The Best 3D Printer under US$300, According to 26,000+ Customer Reviews
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Welcome to the Thomas guide to the best 3D printers under US$300 in 2023. Thomas has been connecting North American industrial buyers and suppliers for more than 120 years. When you purchase products through our independent recommendations, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Although 3D printers have been around for approximately 40 years, until recently the idea of having a 3D printer at home may have seemed like something from a science fiction movie. Today, 3D printers for home use are becoming more and more popular, and we can expect that, pretty soon, they will be just as prevalent as regular printers. Although high-end 3D printers are priced well into the thousands of dollars, believe it or not, 3D printers for home use are reasonably priced, and we found the best of them for under US$300.
Image credit: Shutterstock/Asharkyu
What is a 3D Printer and What Can it Make?
Referred to as "additive manufacturing" or "rapid prototyping" in industry settings, 3D printing produces prototypes layer by layer via a computer-aided design (CAD) file. 3D printers can be used to make anything from toys and other collection items, to spare parts, phone cases and stands, caps, lids, cups, cup holders, wall mounts, pots, storage containers, door stops, cable organizers, nuts, bolts, screws, bottle openers, desk organizers, jewelry, signs, games, instruments, figurines, clocks, light fixtures, dispensers, and just about any other gadget and item you can think of.
What 3D Printer Should I Buy?
There are a variety of 3D printers available on the market for commercial use, and the right one for you depends on your particular needs. Whether you're a hobbyist, or a parent trying your best to help your kids with their science projects, you'll be able to find what you're after from our selection of 3D printers below, and the best part is that most of them are well under the US$300 mark. Scroll down to see our top nine picks for the best 3D printer on Amazon and Walmart under US$300 according to enthusiastic reviews by happy customers, including the best 3D printer for beginners and the best 3D printer on a budget.
Thomas’ Top Picks for the Best 3D Printers 2023
Best 3D Printer: Creality Ender 3 Pro 3D Printer | Buy Now
Best-Rated 3D Printer on Amazon: Creality Ender 3 3D Printer | Buy Now
Best 3D Printer Under US$200: Elegoo Mars UV Photocuring 3D Printer | Buy Now
Best Budget 3D Printer: Kingroon DIY Aluminum Resume 3D Printer | Buy Now
Best 3D Printer for Beginners: Monoprice 121711 Select Mini 3D Printer V2 | Buy Now
Best 3D Printer Pen: 3Doodler Create+ 3D Printing Pen| Buy Now
Best 3D Printer Dual Extruder: Giantarm-Geeetech A10M Dual Extruder 3D Printer | Buy Now
Scroll down to read more about these top picks for the best 3D printers under US$300, according to many happy buyers.
*Prices listed in this article were as shown in US$ on amazon.com (USA) and walmart.com (USA) as of October 2022
1. Best 3D Printer—Creality Ender 3 Pro 3D Printer
The number one selling 3D printer on Amazon is this Creality Ender 3 Pro with a removable build surface plate and UL-certified power supply. It has the ability to resume printing where it left off if there is a power cut, and has become a firm favorite with beginner users—there is a growing online community of Ender 3 Mod owners for sharing ideas and troubleshooting. What's more, users report that Comgrow has an extremely efficient customer support department to help with any issues and questions.
Specifications
Material: Aluminum
Color: Balck
Weight: 15.39 pounds
BUY NOW: US$236 (Was US$339.99), Amazon
2. Best-Rated 3D Printer on Amazon—Creality Ender 3 3D Printer
Another printer from Comgrow, and with over 2,600 Amazon reviews, the Official Creality 3D Printer Ender 3 has a fully open source code so users can edit and share with the community, and just like the Pro, has the handy resume printing function. It's great for large prints, uses advanced extruder technology, and is easy to assemble. It heats up quickly in only five minutes and has a smooth and quiet operation for high precision printing.
