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TOP 10 Best 3 D Printers 2024

3D printing is here, folks. They are no longer science fiction stuff. Looking to try it as a new toy? These 3D printers are accessible more than ever before. It means that there has never been a better time to grab one for yourself too.

With these printers, you can make spare parts, entire products and create some decorative items for your home or office. But the market has so many options for you to try out!

Choosing the most appropriate option can be pretty overwhelming, and this is where this guide will come in handy for you.

Whether you are looking to create some fun decorative items or are looking to create some 3D work models or spare parts, these 3D printers will put you on the right course right from the word go.

And the best part is that you don’t have to pay so much to get one either. A lot of credit goes to the open-source 3D printing movement.

These devices have become more than accessible for schoolers, engineers, hobbyists, and designers. So, if you are any one of them, then it’s your lucky day!

But Wait! What Are You Looking to Print?

You need to make the decision based on what you are going to use your printer for. This is a fundamental question that you need to answer.

Are you looking to print toys or different household items as a consumer? Maybe you are looking to set a new trend among your friends. Or maybe you are a teacher who is looking to install a new 3D printer in your classroom.

It’s a good choice for a hobbyist or a DIYer to use in different projects. Engineers, architects, and designers can also create different models or prototypes for various new prototypes, structures, or parts. Manufacturers and artists can use this printer for exploring the creative potentials of different objects as well.

How Are You Going to Use It?

You also need to look for an option and see how you are going to use it.

  • Home consumers and schools will look for a 3D printer that is simple to install, use and maintain. Artists and hobbyists will also look for special features like printing in different colors or different ligament types.
  • Professionals will look for exceptional print quality.
  • Manufacturers will look for bulk printing and speed, while businesses will want to go for a reliable printer.

A number of 3D printers are aimed towards hobbyists, designers, consumers, product designers, and other professionals like architects and engineers. These printers use fused filament fabrication technology for printing.

This technology is also called fused deposition modelling. Some 3D printers also use stereolithography which is the earliest 3D printing technique that features UV lasers tracing patterns on the liquid resin (hardening the resin for object formation).

And What Should be the Print Size?

You need to make the right choice based on the size of the objects that you will be printing using your 3D printer. You need to consider the build area of the 3D printer that you are considering as well and that two in three dimensions.

The build area of different 3D printers ranges from 6 to 9 square inches. They can range from a few inches to two feet on each side. Some of them have a complete square build area.

What Materials You Will be Using?

Many low-priced printing models run on Fused filament fabrication (FFF) technique using a plastic filament. It is available in spools, and it is melted and extruded, which solidifies to form the object.

The most common filaments used are PLA (polylactic acid) and ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene).

ABS tends to melt at a higher temperature, and it is more flexible than PLA. But it does tend to emit fumes. It also needs a heated print bed to work effectively. PLA 3D prints are much smoother but are a bit on the brittle side.

Other FFF printers can be used for printing high-impact polystyrene, bronze, wood, nylon, UV filaments, copper composite filaments, polycarbonate, Tritan polyester, and polyvinyl alcohol.

Different materials have different melting points. You can use specific exotic filaments in different types of 3D printers.

These filaments also come in two different diameters. You can either go for 3.0 mm or 1.85 mm. Most models work with smaller filaments. There aren’t many color pellets available in most stereolithography printers; clear, black, gold, and white are available.

How High Should the Resolution be?

A 3D printer can extrude molten plastic in thin layers as per the instructions fed into the file for the object for printing. In 3D printing, the resolution is in the layer height. This resolution is measured in microns equal to 0.001mm, and with the lower number, the resolution will be higher.

With thinner layers, more layers are needed to print an object, and the detail will be finer. But increasing the resolution here is very similar to increasing the megapixel count of a digital camera. A higher resolution is not the guarantee for good print quality.

Almost all the 3D printers that are available on the market can print at around 200 microns. It means they are capable of producing quality prints.

Many can print at 100 microns as well. But you need to go for custom settings for enabling printing that is finer than 100 microns. And of course, for that, you need to have a bigger budget as well.

What About Printing in Multiple Colors?

If you are looking to print in different colors, there are different models available on the market with that feature too. These printers are equipped with multiple extruders.

But here is a catch…

You can only print colored objects from files that are designed for colored printing. It means you need to have a separate file for each layer of color. The areas of different colors fit together just like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.

Conclusion

The best 3D printers on the market today are equipped with different options and features; you can conveniently connect them with your computer or even mobile or tablet and use various applications or software programs. You can either use Bluetooth or Wi-Fi to connect them.

3D printing has come a long way, and the technology is easily accessible. No matter your reason, you can own a 3D printer and use it for whatever purpose you have.