The era of the much-celebrated “do it yourself” has finally arrived, that period where 3D printers are a reality within everyone’s reach. In the last few years, the 3D Printing market has had tremendous growth, and always tends to improve.
Want to know which can be the best 3D printer under 500 Dollars for you? Follow the next tips.
Best 3d Printer Under $ 500
Table of Contents
You have been observing them for a long time and imagining everything you can create with a 3D printer, you bet it when the first models on the market cost thousands of euros and you waited and waited until they finally became more accessible but also more precise and diversified. in models and processing possibilities.
What is the best 3D printer?
From pens to professional machines, the world of 3D printers can be intimidating if we’re just starting out.
Technical terms like “FMD printer” or “SLA” are difficult to understand when you are not yet in the industry, and operations that we thought as easy as choosing the filament suddenly seem insurmountable for fear of ruining our brand new and expensive professional machine.
If you find yourself in the description you can certainly start off with the advice we will provide you in this article but let’s start with something practical and see which are the best 3D printers under $500 according to the public on the web.
Recommended Products
Let’s now move on to the section dedicated to market analysis, with a selection of 3D printers that we recommend you take into consideration. We will group them by price range according to their list price. You will also be able to see the online offers related to the list price, to understand which options the market offers you and what is the actual expense for each product of your interest.
Best 3d Printer Under $ 500 | Comparison Table 2021
| Image | Title | Buy | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ANYCUBIC Chiron 3D Printer, Semi-auto Leveling Large FDM Printer with Ultrabase Heatbed, Suitable for 1.75 mm Filament, TPU, Hips, PLA, ABS etc. / 15.75 x 15.75 x 17.72 inch(400x400x450mm) | ANYCUBIC | Check Price | |
| Official Creality Ender 3 V2 Upgraded 3D Printer Integrated Structure Design with Carborundum Glass Platform Silent Motherboard and Branded Power Supply | Comgrow | Check Price | |
| NOVA3D BENE4 Mono MSLA 3D Printer UV Photocuring Fast Printing Free Leveling Resin 3D Printer 130x80x150mm Print Size with 4.3in Touchscreen, Offline/WiFi Printing | NOVA3D | Check Price | |
| FDM 3D Printer Kit Pyramid A1.1 Titan Direct Drive, Silent Mainboard, Resume Printing, 3.5 inch LCD Touch Screen, Upgradable to BL Touch, 12" x 12" x16" for Creative Artist, DIY Designer & School Use | FASTTOBUY | Check Price | |
| Voxelab Aquila 3D Printer with Full Alloy Frame, Removable Build Surface Plate, Fully Open Source and Resume Printing Function Build Volume 8.66x8.66x9.84in | Voxelab | Check Price | |
| Official Creality Ender 3 3D Printer Fully Open Source with Resume Printing All Metal Frame FDM DIY Printers with Resume Printing Function 220x220x250mm | Creality 3D | Check Price | |
| ANYCUBIC Mega-S New Upgrade 3D Printer with Extruder and Suspended Filament Rack + Free Test PLA Filament, Works with TPU/PLA/ABS | ANYCUBIC | Check Price | |
| FlashForge Adventurer 3 3D Printer Auto Leveling Quick Removable Nozzle High Precision | FlashForge | Check Price | |
| Creality Ender 3 Pro 3D Printer with Removable Build Surface Plate and UL Certified Meanwell Power Supply Printing Size 8.66x8.66x9.84in / 220x220x250mm | Comgrow | Check Price |
Prices and images pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Best 3d Printer Under $ 500 | 2021 Reviews
1. ANYCUBIC Chiron 3D Printer
- Large Build Volume, ANYCUBIC Chiron 3D Printer comes with one of the largest build volume of 15.75 x 15.75 x 17.72 inches, you can print models that 90% of other printers could not, The unique high precision nozzle of 0.4mm hot end with straight through design reduces the weight on the X axis which delivers better performance even on very tall prints, Your creativity will be maximized
- Semi Auto Leveling and Resume Print, Equipped with an auto leveling module which automatically detects 25 points, supports real time adjustment compensation of nozzle height, 3D Printer can resume printing after power outage or any other unexpected stoppage, One click to resume from the last recorded position when suffering power outages, And the sensor pauses prints and sets off an alarm when you run out of filament which greatly saves time and material
