Best 3D Printers for Small Budgets
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Also interested to start 3D printing with a cheap budget? Visit my cheap 3D printers list
My friends know that my passion, beside Raspberry PI, goes also to 3D printing.
While I’m still looking for time to start preparing articles on this fascinating field, I’ve prepared a list of 3D printers available on common e-commerce markets. This list compares main features required for 3D printing:
- Printing Area (in millimeters): these 3 values, measure max printing dimensions supported by printer. Higher is better.
- Printing Volume (in cm3): it is the simple multiplication of printing area parameters to calculate overall volume. Higher is better.
- Layer Tickness (in millimeters): this parameter measures the minimal heigh resolution. Less height between each layer means more defined prints. Less is better.
- Printing Speed (in millimeters per second): this measures max printing speed which printer is capable of. Higher printing speed means you will complete prints in less time. Higher is better.
- Amazon Users Average Rating (stars): this calls average amazon users overall evaluations. The more start Amazon user gives to object, the higher happiness they associate to acquired object. Higher is better.
I’ve also collected a price parameter reported beside printers. This is an average price on Amazon US market, but may vary depending on your country and temporary offers. Clicking link on printer name will bring you to your local Amazon store for a real time check on printer price.
Quite all printers in this list are based on FDM technology (Fused deposition modeling), which means that printer will compose object by depositing a layer of plastic material at time, above the previous one.
Printer list is divided in 4 main lists:
- List 1: FDM printers with price less than 500$ – ideal for first time printing / home usage / DIY prototypes
- List 2: FDM printers with price between 500$ and 1000$ – ideal for home advanced printing / small office prototype printing
- List 3: FDM printers with price higher than 1000$ – ideal for office protypes
- List 4: 3d printers with printing technology different from FDM – ideal for office protypes
List 1: FDM Printers with Price Less Than 500$
| Printer name | Price | Printing Area [mm] | Printing Volume [cm3] | Layer Tickness [mm] | Printing speed [mm/s] | Rating [stars] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Longer Orange 10 3D Printer | $125.99 | 098 x 055 x 140 | 755 | 0.01 | 30 | 4,5 |
| Anet A8 3D printer kit | $139.00 | 220 x 220 x 240 | 11,616 | 0.1 | 30 | 3,5 |
| SainSmart x Creality Ender-3 PRO 3D Printer | $189.99 | 220 x 220 x 250 | 12,100 | 0.1 | 180 | 4,5 |
| Phrozen Sonic Mini | $199.00 | 119 x 066 x 130 | 1,021 | 0.01 | 50 | 4,5 |
| Creality Ender 3 3D Printer | $206.99 | 220 x 220 x 250 | 12,100 | 0.1 | 180 | 4,5 |
| Anet A6 3D Printer Kit – Upgraded Prusa i3 Variant | $274.99 | 220 x 220 x 250 | 12,100 | 0.1 | 100 | 3,5 |
| Monoprice Voxel | $352.10 | 150 x 150 x 150 | 3,375 | 0.05 | 60 | 4 |
| FlashForge Adventurer 3 Lite FDM 3D Printer | $369.00 | 150 x 150 x 150 | 3,375 | 0.1 | 100 | 4,5 |
| Creality Ender 5 Pro Upgrade 3D Printer | $399.00 | 220 x 220 x 300 | 14,520 | 0.1 | 60 | 4,5 |
| Artillery Sidewinder X1 3D Printer V4 Model | $449.99 | 300 x 300 x 400 | 36,000 | 0.1 | 150 | 4,5 |
| BEST: | 36,000 | 0.01 | 180 |
List 2: FDM Printers with Price Between 500$ and 1000$
| Printer name | Price | Printing Area [mm] | Printing Volume [cm3] | Layer Tickness [mm] | Printing speed [mm/s] | Rating [stars] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CEL Robox Dual-Material 3D Printer | $630.32 | 210 x 150 x 100 | 3,150 | 0.01 | 30 | 2 |
| Dremel Digilab 3D20 3D Printer | $679.00 | 228 x 150 x 140 | 4,788 | 0.05 | 100 | 4,5 |
| BIBO Dual Extruder Wi-Fi 3D Printer | $695.00 | 214 x 186 x 160 | 6,369 | 0.02 | 350 | 4,5 |
| ORIGINAL PRUSA I3 MK3S | $700.00 | 250 x 210 x 210 | 11,025 | 0.05 | 200 | 5 |
| Snapmaker Original 3-in-1 3D Printer | $799.00 | 125 x 125 x 125 | 1,953 | 0.05 | 100 | 4 |
| BEST: | 11,025 | 0.01 | 350 |
List 3: FDM Printers with Price Higher Than 1000$
| Printer name | Price | Printing Area [mm] | Printing Volume [cm3] | Layer Tickness [mm] | Printing speed [mm/s] | Rating [stars] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LulzBot Mini 2 Desktop 3D Printer | $1,850.00 | 160 x 160 x 180 | 4,608 | 0.05 | 300 | 4,5 |
| Dremel DigiLab 3D45 | $1,895.81 | 254 x 154 x 170 | 6,650 | 0.05 | 150 | 4,5 |
| Tiertime UP300 3D Printer | $2,099.00 | 205 x 255 x 225 | 11,762 | 0.05 | 200 | 3 |
| Raise3D E2 Desktop 3D Printer | $3,499.00 | 330 x 239 x 239 | 18,850 | 0.02 | 150 | 5 |
| Ultimaker S3 3D Printer | $3,850.00 | 230 x 190 x 200 | 8,740 | 0.02 | 24 | 3,5 |
| ZMorph VX 3D Printer | $3,860.00 | 250 x 235 x 165 | 9,694 | 0.05 | 60 | 4 |
| Raise3D 101016001 Pro2 3D Printer | $3,999.00 | 305 × 305 × 300 | 27,908 | 0.01 | 150 | 4 |
| Ultimaker S5 3D Printer | $5,995.00 | 330 x 240 x 300 | 23,760 | 0.02 | 24 | 2 |
| BEST: | 27,908 | 0.01 | 300 |
List 4: 3D Printers with Printing Technology Different from FDM
| Printer name | Price | Printing Area [mm] | Printing Volume [cm3] | Layer Tickness [mm] | Printing speed [mm/s] | Rating [stars] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anycubic Photon UV LCD 3D Printer | $189.99 | 115 x 065 x 155 | 1,159 | 0.025 | 0.0056 | 4,5 |
| ELEGOO Mars Pro MSLA 3D Printer UV Photocuring LCD 3D Printer | $250.00 | 115 x 065 x 150 | 1,121 | 0.01 | 0.00625 | 4,5 |
| BEST: | 1,159 | 0.01 | 0.00625 |
