They may still seem like space-age tech, but increasingly affordable 3D printers can be an accessible accessory.
This is one of the best 3D printers, and it just happens to be cheaper than average.
This older model still holds up today as an overall winner.
A low-cost resin printer that makes high-quality small prints.
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Nowadays, proper planning can lead to owning a budget 3D printer that costs less than a regular one. Odd as it may seem, it’s a reality. Comprehending how 3D printing operates unveils the fact that some 3D printer’s components aren’t as technically complex and difficult to manufacture as their built-in software and printing calculations. Although this doesn’t apply to every 3D printer, numerous best budget 3D printers are capable of producing quality designs with relatively straightforward bodies.
Our list of budget 3D printers is based on historical research and their specific category success. As an illustration, our preferred resin 3D printer already enjoyed acclaim in its category and additionally fell into the budget range. We provide links to several past 3D printer summaries for readers interested in a deeper understanding of printer types or exploring what additional investment might offer.
Towards this article’s conclusion, we delve into the specifics of determining the best budget 3D printers independently. However, we should clarify our definition of “budget 3D printers” from the outset. For this article’s purpose, budget 3D printers are those capable of delivering high-quality prints while being lower-priced relative to other printers in their category. While still potentially costing hundreds, these printers represent substantial savings compared to comparable products. Importantly, none of the printers on this list are low-quality replicas, and all are produced by dependable brands.
As we delve into each alternative, we’ll consider products that yield high-quality prints but might lack a feature or two compared to a high-end choice. However, each of our selections has its merits, especially when factoring in their price. Utilize these product reviews as a compass to gauge the budget you’re willing to allot and whether a particular product can satisfy your requirements.
Anycubic
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Pros
Cons
The Anycubic Kobra 2 Neo 3D Printer is often recommended as one of the top 3D printers for all kinds of users and its affordable price point is a bonus, often falling below $200 when discounted. It stands out due to two features— “linear propulsion and input shaping functions,” according to Anycubic. Essentially, the Kobra 2 Neo emphasizes on the edges of each print (particularly horizontal ones), which gives the output an appearance of a much higher resolution.
The Kobra 2 Neo is also user-friendly. It has a total of five components that can be put together without trouble, taking up minimal space. It can self-level and has a dial-based electronic interface. However, the filament holder protrudes quite a bit, resulting in a high printer-to-printing-space ratio. Combined with its unframed, open facade, it may be best to reserve a separate table for your Anycubic Kobra 2 Neo 3D Printer.
Flashforge
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Cons
If you’re shopping around for the best, budget-friendly 3D printers, it can sometimes be profitable to look at older yet highly efficient models. The Flashforge Adventurer 3, one of the top enclosed 3D printers, fits this bill, despite newer versions like the Flashforge Adventurer 4 and 4 Pro being available. The earlier 3 model remains an excellent choice, especially when considering the cost.
The Adventurer 3 owes its user-friendly nature to its enclosed design, essentially making it ready-to-use right out of the box. The printer is equipped with an HD camera, allowing for an inside view of the printing process. This feature is particularly handy during the printing of the first layer, which is commonly associated with a higher frequency of issues. The only potential downside to this printer, which has otherwise received consistent praise from its user base, is a slower print speed compared to newer models.
Elegoo
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For a higher degree of resolution in your creations, you might consider the Elegoo Mars 4. Based on your settings, this 3D printer possesses a layer thickness that goes as low as 0.01mm and an XY resolution of 0.05mm (2560 x 1440p on its screen), enabling you to have a top-notch print with extensive control.
We are particularly impressed by how this 3D printer comes with nearly everything you require for printing, including a scraper, adjusting tools, and gloves. Coupled with the LED light source’s estimated lifespan of 20,000 hours necessary for hardening the resin, this complete bundle of items makes it the best value budget 3D printer available.
Keep in mind, this is singled out as one of the finest resin 3D printers available, which means it is expected to be a bit more challenging than most budget 3D printers. Among other things, you will need to provide it with 3D printer resin, which is harder to use compared to reels of plastic. Additionally, you will need to cure the prints. Continue reading for a more affordable 3D printer that is great for beginners.
The Toybox
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Pros
Cons
Although the Toybox is targeted at children, we present it as an excellent printer for practically anyone and a superb 3D printer for beginners. As shown in our Toybox 3D Printer review, the initial setup is generally straightforward, although there are a few areas where operations could be simplified for particularly cautious newcomers.
Additionally, you’ll find that once set up, every component functions without much difficulty. The website instructs you on how to make prints in such a way that unnecessary overthinking is avoided. We estimate that with minimal meandering through the process of unboxing, you could attain a functional print, such as a whistle for a quick one, in under an hour, maybe even less.
After you are familiar with the little 3D printer, more advanced options will begin to emerge, including incorporating print files from external sources and utilizing Toybox’s slicer programming. In essence, from the first print, you are gently directed towards an intermediate level of 3D printing expertise.
Bambu Lab
Specs
Pros
Cons
For a high-end 3D printer that’s budget-friendly, consider the A1 Mini from Bambu Lab. This printer sports a multi-spool design and is ready for immediate use, facilitating the use of multiple colors in one print job and introducing creative possibilities.
Dabbling with multi-color 3D printing can lead to a few missteps, which is common for newcomers. Determining what went wrong from the final product is doable, but the A1 Mini makes this process easier by offering a time-lapse of your project — a great tool to identify exactly where the error occurred. On a positive note, if everything goes smoothly, you can share an engaging time-lapse video on YouTube.
