Which 3d printer should i buy

The Best Cheap 3D Printers for 2022

While we'd hesitate to call 3D printing a mature technology, you might say it has reached its teenage years. Through their first decade-and-change, 3D printers have come down in price, grown easier to set up and operate, and become more reliable. And you may pay less than you expect: Many once-high-end features have migrated down to inexpensive models.

PC Labs has been reviewing 3D printers since 2013. Today, the state of 3D printing is strong, but that wasn’t always the case. For the first several years, it was often an adventure getting one of these printers up and running, let alone successfully through our testing regimen. Issues with filament-based—aka fused filament fabrication (FFF) or fused deposition modeling (FDM)—printers were abundant.

Filament feeders had to be coaxed into delivering filament from the spool to the extruder. Print beds had to be manually aligned. The extruder or hot end had to be positioned just right to minimize the gap between the nozzle and the build plate (the flat surface on which the object is printed). Objects frequently stuck to the build plate, and required careful, sometimes unsuccessful, efforts to pry them off. These and other issues required painstaking effort to resolve, often combined with calls to tech support.

Not so much anymore. While they can still be rebellious at times, 3D printers have grown up a lot, and achieving the 3D printer basics has gotten a lot less likely to end in a shouting match over small things. And they've gotten a lot more affordable, too, for curious DIY-ers and hobbyists to try.

If you're in the market for a beginner or low-cost 3D printer, it's important to know how lower-end models differ. Read on for mini-reviews of the top budget 3D printers we've tested. After that, we go into more detail on understanding the 3D printer specs and tech relevant to beginning buyers. Ready to take the plunge? Read on.

Original Prusa Mini

Best Overall Budget 3D Printer

4.5 Outstanding

Bottom Line:

It requires assembly and calibration care (plus shipping from the Czech Republic), but the Original Prusa Mini is a compact, open-frame 3D printer that consistently produces superb-quality output for a great price.

PROS

• Top-notch object quality
• Supports a variety of filament types
• Useful, professionally printed user guide
• Great support resources
• Versatile, user-friendly software

CONS

• First-layer calibration can be tricky
• Only includes starter packets of filament
• Requires monitoring if young children or pets are around

Read Our Original Prusa Mini Review

XYZprinting da Vinci Mini

Best Budget 3D Printer for Schools, Community Centers

4.0 Excellent

Bottom Line:

The XYZprinting da Vinci Mini is a consumer-oriented 3D printer that provides a winning combination of low price, ease of setup and use, solid print quality, and smooth, misprint-free operation.

PROS

• Very low price.
• Reasonably priced filament.
• Good print quality.
• No misprints in testing.
• Easy setup and operation.
• Quiet.
• Prints over a USB or Wi-Fi connection.

CONS

• Occasional problems in trying to launch prints.
• Removing printed objects from the print bed is sometimes tricky.

Read Our XYZprinting da Vinci Mini Review

Toybox 3D Printer

Best Budget 3D Printer for Children

4.0 Excellent

Bottom Line:

The Toybox 3D Printer works well as a model designed for children, offering reliable printing from a browser or mobile device and a few thousand toys to print, plus creative options to output drawings or photos. Just bear in mind the tiny build area.

PROS

• Reliable, misprint-free printing
• Easy setup
• One-touch operation
• Well-composed help resources
• Access to more than 2,000 printable toys and projects
• Lets you create your own printable designs

CONS

• Tiny build area
• Not ideal for importing 3D files created elsewhere

Read Our Toybox 3D Printer Review

Monoprice Mini Delta V2 3D Printer

Best Budget 3D Printer for Beginners, Non-Techies

4.0 Excellent

Bottom Line:

3D printing gurus will be intrigued by the Monoprice Mini Delta V2's use of the delta rather than Cartesian coordinate system, but beginners will just enjoy its low price, ease of use, and speedy printing.

PROS

• Sub-$200 price
• Quick, nearly misprint-free printing
• Easy setup and operation
• Sturdy steel-and-aluminum frame
• Supports multiple filament types

CONS

• Tiny build area
• So-so print quality
• Mere one-year warranty

Read Our Monoprice Mini Delta V2 3D Printer Review

Anycubic i3 Mega S

Best Budget 3D Printer With an Open Design, Big Build Area

3.5 Good

Bottom Line:

The Anycubic i3 Mega S, an inexpensive open-frame 3D printer, produced decent-quality prints in our testing. To get the most out of it, though, may require precise calibration.

