December 2024

3D Printers: MetaRanking

This page highlights the aggregate summary of 3D printers rankings posted by key online experts, as of December 2024.

Summary

On 15 Dec 2024, ReviewFinder team examined a total of 87 3D printer endorsements from 10 reputable publishers.

58 3D printers were endorsed in total, only 18 made it into this month's ranking. (ReviewFinder requires a minimum of 2 endorsements to be included)

As of 15 Dec 2024, Bambu Lab P1S takes the cake as the most critically-acclaimed 3D printer with 4 expert endorsements. 3 experts out of 4 recommended it as the '#1 3D printer' this month.

Brand breakdown
Show all brands

Price breakdown
As can be seen in the chart below, lowest high-ranking 3D printers start at $39 (MYNT3D Super 3D Pen) and go up to $4799 (Original Prusa XL). Median 3D printer costs $499 (Qidi Tech Q1 Pro).
$39
$4799

At a glance - December Ranking

Scroll horizontally to browse this ranking table
Rank Change Price 3D Printer
Digital Trends
Popular Mechanics
PCMag
techadvisor
Tom's Guide
TechRadar
All3DP
Tom's Hardware
Wirecutter
CNET
1
- Check price
Bambu Lab P1S
The Bambu Lab P1S 3D printer is highly regarded for its print quality, accuracy, consistency, and ability to handle complex geometries and intricate details, making it a versatile and high-performing printer suitable for a wide range of printing projects.
-
-
-
1
-
-
1
1
-
3
2
- Check price
Bambu Lab A1 Mini
-
-
4
-
-
-
6
3
1
5
3
- $1299
Original Prusa MK4
The Original Prusa MK4 3D printer is highly regarded for its exceptional print quality, reliability, and ease of use, making it a top choice for professionals, hobbyists, and educators.
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1
1
-
-
5
-
-
-
-
4
- Check price
Bambu Lab A1 Combo
-
-
-
2
-
-
2
-
-
1
5
- Check price
Creality Ender 3 V3 SE
-
-
-
-
-
2
4
2
-
-
6
+2 Check price
Prusa MK4S
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
5
3
2
7
-1 Check price
Bambu Lab X1 Carbon
-
-
-
-
-
-
5
7
2
-
8
-1 Check price
Anycubic Photon Mono 2
The Anycubic Photon Mono 2 is a highly recommended resin-based 3D printer that offers excellent print quality, a larger build volume, and user-friendly features, making it ideal for printing miniatures and intricate designs.
-
-
-
-
-
-
16
9
-
9
9
- $460
Anycubic Kobra 3 Combo
-
-
-
-
-
3
-
-
-
4
10
- Check price
Creality Ender 3 V3 KE
-
-
2
-
-
-
-
6
-
-
14
- Check price
AnkerMake M5C
-
-
3
-
-
6
-
-
-
-
15
- Check price
Formlabs Form 3 Plus
The Formlabs Form 3+ 3D printer is highly praised for its exceptional print quality, precision, and consistency, making it suitable for a wide range of professional applications.
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-
6
-
3
-
-
-
-
-
16
- Check price
LulzBot Mini 2
The LulzBot Mini 2 is a versatile and reliable 3D printer that produces high-quality prints with a wide range of materials and an easy-to-use interface.
2
-
10
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
17
- $599
Creality K1C
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-
-
5
-
4
-
-
-
-
18
- $599
FlashForge Adventurer 5M Pro
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4
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
8
19
- $1578
MakerBot Replicator Plus
The MakerBot Replicator+ 3D printer is a reliable and accurate option for professionals who require faster and more precise printing, as well as easier management and monitoring of projects through the powerful software solution.
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7
5
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
20
- Check price
Ultimaker S5
The Ultimaker S5 is a high-quality 3D printer with exceptional print quality, a large build volume, and advanced features, making it suitable for a variety of use cases.
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-
7
-
-
-
7
-
-
-
21
+1 Check price
Toybox 3D 1-Touch
The Toybox 3D 1-Touch printer is a user-friendly and reliable 3D printer designed for children and beginners, with a simple one-touch interface, access to a large library of printable toys and projects, and compatibility with safe and biodegradable PLA filaments.
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9
-
-
-
13
-
-
-

3D Printer
#9 $459.99 Anycubic Kobra 3 Combo
#17 $599 Creality K1C
#18 $599 FlashForge Adventurer 5M Pro
#3 $1299 Original Prusa MK4
#19 $1577.77 MakerBot Replicator Plus

We ranked Bambu Lab P1S #1 in December 2024 because:

