PLA filament, the most common type, can print on anything but more durable or flexible plastics such as PETG or TPU need extruders that can hit 220 to 230 degrees Celsius while ABS and Nylon require 240 or 250-degree heat. However, some substances require higher temperatures that not every printer can achieve. What materials are you printing with? If you're buying an FDM printer, you'll want to use one of the best filaments for 3D printing so you can get good models.Many printers have auto-leveling capability, which saves you most of the work and, considering that you can now find printers with this feature for less than $250, you should consider it a must-have.

Manual or automatic bed leveling? Leveling the bed of a 3D printer is an important but very annoying part of the process.

Printers with a 100mm cubed or less build volume are on the smaller side, 150 to 220mm cubed are average, and 250mm inch cubed and above are considered large format. This is usually directly tied to the price of the machine, so a larger printer is going to cost more money.

How much build volume do you need? If you want to print out large parts in a single print, you’ll need a printer with ample build volume.

We have some resin printers on this list but also maintain a more detailed article where we name all of the best resin 3D printers. However, you need to handle toxic chemicals and wear a mask when setting up a print and, after the printing is over, you must wash and cure your prints. Resin 3D printers can provide a bit more detail, so they are popular among folks printing out game pieces. They are also far safer for anyone with children or pets around. For many, especially beginners, filament 3D printers are a better choice because they are easier to use and work with a wide variety of materials.

Resin MSLA or Filament FDM? The two most popular styles of desktop 3D printing, resin MSLA and filament FDM 3D printers offer various strengths and weaknesses, and choosing the style more suited for your application will help you get better results.

There are several factors to consider before buying the best 3D printer for you, so be sure to consider the questions before making a choice.

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