Toy soldiers, flowers, buildings, and so on and so forth! There are no limits with 3d printers except your own imagination.
This very particular type of printer is the evolution of traditional printers. Through three-dimensional modeling programs, they are able to reproduce any object using various materials.
The materials used for three-dimensional printing are numerous, ceramics can be used but also sugar and chocolate
Unconventional materials for a printer, don’t you think?
The pastry sector, in fact, was among the first to use this new technology.
We have collected a selection of the best 3d printers for under 300 dollars on the market, we have highlighted all the specific features but … before starting, as usual, I leave you to the purchase guide, to shed some light on these innovative systems of Press.
Best 3D Printers Under 300 USD
Table of Contents
3D printers allow access to impressive technology so that you can produce almost any component yourself. There are already millions of free 3D printing models on the internet. In addition, good to very good quality 3D printers are becoming more and more affordable and have already come in the price range of up to 300 dollars.
Best 3D Printers Under $ 300 | Comparison Table 2021
| Image | Title | Buy | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
| da Vinci Mini Wireless 3D Printer-6"x6"x6" Volume (Includes: 300g Filament, PLA/Tough PLA/PETG) - Upgradable to print Metallic/Carbon PLA | XYZprinting | Check Price | |
| Voxelab Aquila 3D Printer, DIY FDM All Metal 3D Printers Kit with Removable Carborundum Glass Platform, Resume Printing Function, Print Size 220x220x250mm (Black) | Voxelab | Check Price | |
| Official Creality Ender 3 3D Printer Fully Open Source with Resume Printing Function DIY 3D Printers Printing Size 220x220x250mm | Comgrow | 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 | |
| LGT Longer LK1 3D Printer, 300x300x400mm Large Build Size Printer, Metal Frame with Resume Printing - Black | Longer | Check Price | |
| Anet ET5X DIY 3D Printer, Auto Leveling with Resume Printing Function, 3.5 Inch LCD Color Touch Screen, Upgraded Over-Current Protection Mainboard, Large Size 11.8x11.8x15.7Inch | Anet | 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 | |
| Monoprice MP10 3D Printer - Black with (300 x 300 mm) Magnetic Heated Build Plate, Resume Printing Function, Assisted Leveling, and Touch Screen | Monoprice | Check Price |
Prices and images pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Best 3D Printers Under $ 300 | 2021 Reviews
1. ANYCUBIC Mega-S
- 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 a 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 a 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.
2. XYZprinting Mini Wireless 3D Printer
- Compact and productive: The da Vinci mini is 30％ smaller than da Vinci Jr. 1.0 and has a 5.9 X 5.9 X 5.9 Aluminum printer bed for larger and finer prints
- Connect wirelessly to your home network for easy 3D printing
- The Da Vinci mini filaments are made using PLA plastics derived from corn starch, making them environmental and non-toxic
- The Da Vinci mini streamlines its printing function through a single-button printer design as well as providing different colored LEDs to indicate printing Conditions
- Make your dreams into reality with the FREE downloadable version of XYZmaker 3D modeling design software for beginners. Connector type: Wi-Fi (802.11b/g/n); USB 2.0
3. Voxelab Aquila 3D Printer
- 【Integrated Structure Design】Easy to assemble and maintain with integrated structure and modular design. All lines are concealed in the machine. It’s more convenient and safer for you to operate.
- 【Resume Printing Function】The machine can 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】This easy-to-setup kit comes partially assembled, enabling you to learn about the basic construction of 3D printers as you finish putting it together.
- 【Removable Build Surface Plate】Auqila uses a carborundum glass platform, enables the building platform to heat up in 5 minutes and prints to adhere better without warping. Ultra smoothness even on the first layer.
- 【Warranty and Service】All Voxelab 3d printers are provided lifetime technical assistance and a one-year warranty. If you have any questions regarding product operation or software please feel free to contact us.
4. Comgrow Ender 3 3D Printer
- Resume Printing Function: Ender 3 has the ability to resume printing even after a power outage or lapse occurs.
- Easy and Qucik Assembly: It comes with several assembled parts, you only need about 2 hours to assemble 20 nuts well.
- Advanced Extruder Technology: Upgraded extruder greatly reduces plugging risk and bad extrustion; V-shape with POM wheels make it move noiseless, smoothly and durable.
- Safety Protected Power Supply: Only needs 5 minutes for hot bed to reach 110 degree.
- Strict Test: Strict testing for key components before delivery and life-time technical supports available.