  • 4 independent experts mentioned it in their “best 3D printers” rankings.
  • Out of those, 3 experts ranked Bambu Lab P1S as #1.
Expert Consensus
(as of 4 Sep 2023)
The Bambu Lab P1S 3D printer is highly regarded for its print quality, accuracy, consistency, and ability to handle complex geometries and intricate details, making it a versatile and high-performing printer suitable for a wide range of printing projects.
Critic endorsements:
techadvisor

Best 3D printer for most people

Excellent print quality
Automatic colour changing
Fast CoreXY motion system

Basic non-touchscreen control panel
Filament wastage can be high in multicolour printing
No failed print detection

Go to ranking

All3DP

Best 3D Printer Under $1,000

Enclosed volume with temperature regulation
Fast, high-quality printing & effective cooling
AMS compatible

Go to ranking

Tom's Hardware

Best 3D Printer Overall

Blazing speed
Enclosure for high temperature printing
Simple auto bed leveling
All metal hotend
Optional 4 color AMS

Pricey
Mediocre UI

Go to ranking

CNET

Best enclosed 3D printer

Perfect balance of cost and quality
Speedy
Fully enclosed

Controller needs some work

Go to ranking

We ranked Bambu Lab A1 Mini #2 in December 2024 because:

  • 5 independent experts mentioned it in their “best 3D printers” rankings.
  • Out of those, 1 expert ranked Bambu Lab A1 Mini as #1.
Critic endorsements:
PCMag

Best Multi-Color Budget 3D Printer / Editor's Choice

Excellent-quality prints at low cost
Fast standard print speed
Quick assembly
Optional four-color print capability via reasonably priced accessory

Small print bed
Cramped touch-screen control panel
Printing with multiple colors results in filament waste

Go to ranking

All3DP

Budget Multicolor

Four-filament printing
Self-calibrating smarts
Plug-and-play

Go to ranking

Tom's Hardware

Best 3D Printer for Beginners

Speed
Quick change nozzle
Direct Drive
Auto bed leveling
Inexpensive AMS (optional)

AMS takes up a lot of space

Go to ranking

Wirecutter

The best 3D printer

Go to ranking

CNET

Best 3D printer for beginners

The best setup experience
4-color printing on a budget
Good app experience
Surprisingly fast

No real modification path
AMS Lite is wobbly
Awkward shape and footprint

Go to ranking

Methodology: combine opinions of key experts

Identify Experts

We identify key publishers and experts that consistently review and recommend 3D printers.

Capture Rankings

For each publisher we find a currently recommended "top 10" list of 3D printers, it must be updated in the last 9 months.

Aggregate Rankings

We put all those lists together and aggregate them. The more frequently a product is recommended, the higher it is in our ranking

Experts chosen for December 2024 ranking

We ranked Original Prusa MK4 #3 in December 2024 because:

  • 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best 3D printers” rankings.
  • Out of those, 2 experts ranked Original Prusa MK4 as #1.
Expert Consensus
(as of 21 Jul 2023)
The Original Prusa MK4 3D printer is highly regarded for its exceptional print quality, reliability, and ease of use, making it a top choice for professionals, hobbyists, and educators.
Critic endorsements:
Popular Mechanics

Best Overall 3D Printer

Lightning-fast printing
Automatic calibration

Steep learning curve

Go to ranking

PCMag

Best 3D Printer Overall / Editor's Choice

Field-topping ease of use
Supports a wide variety of filament types
High-quality prints
Problem-free operation in our tests

Relatively expensive

Go to ranking

TechRadar

Effortlessly reliable 3D printing

Reliable and efficient
Versatile and customizable
Easy to use
Open-source

High upfront cost
Single filament support
No enclosure included

Go to ranking

We ranked Bambu Lab A1 Combo #4 in December 2024 because:

  • 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best 3D printers” rankings.
  • Out of those, 1 expert ranked Bambu Lab A1 Combo as #1.
Critic endorsements:
techadvisor

Best budget 3D printer

Fast, reliable printing
Fully automatic levelling
Excellent value

Doesn't support more exotic filament
AMS Lite adds significantly to the price

Go to ranking

All3DP

BEST 3D PRINTER UNDER $500

Quick and quiet printing
Fully automatic calibration and setup
Excellent layer uniformity

Go to ranking

CNET

Best overall 3D Printer

Setup is flawless
App is excellent
Amazing Quality
Well designed

Filament waste could be an issue
The “poop flinger” is not good design

Go to ranking

We ranked Creality Ender 3 V3 SE #5 in December 2024 because:

  • 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best 3D printers” rankings.
Critic endorsements:
TechRadar

Affordable, reliable, user-friendly 3D printing

Affordable accessibility
Reliable performance
User-friendly features

No touchscreen
No filament sensor
No camera

Go to ranking

All3DP

Under $200

Reliable auto-bed leveling system
It’s quiet
Great bang-for-buck ratio – cheap and capable

