Makers looking for the best 3D printers to buy in 2022 will have plenty of options to choose from. Consumer 3D printing technology has come a long way in recent years, and new printers are hitting the market every month. So how do you know which one is right for you?
In this blog post, we’ll take a look at some of the best 3D printers for makers available in 2022. We’ll consider factors such as price, build quality, print quality, and user experience to help you decide which printer is right for you. So whether you’re a beginner or an experienced maker, read on for our recommendations!
1. Voxellab Aquila
Black Color Voxelab Aquila 3D Printer. Image source: All3DP
The Voxelab Aquila really impressed us when we reviewed it way back in summer of 2021, and not just because of the lower $169 price. The Aquila is Voxelabs first fused deposition modeling (FDM) printer, which may raise eyebrows amongst other brands, but gets the nod here because it is effectively a spinoff from 3D printing veteran Flashforge.
This first effort hits the nail on the head, being a simple-to-use, beginner-friendly 3D printer that produces great prints.
At the heart, this is an Ender 3, but it is got a bunch of improvements and upgrades to differentiate itself, such as a filament sensor, a belt tensioner, and also, a glass texture bed — things that bring it close to the also listed-here Ender 3 v2, which is a machine priced around $260.
Working with it is easy, thanks to the vibrant, user-friendly interface, featuring straightforward menus. This theme continues with VoxelMaker 3D Slicer, a reskinned version of Flashprint which should prove just right for beginners, although there is an option to use other slicers.
Overall, a no-brainer recommendation, and an impressive performer for such a cheap machine.
2. Anycubic Kobra
The Anycubic Kobra 3D Printer. Image source: 3DWithUs
The Anycubic Kobra is an amazingly capable 3D printer, offering a few first-class features for a little bit of money. Autobed leveling, a direct extruder, PEI-coated detachable bed, and sensorless self-homing are common features found in machines that are far more expensive than the $299 Kobra. It is great to see them on a printer costing just under that of the mighty Creality Ender 3 v2.
You can tell Anycubic has cut corners here, however, with Kobra being impossibly plasticky, and a few assembly shortcuts in parts that you would expect to make for an easy upgrade.
Putting this aside, however, the Kobra is an affordable, competent printer that is simple to tear down and mess around with. It is Anycubic at its best, armed with clever, cheap machines.
3. Creality Ender 3 S1
Creality Ender 3 S1 Printer. Image source: All3DP
Crealitys Ender 3 S1 introduced many of the firsts in the series. In addition to the twin-motor-driven Z-axis, it adds automatic bed leveling, a detachable spring-steel bed, and–perhaps most noteworthy–a dedicated, compact Direct Extruder.
Just a laundry list of bits and pieces for a printer — not that exciting — but the key takeaway is that the sum total of all of those parts is a smooth, premium-feeling 3D printer that produces high-quality prints, and is simply pleasant to be around.
Loading filament is an easy task over its cheaper stablemates thanks to a direct extruder (no fiddly Bowden tubes to worry about), and on the extruder itself, you have got a strong double-gear assembly pinching the filament in two sides, and mighty, thanks to reduction gearing, which allows Creality to get away with lighter stepper motors, cutting down on the weight, reducing the mass, and improving the ability for the S1 to print nicely.
It is a leap forward over the companys earlier Ender 3 models — sadly, the price has leapt in line to match. Still, it is a safe recommendation given its build-volume and the convenience offered.
4. Original Prusa i3 MK3S+
Original Prusa i3 MK3S+ Printer. Image source: All3DP
Starting from around $890 (taxes and shipping are a factor), the original Prusa i3 MK3S+ is a fresh, refined take on the MK3S, which has been sitting at the top of our recommendations pile longer than we would like to remember.
The printer offers outstanding bang for your buck, great print quality right out of the box — outperforming printers several times its price point in many cases — and an extensive set of built-in calibration routines and error-detection and mitigation systems, making it one of the smartest printers around.
Constant firmware updates and improvements by Prusa Research mean that the printer is only going to get better over time, and it is compatible with the companys Slicer, and optimized for use with that, too, which happens to be one of the best out there.
