January 2025
3D Printers: MetaRanking
This page highlights the aggregate summary of 3D printers rankings posted by key online experts, as of January 2025.
Summary
On 15 Jan 2025, 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 Jan 2025, 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
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Creality 3D: 9 3D printers
(#1 is Creality Ender 3 V3 SE)
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Anycubic: 7 3D printers
(#1 is Anycubic Photon Mono 2)
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Elegoo: 6 3D printers
(#1 is Elegoo Neptune 4)
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Bambu: 4 3D printers
(#1 is Bambu Lab P1S)
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Prusa: 4 3D printers
(#1 is Original Prusa MK4)
Price breakdown
At a glance - January Ranking
| Rank | Change | Price | 3D Printer |
Digital Trends
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Popular Mechanics
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PCMag
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techadvisor
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Tom's Guide
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TechRadar
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All3DP
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Tom's Hardware
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Wirecutter
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CNET
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1
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- | 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.
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1
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1
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1
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-
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3
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2
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- | Check price |
Bambu Lab A1 Mini
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4
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-
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6
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3
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1
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5
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3
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- | Check price |
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
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1
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5
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4
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- | Check price |
Bambu Lab A1 Combo
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2
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2
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1
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5
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- | Check price |
Creality Ender 3 V3 SE
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2
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4
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2
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6
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- | Check price |
Prusa MK4S
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5
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3
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2
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7
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- | Check price |
Bambu Lab X1 Carbon
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5
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7
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2
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8
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- | 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.
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16
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9
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9
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9
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- | Check price |
Anycubic Kobra 3 Combo
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3
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4
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10
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- | Check price |
Creality Ender 3 V3 KE
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2
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6
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14
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- | Check price |
AnkerMake M5C
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3
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6
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15
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- | 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
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3
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16
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- | $2439 |
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.
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2
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10
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17
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- | $599 |
Creality K1C
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5
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4
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18
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- | $449 |
FlashForge Adventurer 5M Pro
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4
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8
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19
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- | $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
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5
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20
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- | 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
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7
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21
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- | 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
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13
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We ranked Bambu Lab P1S #1 in January 2025 because:
- 4 independent experts mentioned it in their “best 3D printers” rankings.
- Out of those, 3 experts ranked Bambu Lab P1S as #1.
techadvisor
Best 3D printer for most people
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Excellent print quality
Automatic colour changing
Fast CoreXY motion system
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Basic non-touchscreen control panel
Filament wastage can be high in multicolour printing
No failed print detection
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All3DP
Best 3D Printer Under $1,000
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Enclosed volume with temperature regulation
Fast, high-quality printing & effective cooling
AMS compatible
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Tom's Hardware
Best 3D Printer Overall
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Blazing speed
Enclosure for high temperature printing
Simple auto bed leveling
All metal hotend
Optional 4 color AMS
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Pricey
Mediocre UI
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CNET
Best enclosed 3D printer
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Perfect balance of cost and quality
Speedy
Fully enclosed
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Controller needs some work
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We ranked Bambu Lab A1 Mini #2 in January 2025 because:
- 5 independent experts mentioned it in their “best 3D printers” rankings.
- Out of those, 1 expert ranked Bambu Lab A1 Mini as #1.
PCMag
Best Multi-Color Budget 3D Printer / Editor's Choice
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Excellent-quality prints at low cost
Fast standard print speed
Quick assembly
Optional four-color print capability via reasonably priced accessory
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Small print bed
Cramped touch-screen control panel
Printing with multiple colors results in filament waste
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Tom's Hardware
Best 3D Printer for Beginners
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Speed
Quick change nozzle
Direct Drive
Auto bed leveling
Inexpensive AMS (optional)
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AMS takes up a lot of space
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CNET
Best 3D printer for beginners
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The best setup experience
4-color printing on a budget
Good app experience
Surprisingly fast
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No real modification path
AMS Lite is wobbly
Awkward shape and footprint
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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 January 2025 ranking
Digital Trends
Popular Mechanics
PCMag
techadvisor
Tom's Guide
TechRadar
All3DP
Tom's Hardware
Wirecutter
CNET
We ranked Original Prusa MK4 #3 in January 2025 because:
- 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best 3D printers” rankings.