The A1 Mini’s advanced features are built with minimalist materials. While this ensures affordability, the printer’s structure may lack the robustness and stability compared to more expensive models with similar features.
Anycubic
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Pros
Cons
If you’re interested in making small 3D prints for cosplay or producing impressive 3D-printed miniatures for your upcoming role-playing game, a printer that delivers detailed but small-scale prints might be just what you’re looking for. For such purposes, we’d suggest a smaller resin printer that delivers high-resolution prints on a more compact scale.
Resin printers function by utilizing light from an LCD screen to facilitate a hardening process in the resin. Many of these printers typically leave grid lines as a by-product. However, this printer’s design successfully bypasses this issue, all at a competitive price. You’ll also find great value in the additional parts included, encompassing gloves, a spatula, a funnel, and other essentials for initiating your resin 3D-printing journey.
For any specific 3D printer category, there’s a myriad of parameters and specifications that must align before a printer can be considered as a “buy”. Our previous product reviews should give you a decent understanding of how to assess a budget product across different categories and furnish you with helpful links for more information. However, some factors for purchasing 3D printers are universally or generally valued. In this section, we’ll categorize these key considerations essential in finding one of the best 3D printers on the market.
The primary question in any 3D printer hunt is deciding between an FDM printer, which prints in plastic utilizing spools, or a resin 3D printer. Luckily, answering this question shouldn’t be too difficult.
If you’re like most shoppers searching for the best economical 3D printers, your best option is an FDM printer, which utilizes plastic spools for printing instead of liquid resin. There are three key reasons for this:
Though resin 3D printers produce quality prints with great resolution, they require certain considerations including a curing process, safe handling with gloves, careful storage and use of resin in a dark room (as light triggers the hardening process) and more. Additionally, they tend to be costlier, even among budget options. While some of the top economical 3D printers are resin models, they are primarily suggested for experienced users who specifically want them.
In short: If you’re not just quickly scanning this section or if this is your first introduction to the two types of 3D printers, it’s strongly recommended to go with an FDM-based printer.
Next, you should consider the size of the prints you intend to create. This is one field where the best budget 3D printers don’t need to compromise. In many ways, this is logical. Most of a 3D printer’s expense comes from its printhead, gear components, and software; expanding its size is just a minor additional cost. Conversely, it might be cost-effective to maintain a smaller printer size, particularly if it uses an enclosure (more about enclosures later).
Take caution with inexpensive 3D printers that are notably small, bear unfamiliar logos, and appear like Easy-Bake Ovens. Most often found on Amazon and similar platforms, you might easily lose around $200 on a less-than-worthy purchase with these products.
You might notice size playing a role in cheaper models when considering the overall bulk of the product. Budget options can surprisingly take up more space due to less compact and efficient manufacturing methods. Make sure to evaluate the space you can dedicate to your budget printer before making a purchase.
Also, you may want to consider whether you want an enclosure. Usually, enclosures are considered in a simple manner: a 3D printer either includes one or not. But here, we discuss three types of exteriors:
Usually, “framed” and “unenclosed” 3D printers are combined into a single group. However, because of the budget 3D printer landscape, where entirely unenclosed printers are more widespread, we’re making a rather distinctive separation.
On closer examination, we realize that the usage of enclosures on budget 3D printers with a comparatively lower resolution is overrated. Even a 3D printer made for children or teenagers, like the Toybox, is capable of producing consistently well-formed prints at the ‘framed’ level. If you ever find the need for an enclosure, it’s always possible to create a DIY enclosure for your 3D printer with minimal additional expense.
In conclusion, since we are making a distinction between framed and unenclosed here, it’s worth mentioning that framed 3D printers do offer some level of protection. Imagine a bustling hobby room with wooden dowels, rulers, and other elongated objects being moved around. A frame will protect your print and extruder from unnecessary disturbances.
A top-grade budget 3D printer will likely set you back at least $200, unless you can get your hands on some discounts. Be cautious of 3D printers priced at or below this range unless they come directly from a trustworthy brand. It’s worth noting that certain types of printers, equipped with particular features and priced a few hundred dollars more, may still be considered ‘budget’.
3D printing isn’t typically a difficult task, although some printers are more user-friendly than others. For ease of use, you would certainly want to go for an FDM printer that utilizes filament. Resin 3D printers require extra steps to ‘cure’ the print, and some of these steps include the use of hazardous substances. One of the crucial factors that would determine how easy or challenging a 3D printer would be to use, surprisingly, is its interface. With FDM printing, there’s hardly any work left once the printer starts, aside from observing the formation of the first layer.
The best budget 3D printers are expected to last a long time. Part of this is because many of the best budget 3D printers are just older models that have lost MSRP pricing over time. We already know they last a while! Software and file types don’t change as much over time with 3D printers as they do with apps on your phone or computer, leading to a longer lifespan.
The aforementioned printers are an excellent way to get into the world of 3D printing on the cheap, but that doesn’t make them cheap 3D printers that will disappoint. In fact, if you are beginning the hobby or are introducing it to a group—such as a student club—the best budget 3D printers should be able to service you for many years. These are low-hesitation pickups on your road to 3D printer mastery.
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“Why did the 3D printer go to therapy? Because it had too many layers of unresolved issues!”
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