- Easy to Assemble and Use, Full metal body, stable and durable, modular design and only take 5-10 minutes to assemble, TFT Touch Screen with brand new friendly UI to preview model and printing process on screen, offline printing, We use high grade Extruder, smooth feeding and not easy to plug, which can provide you a better printing experience of flexibility
- Printing Precise and Safe, Equipped with Y Axis Dual Sideway and Z axis dual screw rod design, the height on both sides of the Z axis will be recalibrated before each printing which can reduce the probability of releveling before each printing and the print precision of our Chiron 3D Printer is greatly improved, 24V DC high power heated bed, heating up to 100℃, Independent high-power mosfet drive, taking into account safety and heating effect
- More Function, Ultrabase Pro, Coated with a special composite coating make the printed large model not easy to warp and easy to demold, All ANYCUBIC 3D printers backed with lifetime technical support and 24 hours professional customer service
2. Comgrow Ender 3 V2 Upgraded 3D Printer
- Self-developed Silent Motherboard: The Ender-3 V2 built-in self-developed silent motherboard, which has stronger anti-interference, faster and more stable motion performance, silent printing and low decibel operation.
- UL Certified MeanWell Power Supply: Equipped with MeanWell power supply, produced by the listed company with mature technology, meeting all the needs of fast heating and long-time printing. Moreover, the power supply is concealed in the machine, making it much safer.
- Effortless Filament Feed-in: Ender-3 V2 adds a rotary knob on the extruder, making loading and feeding filament process much easier; Brand new operation UI system and 4.3 smart color screen greatly improve user experience.
- Resume Printing Function: Can resume printing from the last recorded extruder position after suffering unexpected power outages, saving your time and reducing waste.
- Carborundum Glass Platform: Enable the hotbed heat up quicker and prints adhere better without the warping. Ultra smoothness even on the first layer.
3. NOVA3D BENE4 Mono MSLA 3D Printer
- 【Longer printing life & Fast printing】Bene4 mono Equipped with 2560*1620 6.08in monochrome screen, UV light transmittance improved by 3.9% comparing with original Bene4. Lower LCD Temperature, extend service life by about 2.5 times compared with the color screen, and the normal use time can reach 2000 hours. Meanwhile, the printing speed is increased by 2 times compared to all the color screen resin printer, and the printing time is 50% decreased. Which greatly saved your time.
- 【Multiple Slicing Software support & Wi-Fi Printing】 NOVA3D cooperate with Lychee Slices to help you slicing your models more professionally. Also provide CHITUBOX official plug-in. And NOVAMaker can still be used to transfer files to the printer via Wi-Fi, you can observe the printing condition in real-time.
- 【Free leveling & Stability】Similarly, we continued the leveling-free design, this design is loved by the majority of users. Not only does it eliminate the trouble of leveling that has been criticized by others, but it is also easy to use, even a beginner can print a perfect model.NOVA3D Bene4 mono LCD printer with full-metal body to improve machine quality and enhance printing stability.
- 【User-friendly design】In order to make it convenient for users, we have adopted a hood open flip design, it is stable structure and space saving.Feet on the vat to avoid the scratch between the FEP and the table. LCD screen quick release design to simplify the maintenance and quick to replace the 2K screen.The integrated FEP film can be replaced by tightening 12 screws, Convenient and greatly saved your time and trouble.
- 【Multiple Connection & Quiet Working】 Offline printing,Wireless transmission printing,Wi-fi printing, we have multiple connections for you to choose from, so you can print it anytime, anywhere. When Bene4 mono is working ,there is less noise. Even you can print at night.
4. FASTTOBUY FDM 3D Printer
- Silent printing with the new mainboard chipset, keep your focused.