- Out of those, 2 experts ranked Original Prusa MK4 as #1.
Popular Mechanics
Best Overall 3D Printer
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Lightning-fast printing
Automatic calibration
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Steep learning curve
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PCMag
Best 3D Printer Overall / Editor's Choice
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Field-topping ease of use
Supports a wide variety of filament types
High-quality prints
Problem-free operation in our tests
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Relatively expensive
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TechRadar
Effortlessly reliable 3D printing
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Reliable and efficient
Versatile and customizable
Easy to use
Open-source
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High upfront cost
Single filament support
No enclosure included
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We ranked Bambu Lab A1 Combo #4 in January 2025 because:
- 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best 3D printers” rankings.
- Out of those, 1 expert ranked Bambu Lab A1 Combo as #1.
techadvisor
Best budget 3D printer
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Fast, reliable printing
Fully automatic levelling
Excellent value
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Doesn't support more exotic filament
AMS Lite adds significantly to the price
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All3DP
BEST 3D PRINTER UNDER $500
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Quick and quiet printing
Fully automatic calibration and setup
Excellent layer uniformity
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CNET
Best overall 3D Printer
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Setup is flawless
App is excellent
Amazing Quality
Well designed
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Filament waste could be an issue
The “poop flinger” is not good design
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We ranked Creality Ender 3 V3 SE #5 in January 2025 because:
- 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best 3D printers” rankings.
TechRadar
Affordable, reliable, user-friendly 3D printing
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Affordable accessibility
Reliable performance
User-friendly features
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No touchscreen
No filament sensor
No camera
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All3DP
Under $200
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Reliable auto-bed leveling system
It’s quiet
Great bang-for-buck ratio – cheap and capable
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Tom's Hardware
Best Budget FDM 3D Printer
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Affordable
Easy assembly
Excellent Auto bed leveling
Direct drive
Easy Interface
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PC coated plate
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We ranked Prusa MK4S #6 in January 2025 because:
- 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best 3D printers” rankings.
Tom's Hardware
Best Premium 3D Printer
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High flow CHT Nozzle
Perfect first layer
PEI Steel flex plate
Very quiet
Fully assembled or DIY kit
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Expensive
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CNET
Best precision 3D printer
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Excellent quality prints
Fast but not jerky
Excellent support
Open Source
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Too expensive
Wi-Fi setup is unfriendly
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We ranked Bambu Lab X1 Carbon #7 in January 2025 because:
- 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best 3D printers” rankings.
All3DP
Best Premium
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Fabulous design and build quality
High print speeds
Simple, slick user-friendly experience
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Tom's Hardware
Best Professional 3D Printer
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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
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Cool Plate and glue stick included instead of PEI Textured Plate
Default purging process involves wasting material
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We ranked Anycubic Photon Mono 2 #8 in January 2025 because:
- 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best 3D printers” rankings.
All3DP
Under $200
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High-resolution prints
Deceptively large build volume
Compact footprint
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Tom's Hardware
Best Resin 3D Printer for Beginners
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Detailed 4K prints
Fast setup
Effortless print removal
Easy to navigate menus
Generous anti-scratch film to protect the glass
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Slippery feet on the base
Lightweight and cheap feel
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CNET
Best 3D printer for miniatures
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Small footprint
Astounding quality
Great price
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Too small for anything but minis
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We ranked Anycubic Kobra 3 Combo #9 in January 2025 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best 3D printers” rankings.
TechRadar
A great place to start for multi-filament 3D printing
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Fast print times
Affordable combo version
Multifilament printing
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No filament tray
Slower multi-filament printing
Open frame design
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CNET
Best budget 3D Printer
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Simple setup
Color printing is very good
Speedy
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The slicer is awful (a fix is on the way)
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We ranked Creality Ender 3 V3 KE #10 in January 2025 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best 3D printers” rankings.