Go to ranking

Tom's Hardware

Best Budget FDM 3D Printer

Affordable
Easy assembly
Excellent Auto bed leveling
Direct drive
Easy Interface

PC coated plate

Go to ranking

We ranked Prusa MK4S #6 in December 2024 because:

  • 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best 3D printers” rankings.
Critic endorsements:
Tom's Hardware

Best Premium 3D Printer

High flow CHT Nozzle
Perfect first layer
PEI Steel flex plate
Very quiet
Fully assembled or DIY kit

Expensive

Go to ranking

Wirecutter

Best for long-term upgrades

Go to ranking

CNET

Best precision 3D printer

Excellent quality prints
Fast but not jerky
Excellent support
Open Source

Too expensive
Wi-Fi setup is unfriendly

Go to ranking

We ranked Bambu Lab X1 Carbon #7 in December 2024 because:

  • 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best 3D printers” rankings.
Critic endorsements:
All3DP

Best Premium

Fabulous design and build quality
High print speeds
Simple, slick user-friendly experience

Go to ranking

Tom's Hardware

Best Professional 3D Printer

AMS features intuitive guided operations for loading and unloading material
Rigid steel frame, aluminum shell, and CoreXY motion system
LIDAR-assisted automatic calibration and inspection
High speed multicolor printing with AMS
Enclosed build volume

Cool Plate and glue stick included instead of PEI Textured Plate
Default purging process involves wasting material

Go to ranking

Wirecutter

For all the bells and whistles

Go to ranking

We ranked Anycubic Photon Mono 2 #8 in December 2024 because:

  • 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best 3D printers” rankings.
Expert Consensus
(as of 21 Jul 2023)
The Anycubic Photon Mono 2 is a highly recommended resin-based 3D printer that offers excellent print quality, a larger build volume, and user-friendly features, making it ideal for printing miniatures and intricate designs.
Critic endorsements:
All3DP

Under $200

High-resolution prints
Deceptively large build volume
Compact footprint

Go to ranking

Tom's Hardware

Best Resin 3D Printer for Beginners

Detailed 4K prints
Fast setup
Effortless print removal
Easy to navigate menus
Generous anti-scratch film to protect the glass

Slippery feet on the base
Lightweight and cheap feel

Go to ranking

CNET

Best 3D printer for miniatures

Small footprint
Astounding quality
Great price

Too small for anything but minis

Go to ranking

We ranked Anycubic Kobra 3 Combo #9 in December 2024 because:

  • 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best 3D printers” rankings.
Critic endorsements:
TechRadar

A great place to start for multi-filament 3D printing

Fast print times
Affordable combo version
Multifilament printing

No filament tray
Slower multi-filament printing
Open frame design

Go to ranking

CNET

Best budget 3D Printer

Simple setup
Color printing is very good
Speedy

The slicer is awful (a fix is on the way)

Go to ranking

We ranked Creality Ender 3 V3 KE #10 in December 2024 because:

  • 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best 3D printers” rankings.
Critic endorsements:
PCMag

Best Overall Budget 3D Printer

Easy to assemble
Speedy, accurate prints
Hands-off automatic bed leveling process
Sleek metallic finish
Easy-to-use touch screen

Quite loud at times
Plate adhesion wears away quickly, requiring glue to repair

Go to ranking

Tom's Hardware

Fastest Budget 3D Printer

Excellent Auto bed leveling
Fast
Klipper firmware
Open Source

Creality’s interface is limited

Go to ranking

We ranked AnkerMake M5C #11 in December 2024 because:

  • 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best 3D printers” rankings.
Critic endorsements:
PCMag

Best Budget 3D Printer for Fast Prints

Great quality prints
Fast standard print speed
Print bed offers large print volume and easy print removal
Quick assembly
Easy-to-use slicer software

Requires Wi-Fi to connect to a PC
No real-time video monitoring or time-lapse capability
No on-device screen or control panel
Needs mobile app to load and unload filament

Go to ranking

TechRadar

Precision 3D printing excellence

Precise printing accuracy
Fast and efficient
Easy to use

No enclosure included
No physical interface
Limited advanced features

Go to ranking

We ranked Formlabs Form 3 Plus #12 in December 2024 because:

  • 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best 3D printers” rankings.
Expert Consensus
(as of 4 Sep 2023)
The Formlabs Form 3+ 3D printer is highly praised for its exceptional print quality, precision, and consistency, making it suitable for a wide range of professional applications.
Critic endorsements:
PCMag

