There are more options than ever when choosing a 3D printer, but if you’re new to this popular printing revolution, it can be difficult to snag one of the best 3D printers at a reasonable price. This is where we come into play. We can help you make an informed decision with our expert advice.
If you want to score a great deal, there’s no better time than Black Friday to buy a 3D printer. With the anticipated sales event just around the corner, we’ve been keeping an eye on the top Black Friday 3D printer deals that are currently available. We’re already seeing some decent deals, with many models priced around $100 off – and we expect that price to drop further during Black Friday proper, if previous years are anything to go by. This means that you can expect the prices we provide in this article to drop even further during the sales event. There were discounts of 30 percent or more during Prime Day, so we assume that will remain the case during this sales event.
In this guide, we’ll focus on 3D printer prices to tell you how much you should realistically spend on a device that suits your needs, whether you’re a complete beginner, looking to upgrade your current 3D printer, or a master model maker are looking for a professional-level machine. Here you will also find our selection of the best 3D printers.
3D printer prices for beginners
- Do you expect payment? About $200 to $300
Want to start your 3D printing journey but don’t have the biggest budget? No problem. You can get a high-quality, easy-to-use 3D printer (and plenty of materials to boot) for less than $200, but keep in mind that the advanced features that make using a 3D printer easier for the first time often come at a higher price.
For example, a desirable feature to simplify 3D printing is automatic bed leveling systems to keep the surface balanced, which is an important but very annoying part of the manual printing process. Others may prefer a larger build volume for producing larger models and machines with faster printing speeds.
3D printers that use filaments (as opposed to resin materials) are a better choice for those new to home printing because they are much easier and more flexible to use – in the form of spools full of plastic filaments, which the printer then feeds and runs through a hot Distribute nozzle. FDM printers offer more material choices and can be far safer for homes with children or pets.
Check out our Black Friday 3D printer deals hub for epic savings (Image credit: Creative Bloq / AnyCubic)
Therefore, entry-level 3D printers with helpful features are not always the cheapest, as they require harder performance from the machine to take the pressure off the user to set things up themselves. The good news is that you can find 3D printers with auto-leveling functionality for less than $250, like the Creality Ender 3 V3 SE.
Another printer we would recommend for beginners is the Elegoo Neptune 3 Pro (currently 10% off at $269), which features a very easy-to-assemble setup process that allows anyone to get this device up and running in less operating in less than an hour, a 36-point automatic bed leveling system, a built-in work light, and simple print removal features (which is difficult for beginners to understand).
If you can pay up to $300, there’s also the Bambu Lab A1 Mini FDM printer (without the automatic material system, which costs $459), which offers excellent and fast printing performance in a compact form.
Today’s best deals on Creality Ender 3 V3 SE, Elegoo Neptune 3 Pro, Bambu Labs A1 Mini and Bambu Lab A1 mini 3D printers
In between
- Do you expect payment? $400-$1,000
If you’ve used a 3D printer before and are sure you know what you’re doing, but still don’t want the complicated and super expensive machines, then this section is for you. At this level, you can expect to spend between $400 and $1,000 on a 3D printer, depending on what you want to accomplish with it.
Many creatives are switching from a filament-based Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) printer to a Masked Stereolithography (MSLA) resin material printer at this point instead, because 3D resin printers can produce more detail and are desirable for people who print board game pieces (for Example).
Some MSLA printers use UV-cured resin materials to form a model more slowly, creating individual layers one at a time. These require caution when handling and post-processing the print, which is produced using toxic chemicals. If you use resin materials in your 3D prints, you will need to wear a filter mask when setting up a print and wash and cure your prints after the process is complete.
So which one should you buy? If you’re interested in printing with toxic chemicals, the Anycubic Photon Mono M5 might be right for you. It can produce high-resolution 12K prints with impressive accuracy and requires no manual calibration. Simply add resin and you’re ready to go. This model has a retail price of $539, but is bundled here on Amazon with 1kg of resin for just $515.99.
Today’s best Anycubic Photon Mono M5s 12K Resin 3D Printer and Anycubic Photon Mono M5s deals
Professional level
- Do you expect payment? $2,000 to $6,000
Speed is what matters most with today’s 3D printers, and that’s what will cost you the most if you’re looking for a printer that can produce a masterpiece in record time. Typically, this is convenient for business owners, such as those who have successful Etsy shops and need to create batch prints on a regular basis.
If you want to print larger parts in a single printing session, you’ll need a printer with a larger build volume (approximately 250mm cubic inches and above), which isn’t cheap – costing anywhere from $1 to $2.00 – $6,000.
You can also purchase 3D printers that double as laser engravers for specialized creative work, such as the SnapMaker Artisan 3-in-1 – around $3,000. If your budget is tighter, you should definitely consider investing in an FDM printer with a direct drive system, which pushes the filament out of the nozzle more directly and sometimes faster for more precise printing.
Today’s best Snapmaker Artisan 3-in-1 deals
Anycubic Photon M3 Premium Printer (Image credit: Future)
Filament and material costs
Filament
Not only do you have to worry about the cost of a 3D printer itself, the cost of materials is also an important factor and the more you use, the more you will spend.
If you want to buy an FDM printer, you should use filaments that can be melted at the same temperature that your 3D printer allows, as some substances require higher temperatures that not every printer can achieve.
The most common material used in FDM printers is PLA filament, which can be used to print on almost anything. PLA filament rolls can cost around an average of $20 per kg, However, you can find special color and design filaments such as silk-style PLA for around $30 per kg.
While more durable plastics such as PETG or flexible TPU can also be used, these require machines with extruders that can reach up to 220 to 230 degrees Celsius to melt properly. ABS and nylon materials, on the other hand, require an even higher temperature of 240 or 250 degrees to function.
A seated 3D printed Baby Groot waves (Image credit: Future)
Resin MSLA
Resin is another material used for 3D printing, but it’s not for everyone. As mentioned above, even though most resin printers have chambers that prevent toxic chemicals from escaping, it should be used with extreme caution. The complexity of resin printing results in much more detailed prints, although they are slightly more complicated to produce.
Resin printers have fewer material choices, but most of the chemicals you’ll need for your printer can be purchased in packages from the same manufacturer and brand that made your printer. So you shouldn’t have to worry about sourcing unknown materials to make your prints.
Anycubic has also begun releasing its own high-speed resin (sold separately), which is said to increase accuracy and print times when used with Anycubic machines. This resin is sold in large bottles and is priced at $50 for 1kg.
Overall, the price of resin depends entirely on what exactly you need and how much the brand of printer sells these bottles for. (It might even be a good idea to check material costs before deciding which manufacturer to buy a resin printer from.)