PROS

• Modestly priced
• Large build area for an inexpensive printer
• Supports a variety of filament types
• Generally solid print quality
• Uses well-known Cura software

CONS

• Finicky print-platform alignment
• Supported coils of filament are small
• Poorly placed spool holder

Sold By	List Price	Price
Amazon	$229. 98	$229.98	Check Stock (Opens in a new window)

Read Our Anycubic i3 Mega S Review

Anycubic Vyper

Best Budget 3D Printer for the Biggest Build Area Possible

3.5 Good

Bottom Line:

Anycubic's modestly priced Vyper whips up large 3D prints on its open-frame design, and provides automatic print-bed leveling. Just know that some minor assembly is required—and printed objects may require a bit of cleanup.

PROS

• Relatively large build area
• Automatic bed leveling
• Simple assembly

CONS

• Short (one-year) warranty
• Includes only a small starter filament coil
• Using Cura software with the Vyper requires tweaking a couple of settings
• Test prints showed some "hairy" filament residue

Sold By	List Price	Price
Amazon	$429. 99	$429.99	See It (Opens in a new window)
AnyCubic	$369.00	$319.00	See It (Opens in a new window)

Read Our Anycubic Vyper Review

Creality Ender-3 V2

Best Budget 3D Printer for Tinkerers and DIY Types

3.5 Good

Bottom Line:

Hands-on tweaking defines Creality's budget-price Ender-3 V2, an open-frame 3D printer that you build from a kit. It produces generally above-par prints, but its print bed can be tricky to keep leveled.

PROS

• Inexpensive
• Slightly above-average print quality
• Good-size build area for its price
• Supports several filament types

CONS

• Manual print-bed leveling can be tricky
• Setup instructions could be deeper, more legible
• Questionable quality control on some parts

Sold By	List Price	Price
Amazon	$299. 00	$246.00	See It (Opens in a new window)

Read Our Creality Ender-3 V2 Review

Flashforge Finder 3D Printer

Best 3D Printer for the Very Tightest Budgets

3.5 Good

Bottom Line:

The Flashforge Finder 3D Printer is moderately priced and offers good print quality, but it proved tricky to get up and running in our tests.

PROS

• Quiet.
• Good print quality.
• Connects via USB 2.0 cable, USB thumb drive, or Wi-Fi.
• Reasonably priced.

CONS

• Some objects pulled off the platform during testing.
• Poor documentation.
• Modest build volume.
• Limited to printing with polylactic acid filament (PLA).

Read Our Flashforge Finder 3D Printer Review

Polaroid PlaySmart 3D Printer

Best Budget 3D Printer for Dabbling in Small Objects

3. 5 Good

Bottom Line:

The Polaroid PlaySmart 3D Printer is a compact, stylish 3D printer with above-par overall print quality, but, alas, a tiny build area for the money.

PROS

• Small, lightweight for a desktop 3D printer.
• Easy to set up and use.
• Supports PLA, PETG, and wood composite filaments.
• Multiple-color support.
• Wi-Fi camera monitors print jobs.
• Prints from USB drives, SD cards, or mobile devices.

CONS

• High price for its capabilities.
• Small build area.
• Too-brief warranty.

Read Our Polaroid PlaySmart 3D Printer Review

XYZprinting da Vinci Jr. 1.0 A Pro

Best Budget 3D Printer With Closed Design, Roomy Build Area

3. 5 Good

Bottom Line:

The XYZprinting da Vinci Jr. 1.0 A Pro is a moderately priced closed-frame 3D printer with a large build volume and overall good performance, but a potentially balky filament-feeding system.

PROS

• Spacious build area
• Works with third-party filaments
• Self-leveling print bed

CONS

• Build plate is not heated
• Limited to PLA- and PETG-based filaments
• Guide tube is prone to detaching

Read Our XYZprinting da Vinci Jr. 1.0 A Pro Review

Monoprice Voxel 3D Printer

Best Budget 3D Printer for Cheap Filament

3. 0 Average

Bottom Line:

The Monoprice Voxel is an under-$400 3D printer that's easy to set up and use. It exhibits generally good print quality, but it was unable to print two of our test objects.

