave some small insights, setting his team and himself up for great expectations from the public. They want to use this type of software that will combine user-friendliness, efficiency and cost savings in one cheap package.
Great words, which will hopefully be followed by great deeds. However, what exactly this project means for the banning of the current 3D printers and the companies behind them, is still not clear. But we will be watching the news closely and inform you of any new developments. If you want to learn more about the new Amazon technology, you can find more information from the US company HERE.
David Stafford gives great reason to be excited about the advancement of 3D printing
Did you fall for the prank? Let us know if you believed our April Fool’s Day article in a comment below or on our Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn pages! Sign up for our free weekly Newsletter here, the latest 3D printing news straight to your inbox!
*Cover Photo Credits: Amazon
Industrial 3D printers Total Z
FDM and SLS 3D printers, drying and post-processing equipment
About company
FDM 3D printers
Industrial 3D printers Total Z PRO series
450-PRO 950-PRO
Total Z High Performance LPRO Series 3D Printers
1000-PRO-LL
Total Z G3 Series Desktop 3D Printers
250-G3 250-G3 (2X) XL250-G3(2X)
Total Z G5 Series Desktop 3D Printers
G5
SLS 3D printers Total Z
SLS-250
Portal systems for 3D printing with granules
Total Z AnyForm FGF
Total Z machines for drying and post-processing
Total Z D5Vacuum drying chambers
Help prepare plastic for printing.
Remove moisture from hygroscopic materials. Reduce the risk of plastic "boiling", extruder breakage, deterioration of the surface quality of the product.
Watch →
Total Z MPC-310Acetone baths
Equipment for chemical post-processing of finished objects. Helps to achieve a glossy and smooth product surface.
Watch →
Total Z UB-450; 500; 650; 950; 1200;Ultrasonic baths
Machines for physical and chemical post-processing of models. Remove the supporting plastic from the surface of finished products. They clean the material in places inaccessible for manual processing.
See 5 models →
Our capabilities
The equipment complies with Russian and international standards
Consumables for printers and equipment are always in stock
We participate in R&D, cooperate with research institutes
We work with defense enterprises and government customers
Operational warranty service
Departure and training on the territory of the customer
Implemented projects by industry
Aviation industry and special products
Supply of an industrial 3D printer for the project of the MS-21 passenger aircraft of Irkut Corporation.
Supply of high-temperature 3D equipment for the laboratory of additive technologies of VIAM.
Supply of a 3D printer for printing with experimental materials for the production of the Central Institute of Aviation Motors.
Shipbuilding
Selection of samples of engineering plastic for the project of printing body elements for a shipyard.
Auto industry
Supply of equipment for 3D prototyping to the plant of the AvtoVAZ group.
Rocket and space
Supply of the first production equipment for 3D printing to the Center for Additive Technologies of JSC RCC Progress.
Foundry
Fabrication of a matrix using FDM 3D printing for the production of piece metal parts that have been discontinued or to replace parts with a long delivery time.
Education
Production of a desktop 3D printer for schoolchildren and students in collaboration with a team of developers of teaching materials for classrooms.
Electronics
Implementation of 3D equipment at the Simvol East Kazakhstan region.
Prototyping of lighting equipment for the Pyaterochka grocery store chain.
Agroprom
Complex equipping of the research agro-engineering center with equipment.
Aviation industry and special products
Supply of an industrial 3D printer for the project of the MS-21 passenger aircraft of Irkut Corporation.
Supply of high-temperature 3D equipment for the laboratory of additive technologies of VIAM.
Supply of a 3D printer for printing with experimental materials for the production of the Central Institute of Aviation Motors.
Shipbuilding
Selection of samples of engineering plastic for the project of printing body elements for a shipyard.
Auto industry
Supply of equipment for 3D prototyping to the plant of the AvtoVAZ group.
Rocket and space
Supply of the first production equipment for 3D printing to the Center for Additive Technologies of JSC RCC Progress.
Foundry
Fabrication of a matrix using FDM 3D printing for the production of piece metal parts that have been discontinued or to replace parts with a long delivery time.
Education
Production of desktop 3D printers for schoolchildren and students in collaboration with a team of developers of teaching materials for classrooms.
Electronics
Implementation of 3D equipment at the Simvol East Kazakhstan region.
Prototyping of lighting equipment for the Pyaterochka grocery store chain.
Agroprom
Complex equipping of the research agro-engineering center with equipment.
Services
3D printing
Casting
Reverse engineering
prototyping
Upcoming Events
New models of Total Z industrial 3D printing systems in Moscow at the Interplastica exhibition
Interplastica is a key event for the plastics and rubber market, which annually brings together experts from all over the world at one business platform.