- Print big models efficiently at once thanks to large printing area of 300×300×400mm/12in (L) x 12in(W) x16in (H)
- Good start for creative makers who like to combine quality and budget. Upgraded to Titan Direct drive. BL touch available as optional add on. Suitable for professional enthusiasts of 3d printer .
- Kits are ready to be mounted easily and quickly. Same titan drive, silent motherboard, 300*300*400mm big printing size and structure to cr10 v3
- SATISFACTION GUARANTEED: 1 year warranty and life long techincal supports.
5. Voxelab Aquila 3D Printer
- Fast Heating and Silent Printing: The Aquila 3D printer equipped with carbon crystal silicon glass plate and super quiet printing designing, the printing model will not easily become warped and the printing sounds is below 50 decibels.
- Resume Printing Function: Aquila 3D printer could automatically resume printing when power comes on. It won’t print from scratch once meeting filament breakage, saving time and avoiding waste.
- Semi-Assembled Kit: The easy-to-setup kit comes partially assembled, enabling you to learn about the basic construction of 3D printers as you finish putting it together.
- Fully Open Source: Aquila is a straight forward BD printer based on open source technology. It allows for flexible upgrades and various modifications. Meanwhile, you are able to choose your favorite software as VoxelMaker, Cura and more...
- Warranty and Service: All Voxelab 3D printers provides Lifetime technical support and 12 months warranty, with 24 hours quick response.
6. Creality 3D Ender 3 3D Printer
- Fully open source: Creality 3D printers is working with its wonderful community of users and contributors to improve this open sourced product every day. A design culminating from some of the best and brightest minds in the 3D printing world.
- NEXT GENERATION TECHNOLOGY: Our upgraded control board offers state of the art, Resume Print technology. Should your printer suffer unexpected power outages, it will resume from the last recorded extruder position. Goodbye failed prints! The advanced MK-8 extruders genius design greatly reduces the risk of clogging and uneven extrusion. High precision ball bearing wheels made from Delrin/POM engineering thermoplastic deliver high stiffness, low friction, and excellent dimensional stability.
- PARTIALLY-ASSEMBLED KIT: The lower base and all wiring completed in our factory. This kit style 3D printer comes with all tools included and is an excellent project for middle school and high school-aged students. The perfect gift to spark a lifelong love for science and engineering, and provide a deeper understanding of machinery and robotics!updated USB Port makes it more convenient
- CREALITY Official Store We are the ONLY official Creality 3D store! Because all of our products are shipped to the consumer directly from the manufacturer, we provide a 1-year limited and lifetime technical assistance. Professional customer service has always been a cornerstone of our company philosophy.
- Resume Printing: Creality 3D printer equipped with super quiet printing designing, with smooth adjustable pulley, and if power is accidentally cut off during printing, accurate printing can be continued after power is switched on.
7. ANYCUBIC Mega-S New Upgrade 3D Printer
- WORKS OUT OF THE BOX: 3 steps to set up ANYCUBIC Mega S 3D printer with 8 screws and 3 cables for minutes, not only meets fast assembly needs for expert users but also friendly use to beginners. The rigid metal frame can minimize the shaking to improve the print quality.
- UPGRADED EXTRUDER DESIGN: Titan extruder provides precise extrusion for your 3D printing with solid filament drive and overall mechanical design compatible with most filaments, greatly reducing the clogging risk and improving printing accuracy.
- RESUME PRINT & SENSOR DETECTION: Mega S 3D Printer can resume printing after power outage or any other unexpected stoppage.One click to resume from the last recorded position when suffering power outages. And the sensor pauses prints and sets off an alarm when you run out of filament which greatly saves time and cost , printing volume reaches 8.27 x 8.27 x 8.07 inches.
- ANYCUBIC ULTRABASE: Patented 3D printer printing platform surface coated with patented microporous coating, with excellent adhesion when printing and then effortlessly falls off the bed when it cools to room temp at the end of the print.
