Best 3D Printers

Peopoly is a 3D printer manufacturer based in Hong Kong, founded in 2015. The company is known for its Phenom series of large format MSLA resin printers, ranging from the original Phenom to the Phenom L, Phenom Noir, Phenom Forge, and the giant Phenom XXL V2 with a 527 x 296 x 550mm build volume. Peopoly also makes the Magneto X FDM printer, which uses magnetic linear motors instead of belts, and the GIGA 800 industrial pellet printer.

Resin models use parallel UV LED arrays and 4K monochrome panels, run through the Vlare Core mainboard, and are sliced with CHITUBOX or Lychee Slicer on Windows or macOS. Prices range from about $1,299 for the Magneto X to nearly $9,000 for the top Phenom XXL V2 configuration. Peopoly does not offer a mobile app or cloud print monitoring service.

Phrozen Technology is a resin 3D printer manufacturer based in Hsinchu, Taiwan, founded in 2016. The company built one of the first 8K resin printers and now sells the Sonic Mighty series of masked stereolithography (MSLA) printers, ranging from the Sonic Mighty 4K to the Sonic Mighty 16K, plus the compact Sonic Mini 8K S and large format Sonic Mega and Sonic XL machines. Phrozen also makes the Arco FDM filament printer and sells its own 405nm resins.

Printers use monochrome LCD screens and UV LED arrays for curing, with resolutions from 2K to 16K depending on the model. Files are prepared in CHITUBOX or Lychee Slicer, available for Windows and macOS, and models such as the Sonic Mighty Revo connect to the Phrozen GO app for remote monitoring. Current model prices range from about $130 to $3,500.

Voxelab is a budget 3D printer brand owned by Chinese manufacturer Flashforge, based in Jinhua, Zhejiang. The company sells entry level FDM machines in its Aquila line, including the Aquila C2, Aquila S3, and auto leveling Aquila X3 models, alongside resin printers in its Proxima line such as the Proxima 6.0 and Proxima 8.9 mono LCD printers. Most models ship with open source firmware, magnetic flexible build plates, and filament run out detection aimed at hobbyists and first time buyers.

Printers are sold through Voxelab's own store and retailers such as Amazon, Banggood, and Geekbuying. FDM models slice with Voxelab's own VoxelMaker software or third party tools like Cura, while resin models use VoxelPrint or CHITUBOX. Both slicers run on Windows and macOS. Voxelab does not offer a mobile app or cloud monitoring service for its printers.

Stratasys is an industrial additive manufacturing company that builds FDM, PolyJet, and other 3D printing systems for engineering, manufacturing, healthcare, and education. Founded in 1989, it is dual headquartered in Minnetonka, Minnesota and Rehovot, Israel and trades on Nasdaq as SSYS. Product lines include the F123 Series (F120, F170, F190CR, F370CR) for office based prototyping, Fortus and F900 systems for production grade parts, and the J series PolyJet printers for full color, multi material models used in design and medical work.

Machines are sold through Stratasys and authorized resellers, with pricing quoted per configuration. Print jobs run through GrabCAD Print, free software for Windows, macOS, and the web that handles slicing, scheduling, and remote monitoring, plus a software development kit for connecting printers to ERP and MES systems.

Anycubic is a 3D printer manufacturer headquartered in Shenzhen, China, founded in 2015. The company sells the Kobra series of FDM (filament) printers and the Photon series of resin printers, aimed largely at hobbyist and budget-conscious buyers. Current Kobra models range from the compact Kobra 3 to the enclosed, large-format Kobra S1 Max, with most machines supporting print speeds up to 600 mm/s.

Higher-end Kobra models include LeviQ automatic bed leveling, CoreXY motion systems, and native multi-color printing that can be expanded to more colors with the ACE Pro filament system. Printers connect to Anycubic's slicing software and to the Anycubic app for remote print monitoring, control, and cloud file storage. Anycubic printers are sold as one-time hardware purchases rather than subscriptions.

Creality is a 3D printer manufacturer based in Shenzhen, China, founded in 2014. The company is known for the budget-friendly Ender series and the faster, enclosed K-series machines such as the K1C and K2 Plus. Current models range from the entry-level Ender-3 V3 SE to the large-format K2 Plus, which prints at speeds up to 600 mm/s with a 350 x 350 x 350 mm build volume.

Higher-end K2 series printers include the Creality Filament System (CFS) for automated multi-color printing, AI cameras for nozzle flow and failure monitoring, and active chamber heating. Printers connect to Creality Print, a free slicer for Windows and macOS, and to the Creality Cloud app for remote monitoring, model sharing, and print control. Printers are sold as one-time hardware purchases through Creality's official store.

Prusa Research is a 3D printer manufacturer headquartered in Prague, Czech Republic, founded in 2012 by Josef Prusa out of the open-source RepRap project. The company builds and ships its Original Prusa printers, including the MINI+, MK4S, CORE One, and XL, directly to customers in more than 160 countries. Most models are available fully assembled or as self-build kits at a lower price.

Prusa printers use the Nextruder direct-drive extruder with automatic mesh bed leveling and input shaping for vibration control. The CORE One is a fully enclosed CoreXY printer with active chamber heating, while the MK4S and MINI+ use an open-frame Cartesian design. Printers connect to PrusaSlicer, the free open-source slicing software, and to Prusa Connect for cloud-based remote monitoring and control.

Bambu Lab is a Shenzhen, China based manufacturer of desktop 3D printers, founded in 2020 by a team of former DJI engineers. The company sells the X1 Carbon, P1S, A1, and A1 mini printer lines, which range from an open frame beginner machine to an enclosed flagship with LiDAR bed scanning and AI powered failure detection. All current models use a CoreXY or similar motion system capable of print speeds up to 500 mm/s.

Printers connect to the free Bambu Studio slicer for Windows, Mac, and Linux, and to the Bambu Handy mobile app for remote monitoring over Wi-Fi or local network. Most models support the optional Automatic Material System (AMS) for multi-color and multi-material printing. Bambu Lab printers are sold as one-time hardware purchases rather than subscriptions, with pricing spanning entry-level to professional desktop machines.