3D Printers have greatly increased the joy of making thing in our homes, schools, and institutions. No longer relegated to industries and large scale productions, these magic machines are increasingly being used to create toys, accessories, and plastic prototypes. Here is a of the 8 best desktop 3D printers.
The market is flooded to the brim with numerous choices of attractive 3D printers. Choosing one to suit your printing needs can be tough without proper guidance. The following list are the best 3D printers highlighting the key features that make each of these printers a great option for 3D printing.
The 8 Best Desktop 3D Printers
#1 Best 3D Printer – FlashForge Creator Pro
The Creator Pro is built to be better, more precise, and faster than its predecessor. The Flashforge Creator is highly reliable, the 3D Printer now sports a stylish new appearance with cooler upgrades that make it a few steps above the Creator X not just in looks but in performance as well. Which makes it one of the best 3D printers to grace this list.
The enclosed printing chamber is a great addition that allows for maintaining a consistent temperature during the printing process especially while using the heat bed in ABS printing. It also prevents any exposure to foreign objects that could potentially affect your final print.
The frame of the Creator Pro is made of metal instead of wood making it stronger and more durable. A thicker Z axis rod ensures precise movement that helps in maintaining the accuracy of your prints. An upgraded three-point platform leveling system has more a more intuitive function than the original four-point platform.
#2 Best 3D Printer – XYZprinting Da Vinci 1.0
The Da Vinci 1.0 is a great option to begin your 3D printing journey with ease. The Da Vinci 1.0 is affordable, easy to use, and reliable with a larger than average print area. The Da Vinci 1.0 has almost 70% more print capacity in comparison with other 3D printers in the same price range. Considered a 3D printer perfect for beginners, the da Vinci 1.0’s lightweight of 55 pounds with its simple and ready to use plug-and-play features is perfect for first time users.
The quality modes adjusts the speed settings ranging from 0.1 mm to 0.4 mm per second these settings can be adjusted with the software provided. Its auto leveling feature ensures that the printing process takes place on an even platform with a solid base. Even with its lengthy heating and cooling process, this printer provides decent quality prints faster, quietly, and accurately.
Cartridges are placed in a custom slot inside the da Vinci 1.0 printer and are replaceable. You have to purchase the filament refills to fit into the cartridge. The printer offers 13 color options with more ABS colors thrown in than PLA.
#3 Best 3D Printer- XYZprinting da Vinci 1.0 Pro
The da Vinci 1.0 Pro is the improved version of the da vinci 1.0. As XYZprinting’s first open-source filament printer, the da Vinci pro has adjustable temperature settings for both the extruder nozzle and the aluminum print bed making it compatible with third party filaments. The auto loading filament feature ensures the correct fit of the filament. Priced reasonably, this 3D printer offers variation in finishing quality and equips the user with software that allows for multiple settings of speed, retraction, and print support.
Another great addition is the new aluminum print bed that distributes heat evenly and prevents print warping. The new and intuitive calibration system easy to use with specific instructions appearing on the screen. The best added feature is the ability to connect to wifi during the printing process, which makes this one of the best 3D printers avaiiable.
#4 Best 3D Printer – ROBO 3D R1 Plus
The ROBO 3D R1 fully assembled model is one of the best go-to 3D printers. Its 100 micron resolution, 10 x 9 x 8 inch build volume is one of the largest printing areas in desktop 3D printing, and its automatic calibration provides accurate and high quality printing and all at an affordable price.
One of the key features of the ROBO 3D R1 Plus is its ability to print directly from your SD card. It prints with both ABS and PLA and is compatible with other filaments as well.
The ROBO R1 requires little installation and the set up is limited to fitting the filament into the print head. Its large print capacity with wireless connectivity at a reasonable price makes it a contender for best 3D printer.
#5 Best 3D Printer – Dremel Idea Builder
The Dremel Idea Builder provides good features, yet is still budget friendly. The 19-pound printer has a print area of 9 x 6 x 6 inches, which is a bit larger than the average budget printer. The software included with the printer enables multiple print resolution options and quality settings. The layer height is variable from 0.1 to 0.3 mm.
This printer can be used for designing toys, jewelry design, and for prototyping, or whatever else you can imagine. The user calibrations are done via the display screen instead of automatic leveling. This easy to use printer requires little installation and is easy to set up. The Dremel Idea Builder is compatible with PLA filaments only, and it has an on-board LCD screen as well as wireless connectivity.
#6 Best 3D Printer – LulzBot TAZ 5
The LulzBot Taz 5 is an open-source 3D printer that allows for modifications and upgrades, the Lulzbot TAZ 5 is an improved version of its predecessors, the TAZ 3 and TAZ 4. Equipped with an on-board screen for print selection and change of settings, this 24-pound aluminum and steel 3D printer is a sturdy option that offers precision, high quality prints.
The easy to use control screen with auto calibration and variable print resolutions makes it a perfect choice for both beginners and advanced users. The TAZ 5 offers user focused options, so you get to choose the design software and method of transfer you use. It supports Cura: LulzBot Edition. Cura has a number of features, and also one of the most reliable programs for effortless control of your 3D printer.
#7 Best 3D Printer – LulzBot Mini
The LulzBot Mini is intended for a wide audience. This includes schools, businesses, home users, and institutions for 3D prototyping and production. This handy steel-framed desktop printer has an open frame. The LulzBot Mini can be setup in a matter of minutes and is fun to Make things with. Despite having a considerably smaller print area of 6 x 6 x 6.2 inches, the LulzBot Mini comes with some amazing features putting it in the running for best 3D printer.
Apart from the usual PLA and ABS, the Mini supports a variety of filaments and printing materials including the light weight, high-impact polystyrene (HIPS) filament. The Cura software included with this 3D printer has a variety of options for printing transparent material like t-glase, nylon,polycarbonate, and many other filament materials. The LulzBot Mini supports finer than average leyer thickness, and has a minimum layer height of 0.005 mm.
#8 Best 3D Printer – Ultimaker 2 3D Printer
The Ultimaker 2 is well built with a glass and aluminum chassis, the Ultimaker 2 is a sturdy 3D printer that offers high quality, flawless prints with incredible speed and accuracy. It prints at speeds ranging from 30 to 300 mm per second, and has layer thickness of 0.02 mm. The printer settings can be adjusted even when the printing process is underway.
It has a maximum print area of 9 x 9 x 8 inch, slightly larger than the average print volume offered by other printers in the same price range. The Ultimaker 2 is compatible with both ABS and PLA filaments and uses a 0.3mm universal cartridge. An easy to use, LCD screen is one of its best feature. It allows easy navigation between different modes, settings, and models. The Ultimaker 2 can be easily connected via USB cable or an SD card, making it an attractive option.