- MORE FUNCTION: 1)TFT Touch Screen-As responsive as operating on the phone. 2)All ANYCUBIC 3D printers backed with lifetime technical support and 24 hours professional customer service.
8. FlashForge Adventurer 3 3D Printer
- Auto leveling – Removable and Heating bed,much easier to take down models.Its suitable for various 3d printer filament PLA,ABS,PETG filament etc
- Detachable Nozzle – remove the nozzle from extruder just in one push; Stainless steel tube material; Nozzle fast heated to 240°C in 50 seconds.If you need to print high-temperature filaments, you could install a 0.3, 0.4, 0.6mm 265℃ nozzle
- Filament detection function – Printing will be suspended automatically when filament is broken or used up, and printing will be resumed after user replaces the new filament
- Out of the box – Best 3d printers for beginners,super quiet,the sound of operation is 50 decibels. A fun STEM educational experience in mechanical engineering and electronics
- What you get – Flashforge 3d printer Adventurer 3,12 months warranty, lifetime technical assistance and 24 hours professional customer service
9. Comgrow 3 Pro 3D Printer
- REMOVABLE BUILD SURFACE PLATE: Provide all-round protection to your 3D printer build plate and ensure consistent temperature throughout the build surface. Easy to remove the printing models after cooling.
- SAFE POWER SUPPLY: Ender 3 Pro comes with a UL Certified power supply, protecting your printer from unexpected power surges, that can heat the hot bed to 110℃ in just 5 minutes.
- RESUME PRINT FUNCTION: Ender 3 Pro can resume printing from the last recorded extruder position after suffering unexpected power outages.
- SEMI-ASSEMBLED KIT: This easy-to-setup kit comes partially assembled, allowing you to learn about the basic construction of 3D printers as you finish putting it together. A fun STEM educational experience in mechanical engineering and electronics.
- WHAT YOU GET: Ceality Ender 3 Pro 3D pinrter, lifetime technical assistance and 24 hours professional customer service.
Things to Consider While Choosing Best 3D Printer Under 500 Dollar: Selection Guide 2021
To choose the best 3D printer for your needs there are several factors to consider, which we could summarize in this way.
Type of use
Consumer or professional? The first question could also be trivially reduced to “ What do you need it for ”? From the answer to this first question, a watershed is created at the time of purchase. If you are a professional you must definitely invest in a product with important characteristics. If your goal is purely playful, the best 3D printer is simply the cheapest one.
Dimensions and quality of objects
Big size or quality? This second question concerns the “size vs quality” ratio . In fact, objects made with 3D printers usually have a manufacturing quality directly proportional to the size of the printer. Consequently, if the objects you need to make are small in size, you can choose between different 3D printers in the desktop version. If, on the other hand, you need objects of a certain size, and you don’t want to give too much quality, the best 3D printer in this case is the industrial one.
Place of use
The third question, trivial in itself, is based on the choice of printing materials. You need to know, in fact, that common 3D printing materials such as Nylon emit toxic vapors, and in that case, it is not healthy to keep the 3D printer on your desk at home.
FFF, FDM, DLP, SLA, and LCD: what do they indicate and which one to prefer?
The fourth question is the most specific one and concerns the technologies used for the realization of 3D prints.
In particular, we have on the one hand FFF (or FDM), which is the technology based on the modeling of plastic material through heat, and on the other hand DLP, SLA, and LCD which are three different technologies that use UV rays to model resins. polymeric, which hardens when treated with these rays of light. The latter is definitely recommended if you have to produce small and highly finished objects.
FFF is the acronym for Fused Filament Fabrication and takes its name from the “cartridges” made up of real filaments of material, which are dissolved on the surface according to the shape to be created. The FFF or FDM method is very popular due to its versatility and low costs.
We could go into more detail about these technologies, but in reality, what interests users most is what can be done, in how much time, and at what cost. The analysis of the products in this is very explanatory.
