FlashForge Cloud

How to find the best beginner 3D printer?

2022-08-12
3D Printing

At present, many large enterprises and departments apply professional 3D printers to aid traditional manufacturing. At the same time, 3D printers also get popular in individual households. Entry-level 3D printers are the first choice for ordinary individuals and families, and how to choose a best beginner 3D printer? 

best beginner 3d printer

▲Best 3D printer for beginners

First and foremost, admit that there is no perfect 3D printer. When you find someone who claims that certain machine is the best 3D printer ever for beginners or for professionals, it might be the use case just for them. It might be just totally different scenes when you actually do printing with the machine. By no means is one 3D printer a perfect choice for everyone, but they happen to work well for your situations. Before getting to the article body part, make clear that a best beginner 3D printer is all on you decision.

Tip 1: What do you intend to print?

As a 3D printing starter you need firstly make clear what you’ll print, only after which could you make sure which is the best beginner 3D printers. Here are some example prints to enlighten you ideas: 

  • Objects used outdoors
  • Models used for visual verification
  • Parts used for functional verification
  • Small objects as decorations
  • Busts and garage kits
  • Educational supplies harboring in 3D modeling & Printing curriculum

Printing those small decorative objects, busts, or garage kits that have no stern requirements on pressure and weather resistance, ordinary plastic consumables are eligible. In this situation, the best 3D printers for beginners are not strictly required in supporting advanced filaments. Best beginner 3D printers are the basic-level ones that support PLA and PETG filament. Best 3D printers for beginners Flashforge are Adventurer starter 3D printers ( price ranging from $245 to $369).

individual-use best beginner 3d printer

▲Adventurer series 3D printer

On the other hand, if you want to print objects that are practically used outdoors or in daily life and to print models/parts that are required in strength, toughness, and durability, the best beginner 3D printer should be able to support advanced engineering plastic like ABS, ASA and TPU. Those plastic materials are hard and easy to wear out printer extruders, so that the best 3D printer for beginners in this situation is the one with strong print extrusion system. Guider series is recommended here.

Guider best 3d printer for beginners

▲Guider best beginner 3D printers 

Tip 2: Which types of printing you want?

Best beginner 3D printers are the one affordable by beginners. Filament 3D printer and resin 3D printer are two mainstream types for beginning users. The former one is environmental friendly while the latter using liquid resin for photocuring emits unpleasant odors when printing. Due to different printing technologies, the print precision of resin printer is better than that of filament printer. That’s in a general outlook ( not intend to mean that filament 3D printer cannot reach high-precision prints). So, if you want to produce some unique customized gifts for your family and friends, a FDM 3D printer would be the best beginner 3D printer because of its easy operation. 

If you intend to make some replacement parts for superior surface smoothness, then the best 3d printer for beginners is an resin 3D printer. Some individual makers may be trapped by the mistaken idea that resin printers are much more expensive than filament printer, however the truth is that the cost of resin printer, with the advancing of printing technology, plummets a lot. An excellently performing resin printer of Flashforge only costs you about $200. The cheaper resin printer is the one with low quality? Absolutely wrong! Some sellers sell resin printers best 3D printers for beginners at lower price because they would earn product brand reputation rather than earn profits. 

Tip 3: Where will you use the 3D printer?

Where to use the 3D printer? A resin printer spreading stingy odor all over your room during printing would never be thought a best beginner 3D printer for you. Here lists out most commonly used scenes:

  • Home
  • Office
  • Workshop
  • School classroom
  • Open air
  • Backyard

print results best 3d printers for beginners

▲ Prints by 3D printers 

If entry makers want to use the 3D printer at home, office, workshop or school classroom, a desktop FDM 3D printer with a closed printing chamber and filtration system is the best 3D printer for beginners. The design can largely minimize the impact of printing odor and noise on your work and life.

On the contrary, if you have a spare room with good ventilation, a large backyard, or an open-air shed to conduct the 3D printing game, Foto resin printer is the best 3D printers for beginners. Resin printers are great for making small but high-detail parts, but giving off pungent odor when printing. To do resin 3D printing, you must wear gloves and safely pour the resin to the vat, and use alcohol solvents to wash the printed object.

The process of getting a part takes more effort because you can’t just use printed resin parts straight off the printer. If you need the best possible surface finish and detail reproduction, Resin type is the best beginner 3D printer.

Tip 4: How much budget could you afford?

What budget range of 3D printer you’re looking at ? Best beginner 3D printer must be the one affordable by beginners and be the one with highest cost performance. 

3D printer products with different printing principles have different prices and different uses. Prices of best 3D printer for beginners are set ranging $200 to $600. The entry-level 3D printers in this price range are relatively cost-effective as well as have relatively comprehensive print features, enough to meet printing needs of beginners.

best beginner 3d printers budget range

▲Find a best budge 3D printer

Ending words

3D printers have become increasingly popular in recent years as they offer a versatile and convenient way to create a variety of objects. As the above 4 tips mentioned, there are a few things to consider on how to find best 3d printers for beginners. Do you intend to print small or large objects? What type of printer do you want to use – FDM, resin, or both? Where will you be using the printer – at home, office, workshop, or school classroom? And finally, what is your budget? With these tips in mind, you can narrow down your choices and find the best beginner 3D printer for your needs.

 

People also interested in reading:

Help in deciding which 3D printer is write for you!

See how 3D prints make you shine!

What you've made with your 3D printer? See Don's flex!

Hard to get a Bing Dwen Dwen? Let's 3D print one!