PROS

• Easy to set up and use.
• Budget price for printer and filament spools.
• Supports PLA, ABS, and several composite filament types.
• Versatile software.
• Prints over Ethernet or Wi-Fi, or from a USB thumb drive.

CONS

• Frequent misprints on certain test objects.
• Slightly balky touch screen.

Read Our Monoprice Voxel 3D Printer Review

Buying Guide: The Best Cheap 3D Printers for 2022

How to Buy a Cheap 3D Printer

The biggest changes to 3D printers over the last few years have come to the cheaper models. Nowadays, many of those classic, ornery 3D-printing issues have been resolved (most of the time, anyway), even for consumer and bargain-priced 3D printers. Automatic print-bed leveling is the norm, and you can usually remove 3D-printed objects from heated and/or flexible build plates with a minimum of coaxing. And most 3D printer manufacturers have either developed and refined their own software, or have adapted an open-source printing platform such as Cura(Opens in a new window).

(Credit: Zlata Ivleva)

What separates more expensive 3D printers from cheap ones ("cheap" defined as $500 or less, for the purposes of this article) is often a select group of features. These include the build volume, the type of frame, the varieties of supported filament, the software, and the connectivity mix. Let's run through those in turn.

What's the Right Build Volume for a 3D Printer?

A 3D printer’s build volume is the maximum dimensions (HWD) of a part that it can print. (We say “a part” because a 3D-printed object can consist of multiple parts that are printed, then glued or otherwise pieced together.) While the smallest build volume of any 3D printer we have tested is 3.9 by 3.9 by 4.9 inches, we consider any build volume smaller than 6 by 6 by 6 inches to be small, any between that and 10 by 10 by 10 inches as medium, and any printer with at least one build dimension of more than 10 inches as having a large build volume.

(Credit: Molly Flores)

As a general rule, inexpensive 3D printers have small build volumes, while more expensive ones have larger build volumes. This depends in part on the type of printer. Closed-frame 3D printers—and most semi-open models, which have a rigid top, base, and sides but are open in front and, often, back—tend to have small build volumes, while open-frame printers, lacking as rigid a physical structure, often have relatively large build volumes for the price. You'll want to weigh the build volume against the kinds of objects you will print.

Should I Get an Open-Frame or Closed-Frame 3D Printer?

Which brings us to the frame "form factor" question: open-frame versus closed-frame. Closed-frame 3D printers are boxlike devices, with a rigid base, walls (with a see-through door in front), and top. Among their advantages? They muffle the operating noise, as well as reduce the odor from melted filament (which is potentially an issue with ABS plastic), and they provide some protection for people or pets who might inadvertently touch the hot extruder. A downside: They tend to have smaller build volumes than open-frame 3D printers, which have fewer (often, no) walls to constrict them.

(Credit: Zlata Ivleva)

Low-cost 3D printers include both open-frame and closed-frame models, as well as a few stereolithography printers. If a relatively large build volume is a priority, you’re likely to get more bang for the buck with an open-frame model. Open-frames do have some clear downsides by definition: They tend to be noisy, emit odors when certain plastics are melted, and provide little protection for someone who might touch the hot extruder.

(Credit: Molly Flores)

Also, recognize some potential negatives of open frames, depending on the model. Some require assembly, being essentially kits, and most require more setup care than a closed-frame printer, plus more maintenance to keep them running smoothly. Still, these very traits should not deter—and may even appeal to—hobbyists and DIY folks.

What Should I Look for in 3D Printer Software and Connectivity?

Gone are the days when tinkerers had to cobble together several different programs to get a 3D printer to run. Manufacturers either include their own 3D printing program or modify an existing platform such as the open-source Cura.

3D printing software performs three main functions: processing an object file (resizing, moving, rotating, and in some cases duplicating it), slicing it (into virtual layers, based on your chosen resolution), and printing it. These are almost universally combined into a seamless process. Some high-end printers have software that supports a wider range of settings you can tweak, but even the basic suites work at least reasonably well.