The Total Z team will take part in the Rosmould-2023 exhibition
Total Z equipment can be viewed in the specialized 3D-TECH section, which will bring together leaders in the field of additive technologies and 3D printing.
company's news
Total Z at Technoforum 2022 as part of the Skolkovo team
October 31, 2022Total Z at the INNOPROM-2022 exhibition in Yekaterinburg
July 15, 2022Total Z presented a system for high-speed 3D printing with granules at the Metalworking-2022 exhibition
June 6, 2022More news
Total Z equipment undergoes EU
certification February 14, 2022
Film crew with Denis Maidanov at Total Z
production January 27, 2022We are trusted
3D printer Aladdinbox SkyCube - a good budget printer for beginners / 3D printers, machines and accessories / iXBT Live
An unusual review of an inexpensive and good 3D printer for beginners.
Aladdinbox SkyCube Printer Cube is a small, closed X-axis cantilever 3D printer with an effector that moves up and down in Z. The table moves in Y. print.
The printer is a good first choice, especially if you have no experience in 3D printing and do not plan to upgrade.
Printer specifications.
Aladdinbox SkyCube 3D printer package and kit
The printer came in a relatively small box (just over 4 kg).
The photo shows the printer package.
The kit included a spool of filament (0.33 kg), power supply (12V/6A), instructions, memory card and card reader, PVP glue stick for adhesion, USB-B cable.
3D printer in a box
External view of Aladdinbox SkyCube 3D printer.
Top panel view
Bottom view.
Printer dimensions 19.50 x 21.00 x 27.50 cm
USB and power sockets are located on the top right of the case.
Just below the extruder mechanism. In the center of the side panel is a folding coil holder. Very comfortably. But the coils are installed small, 330 g each (as in the kit).
To thread the filament, press the spring lever and thread through the hole.
The top panel contains a display, an encoder, a Reset button, and a slot for a memory card.
Encoder with pressing
The memory card included was 1Gb. Type - MicroSD
I really liked that the moving and hot parts of the printer are closed.
The movable console has a hot end similar to the E3D, only with a smaller version of the heatsink.
Shows traces of factory testing.
Polished 6 mm shafts and linear bearings are used for movement.
To tension the GT2 belt - screw and eccentric.
You can calibrate the table height yourself.
To do this, there is a limit switch screw along the Z axis.
We twist (clockwise) - the height of the nozzle above the table decreases.
Unscrew (counterclockwise) - the gap increases.
A total of 3 axis limit switches are installed on the printer.
Stepper motors XY42STh50-1684A (42mm 1.8 degrees, torque 3.6kg/cm) are installed as drives.
A lighter version XY42STh44-1504A is installed on the X axis on the console.
3D printer OSD menus .
To print, click on the encoder -> select Print from SD card -> Print file -> select and run the g-code file.
When printing, you can control parameters (such as printing temperature). Also in the menu there is a cancellation of printing (Stop) and a pause (Pause).
Printer Maintenance and Pause.
To load the filament, heat up the hot end, thread the rod into the extruder and the Bowden tube.
Printing can be paused for maintenance or filament change.
All electronics are hidden under the top panel (below the display).
Control board based on ATmega2560, like most popular 3D printers.
Slicer setup is simple.
On the example of the widespread Cura (one of the old versions).
Just add a new printer with dimensions 110x110x125 mm, no heating.
Printing models from PLA is the main purpose of the reviewed 3D printer. But looking ahead, I’ll say that other types of plastic are too tough for him.
Calibration and test models.
XYZ 20mm Calibration Cube
5mm Calibration Cube Steps
Famous boat 3DBenchy
Test frog.
Checking the Printing Area - A large dome table (about 10 cm long) is placed.
I printed the box from a memory card - several models are already available on MicroSD along with the printer.
Several extremely useful models.
Spacers for SC08UU bearings and handle for 8mm axles (manual).
A few more technical details.
Drawn and printed the case for the joystick (CNC machine control).
The printer prints excellently (just very well) with PETG plastic.
PETG is a flexible yet durable plastic with higher softening and melting points than PLA. And the regular blowing of the printer is enough for PET printing.
PETG doll table above. Plus printed chair in the kit.
PETG boat. I would like to note the better print quality of the hinged elements (due to greater blowing efficiency for PETG).
A few technical details. It is convenient to print from PETG - the parts are durable.
CNC joystick housing reprinted from PETG
For comparison - green PLA and white PETG printed cases,
Print height test 110 cm (case for Lipo battery 2S 7.
4V 2200mAh for quadcopter).
Little tricks - color printing.
As I said, there is a Pause in the printer menu.
This pause allows you to change the stock during the pause and print multi-colored plastic in layers.
Print examples.
The second trick is that the printer can print parts that exceed the width or length of the table.
Especially if the part is placed obliquely (you can print with support also diagonally in height))))))
