The Best 3D printers for Beginners to Buy

The best 3D printers for Beginners to Buy

One of the most frequent questions I see is: “I’m a beginner. What 3D printer should I buy?” There are so many factors to consider when buying a 3D printer. If you are brand new to 3D printing please make sure to read my article “Everything you need to know to start 3D printing,” before you decide to purchase a printer. I made this very easy for you and selected 5 of the best 3D printers for beginners. Please note that you will need to tinker with the printer. Sometimes expensive models don’t have as many issues, but they still have problems. I also rated these printers with a “Tinker Scale.” 1 being the least tinkering needed and 5 needing the most tinkering.

Creality Ender 5 Pro 3D Printer

Price range: $300-$459 Check price here

Bed Size: 235mm x 235mm x 300mm (9.25in x 9.25in x 11.81 in)

Reason selected: Large bed size, quiet, metal Extruder, Capricorn tubing, bed moves in the Z direction, and the nozzle moves in the X-Y direction. Good customer service.

Cons: Needs assembly.

Tinker Scale: 3 ⚙ ⚙ ⚙ Some tinkering

FlashForge Adventure 3 3D Printer

Price Range: $400

Bed Size: 150mm x 150mm x 150 mm (5.9 in x 5.9 in x 5.9 in)

Reason selected: Enclosed bed helps reduce noise and creates a stable environment for temperature control. User friendly and offers a “beginner mode.” Ready to go right out of the box. Great for beginners, tweens, and teens.

Cons: Build area is small. Without using an adapter, only a 0.5kg Spool fits inside.

Tinker Scale: 5 ⚙ ⚙ ⚙ ⚙ ⚙ Needs the least tinkering

Original Prusa i3 MK3S

Price Range: $750 – $1000

Bed Size: 250mm ×210mm ×210 mm (9.84″×8.3″×8.3″)

Reason Selected: Option to buy a fully assembled printer or partially assembled. They have great customer support, and there is less troubleshooting.

Cons: Price, long lead time to purchase

Tinker Scale: 4 ⚙ ⚙ ⚙ ⚙ Some tinkering needed