The Best 3D Printer in 2022

If you’re new to the world of 3D printing, you need a reliable machine that won’t break the bank but can also provide you with enough room to grow. Monoprice might be the right way to go. It’s a reputable brand that has already made a name for itself in this industry. The Monoprice MP Voxel 3D printer is an easy-to-use device that can be controlled directly through the interface or remotely thanks to its Polar Cloud functionality. Its fully enclosed and compact design makes it the best home 3D printer. Let’s dig into the specifics.

When it comes to home printers, you need to keep in mind the safety of your family members. In order to do their job, these machines need to achieve certain temperatures and melt the filament. Not only can this be dangerous, but you have to think about the fumes and unpleasant smells that might result from the process. This is the reason Monoprice Voxel’s closed frame is so important. You can watch the process through the heat-resistant glass on its two sides and operate it using a small IPS touchscreen.

As you might expect from the best beginner 3D printer, the Voxel arrives fully assembled and operational. It doesn’t require any particular effort on your part. The preset Polar Cloud technology means you can control the printing process online and use the built-in Monoprice Voxel camera to check how it’s going remotely. The high-quality nozzle and the flexible build plate can be easily removed without using special tools. One tap on the screen will automatically level the bed to ensure a precise operation. Everything was created with people new to 3D printing in mind.

Monoprice’s best starter 3D printer is pretty fast. It can print out up to 100 mm per second. This is an important piece of information to know if you plan on charging your printing services by the hour. It can use PLA, ABS, and a few more Monoprice Voxel filament composites. One of the biggest problems users encounter has to do with spools. Voxel uses a very thin spool that can’t hold more than 500 g of filament. Because of the location of the spool holder, it’s pretty hard to replace it with a third-party accessory. The device supports several slicing software solutions like MP Flashprint, Slic3r, Skeinforge, and Cura. 

Despite a couple of imperfections, the Monoprice Voxel 3D printer is still among the best 3D printers under 500 dollars on the market. If you shop around, you might even find deals that are slightly cheaper than this - just make sure it’s the right model. The company also offers a few similar alternatives if you’re looking for something more compact.

The original Ender-3 was an exceptional low-cost 3D printer that offered a lot of bang for your buck and enjoyed cult status among its users. One of its most recent upgrades - dubbed “V2” - has built on that solid foundation by improving the motherboard and the interface while still being the best 3D printer under 300 dollars. The Ender 3 V2 is the most expensive of all the upgrades, but is it really worth the few extra bucks it demands? Let’s see.

As you’d expect from a Creality product, the Ender 3 V2 also features a solid, sturdy frame with high-quality parts that ensure longevity. One thing that might discourage beginners from buying this printer is that it comes as a kit. Before you can use it, you need to put in a bit of effort and assemble it. There are plenty of videos online to help you out with the process, but if this is your first time, you should ask someone more experienced for a helping hand. Creality’s best budget 3D printer has an open frame that lets you enjoy your beautiful 3D printer models from all sides. However, to ensure the safety of your family members, you probably shouldn’t keep it in the living room.

One of the main bragging points for Creality’s team of developers is the silent motherboard. Indeed, the printing process is pleasantly quiet, but this fact is slightly undermined by the comparably loud fans. At the end of the day, despite the designers’ efforts, you’re not gaining that much. The extruder is slightly underpowered, but you can easily replace it with your favorite alternative if you want to. Keep in mind that this is still the best cheap 3D printer and not a high-end device, so there have to be some compromises.

The Ender 3 V2 has an entirely new, better-looking display that is easy to use and navigate through. The only control is a round knob that you turn around to switch between options and press to choose. This mechanical system is a lot more reliable than touchscreens you often find with the competition. Another interesting new addition to the classic design is a small built-in toolbox drawer. It’s a nice little compartment for you to store your screwdrivers, tweezers, and spare screws in.

Despite being slightly more expensive than the original, the V2 is still the best affordable 3D printer on the market. The new improvements in the build, the interface, and even the extra drawer definitely justify the price. If you know what you’re doing, you can customize the machine with a new extruder (or even try Creality Ender 3 dual extruder), add an all-metal hotend, and tweak the settings a little bit to get outstanding results relatively cheaply.

As a general rule, resin-based printers offer better resolution than classic FDM machines, but this improvement comes at a higher price. That said, there are a couple of budget-friendly options on the web that might help you out. The Phrozen Sonic Mini is one of them. It’s the best resin 3D printer you can find for just under $300, which is nothing short of amazing. But does the Sonic Mini deliver? 

Let’s talk about the build first. The Sonic Mini is a solid machine with high-quality parts made of metal and plastic. Because of its red translucent enclosure, the entire printer looks like a large rotation light. At the bottom of the machine is a translucent resin vat that lets you see your object being built - layer by layer. The printer comes preassembled, so you can start printing right out of the box. Some of the additional equipment you get with your purchase includes plastic and metallic scrapers for easy object removal from the sanded plate.

Phrozen’s best 3D printer uses LCD technology to create objects out of resin. Instead of using the classic RGB option, the developers decided to go for a monochrome screen. It allows for better quality and a much faster curing process. Now, this type of screen can be used for an average of 2,000 hours, after which you’ll need to replace it. While these screens aren’t exactly cheap, they last three times longer than classic RGBs. There is no doubt that this is a solid investment.

