Best 3D printer 2018 for home and professional use – reviews and buying guide

Are you looking for the best 3D printer of the year? Here you will find our ranking of the best 3D printers on the market, together with detailed information on the 3D printer and a buyer's guide.

Finding the best 3D printer does not have to be difficult or expensive when you have the right information. In this list, we offer you clear and concise information about a wide range of 3D printers. This guide will help you to choose the best 3D printer for home and professional use. From compact 3D printers that can be conveniently installed on your desktop, to budget 3D printers and large industrial 3D printers that can create large 3D prints, we have listed the best 3D printers available in 2018. Keep reading to find the one that best suits your needs.

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The best 3D printers for all pockets – reviews and buying guide

3D printers are the future and only those who have seen what they are capable of understanding their importance. In a few years we can print what we want from our printer, so having one right now is somehow experiencing the future a little earlier - or at least that's how I feel. Whether you have an unlimited budget or not, in this article we will show you the best 3D printers of the moment in different price ranges. In this way, you can choose and compare the one that best suits your needs. I also want to tell you that, if you have any doubts at any time about which printer to buy, do not hesitate to leave us a comment, we will answer you right away. We have not prepared this list in order of preference since each printer is different from the others and satisfies different needs.

MakerBot Replicator+ 3D Printer

The best complete 3D printer in the world. This plus version is the successor of the popular MakerBot Replicator 3D printer, and the new version has brought improvements to almost all parts of the Replicator. This means that the Replicator + is faster and quieter than the previous version while maintaining its excellent design and safety features. This desktop 3D printer is expensive, but offers excellent print quality and uses filaments of polylactic acid (PLA) of 1.75 mm. It is also easy enough to use for home and amateur users to use, as long as their budget extends to the high selling price.
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FlashForge 3D Printer Creator Pro

A large midrange 3D printer. FlashForge Creator Pro 2017 is the best 3D printer found among budget 3D printers and expensive professional models. It is much cheaper than professional models, although it maintains the manufacturing quality and reliability that is expected of a professional 3D printer. It is not as cheap as other models in this list, but it offers greater precision in the printing of 3D models. However, it is a bit noisy in use.
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XYZprinting da Vinci mini Wireless 3D Printer

For those looking to print with more than one color at a time, the Da Vinci printer is a very appropriate alternative because it has two extruders and 13 colors of filaments are available in easy-to-install cartridges. Its printing area is closed, as protection against the high temperatures of the printing process. It uses a FFF technology, of Fabrication of Cast Filament, with a maximum volume of 150 x 200 x 200 mm. The diameter of the nozzle is 0.4 mm and that of the filament is the standard of 1.75 mm. It can print indistinctly in ABS and PLA and allows connection with USB 2.0; It also offers a warning alert to the scarce filament, something very useful for not having to be aware of whether the material is finished during long impressions.
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Ultimaker 2+ 3D Printer

Ultimaker 2+ is probably the best professional 3D Printer. It offers amazing print quality, making it one of the best 3D printers for professional use. It is incredibly reliable when it comes to producing 3D models, and the accuracy of 3D replicas is incredibly impressive. If you need a 3D printer that can reliably and accurately reproduce many 3D objects, this is a fantastic choice. However, it is expensive, and the fact that it is aimed at professional environments means that it is less easy to use than some of the other 3D printers here. It is better for home users to look elsewhere.
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Monoprice Mini 3D Printer

It is one of the cheapest printers on our list, which you can get for $ 220 (at the time of writing). This particular model comes assembled and calibrated from the factory, something that we do not usually see in 3D printers for this price range. In addition, it also has wireless (Wi-Fi), something unusual also for these prices. This 3D printer is compact enough for any desk. It also includes sample PLA filament and a MicroSD card with preinstalled models. Being so cheap, it would also have to have some limitations. The first is its small print space of just 120 × 120 × 120 mm; while the second is its printing speed. But if none of this matters to you, then go ahead.
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HICTOP Creality CR-10 3D Printer Prusa I3

