Best 3D printers of 2020

Best 3D printers

Contents

Best 3D Printers at a glance 1. Original PRUSA i3 MK3s 2. CEL-UK RoboxPro 3. Ultimaker S3 4. FormLabs Form 3 5. Original PRUSA SL1 6. TRILAB DeltiQ 2 7. Ultimaker 2+8. CEL-UK RoboxDual 9. LulzBot Mini 2 10. XYZprinting da Vinci Mini+11. Crazy3DPrint CZ-100 12. AnyCubic Photon

Our list of the best 3D printers contains clear and concise information on all kinds of 3D printers. (Image credit: Future)

There’s something on our best 3D printers list for everyone, whether you’re a beginner 3D artist, a hobbyist or a business owner looking for an enterprise-quality 3D printer for commercial purposes.

We not only scoured the market to find the best of the best for you, but we also found a variety of printers covering a wide range of sizes, prices and functionalities. This list has something to fit your desk, match the needs of hobbyists, meet the high-quality demands of a business and even handle production in large volumes. You’ll also find the best 3D printers for a wide range of budgets, from affordable 3D printers, to high-end 3D printers that may have high price tags, but offer unrivalled quality.

There are many 3D printers out there to choose from, and there are a few factors to consider when picking the best 3D printer for you, which means spending quite a bit of time doing research. Worry not, though; our list of the best 3D printers should get you started.

Our list of the best 3D printers contains clear and concise information on all kinds of 3D printers, so you can find the best 3D printer no matter what your needs are. And, we’ve included our exclusive price comparison tool, so you can be sure you’re finding the best deal on the 3D printer of your dream – without waiting for Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Just bear in mind that because this list is so diverse – and the 3D printers on it are aimed at different use cases – we’ve not listed them in any particular order.

Contents

Best 3D Printers at a glance

Original PRUSA i3 MK3s
CEL-UK RoboxPro
Ultimaker S3
FormLabs Form 3
Original PRUSA SL1
TRILAB DeltiQ 2
Ultimaker 2+
CEL-UK RoboxDual
LulzBot Mini 2
XYZprinting da Vinci Mini+
Crazy3DPrint CZ-100
AnyCubic Photon

Check out what printers made it into our top 10 best business printer roundup

(Image credit: Original)

1. Original PRUSA i3 MK3s

The best all-round 3D printer

Fast print speed

Market-leading print quality

Open frame design

PRUSA Research is a dominant force in the 3D print community, with the MK3s being their flagship machine. Available as a kit, expert build or as a set of plans to build your own, there’s plenty on offer here for ever level of user. The expert build refines everything that has come before and is widely seen as the best FDM 3D printer on the market. Print speeds are fast and using the latest Trinamic2130 drivers and a Noctua fan, this machine is as close to silent as you can get. Powerful enhancements such as filaments sensors, Bondtech extruder, P.I.N.D.A. 2 probe and market-leading E3D V6 nozzle ensure that the print quality is hard to beat. The features and print quality make the MK3s the best all-round printer available.

Buy from Prusa Research

(Image credit: CEL-UK)

2. CEL-UK RoboxPro

Best for commercial printing

Swappable print heads

Network ready

Large scale printer

CEL-UK is a leader in 3D Print innovation with the original Robox printers introducing many new features to the world of FDM 3D printers. The RoboxPro is Robox on a large scale with a feature set that reads like a 3D print wish list; auto filament loading, auto bed levelling, Wi-Fi, network printing and swappable tool heads. The main focus of the machine is quality and reliability, designed for anyone wanting a printer that can realise product ideas and get them to market. The enclosed design makes it an ideal choice for commercial and educational use.

(Image credit: Ultimaker)

3. Ultimaker S3

The best for college education

Class-leading print quality

Easy to network

Expensive

Ultimaker has been one of the most desirable 3D print manufacturers since 3D printing broke into the mainstream. The Ultimaker S3 is a next-generation printer with speed, quality and reliability at its heart. While the machine does make a small nod to Ultimakers Open-source foundations in looks, this, and the rest of the new S line break new ground when it comes to usability and business integration. The S3 is aimed at the education and commercial markets and offers a wide selection of accessories and materials to meet any designers needs. Standout features include the swappable cartridge hotends, market-leading touchscreen UI and the Cura slicer software.

(Image credit: FormLabs)

4. FormLabs Form 3

The best SLA Printer

High-quality printing

Wide material support

SLA prints require cleaning

FormLabs focusing on resin-based SLA 3D printers and has been instrumental in pioneering and advancing the technology. Form 3 is the smallest of their machines but has wide appeal with the use of a high precision laser that ensures unparalleled print quality, far surpassing FDM printers. As with all SLA printers, a liquid resin is used rather than a solid filament so more time is needed in the preparation and finishing of prints which will not suit all users. However, the breadth of materials and technology makes the Form 3 one of the most versatile 3D printers on the market. Ideal for high-quality prototypes, jewellery, casting and production.