More likely to vary among the cheaper set is the array of connection options from model to model. Nearly all have a USB Type-A port to fit a thumb drive for printing from document files. Most also have a USB Type-B port for connecting directly to a computer, and some offer Wi-Fi, too (or as an alternative), while a handful let you connect via Ethernet to share the printer across a local network.

Some printers support storing 3D files on an SD or microSD card (which may also contain the printer’s system files). Most 3D printer manufacturers (even the discount ones) have a mobile app to launch and monitor print jobs, and a few provide access to cloud services from which you can print.

While high-end 3D printers tend to have an abundance of connection choices, discount models vary widely in their choices. Some are generous and some are basic, so it pays to assess what a given model offers.

What Should I Look for in Filament Support?

Filament support tends to be a key area that separates the cheaper models from the higher-end ones. (See our guide to understanding 3D printing filaments for more particulars.) Inexpensive 3D printers tend to support a limited number of plastic filament types, some of them only PLA and/or ABS.

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3D Printing: What You Need to Know

3D Printer Filaments Explained

(Credit: Molly Flores)

PLA (polylactic acid) is a biodegradable, plant-based polymer, while ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) is the same tough plastic that Legos are made from. Objects printed from ABS are durable and nontoxic, though the material can be tricky to work with. ABS can emit an acrid, unpleasant odor during printing, and the bottom corners of objects being printed with it have a tendency to curl upward a bit, especially if you are using a non-heated print bed. This can lead to unsightly prints, and/or prints prematurely pulling off the build plate, ruining them.

Many entry-level and low-price 3D printers stick exclusively to PLA. If you want to experiment with a larger variety of filaments—which include water-soluble filament, wood- and metal-laced composites, and both tough and flexible varieties—you may have to pay more, although a few discount models support a wide range of materials.

Should I Consider a 3D Printing Pen Instead?

Although they aren’t printers per se, inexpensive 3D pens are close kin to 3D printers—using the same filament types and a similar extrusion system—and we include them in the 3D printing category. Rather than tracing out a programmed pattern, you use the 3D pen much like a normal pen, except that you draw with molten plastic. You can trace a pattern or draw freehand, and even draw in three dimensions as the plastic quickly solidifies and hardens once extruded.

(Credit: 3Doodler)

Most 3D pens cost less than $100, and some cost $50 or less. At a glance, 3D pens may appear to be toys, but some artists and craftspeople have taken to them, as it is possible to make quite complicated and beautiful objects with them. If your aim in 3D printing is something closer to freehand design and free expression than computer-centric, structured, and repeatable output, you might give one a try.

So, What Is the Best Cheap 3D Printer to Buy?

Buying a budget 3D printer needn’t mean a world of sacrifice. Plenty of capable and reliable models sell at less than $500, and while they may not be as feature-rich as their more expensive cousins, there's no sense in paying for things you don’t need.

Many casual 3D-printing experimenters will be fine with printing over a USB cable or from a thumb drive, and sticking to PLA may be the best choice for a starter 3D printer. If you focus just on the features you want, you may be pleasantly surprised at what you find. Below, check out a spec breakdown of the best under-$500 3D printers we have reviewed, paralleling our picks above. Also, for a look at the broader market, see our guide to our favorite 3D printers overall.

What 3D Printer Should You Buy? A Simple Buying Guide – 3D Printerly

Buying a 3D printer is an important step to getting optimal results and making sure you don’t experience many issues that might stop you from getting into 3D printing with enthusiasm. There are some important factors you’ll want to know before buying a 3D printer, so I decided to write an article about it.

What to Look For in 3D Printers – Key Features

• Printing Technology
• Resolution or Quality
• Printing Speed
• Build Plate Size

Printing Technology

There are two main 3D printing technologies that people use:

• FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling)
• SLA (Stereolithography)

FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling)

The most popular 3D printing technology today is FDM 3D printing. It’s very suitable for beginners, up to experts for creating 3D prints. When you are choosing a 3D printer most people will start with an FDM 3D printer, then decide to branch out with more experience.

This is personally how I got into the 3D printing field, with the Ender 3 (Amazon), priced at around $200.

The best thing about FDM 3D printers is the cheaper cost, ease of use, larger build size for models, wide range of materials to use, and overall durability.