Specifications
Material: Aluminum
Color: Balck
Weight: 14.6 pounds
BUY NOW: US$189 (Was US$249.99), Amazon
3. Best 3D Printer Under US$200—Elegoo Mars UV Photocuring 3D Printer
Over 1,700 buyers are loving the Elegoo Mars UV photocuring 3D printer, and it's not hard to see why. For under US$200, you get a 3D printer with a 3.5-inch smart touch color screen and advanced photocuring technology that greatly reduces print time. Only five minutes of warm-up time is required, and another great feature is that it has the option to hollow out prints before slicing to save resin. It also comes semi-assembled so you won't have to spend hours watching how-to videos on YouTube.
Specifications
Material: Aluminum/resin
Color: Mars 2
Weight: 16.46 pounds
BUY NOW: US$199.99 (Was US$259.99), Amazon
4. Best Budget 3D Printer—Kingroon DIY Aluminum Resume 3D Printer
If you're on a tight budget, or even if you're not sure that you want to spend much money on a 3D printer yet, but would like to try one out, the Kingroon DIY Aluminum Resume Printer is an affordable 3D printer that does a satisfactory job despite the low price point. It has a touch screen and assisted level MicroSD card that is preloaded with a bunch of printable 3D models for you to try out. At under US$180, it's a contender for the best 3D printer for the money currently on the market.
Specifications
Material: Aluminum
Color: Balck
Weight: 15.91 pounds
BUY NOW: US$179.99, Amazon
5. Best 3D Printer for Beginners—Monoprice 121711 Select Mini 3D Printer V2
This mini 3D printer is the perfect starter machine for anyone looking to get into 3D printing. The Monoprice 121711 Select Mini model comes fully assembled and precalibrated, and there's also a free filament sample and preloaded MicroSD card with printable 3D models in the box to help you get started. The software is PC and MAC compatible, and the heated build plate is compatible with any filament you choose to buy. "I'm stunned that you can now buy a 3D printer for $200 and get this good of a result," reported one satisfied customer.
Specifications
Material: Pla
Color: Balck
Weight: 13.27 pounds
BUY NOW: US$192.99 (Was US$220), Amazon
6. Best 3D Printer Pen—3Doodler Create+ 3D Printing Pen
If you're on the hunt for the best 3D printer for under US$100, take a look at this cool little gadget. The 3Doodler Create+ 3D printing pen is the perfect foray into 3D printing, and also makes for a unique gift. Although not quite an automatic 3D printing machine, i.e. you'll have to doodle your creations yourself, it's extremely easy to use and you can create almost anything you like. Simply plug the pen in, insert the plastic, and click to start. The set comes with three packs of plastic refills, a power adaptor, maintenance tools, and stencils with step-by-step interactive instructions.
Specifications
Material: Plastic
Color: Balck
Weight: 1 pound
BUY NOW: US$69.99 (Was US$79.99), Amazon
7. Best 3D Printer Dual Extruder—Giantarm-Geeetech A10M Dual Extruder 3D Printer
For a more advanced printing experience, the Giantarm-Geeetech A10M dual extruder 3D printer allows you to print your creations using two colors at once. It comes with 90% pre-assembly so there's not much to do before you can get started. It also has a large printing area for bigger projects. It starts where it left off in the event of a power shortage, and has an open-source control board so you can customize your experience.
Specifications
Material: Aluminum
Color: Blue
Weight: 21.8 pounds
BUY NOW: US$289.99, Walmart
Best 3D Printers under US$300 2023—Summary
With over 2,000 reviews on Amazon.com (USA) and Walmart (USA), the No. 1 bestselling Creality Ender 3 Pro 3D printer (US$236, Amazon) tops our list for the best 3D printer. We hope our review of 3D printers has been helpful.
For more 3D printers and other 3D printing suppliers, including 3D printer filaments suppliers, additive manufacturing suppliers, 3D photographic printing services, and 3D sand printing additive manufacturing, consult our additional guides or visit the Thomas Supplier Discovery Platform.
Other 3D Printing Articles
- Top 3D Printing Services Companies in the USA
- Origins of 3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing
- Overview of 3D Printing Technologies
- Top 3D Printing Manufacturers and Suppliers (Publicly Traded and Privately-Owned)
- Top Suppliers of Additive Manufacturing Consulting Services
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