5. 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.
6. Longer LK1 3D Printer
- 【EXTRA LARGE BUILD PLATFORM】The Max Build size for this LK1 3D Printer is 300*300*400mm, and can print models that 90% of other printers could not.
- 【RECOVER PRINTING FUNCTION】The LK1 has the ability to resume printing even after a power outage or lapse occurs; And built-in filament sensor, when the filament runs out, it will stop printing, and will continue once there is filament. So you do not need to print from the beginning again, which can help you save a lot of material and time.
- 【EASY TO ASSEMBLE AND OPERATE】LK1 uses a touch color screen for easy and quick operation. It comes with several partially assembled kits, very easy to assemble and allow you to learn about the basic construction of a 3D printer.
- 【PRINTING EFFICIENT AND SAFE】With a tempered glass plate on the heated bed, which makes models are easier to be removed. It also makes the hot bed more flat and provide all-around production. And build-in power management and thermal cooling system, keep the printing safer.
- 【TECHNICAL SUPPORT】: The Longer provide one-year after-sale service for printer and lifetime technical assistance and 24H response. There also has a growing user community to share their successes and trials on Facebook, Reddit, and Youtube, which very helpful to beginners even seasoned users.
7. Anet ET5X DIY 3D Printer
- 📌【Ultra Large Print&Matrix Automatic Levelling】 300x300x400mm ultra large print volume. Auto measures 25 points across the print platform for heat bed leveling. An induction sensor can probe the bed in a grid and apply mesh-based compensation that ensures you print on a level bed every time, all without the time-consuming and labor-intensive leveling tasks.
- 📌【Filament Sensor&Power Outage Recovery】 The filament sensor detects the filament end and sends reminders to the screen to avoid air-printing. Resume printing and recover from exactly where it left off. No worries about unexpected power outages.
- 📌【Auto Filament Assignment&Assembled In No Time】 Automatic load and unload the filament with just a click.Pre-assembly and modular design with quick assembles in 10min. Solid Wire Connection, Distributor connector for solid wire connections.
- 📌【Dual Z-axis, More Accurate Print&Stable Y-axis Movement】 ET5 applies dual Z-axis rods and motors to make sure the smoothness and accuracy of every slight movement. Dual Y axis guideway for a more stable and level moving stage of the build platform. Intuitive Touchscreen.Colorful LCD touch screen, allowing you to control the movement of X/Y/Z axis, leveling and printing with ease.
- 📌【Safe Designed Control Board】 You can connect your ET5 online or offline to any configuration for your convenience. You could print via SD card or USB flash drive. Self-developed industrial-grade 32bit control board with MCU STMF407. Stable operation with high precision. The mother board has thermal runaway protection. If the printer fails to detect the temperature for a certain time, it would automatically power off.
8. FASTTOBUY 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.
9. Monoprice MP10 3D Printer
- Easily Accessible Magnetic Extruder: The removable magnetic carriage provides an easy launch point for changing to an extruder system of your choice. Working on your machine is more convenient than ever.
- 2 Screw Hotend Removal: Access to your hotend is easy, making quick changes to the tool head possible. Switch from a 0.4mm to a 0.6mm nozzle without the hassle of actually changing the nozzle. Quick, convenient, and easy.
- Heated, Removable, & Flexible Print Bed: Capable of easily hitting 100 degree C, this large 300 x 300 print bed makes removing prints easier than ever. The magnetic platform also makes cleaning and removing the bed itself simple and straightforward.
- Assisted Bed Level Sensor: Leveling is easy with the level sensor. It will detect differences in the bed, which allows you to set an accurate Z offset to make first layers a breeze.Filament Diameter: 1.75mm
- Dual Y Gantry: The dual Y gantry provides a stable base for the printbed, minimizing wobble found in single Y gantry models of 3D printers. This results in cleaner prints and prevents the need to level over and over again.
Ultimate Guide on Best 3D Printers Under $ 300
How does a 3D printer work?
But the important question you need to ask yourself is: how does a 3D printer work? If on the one hand, the great diffusion on the territory took place thanks to the ease of use, it is even more true that it is necessary to understand well how it works to obtain the best possible result. Before approaching the 3D printer, the design of the object you intend to build is fundamental; through a computer and dedicated software, you will have to shape your creation in the smallest details, from length to depth, without neglecting the materials with which you want to realize your idea.