It works mainly with a spool or roll of plastic which gets pushed through an extrusion system, down into a hotend that melts the plastic through a nozzle (0.4mm standard), and gets placed down onto a build surface, layer by layer to form your 3D printed model.

It does require some basic knowledge to get things right, but as things have developed, it’s very easy to set an FDM 3D printer up and get some models 3D printed within the hour.

SLA (Stereolithography)

The second most popular 3D printing technology is SLA 3D printing. Beginners can still start with this, but it will be a little more challenging than FDM 3D printers.

This 3D printing technology works with a photosensitive liquid called resin. In other words, it’s a liquid that reacts and hardens to a certain wavelength of light. A popular SLA 3D printer would be something like the Elegoo Mars 2 Pro (Amazon), or the Anycubic Photon Mono, both around $300.

The best thing about SLA 3D printers is the high quality/resolution, speed of printing multiple models, and ability to make unique models that manufacturing methods can’t produce.

It works with a vat of resin placed on the main machine, which sits on top of an LCD screen. The screen shines a UV light beam (405nm wavelength) in specific patterns to produce a layer of hardened resin.

This hardened resin sticks to a plastic film at the bottom of the resin vat, and peels off onto a build plate above due to the suction force from the build plate lowering down into the resin vat.

It does this layer-by-layer until your 3D model has completed, similar to FDM 3D printers, but it creates models upside down.

You can create really high quality models with this technology. This type of 3D printing is growing quickly, with many 3D printer manufacturers starting to build resin 3D printers for cheaper, with higher quality and more durable features.

Working with this technology is known to be more difficult as compared to FDM because it requires more post-processing to finish off 3D models.

It’s also known to be quite messy since it works with liquids and plastic sheets which can sometimes pierce and leak if a mistake is made with not cleaning out the resin vat properly. It used to be more expensive to work with resin 3D printers, but the prices are starting to match up.

Resolution or Quality

The resolution or quality that your 3D printer can reach is usually limited to a level, detailed in the 3D printer’s specifications. It’s common to see 3D printers that can reach a 0.1mm, 0.05mm, down to 0.01mm.

The lower the number, the higher the resolution since it refers to the height of each layer the 3D printers will produce. Think of it like a staircase for your models. Each model is a series of steps, so the smaller the steps, the more details you’ll see in the model and vice versa.

When it comes to resolution/quality, SLA 3D printing that uses the photopolymer resin can get much higher resolutions. These resin 3D printers usually start off with a resolution of 0.05mm or 50 microns, and reach up to either 0.025mm (25 microns) or 0.01mm (10 microns.

For FDM 3D printers that use filament, you’ll usually see resolutions of 0.1mm or 100 microns, down to 0. 05mm or 50 microns. Although the resolution is the same, I find that resin 3D printers that use 0.05mm layer heights produce better quality than filament 3D printers that use the same layer height.

This is because of the method of extrusion for filament 3D printers have a lot more movements and weight that reflect imperfections on the models. Another factor is with the small nozzle where the filament comes out from.

It can get slightly clogged or not melt fast enough, leading to small blemishes.

But don’t get me wrong, filament 3D printers can produce really high quality models when calibrated and optimized properly, quite comparable to SLA 3D prints. 3D printers from Prusa & Ultimaker are known to be very high quality for FDM, but costly.

Printing Speed

There are differences in printing speed between 3D printers and 3D printing technologies. When you look at the specifications of a 3D printer, they will usually detail a specific printing speed maximum and an average speed that they recommend.

We can see a key difference of printing speeds between FDM and SLA 3D printers due to the way they create 3D models. FDM 3D printers are great for creating models with a lot of height and lower quality models quickly.

The way SLA 3D printers work, their speed is actually determined by the height of the model, even if you use the whole build plate.

This means that if you have one small model that you want to replicate many times, you can create as many as you can fit on the build plate, at the same time that you can create one.

FDM 3D printers don’t have this same luxury, so the speed would be slower in that case. For models like a vase, and other tall models, FDM works very well.

You can even change your nozzle diameter for a larger one (1mm+ vs 0.4mm standard) and create 3D prints a lot quicker, but at the sacrifice of quality.