Before you start using Phrozen’s 3D printer, the best course of action is to perform an LCD test from the display. It involves just a couple of clicks on the touchscreen to ensure everything is in working order. After this, you’ll need to do bed leveling. Unlike some other machines, the Sonic Mini doesn’t offer automatic leveling, so you’ll need to do it yourself. The interface will guide you through the process, but you might need to do it a couple of times before you get it right. Basically, you unscrew a couple of screws, place the paper on the screen, let the bed lower all the way down, and tighten it up again. It’s simple but a bit annoying.

With Phrozen’s best 3D printer, under 500 layers can be printed out in about 16 minutes, which is definitely impressive. Of course, it’s not all about the speed. The Sonic Mini delivers unique quality that you don’t usually get in this price range. This is thanks to the company’s trademark ParaLED technology that ensures the utmost accuracy. The printer supports all types of LCD resin and most DLP resin materials. It’s pretty nice that Phrozen doesn’t force you to use only its product.

One of this printer’s most significant downsides is the small build area. Even though it’s likely the best inexpensive 3D printer for resin work, you won’t be able to make any big objects with it. The logic was clearly quality over quantity. You’ll just need to figure out if that works out for you or not.

Anycubic performed a minor miracle by creating Photon Mono - a compact 3D printer based on LCD technology that offers incredible resolutions while still staying on the affordable side. The regular price of this machine is $269, but you can often find it discounted to under $200. It might take you a while to get the hang of it, but you’ll soon discover why Photon is dubbed by many the best 3D printer for miniatures. Let’s take a look.

The first thing you’ll notice about the Anycubic Photon 3D printer is its retro-futuristic design. The yellow-tinted glass really gives off that vibe. It looks like a simplified and compact vending machine that you can put anywhere you want. The device has a closed frame, which offers a good level of protection from unpleasant odors from the printing process. Note that the printer comes assembled, so you won’t have to worry about doing it yourself.

Obviously, we have to talk about the little elephant in the room - the exceptionally small Anycubic Photon build volume. You won’t be able to craft big pieces of equipment or accessories, but if you plan on creating small figurines, this is the best 3D printer you’ll find. Anycubic Photon DLP (digital light processing) ensures the premium quality of objects with a resolution as high as 25 microns. To show you just how much faith the company has in its system, one of the demo objects included in the printer is a lattice cube, which is notoriously difficult to print out. Anycubic even included its logo inside the cube.

The printer is operated through a color touchscreen at the bottom of the device, which contains helpful information and guides you through the manual bed leveling process. The best 3D printers that rely on resin need to include supports for custom designs, which you can easily add in the Anycubic Photon software slicer. Designs themselves can be added through the USB port on the side.

Now, one thing you have to understand before you decide to give this printer a try is that it’s not the easiest thing in the world to use. There is a learning curve and a good chance you’ll mess up at least a couple of times. It’s all about getting used to the process and figuring out what minor tweaks might help. You will only see this as the best 3D printer for the money once you can start using it comfortably. At that point, though, hardly anything in this price range will be able to match it.

Speaking of price, Anycubic offers some of the best deals on the market. Interestingly, there are various discounts and promotions where you might end up saving big. If you’re seriously thinking about giving this printer a go, make sure you check the web for some special deals. Even the best low-cost 3D printer can produce amazing miniatures, and we’re sure you’ll love the Photon Mono.

You won’t find a better recommendation than when a company uses its own product. It’s a true testament to its value. Original Prusa is a prolific 3D printer creator that uses the power of MK3S to create parts for its new products. Why? Because it’s a reliable, sturdy 3D printer with automatic bed leveling, print backup systems, and support for dozens of different materials. The price might be a bit steep for casual users, but the company’s reputation and the printer’s high quality certainly justify it. Here’s our take on the product.

You can order Prusa’s best desktop 3D printer as the Original Prusa I3 MK3S kit or as an already assembled machine. We would recommend going with the former, as the assembly is not a difficult process, and you can save some $200. In many ways, the MK3S is not so much a new product as it is a welcome evolution on the previous model. Many of the new features came to life as direct responses to users’ complaints and suggestions. It certainly shows how much Prusa values its community.

The redesigned extruder is one of the new model’s biggest and most significant changes. The new setup allows for better cooling, less resonance, and high-end print quality. Many users consider it the best 3D printer for cosplay because you can create large, highly detailed objects like pieces of armor or weapons, which is perfect for this industry. With the new hybrid filament sensor, the Original Prusa I3 MK3S 3D printer has a constrained filament path, so it’s way more precise and reliable than its predecessor.

Prusa printers use some of the best features available on the market. E3D has provided its top-grade hotend nozzles and helped create custom-made heatbreaks. The MK3S uses automatic loading, which simplifies the sometimes complicated process, while reliable Bondtech drive gears inside the extruder ensure the steady flow of the filament. At the very end of the process, Prusa’s best large-format 3D printer creates the object on an alloy spring sheet from which it can be easily removed. For most subpar printers, this might be the breaking point, but the MK3S offers smooth removal. If you need a bit more adhesion, you can also order a textured, powder-coated PEI option.

The MK3S is by no means a cheap machine. However, considering the quality you’re getting, the size of the printing area, and the support that only Original Prusa can offer, this is an exceptional deal. It is easily the best 3D printer under 1000 dollars and a true bargain if you assemble it yourself. There are plenty of YouTube videos you can turn to for guidance, or you can contact customer support for additional help from the makers themselves.