(Image credit: Original)

5. Original PRUSA SL1

The best MSLA Printer

High-quality printing

Wide material support

SLA prints require cleaning

Prusa Research revolutionised the FDM 3D printer market and the SL1 looks set to do the same for SLA printers. While the printer uses Stereolithography technology it’s a slight variant know as MSLA. This uses an LCD and UV LED to expose the resin and is far cheaper than the high precision lasers seen in the likes of Form 3. While the component parts may be cheaper the results are outstanding and with support from the excellent PrusaSlicer software and huge open source community, the SL1 looks set to be game-changer in the SLA market.

(Image credit: TRILAB)

6. TRILAB DeltiQ 2

The best Delta 3D printer

Cutting edge technology

Versatile and expandable

Complex machine

Delta 3D printers are very different from standard cartesian 3d printers, with the print head suspended from three fully articulated arms. The approach means that the footprint of the machines can be far smaller and as the base is static complex models can be a printer with less support material. The DeltiQ 2 features read like a wish list of 3D features and components. These include E3D hotend, Duet 2 Wifi control board, mobile control and interface and of course superb print quality.

Ultimaker 2+

7. Ultimaker 2+

The best professional 3D printer

Print technology: Fused Deposition Modeling | Minimum layer resolution: 20 microns | Maximum layer resolution: 600 microns | Dimensions: 342 x 493 x 588 mm | Weight: 11.3kg

High resolution

Supports open-source hardware and software

Basic interface

Open frame design

The Ultimaker 2+ is a 3D printer that offers amazing print quality, making it one of the best 3D printers for professional use. It is incredibly reliable when it comes to producing 3D models, and the accuracy of the 3D replications is incredibly impressive. If you need a 3D printer that can reliably reproduce many 3D objects accurately, this is a fantastic choice. However, it is expensive, and the fact that it is aimed at professional environments means it’s less beginner-friendly than some of the other 3D printers here. Home users are better off looking elsewhere.

Here’s our pick of the best traditional 2D printers

(Image credit: CEL-UK)

8. CEL-UK RoboxDual

Best for Schools and business

Print technology: Fused deposition modelling | Build area: 210 x 150 x 100mm | Minimum layer resolution: 50 microns | Maximum layer resolution: 500 microns | Dimensions: 410 x 340 x 240mm

Very easy to use

Reliable

Advanced features requite proprietary filament

There are few manufacturers who have focused as much attention on the 3D printing journey as CEL-UK. From the AutoMaker software that enables you to prepare and monitor the prints through to the printers special features and accessories that help with iterative design and production. The RoboxDual has been designed to adapt to any user level. SmartReel, Headlocks swappable tool heads, auto filament loading, bed levelling makes it ideal for use in schools. While with the addition of the network enabling Root or Mote is ideal for product design agencies and engineers working at scale.

(Image credit: LulzBot)

9. LulzBot Mini 2

Another great 3D printer for beginners

Very easy to use

Open-source

Open frame design

If you’re looking for a first 3D printer to learn the ropes with, then the LulzBot Mini 2 is another excellent choice. It’s got a decent price and is easy to use, with version 2 improving on print speed and reducing noise. The hardware is open-source, which means it has a flexibility that propitiatory hardware lacks, as a committed community of makers can work together to create add-ons for the printer.

(Image credit: XYZprinting)

10. XYZprinting da Vinci Mini+

Best budget family 3D printer

Low price

Easy to use

Design can make removing printed object difficult

If you’re looking for a budget 3D printer, then there really is no better option than the XYZprinting da Vinci Mini+. It remains one of the most affordable ways to get into 3D printing, and also the easiest, thanks to an easy-to-use interface. Just because it’s a budget model, doesn’t mean it doesn’t produce good results, and the 3D printed objects it creates are very impressive considering the price – and size – of this 3D printer. Speaking of size, the XYZprinting da Vinci Mini is an impressively compact printer that makes it easy to store in an office or on a desk.

(Image credit: Crazy3DPrint)

11. Crazy3DPrint CZ-100

Best budget 3D printer

Low price

Easy to use

Large print platform

If you want to learn about 3D printing on a budget then the CZ-300 is an ideal starting point. The open design enables you to see the full workings of the printer and Crazy3DPrint have ensured that while this is a budget printer money has been spent where it matters. Despite being a budget offering this printer boasts one of the largest print platforms of any printer on the market at a colossal 300 x 300 x 300mm. Out of the box, the initial setup is simple but you do need to pay careful attention to manual bed levelling, if you get everything right then the CZ-300 will reward you with surprisingly high-quality prints.

(Image credit: AnyCubic)

12. AnyCubic Photon

The best budget MSLA Printer

High-quality printing

Very cheap

Careful cleaning needed between prints

MSLA printers are coming thick and fast but none so far have achieved as low a price as the AnyCubic Photon. It may not have many of the more advanced features such as resin bath tilting, temperature or resin level sensors that you’ll find on more expensive models, but the Photon puts SLA technology into the hands of anyone who wants to give it a go on a budget. The included software is solid enough as is the user interface if all a bit simplistic, but you can’t argue with the quality of the resulting prints. You do however need to ensure everything is kept clean and resin is filtered and the resin bath washed between each print.

[“source=techradar”]

Best 3D printers of 2020