An FDM 3D printer like the Ender 3 has a maximum printing speed of around 200mm/s of extruded material, which would create a much lower quality 3D print. . An SLA 3D printer like the Elegoo Mars 2 Pro has a printing speed of 30-50mm/h, in terms of height.

Build Plate Size

The size of the build plate for your 3D printer is important, depending on what your project goals are. If you are looking to do some basic models as a hobbyist and don’t have specific projects, then a standard build plate should work well.

If you plan to do something like cosplay, where you’re creating outfits, helmets, weapons like swords and axes, you’ll want a larger build plate.

FDM 3D printers are known to have a significantly larger build volume compared to SLA 3D printers. An example of a common build plate size for FDM 3D printers would be the Ender 3 with a 235 x 235 x 250mm build volume.

A common build plate size for an SLA 3D printer would be the Elegoo Mars 2 Pro with a build volume of 192 x 80 x 160mm, at a similar price. Larger build volumes are possible with SLA 3D printers, but these can get pricey, and harder to operate.

A larger build plate in 3D printing can save you a lot of time and money in the long run if you are looking to 3D print large objects. It’s possible to 3D print objects on a smaller build plate and stick them together, but that can be tedious.

Below is the list of some essential things to consider whether you are buying an FDM or SLA 3D printer.

How to Choose a 3D Printer to Buy

As mentioned in the previous section, there are a couple of different 3D printing technologies and you need to first decide on whether you are going to buy an FDM or an SLA 3D printer.

Once this has been sorted, it’s time to look for the features that should be in your desired 3D printer to perform your task efficiently and get 3D models of your desires.

Below are the major features according to the 3D printing technologies you are going with. Let’s start from FDM and then move on to SLA.

Key Features to Look For in FDM 3D Printers

• Bowden or Direct Drive Extruder
• Build Plate Material
• Control Screen

Bowden or Direct Drive Extruder

There are two main types of extruders with 3D printers, Bowden or Direct Drive. They can both produce 3D models to a great standard but there are a few differences between the two.

A Bowden extruder will be more than enough if you are going to print 3D models using standard FDM printing materials  while requiring a high level of speed and accuracy in details.

• Faster
• Lighter
• High Precision

You should go for a direct drive extruder setup if you have plans to print abrasive and tough filaments on your 3D printers.

• Better retraction and extrusion
• Suitable for a wide range of filaments
• Small size motors
• Easier to change filament

Build Plate Material

There are a range of build plate materials that 3D printers use in order for filament to adhere to the surface nicely. Some of the most common build plate materials are tempered or borosilicate glass, a magnetic flex surface, and PEI.

It’s a good idea to choose a 3D printer with a build surface that works well with the filament you’ll be using.

They all are usually good in their own ways, but I think PEI build surfaces work the best with a range of materials. You can always choose to upgrade your existing 3D printer bed by purchasing the new bed surface and attaching it to your 3D printer.

Most 3D printers won’t have this advanced surface, but I’d recommend getting the HICTOP Flexible Steel Platform with PEI Surface from Amazon.

Another option you have is to simply apply an external printing surface like Blue Painter’s Tape or Kapton Tape across your build surface. This is a great way to improve adhesion of the filament so your first layer sticks well.

Control Screen

The control screen is fairly important for having a good control over your 3D prints. You can either get a touch screen or a screen with a separate dial to scroll through options. They both work pretty well, but having a touch screen makes things a little easier.

Another thing about the control screen is the firmware of the 3D printer. Some 3D printers will improve the amount of control and options you can access, so ensuring you have a fairly modern firmware can make things easier.

Key Features to Look For in SLA 3D Printers

• Type of Printing Screen
• Build Plate Size

Type of Printing Screen

For resin or SLA 3D printers, there are a few types of printing screens that you can get. They make a significant different on the level of quality you can get in your 3D prints, as well as how long your 3D prints will take, based on the UV light strength.

There are two factors you want to look into.

Monochrome Vs RGB Screen

Monochrome screens are the better option because they provide a stronger UV light, so the exposure times that are required for each layer are significantly shorter (2 seconds vs 6 seconds+).

They also have a longer durability and can last around 2,000 hours, versus RGB screens which last for around 500 hours of 3D printing.

