

Shops involved in short-run manufacturing will like a large build area to print multiple objects at once. Designers and other professionals demand outstanding print quality. Hobbyists and artists may want special features such as the ability to print objects with more than one color or multiple filament types. Consumers and schools will want a device that's easy to set up and use, doesn't need much maintenance, and offers reasonably good print quality. The "best" 3D printer for you depends on how you plan to use it. Are you a consumer interested in making toys or household items? A trendsetter who enjoys showing the latest gadgetry to your friends? An educator seeking to install a 3D printer in a classroom, library, or community center? A hobbyist or do-it-yourselfer who likes to experiment with new projects and technologies? A designer, engineer, or architect who needs to create prototypes or models of new products, parts, or structures? An artist who sees fabricating 3D objects as a kind of sculpture? Or a manufacturer looking to print plastic items in relatively short runs? When you are shopping for a 3D printer, the first question, before all others: What do you intend to print on it? Actually, not only should you ponder what you want to print, but a more fundamental question: Why do you want to print in 3D?Ī lot of that depends on who you are. After that, we go into more detail on understanding 3D printer specs and tech. Read on for mini-reviews of the top models we've tested for a host of uses and users. If you're in the market for a 3D printer, it's important to know how they differ so you can choose the right model. We've even seen and reviewed an able model geared to kids. While higher-end models such as the Ultimaker S5 can cost $6,000 or more, entry-level models such as the Monoprice Mini Delta V2 can be had for $200 or less. You also tend to get a larger build area for your money with an open-frame model.

Our favorite midrange 3D printer, the Original Prusa i3 MK3S+, and many budget models have open frames. Models geared to professionals, like the Ultimaker S5, tend to have a closed frame, with a transparent door and often sides as well.

Today's 3D printers come in styles optimized for different applications and kinds of printing.

But thanks largely to the RepRap open-source 3D printing movement, these amazing devices have become affordable, viable tools for designers, engineers, hobbyists, schools, and consumers alike. Best Hosted Endpoint Protection and Security Softwareīarely more than a decade ago, 3D printers were hulking, expensive machines reserved for factory floors and deep-pocketed corporations, all but unknown outside the small circles of professionals who built and used them.
