The Best 3D Printers of 2021 Print to your heart's content with the best 3D printers for home use.
By Entrepreneur Deals Edited by Jason Fell
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While most people have printers in their homes, there's a new type of device that's increasingly common in many households. 3D printing kits are now widely available. With options available at all price points, it's now possible to own a 3D printer without breaking the bank.
We've helped you find a Chromebook-compatible printer for your office or home office, and now we're here to help you decide upon the top 3D printer to fit your needs.
Best Overall: LulzBot Mini 2 ($1,915)
Best Resin 3D Printer: Elegoo Mars 2 Pro ($270)
Best Mid-range 3D Printer: Anet ET5X ($250)
Best Budget 3D Printer: Monoprice Mini Delta V2 ($160)
Best Large Volume 3D Printer: Creality Ender 5 Plus ($599)
Best Large Volume Resin 3D Printer: Elegoo Saturn ($500)
LulzBotBest Overall: LulzBot Mini 2 ($1,915)
The LulzBot Mini 2 is an excellent high-end 3D printer. With its 160mm x 160mm x 180mm build area, the Mini 2 is compact, but it doesn't compromise. It features an E3D Titan Aero nozzle paired with a feeder that can handle common materials like ABS and PLA filament as well as fragile materials such as Ninjaflex.
A modular print bed lets you swap out the heated plastic print platform for a glass print bed, thereby accommodating a variety of different printing materials. What's more, the print platform is auto-leveling for easy setup. Onboard controls and an SD card slot allow you to print straight from the device itself, or you can use popular printing software such as Cura.
Print quality is outstanding. The LulzBot Mini 2 produces fast, good quality prints, all while remaining relatively quiet. For a top-notch 3D printer, the LulzBot Mini 2 is the best 3D printer for most makers.
ElegooBest Resin 3D Printer: Elegoo Mars 2 Pro ($270)
Resin 3D printers can deliver phenomenal print quality with prints that come out smoother than many filament-based prints. Elegoo's Mars 2 Pro features a 2K monochrome LCD screen. A 5.1 x 3.1 x 6.3 inch print area lets you print decently-sized objects.
With a 50μm XY precision as well as high-speed 1.5-2s per layer print speeds, the Mars 2 Pro generates high-quality prints quickly. Because it's a resin-based printer, the Mars 2 Pro includes a built-in carbon filter for reducing the smell.
A USB port on the front of the unit is easy to locate. Compatible with the Chitubox slicer, preparing files for the Elegoo Mars 2 Pro is a breeze. Affordable and capable of printing gorgeous items, the Mars 2 Pro will satiate all of your DIY needs.
AnetBest Mid-range 3D Printer: Anet ET5X ($250)
Anet's ET5X is a well-priced, feature-rich 3D printer. Its 300mm x 300mm x 400mm print volume is more than enough for large prints, and its heated bed comes with 25-point auto-leveling. The aluminum frame is well-constructed and stable.
Options such as print resume are great in the event of a power outage. Automatic filament unloading and loading simplifies the printing process. Coming mostly pre-assembled, the Anet requires very little setup. Its fast 20-120mm/s printing speeds balance quality with quantity.
On account of the generous build area, the Anet ET5X lets you print out one big object or multiple smaller items. Overall, it's a great printer for the price.
MonopriceBest Budget 3D Printer: Monoprice Mini Delta V2 ($160)
At under $200, the Monoprice Mini Delta V2 is an incredible deal. The Delta-style 3D printer arrives with a heated print bed and a 110mm x 110mm x 120mm print plate. It's extremely user-friendly with auto-calibration including an auto-level feature.
Monoprice's Mini Delta V2 comes fully assembled so it's ready to use out-of-the-box. Connectivity is fantastic with a microSD card slot, USB port, and Wi-Fi. Build quality is quite good, and prints come out flawless.
Most printers in this price range are cheap toy 3D printers without heated print beds or other necessary features. For the cost, it's tough to beat the MonoPrice Mini Delta V2's combination of simplicity and quality.
CrealityBest Large Volume 3D Printer: Creality Ender 5 Plus ($599)
Rocking a massive 350mm x 350mm x 400mm build area, the Creality Ender 5 Plus can handle large 3D printable objects with ease. A BLTouch auto bed leveling sensor accurately measures the tilt of the hot bed for Z-level adjustments. An additional tempered glass heat bed comes standard.
There's a filament detection sensor that lets you know if the filament has run out, broken, or become tangled. The build quality is fantastic and the big frame adds plenty of stability. Because of its improved components such as bed-leveling alongside a filament sensor as well as power failure resume, setup and everyday use are both painless. If you need to print out large objects without breaking the bank, the Creality Ender 5 Plus is more than up to the challenge.
ElegooBest Large Volume Resin 3D Printer: Elegoo Saturn ($500)
Boasting a hefty 192mm x 120mm x 200mm print plate, the Elegoo Saturn is a solid large volume resin 3D printer. You can easily fit several full-sized objects on the print platform, or many different 3D printable minis. In addition to a USB port, an onboard Ethernet jack lets you transfer files over your home network to the Saturn.
Print quality is impressive. Thanks to its 8.9-inch 4K monochrome display and 50μm XY resolution, the Saturn doesn't skimp on quality. Additionally, a fast 2-3s per layer print speed means that your print jobs will be finished in no time. The UV LED matrix light source provides even lighting throughout for flawless curing times, while a double Z-axis ensures stable printing.
Like many resin printers, the Elegoo Saturn uses the Chitubox slicer. Bed leveling is a breeze and the Saturn's ample resin tank coupled with a sizable print plate lets you create large objects or print multiple items in one batch.