Are you still looking for a big assembled 3D printer? Then this is the one that you deserve to have. It comes in three parts. It just needs a few steps to build up. This printer requires a mount, but it is so basic that in 1 hour you will have it completely assembled. Best of all, its construction volume is 300 × 300 × 400 mm and its printing resolution is 100 microns. So pay attention to where you put it because it takes up a lot of space. The Creality CR-10 is one of the best-selling printers of the moment for its low price.
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M3D Micro+ 3D Printer

The best 3D printer for beginners. The 3D micro M3D printer is an excellent 3D printer for beginners. Its low price means that you will not be investing much money if you are not completely sure that 3D printing is for you, while the compact and cube design mean that it can be easily placed inside the house or office. It looks good, and it's impressively silent when used. The print quality is not the best, however, and is only capable of making small models (not too surprising, considering the tiny size). However, if you are looking for your first 3D printer, this is an excellent choice.
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LulzBot Mini Desktop 3D Printer

Another great 3D printer for beginners. It is very easy to use. If you are looking for a first 3D printer to learn, then the LulzBot Mini is another excellent option. It has a decent price and is easy to use, although the printing speed is quite slow. The hardware is open source, which means that it has a flexibility that the propitiatory hardware lacks since a committed community of manufacturers can work together to create add-ons for the printer.
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BQ Hephestos

This printer is a good choice for those who look for 3D manufacturing for the first time. The Spanish manufacturer has been developing 3D printers since 2009 and with this model, the previous version is improved, with a kit that includes all the necessary parts, a step-by-step assembly manual, and a support service is also offered to solve any doubt that may arise Its housing is made of aluminum and incorporates a screen. The maximum print size is 215 x 210 x 180 mm. The maximum speed of 100 mm / s with a resolution of up to 60 microns. It is part of the project called RepRap, oriented to the development of open source printers (Open Hardware) that can even print some of its parts.
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What is a 3D printer?

3D printers are not yet common devices that can be found in all your friends' houses. It is possible that for its higher price than conventional printers or because they seem more complicated to use. However, today 3D printers are much simpler and cheaper than they appear. A 3D printer is a machine that creates objects in three dimensions with different materials. It is a machine that allows you to create what you want. But to be able to print something, a 3D model is necessary, that is, a digital representation of what we are going to print using some modeling software.

What materials are used?

The most common are PLA and ABS. However, you can already find some 3D printers that print with metal, photopolymers or liquid resin. There are other alternative filaments that allow you to achieve special textures, such as:
Laybrick - a texture similar to stone
Laywoo-D3 - a texture similar to wood.
Soft PLA (FLexible PLA) - allows you to print flexible objects.
Nylon- alternative to ABS and PLA, but more resistant and flexible.
Bendlay- is flexible (like the Soft PLA) but with the peculiarity of being transparent.

But how is it possible to create a piece with these materials?

Most printers incorporate the technology of FDM - Fusion Deposition Modeling. This technology allows you to create 3D models through the deposit of the molten material by the extruder in the base. The extruder is heated to a certain temperature, and when the material passes through it, it is melted and exits through the extruder towards the base. It cools very quickly, which allows you to create solid pieces in 3D. There are other technologies such as Stereolithography (SLA) or Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), which work with a laser. However, the printers that we present today do not incorporate this technology, so we leave the explanation for another time.

Before buying a 3D printer

Before acquiring a 3D printer you have to know what kind of use you are going to give it to and people will use it. Also, keep in mind the following parameters:

Resolution

The more resolution, the better the final result will be. The finer the printing line, the more detail it will have. It is measured in microns and can range from 20 to 100 or 200.

Print volume

Measured by HEIGHT * WIDTH * DEPTH. This determines the size of the objects that can be printed.

Number of extruders

By having several extruders you can create objects with several colors quickly. The printers that are in this article come with just one extruder, but you can replace it with a double one.

Materials it supports

The most common materials are ABS and PLA plastics. The main difference is that ABS is more resistant, but PLA is less harmful and more natural. This is also important in case you have the printer in a closed or open place with ventilation.

The company

It is very important that before buying a printer you see if they care about the after-sales service and if they improve their printers constantly.
I hope you liked our list and you know that if you have any questions or questions about the previous printers, do not hesitate to leave us a comment. Also, if you have any suggestions or there is a printer that is not in the guide, and should, let us know.