Check out the video below for a full explanation on the differences.

2K Vs 4K

There are two main screen resolutions with resin 3D printers, a 2K screen and a 4K screen. There is a pretty significant different between the two when it comes to the final quality of your 3D printed part. They are both in the monochrome screen category, but provide a further option to choose from.

I’d highly recommend going with a 4K monochrome screen if you want the best quality, but if you are balancing out the price of your model and don’t need anything too high quality, a 2K screen can work just fine.

Do keep in mind, the main measure to look at is the XY and Z resolution. A larger build plate size will require more pixels, so a 2K and a 4K 3D printer could still produce similar quality.

When you have a higher XY & Z resolution (lower number is higher resolution), then you can produce higher quality 3D models.

Check out the video below by Uncle Jessy detailing the difference between a 2K and a 4K monochrome screen.

Build Plate Size

The build plate size in resin 3D printers were always known to be smaller than filament 3D printers, but they are definitely getting bigger as time goes on. You want to identify what kind of projects and goals you might have for your resin 3D printer and select a build plate size based on that.

If you are only 3D printing miniatures for tabletop gaming like D&D, a smaller build plate size can still work well. A larger build plate would be the optimal option since you could fit more miniatures on the build plate at a time though.

A standard build plate size for something like the Elegoo Mars 2 Pro is 129 x 80 x 160mm, while a larger 3D printer like the Anycubic Photon Mono X has a build plate size of 192 x 120 x 245mm, comparable to a small FDM 3D printer.

What 3D Printer Should You Buy?

• For a solid FDM 3D printer, I’d recommend getting something like the modern Ender 3 S1.
• For a solid SLA 3D printer, I’d recommend getting something like the Elegoo Mars 2 Pro.
• If you want a more premium FDM 3D printer, I’d go with the Prusa i3 MK3S+.
• If you want a more premium SLA 3D printer, I’d go with the Elegoo Saturn.

Let’s go through the two standard options for an FDM & SLA 3D printer.

Creality Ender 3 S1

The Ender 3 series is very well known for its popularity and high quality output. They’ve created the Ender 3 S1 which is a version that incorporates many desired upgrades from users. I have one of these myself and it performs very well right out the box.

The assembly is simple, the operation is easy, and the print quality is excellent.

Features of the Ender 3 S1

• Dual Gear Direct Drive Extruder
• CR-Touch Automatic Bed Leveling
• High Precision Dual Z-Axis
• 32-Bit Silent Mainboard
• Quick 6-Step Assembling – 96% Pre-Installed
• PC Spring Steel Print Sheet
• 4.3-Inch LCD Screen
• Filament Runout Sensor
• Power Loss Print Recovery
• XY Knob Belt Tensioners
• International Certification & Quality Assurance

Specifications of the Ender 3 S1

• Build Size: 220 x 220 x 270mm
• Supported Filament: PLA/ABS/PETG/TPU
• Max. Printing Speed: 150mm/s
• Extruder Type: “Sprite” Direct Extruder
• Display Screen: 4.3-Inch Color Screen
• Layer Resolution: 0.05 – 0.35mm
• Max. Nozzle Temperature: 260°C
• Max. Heatbed Temperature: 100°C
• Printing Platform: PC Spring Steel Sheet

Pros of the Ender 3 S1

• Print quality is fantastic for FDM printing from the first print without tuning, with a 0.05mm maximum resolution.
• Assembly is very quick compared to most 3D printers, only requiring 6 steps
• Leveling is automatic which makes operation a lot easier to handle
• Has compatibility with many filaments including flexibles due to the direct drive extruder
• Belt tensioning is made easier with the tensioner knobs for the X & Y axis
• The integrated toolbox clears up space by allowing you to keep your tools within the 3D printer
• Dual Z-axis with the connected belt increases stability for better print quality

Cons of the Ender 3 S1

• Doesn’t have a touchscreen display, but it’s still really easy to operate
• The fan duct blocks the front view of the printing process, so you’ll have to look at the nozzle from the sides.
• The cable at the back of the bed has a long rubber guard which gives it less space for bed clearance
• Doesn’t let you mute the beeping sound for the display screen

Get yourself the Creality Ender 3 S1 from Amazon for your 3D printing projects.