Key aspects of a 3D printer
Now you know the differences and we have solved the mystery of the different acronyms, but now we are only halfway in choosing your first (or new) 3D printer, we have not talked about the technical aspects and the different features that you will need to consider in order to make the best choice for your needs – and the wallet:
Resin or filament
As we saw earlier, the two main choices regarding the printing material are resin and thermoplastic filaments.
Both choices are excellent and fit the needs of any hobbyist, even many professionals – indeed.
Let’s look at them in more detail:
Filament
Filament printers are the most popular. Here the plastic material is in a reel and is melted by a nozzle which then deposits the layer along the perimeter of the project, layering the different levels and also recreating the details, from the base to the top.
Resin
Resin printers, on the other hand, use liquid resin. Here the base is immersed in a tank with the resin and a light source hardens the liquid creating the different layers. Resin printers are much higher quality than FMDs, with sharper and more precise details.
In addition to having a higher cost, however, there is also the cons of working with resin to be evaluated: it requires more ventilation, it takes a lot of attention in using the material, it risks creating disasters (eg overturning the resin), waste must be disposed of as hazardous waste (including gloves, mask, and paper used to collect residues or clean up parts in post-production) and much longer post-production processes.
Noisiness
3D printers can work incessantly for many hours, even all day, the noise factor is an aspect that we will have to consider carefully, especially if we keep it at home.
No machine of this type is 100% silent but some models are more silent than others. We always read the opinion left by other buyers on the matter to understand which one to choose and orient ourselves towards a solution that seems to us in line with our needs.
There are also a couple of tricks we can use to reduce noise.
We can install soundproofing panels in the room, we can place the 3D printer on a foam surface such as a yoga mat or on a carpet, surely we will always have to place it on a solid surface.
Print speed
3D printers have variable printing speeds. Usually, resin ones are slower than FMD ones.
Those who use these machines only as a hobby, for pure fun, after all, may not care much about the print speed aspect but for professionals, it can be a determining point.
To print small objects, a fast machine does not usually penalize the quality of the result but for larger objects than fast machines they can create vertical alignment problems and penalize the sharpness of details.
Self-leveling floor
A self-leveling floor (or “bed”) is one of those technical specifications that we would like to find in our perfect printer. Manual leveling can be exhausting, long, and tedious but on the other hand, a plane that is not perfectly aligned results in bad prints.
Fortunately, the self-leveling surfaces have a sensor that tests the different points of the bed to calculate the distance between the surface and the nozzle, then adjusts it so that the final print is flawless.
It is certainly one of the fundamental and indispensable features for beginners.
Connection options
Before printing your first piece you will need to send the print file to the 3D printer and this step you can do in several ways.
The majority of modern machine connects with a USB cable and are equipped with SD card slot or USB port to connect a pen drive.
Overall size and print size
Another aspect that we cannot overlook when choosing our 3D printer is how big it is. Obviously, if we have a dedicated laboratory, we can also go towards large machines but if we know that it will be placed on a table or a corner of the room, we should know in advance how much space is available.
But be careful, because one aspect that is closely related to the size of the machine is the maximum size of the object to be printed.
It should also be mentioned that resin printers tend to be a bit more compact than filament machines. For the average user, however, a small to the medium-sized 3D printer is generally sufficient.
Print quality, accuracy, and precision
An “accurate” machine is not necessarily a “precise” machine.
By “accuracy” we mean the ability to reproduce certain parameters while by printing “precision” we mean the ability to perform perfectly identical repeated movements.
So a 3D printer could be very accurate because it deposits the material in the exact point indicated by the project but not very precise because its movements are not perfectly identical and therefore it will not be able to be constant in the distribution of the layers.
Conclusions
The world of 3D printing is no longer a novelty but continues to evolve every year allowing us to make these products available to more and more people and for more and more uses. With this article, we have tried to guide you by combining the precision in dealing with the topic with the simplicity of scientific disclosure designed for everyone.
In this way, we hope to have guided you in this world of high technological value and to have helped you to choose with more serenity the best 3D printer under 500 USD for the use you intend to make of it. The products are now many and for all budgets so there will surely be a model suitable for you!
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