Which 3D printer is right for me? A decision guide
are explained briefly when you hover over or tap them.
There is no single best 3D printer. There is only one that fits what you plan to do, how much space you have and how much you enjoy tinkering. Instead of a model, here you get the questions you can use to narrow down the choice yourself.
1. What do you want to print?
The material matters more than any other criterion, because it determines which design you need.
| You mainly print | This is enough | Why |
|---|---|---|
| PLA, PETG, TPU | open printer | These materials do not need a warm environment |
| also ABS, ASA | enclosed printer | The enclosure retains heat and prevents warping |
| nylon, PC, fibre-reinforced engineering filaments (with carbon or glass fibres, CF/GF) | printer with a heated chamber | These materials shrink a lot and need constantly warm air |
For fibre-reinforced filaments you also need a hardened nozzle, because the fibres wear down brass quickly. If you are unsure which materials you will need later: most people print mainly PLA and PETG.
2. How big are your parts?
The build volume is given in millimetres, for example 256 × 256 × 256 mm. For brackets, organisers and figurines, an edge length of 180 to 250 mm is plenty. Larger build volumes are worthwhile for helmets, cosplay or long functional parts. Keep in mind: large parts can often be split and glued, and a bigger printer needs more space, more power to heat up and costs more.
3. Do you need several colours?
Multi-colour printing is convenient, but not a must. Simple colour changes between layers also work without extra hardware by pausing. If you regularly print signs, figurines or parts with lettering, a multi-colour system is worthwhile. Expect purge waste and longer print times. What distinguishes the systems is explained in Multi-colour printing.
4. What is your budget?
| Price range | What you typically get |
|---|---|
| under €200 | Small or simple open printers, mostly bed slingers, good for PLA and PETG |
| €200 to €400 | Open printers with automatic calibration, some with a multi-colour option, first enclosed machines |
| €400 to €800 | Enclosed CoreXY printers, often with camera, filter and a multi-colour system as an option or in the bundle, first open tool changers |
| €800 to €1,500 | Large build volumes, heated chambers, fast enclosed flagships |
| €1,500 to €3,000 | Two nozzles or tool changers with a large build volume, professional machines for engineering filaments |
| over €3,000 | Industrial machines for high-temperature plastics, price usually on request |
Also budget about €50 to €100 for the first spools of filament and the most important tools (side cutters, spatula, isopropyl alcohol). A complete tool set costs about €70 to €150, see Tools for 3D printing. A multi-colour system costs extra if it is not included in the bundle.
5. Love of tinkering or comfort?
There is no right or wrong here, just an honest question to yourself.
- You want to print, not tinker: Look for automatic calibration, a good manufacturer profile in the slicer and an app or web interface. Such machines usually run in under an hour after unpacking.
- You want to understand and customise: Open firmware, standard parts and an active community then matter more than convenience features. You learn a lot this way, but you also need time.
The design plays a part here too. What distinguishes bed slingers and CoreXY is explained in detail in Bed slinger or CoreXY.
6. Space and noise
- A bed slinger needs space at the front and back because the bed moves out. Roughly speaking, twice the depth of the build volume.
- Enclosed printers are larger and heavier, but they are a fixed cube.
- Fast printers are audible, especially the fans. In the bedroom or right next to the desk that quickly gets annoying.
- Printing produces smells and particles. A room you can ventilate is important. More on this in Safety in 3D printing.
7. Spare parts and support
Nozzles, build plates and belts are wear parts. Check before buying:
- Are spare parts available directly from the manufacturer or from retailers in the EU?
- Are the nozzle and hotend standard parts or manufacturer-specific components?
- Is there a knowledge base, guides and an active community?
- How long has the machine been receiving firmware updates?
How much maintenance is realistic is explained in Maintaining a 3D printer.
8. Open or closed ecosystem?
Some manufacturers rely on their own firmware, their own spare parts, their own filament systems and in some cases a cloud connection. That is convenient because everything is matched. The downside: you are more tied to that manufacturer for parts, software and prices.
Others rely on open firmware such as Klipper or Marlin, standard components and open file formats. That gives you more freedom to repair and modify, but sometimes requires more getting up to speed.
Questions you can ask yourself:
- Does the printer also work without cloud and internet, for example on the local network or from a USB stick?
- Can I use any slicer or only the manufacturer’s?
- Does third-party filament run without restrictions?
Using a 3D printer without the cloud
Many printers can also be run entirely without the manufacturer’s cloud on your own network. What is lost differs from manufacturer to manufacturer. Two examples with manufacturer information:
- Bambu Lab, LAN mode: In “LAN Only” mode, Bambu Studio sends print jobs straight to the printer on the local network, without internet. The connection is made with an access code on the printer display. According to Bambu Lab, the following are then lost: starting prints from outside the home network, the Bambu phone app and the print history. The failure detection of the X1 series keeps running locally, but then only uses the state of the installed firmware. On the X1 series, printing in LAN mode needs an inserted microSD card. On the H2 series, P2S and X series there is also a developer mode that lets third-party software control the printer.
- Prusa, PrusaLink: PrusaLink runs directly on the printer and is only reachable on the local network. According to Prusa, monitoring, uploading files and controlling prints are possible without internet, accessed in the browser via the printer’s IP address. The Prusa Connect cloud is optional. The firmware of the MINI, MK3.5, MK3.9, MK4, XL and CORE One is open source, with the source code on GitHub under the GPL 3.0 licence.
Printing from a USB stick or memory card works without a network on many printers anyway. Whether and how a particular model works without the cloud is stated in its manual. If in doubt, read up before buying or ask the manufacturer.
In short
| Question | If yes |
|---|---|
| Only PLA, PETG, TPU? | An open printer is enough |
| Planning ABS or ASA? | Enclosed printer |
| Nylon, PC, CF and GF filaments? | Heated chamber and hardened nozzle |
| Regularly multi-colour? | Plan for a multi-colour system |
| Little interest in technology? | Look for convenience and manufacturer profiles |
| Do you want to repair and modify? | Look for open firmware and standard parts |
On to the printers
With your answers you can browse the lists in a targeted way: open printers, enclosed printers, printers for multi-colour printing and printers with a heated chamber. In the printer comparison you can put machines side by side directly. When we recommend a printer from our own experience, we say so explicitly.
Sources
- LAN mode and developer mode at Bambu Lab: Bambu Lab Wiki: Enable LAN Mode
- PrusaLink and Prusa Connect: Prusa Knowledge Base: Prusa Connect and PrusaLink explained
- Open-source Prusa firmware: GitHub: prusa3d/Prusa-Firmware-Buddy