PCMag
Best Overall Budget 3D Printer
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Easy to assemble
Speedy, accurate prints
Hands-off automatic bed leveling process
Sleek metallic finish
Easy-to-use touch screen
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Quite loud at times
Plate adhesion wears away quickly, requiring glue to repair
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Tom's Hardware
Fastest Budget 3D Printer
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Excellent Auto bed leveling
Fast
Klipper firmware
Open Source
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Creality’s interface is limited
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We ranked AnkerMake M5C #11 in January 2025 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best 3D printers” rankings.
PCMag
Best Budget 3D Printer for Fast Prints
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Great quality prints
Fast standard print speed
Print bed offers large print volume and easy print removal
Quick assembly
Easy-to-use slicer software
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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
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TechRadar
Precision 3D printing excellence
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Precise printing accuracy
Fast and efficient
Easy to use
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No enclosure included
No physical interface
Limited advanced features
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We ranked Formlabs Form 3 Plus #12 in January 2025 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best 3D printers” rankings.
PCMag
Best 3D Resin Printer for Rapid Prototyping and Parts Production
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Excellent print quality
Full SLA workflow solution
Nearly fume-free operation
USB, Wi-Fi, and Ethernet connectivity
Responsive phone customer service
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Difficult to remove printed objects
Problematic resin-tray seating process
Steep learning curve for using supports
Requires lots of isopropyl alcohol
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Tom's Guide
The best resin-based 3D printer / Editor's Choice
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Fast printing
High-quality results
Extensive amount of resins available
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No third-party resin support
Expensive
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We ranked LulzBot Mini 2 #13 in January 2025 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best 3D printers” rankings.
PCMag
Best Open-Frame 3D Printer for Hobbyists and Schools
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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.
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Print quality inconsistent at times.
No bundled filament.
Open frame increases risk of burns from a hot extruder.
Relatively sparse connectivity options.
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We ranked Creality K1C #14 in January 2025 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best 3D printers” rankings.
techadvisor
Best for exotic filaments
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Can print carbon fibre filaments out of the box
Can print ASA, nylon, ABS as well as PLA and PETG
Built in camera
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Single colour printing only
Can be very noisy
Frustrating to change filament
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TechRadar
Great for schools, classrooms, and academia
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High-quality build
Fast print speeds
Refined AI camera
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Speed affects quality
No multi-material support
Higher price point
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We ranked FlashForge Adventurer 5M Pro #15 in January 2025 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best 3D printers” rankings.
Popular Mechanics
Best For Beginners
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User-friendly
Future-proof
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Can only print small items
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CNET
Best 3D printer for educators
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Great price for a CoreXY
Great quality
Excellent networking
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Spool holder on the back
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We ranked MakerBot Replicator Plus #16 in January 2025 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best 3D printers” rankings.
PCMag
Best 3D Printer for Product Designers/Engineers / Editors' Choice
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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.
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Printer setup through MakerBot Mobile app can be tricky.
Somewhat pricey filament.
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We ranked Ultimaker S5 #17 in January 2025 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best 3D printers” rankings.
PCMag
Best Pro-Level 3D Printer for Large Objects / Editors' Choice
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Dual extruders.
Large build volume.
Quiet.
Good print quality.
Easy setup and operation.
Touch screen.
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Pricey.
Relatively slow printing at default resolution.
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All3DP
Dependent Dual Extrusion
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Powerful printer management software
Simplified printing experience
Print core system simplifies nozzle changes
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We ranked Toybox 3D 1-Touch #18 in January 2025 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best 3D printers” rankings.
PCMag
Best 3D Printer for Kids / Editors' Choice
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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
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Tiny build area
Not ideal for importing 3D files created elsewhere
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All3DP
Best Toy 3D Printer
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Massive toy library to print
Kid-friendly experience
Snappy on-device UI and app-based control
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