Elegoo Mars 2 Pro

The Elegoo Mars 2 Pro is a respected SLA 3D printer in the community, known for its reliability and great printing quality. Although it’s a 2K 3D printer, the XY resolution is at a respectable 0.05mm or 50 microns.

I also have an Elegoo Mars 2 Pro and it has been working very well since I started using it. Models always stick securely to the build plate and you don’t need to re-level the machine. The quality output is really good, though it’s not the largest build plate size.

Features of the Elegoo Mars 2 Pro

• 6.08″ 2K Monochrome LCD
• CNC-Machined Aluminum Body
• Sanded Aluminum Build Plate
• Light & Compact Resin Vat
• Built-In Active Carbon
• COB UV LED Light Source
• ChiTuBox Slicer
• Multi-Language Interface

Specifications of the Elegoo Mars 2 Pro

• Layer Thickness: 0. 01-0.2mm
• Printing Speed: 30-50mm/h
• Z Axis Positioning Accuracy: 0.00125mm
• XY Resolution: 0.05mm (1620 x 2560)
• Build Volume: 129 x 80 x 160mm
• Operation: 3.5-Inch Touch Screen
• Printer Dimensions: 200 x 200 x 410mm

Pros of the Elegoo Mars 2 Pro

• Offers high-resolution prints
• Cures a single layer at an average speed of just 2.5 seconds
• Satisfactory build area
• High level of precision, quality, and accuracy
• Easy to operate
• Integrated filtration system
• Minimum maintenance required
• Durability and Longevity

Cons of the Elegoo Mars 2 Pro

• Side-mounted resin vat
• Noisy fans
• No protective sheet or glass on the LCD screen
• Less pixel density as compared to its simple Mars and Pro versions

You can get yourself the Elegoo Mars 2 Pro from Amazon today.

Which 3D printer to choose for home and hobby use

A few years ago, 3D printers were bulky industrial machines, but now 3D printing is becoming more accessible for home use. When buying their first printer, many are disappointed. This may be due to the unsatisfactory quality of the resulting models or the complex setup and maintenance of the 3D printer.

In the reviews that are found on the Internet, printers are often shown after a lot of upgrades or a long selection of settings for printing. This is not at all the result that a beginner who first got acquainted with 3D printing will get.

In order not to be disappointed, before buying, you need to understand which model is suitable for your tasks. First of all, it is worth deciding what the printer will be used for. What is the main property that finished products should have? What is more important, the physical properties of the model or the ideal surface and detail? Not only the model depends on this, but also the technology by which the 3D printer will work.

Which technology to choose? FDM or LCD?

If you need to make a small detailed figurine with a perfectly smooth surface, you should pay attention to models that work on LCD technology (LCD works on a principle similar to DLP - Digital Light Processing or “digital light processing”).

LCD prints using a photopolymer resin that cures under UV light. This makes it possible to produce without deformation, even small and thin products that cannot be manufactured using FDM technology.

Resin model

Now on sale there are many photopolymer resins with different properties. A few years ago the choice was not great. Basically, finished products were not strong enough for use in functional models. Now engineering resins have begun to appear on sale. Products from them are not inferior in strength to models made using FDM technology from ABS or even nylon.

If it is necessary to manufacture large products with different properties, or the tasks will be very diverse, then the choice is with FDM technology. But it is important to understand that finished products will not have a perfectly smooth surface. Of course, you can polish the model, but this is additional time and labor costs.

FDM technology builds a model using molten plastic filament, which is fed from the print head. The print head (extruder) “grows” the model layer by layer on the printing table.

FDM Models

FDM technology became widespread much earlier than DLP. Thanks to this, a wide variety of 3D printers and consumables for them has appeared. You can find many decorative plastics that mimic various materials, or engineering plastics for making functional models or mock-ups.

Choosing an LCD printer

Photopolymer printers work on one of 3 technologies - DLP, LCD or SLA.

As home printers, devices based on LCD technology are usually used due to their availability and low price.

Printer design

SLA technology appeared the very first among photopolymer printers. With the help of a point-focused beam, the desired areas of the resin are gradually illuminated. This is repeated layer by layer.

How SLA 9 works0018