The MK3S+ comes with an excellent detachable printing bed, it prints faster than most, and is expanded by official add-ons like the MMU2S, allowing up to five different materials or colours to be printed at once. The MK3S+ wins out because of its pure technical ability, supported documentation, and following.
We recommend the kit, but you could spend a bit more money and get one shipped out pre-built.
5. The Mars 3
The Mars 3 is the 6th release in Elegoos bestselling cheap printer series. In addition to being perhaps the sleekest looking Mars to date, the printer comes with a few performance bonuses.
Perks like the impressively-capable build volume of 143 by 90 by 165mm — large for a resin “small” 3D printer — and a 4K LCD screen, which allows it to print with a super-fine resolution of 35 microns per voxel on the X/Y-axis.
While this is not the first printer to deliver 35-micron resolution with this build size (shout out to Phrozen Sonic Mini 4K), it does it with a significantly larger build volume.
It takes the best parts from its predecessor, throws in better LCD technology and a fresh, shiny exterior, and comes out with an all-around better machine. It still feels like the workhorse that we have loved past Mars Printers for being. It just works; there is not much fuss.
6. Anycubic Photon Mono X
Anycubics go-to resin 3D printer has a fairly spacious build volume of 192 by 120 by 245mm, sitting on top of a monochrome LCD, which, together with its high-power LED matrix UV light, allows us to vaporize layers within seconds.
The Photon Mono X is one of the many monochrome LCD 3D printers you can get today, and although it is not the most recent, it is one of the least expensive, has a big build volume, and, of all things, WiFi connectivity for monitoring and control.
It feels a bit more premium than some of its blatantly plasticky competitors, though we admit that Anycubic seems to have chosen their plastic cover materials rather badly, with some of them reportedly splitting open due to the fumes inside the printing chamber. That does not take away from the printing performance, though, which is great.
The resolution isn’t the highest it’s ever been by modern standards, but its crisp enough for churning out batches full of plates, or building volumes that span models that will satisfy even the sharpest critics.
7. Creality Ender 3 V2
As a starting point in the realm of 3D printing, the Creality Ender 3 v2 stacks up quite nicely, building upon models that came before by adding in the kind of equipment that makes life and manufacturing easier.
Plus, there is no way around the following printer, and the sheer scale of the community using it. If we had to begin the journey of 3D printing again, having a 3D printer that we can type in Googles name and get all possible answers back is useful.
The Ender 3 V2 is, at this point, that machine.
Troubleshooting, use recommendations, tips, tricks, upgrades, and likely a whole lot more have been covered ad nauseum in 3D print media (ahem) and users active on social media. It is the Toyota Camry of 3D printing. In a nutshell, the Ender 3 V2 is a solid, desktop-grade 3D printer that has an easy building experience with little setup time.
Printing performance is excellent, and you can leave it entirely the way it is without experiencing any serious issues.
Alternatively, you have a large number of upgrade options to consider, should you wish the printer to grow along with your ambitions.
8. Flashforge Creator Pro 2
The Flashforge Creator Pro 2 is a dual extruder 3D printer that is reliable, user-friendly 3D printer that is perfect for both hobbyists and professionals. With a build volume of 225 x 145 x 150mm, it is large enough to handle most projects. The LCD touch screen makes it easy to navigate the menu and select the desired settings. The printer also includes an impressive array of safety features, such as an enclosed build chamber and power outage protection. In addition, the Flashforge Creator Pro 2 comes with a one-year warranty, ensuring that you will be able to enjoy your printer for years to come. Overall, the Flashforge Creator Pro 2 is an excellent choice for anyone in the market for a high-quality 3D printer.
3D Printing Software
3D printing software is used to create three-dimensional objects from a digital file. The software typically starts with a CAD (computer-aided design) file, which is then fed into a 3D slicer that converts the model into layers that can be printed. Once the slicing is complete, the 3D printer can begin creating the object, layer by layer. While there are many different types of 3D printing software available, they all share a common goal: to produce high-quality objects with a minimum of fuss. For hobbyists and professionals alike, 3D printing software is an essential tool for bringing their ideas to life.
Conclusion
This is the list of the best 3D printers of 2022 with all those premium quality needed in addition to that they are budget friendly as per your convenience.