The most common software (you will find several, even free) allows you to save the project created in the Standard Triangulation Language To Layer (STL) format. This has the ability to divide the design into many graphic triangles, making it easier for the 3D printer to read the object. To understand the practical operation of this device it is important to imagine a 2D printer and the traditional printing of office documents and files. In fact, the real difference lies in the main head, the latter is identified with the extruder in a 3D printer, while with the ink in a 2D printer.
The extruder has the function of using the polymers of the materials, which through the filament heated to very high temperatures, allowing the composition and construction on a rigid plate of the project created in the software. As you can deduce, the extruder is the real fulcrum of a 3D printing, this in fact is essential to take care of the three printing phases:
- transport of polymers from the tank to the heating phase;
- state of the filaments up to fusion;
- the filaments come out of the nozzle to compose the object.
The extruder is a mobile component of the 3D printer, consequently, it has degrees of freedom that constrain it both in horizontal and vertical movement. For this reason, it is important that, even for a cheap 3D printer, a product is identified with an excellent extruder.
Materials used in 3D printing
Once you understand how a 3D printer works, it is important to focus on what materials are used for printing. Every year, thanks to scientific and technological evolution, there are always new filaments that can be used for your 3D projects, depending on the needs and the desired final quality.
In all likelihood, however, you will never have heard of materials in powder, pellets, or granules; this is because they are not widely used due to a limited cost and availability. The most used materials for 3D printers are metallic materials and plastic materials.
Metallic materials
In the industrial field, metal prints are used, these use steel as the primary material, which is usually used to create silver-colored chrome plating on jewels. Artists and craftsmen use this 3D printing technique not only with steel but also with titanium, in order to improve the strength of the built objects.
Plastic materials
Metallic materials will have destabilized you a bit, their use is hardly approached to the world of cheap 3D printers but different is instead the discourse for plastic materials, ideal for having fun within the walls of the house. Usually, when you buy a 3D printer, there is a nylon filament spool in the package: here, this is indispensable for the Filament Deposition Manufacturing (FDM) process. With the use of nylon, the extruder has the task of melting the filament of the cartridge and then proceeding towards the construction through a layered composition process of the designed object.
This material is highly appreciated by those who 3D print because it guarantees good flexibility and resistance but above all, given the white color, it can be subsequently colored after printing. Another plastic material used for 3D prints is ABS, this suitable for the production of very resistant and rigid objects; through a heating phase at more than 250 ° C the filament is melted before it can be used.
ABS can be purchased in different colors, considerably speeding up the finishing process of the conceived project. In addition, in addition to the versatility in the choice of color, it also boasts characteristic recyclability: a not negligible element when it comes into contact with plastic materials and their disposal.
What to expect from an affordable 3D printer?
Print quality: although the quality of the new generations of economic 3D printers is always constantly improving, it is undeniable that an economic product must overlook the perfection of details. Some small burrs in the final result can still be improved through the use of small accessories for cleaning excess filaments. The advice is to equip yourself with a small kit for cleaning excess filaments.
Dedicated software: a cheap 3D printer bases much of its longevity and reliability on the software created by the community or by major companies for free. A high-end 3D printer has in 90% of cases a dedicated software on which to import and design your works, while a cheap 3D printer hardly guarantees the presence in the purchase bundle of software optimized for that model. A lighter, less professional approach to printing is to be expected. However, the presence on the market of completely free software capable of guaranteeing excellent results should be emphasized.
Weight: many companies producing 3D printers, in order to put cheap products on the market, invest little in the quality of the component materials of the printer itself. Lightweight structures with a low specific weight are a consequence of practical savings; don’t be scared when you pick up the printer and it will feel very light. For some, the lower weight is seen as a strength, capable of guaranteeing portability and manageability, for others, it is synonymous with low quality and little longevity.
How to choose a good 3D printer at a good price
As with all technological devices, 3D printers also have their price ranges. The cheapest range can be limited to a price range that varies from 150 dollars to 400 dollars and differs significantly from one model to another.
So how to choose your 3D printer for under 300 dollars ? To understand this, the first real question you need to ask yourself is: what should I print?
It will seem obvious but it is instead essential in order to buy the ideal product for your needs. For example, if you just want to experience the world of 3D printing, it is advisable to spend as little as possible, so that you can closely verify the mechanics of operation and begin to familiarize yourself with graphics software.
If, on the other hand, you are a lover of action figures and useful objects for DIY, the advice is to choose a product with a very precise extruder and above all with a not too light structure, so as to guarantee greater longevity over time.
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