Best 3D Resin Printer for Rapid Prototyping and Parts Production

Excellent print quality
Full SLA workflow solution
Nearly fume-free operation
USB, Wi-Fi, and Ethernet connectivity
Responsive phone customer service

Difficult to remove printed objects
Problematic resin-tray seating process
Steep learning curve for using supports
Requires lots of isopropyl alcohol

Go to ranking

Tom's Guide

The best resin-based 3D printer / Editor's Choice

Fast printing
High-quality results
Extensive amount of resins available

No third-party resin support
Expensive

Go to ranking

We ranked LulzBot Mini 2 #13 in December 2024 because:

  • 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best 3D printers” rankings.
Expert Consensus
(as of 16 May 2023)
The LulzBot Mini 2 is a versatile and reliable 3D printer that produces high-quality prints with a wide range of materials and an easy-to-use interface.
Critic endorsements:
Digital Trends

Go to ranking

PCMag

Best Open-Frame 3D Printer for Hobbyists and Schools

Easy to set up and use.
Powerful software.
Quiet operation.
Supports a variety of filament types.
LCD with SD-card slot.
Self-leveling print bed.
Easy to remove finished objects from print bed.
Works with Windows, macOS X, and Linux.

Print quality inconsistent at times.
No bundled filament.
Open frame increases risk of burns from a hot extruder.
Relatively sparse connectivity options.

Go to ranking

We ranked Creality K1C #14 in December 2024 because:

  • 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best 3D printers” rankings.
Critic endorsements:
techadvisor

Best for exotic filaments

Can print carbon fibre filaments out of the box
Can print ASA, nylon, ABS as well as PLA and PETG
Built in camera

Single colour printing only
Can be very noisy
Frustrating to change filament

Go to ranking

TechRadar

Great for schools, classrooms, and academia

High-quality build
Fast print speeds
Refined AI camera

Speed affects quality
No multi-material support
Higher price point

Go to ranking

We ranked FlashForge Adventurer 5M Pro #15 in December 2024 because:

  • 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best 3D printers” rankings.
Critic endorsements:
Popular Mechanics

Best For Beginners

User-friendly
Future-proof

Can only print small items

Go to ranking

CNET

Best 3D printer for educators

Great price for a CoreXY
Great quality
Excellent networking

Spool holder on the back

Go to ranking

We ranked MakerBot Replicator Plus #16 in December 2024 because:

  • 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best 3D printers” rankings.
Expert Consensus
(as of 17 May 2023)
The MakerBot Replicator+ 3D printer is a reliable and accurate option for professionals who require faster and more precise printing, as well as easier management and monitoring of projects through the powerful software solution.
Critic endorsements:
Popular Mechanics

Best for Printing Metal

Easy to set up
Good print quality

Go to ranking

PCMag

Best 3D Printer for Product Designers/Engineers / Editors' Choice

Easy to use.
Very good print quality.
User-friendly yet powerful software.
Prints via USB, Ethernet, and Wi-Fi, and from a USB thumb drive.
Safe design for an open-frame printer.
Relatively quiet.

Printer setup through MakerBot Mobile app can be tricky.
Somewhat pricey filament.

Go to ranking

We ranked Ultimaker S5 #17 in December 2024 because:

  • 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best 3D printers” rankings.
Expert Consensus
(as of 17 May 2023)
The Ultimaker S5 is a high-quality 3D printer with exceptional print quality, a large build volume, and advanced features, making it suitable for a variety of use cases.
Critic endorsements:
PCMag

Best Pro-Level 3D Printer for Large Objects / Editors' Choice

Dual extruders.
Large build volume.
Quiet.
Good print quality.
Easy setup and operation.
Touch screen.

Pricey.
Relatively slow printing at default resolution.

Go to ranking

All3DP

Dependent Dual Extrusion

Powerful printer management software
Simplified printing experience
Print core system simplifies nozzle changes

Go to ranking

We ranked Toybox 3D 1-Touch #18 in December 2024 because:

  • 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best 3D printers” rankings.
Expert Consensus
(as of 17 May 2023)
The Toybox 3D 1-Touch printer is a user-friendly and reliable 3D printer designed for children and beginners, with a simple one-touch interface, access to a large library of printable toys and projects, and compatibility with safe and biodegradable PLA filaments.
Critic endorsements:
PCMag

Best 3D Printer for Kids / Editors' Choice

Reliable, misprint-free printing
Easy setup
One-touch operation
Well-composed help resources
Access to more than 2,000 printable toys and projects
Lets you create your own printable designs

Tiny build area
Not ideal for importing 3D files created elsewhere

Go to ranking

All3DP

Best Toy 3D Printer

Massive toy library to print
Kid-friendly experience
Snappy on-device UI and app-based control

Go to ranking