Best 3D Printers for 2024: Buyer's Guide

Whether you’re a seasoned 3D printing enthusiast or just beginning your journey into additive manufacturing, this comprehensive guide is designed to help you choose the best 3D printer for your needs. We’ve rounded up the top 5 3D printers on the market today, perfect for beginners and professionals alike.

In this guide, we break down the pros and cons of each FDM 3D printer, with links to the official sites for more details. Whether you’re looking for a budget-friendly 3D printer or a high-end machine with advanced features, you’re sure to find the perfect fit in this carefully curated list of the best 3D printers for home and business use.

Bambu Lab A1 Mini - Best For Beginners

The Bambu Lab A1 Mini is a compact, beginner-friendly 3D printer that offers impressive performance for its size. With its straightforward setup and user-friendly interface, it’s perfect for those new to 3D printing. Despite its small build volume, the A1 Mini delivers high-quality prints and operates quietly, making it ideal for home use. Overall, the Bambu A1 Mini is a great entry-level option that combines simplicity with reliability for a low price. It can also be upgraded or purchased with Bambu’s multi-color AMS, allowing you to print in up to four colors per model.

Pros of the A1 Mini:

Beginner Friendly: The A1 Mini is designed for ease of use, featuring intuitive software and a quick setup. Pre-configured settings and minimal calibration make it ideal for beginners to start printing right away.
Compact Design: Its compact, lightweight design is perfect for hobbyists with limited space and easy to transport for use in different locations.
Print Quality: Despite its compact size and entry-level price point, the Bambu A1 Mini delivers high-quality prints with surprising detail and fast speeds.

Cons of the A1 Mini:

Small Build Volume: The A1 Mini’s build volume is quite limited. It’s best suited for small prints or models, and users looking to print larger, more ambitious projects will find this a significant limitation.
Small Touchscreen: The A1 Mini’s small touchscreen can be challenging to navigate, making it less user-friendly when adjusting settings or monitoring print progress.

Elegoo Neptune 4 - Best Value

Whether you’re new to 3D printing or a seasoned enthusiast, the Elegoo Neptune 4 3D printer is a top choice. It offers impressive performance, speed, and affordability, making it suitable for a wide range of users. With a build volume of 225 x 225 x 265 mm, it handles both small and medium projects effectively. The Neptune 4 features automatic bed leveling and a touchscreen interface, making it user-friendly and versatile.

Pros of the Neptune 4:

Affordability: The Neptune series is renowned for its great value, making it one of the most cost-effective 3D printers on the market.
Print Quality: This printer is capable of producing high-quality prints with fine detail and precision, accommodating a diverse range of filament materials.
Speed: The Elegoo Neptune 4 offers an impressive maximum print speed of up to 500 mm/s. making it one of the fastest in its price range.
Features and Design: The Elegoo Neptune 4 boasts several impressive features, including automatic bed leveling, a filament runout sensor, a touch screen interface, and built-in LED lights for the bed and hotend.

Cons of the Neptune 4:

Operational Noise: The hotend fans can be relatively noisy due to high print speeds, however, they can be disabled if you wish to print slower.
Requires Some Assembly: Although the assembly process is straightforward and well-instructed, it takes about 30 minutes to complete, which might not be ideal for some first-time 3D printer buyers.

Eleegoo Neptune 4 Max - Best For Large Prints

The Elegoo Neptune 4 Max offers exceptional value for its size. With an impressive build volume of 420 x 420 x 480 mm and printing speeds of up to 500 mm/s, it allows you to print almost anything your creative heart desires. Its large size makes the Neptune 4 Max ideal for cosplayers and other large projects, as it reduces post-processing time by enabling you to print everything in a single piece.

Pros of the Neptune 4 Max:

Massive Build Volume: Its expansive printing space vastly broadens your creative possibilities, accommodating large models like cosplay props and helmets with ease.
Print Quality: The Neptune 4 Max consistently delivers high-quality prints, maintaining a standard of detail and precision.
Smart Auto-Bed Leveling: Features an automatic and precise bed-leveling system, streamlining the preparation process.
User-Friendly Interface: The printer provides a hassle-free experience with its intuitive touchscreen, designed for easy operation.

Cons of the Neptune 4 Max:

Space Requirements: Its large build volume necessitates a considerable amount of workspace, and the printer’s weight may pose challenges when attempting to move it.
Nozzle Limitations: The printer does not come with a 0.6mm nozzle; acquiring a larger nozzle is necessary to optimize the use of the bed size and reduce printing times.

Bambu Lab X1 Carbon - Best Premium

The Bambu Lab X1 Carbon 3D printer is a cutting-edge, high-performance machine perfect for professional and industrial applications. It combines advanced technology with a sleek, durable design to deliver exceptional results. Features like multi-color printing, spaghetti failure detection, and AI-inspected first layers enhance its reliability and ease of use. With a respectable build volume of 256 x 256 x 256 mm, the X1 Carbon is a standout choice for those seeking top-tier performance and precision in their 3D printing projects.

Pros of the X1 Carbon:

Automated Material System: Offers the ability to print with multiple materials and colors simultaneously, paving the way for complex, multicolored, and multi-material prints.
High-Quality Construction: The carbon fiber frame ensures superior rigidity and stability, which contribute to the printer’s precise and reliable output.
High Resolution: Equipped with advanced technology, this printer captures intricate details and fine features, delivering prints with exceptional quality.
User-Friendly Interface: The printer boasts an intuitive interface, simplifying the operation process and enhancing user interaction with easy-to-navigate settings.

Cons of the X1 Carbon:

Cost: This printer is positioned at a higher price point, which may be steep compared to entry-level or consumer-grade options.
Learning Curve: Despite its user-friendly interface, fully leveraging all the printer’s features and settings can necessitate a period of learning, particularly for those new to advanced 3D printing.
Limited Availability: The availability of the Bambu Lab X1 Carbon can vary, with potential limited distribution in certain regions, possibly affecting accessibility.

Prusa MK4S - Best Kit

The Prusa MK4 stands out as the best 3D printer kit on the market, offering a seamless assembly experience to learn the inner workings of a 3D printer. With automatic first-layer leveling, fast printing speeds, and the ability to handle a wide range of materials, it’s more than just a tool, it’s a project you build yourself. The MK4 provides hands-on learning with detailed instructions, making it ideal for those who want to dive deeper into the mechanics of 3D printing.

Pros of the Prusa MK4:

Reliability: Prusa printers are widely recognized for their dependability and consistent performance.
Print Quality: The Prusa MK4 is known for its exceptional print quality and precision, satisfying the demands of detailed projects.
Community and Support: A robust and active user community surrounds Prusa printers, complemented by excellent customer support.
Advanced Safety Features: The printer is equipped with sophisticated safety features, including thermal runaway protection, power loss recovery, and filament sensors, enhancing both safety and convenience.

Cons of the Prusa MK4:

Higher Price: The Prusa MK4 comes at a premium, making it relatively more expensive than many other entry-level 3D printers.
Longer Lead Times: High demand coupled with limited production capacity often results in extended waiting periods for orders.
Assembly Required: Typically, Prusa printers arrive as kits, necessitating self-assembly. Opting for a pre-assembled unit incurs additional costs.

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Best 3D Printers To Buy In 2024