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Best 3D Printer for Beginners: Top Five for in 2021

Long gone are the days when 3D printing was something that was only seen in science fiction films. With the advances made in technology, this kind of printing has been brought to our living rooms.

Whether it’s for educational use or just curiosity, there are many 3D printers to choose from nowadays. Even beginners can find a great printer if they know what to look for.

Let’s take a look at the best 3D printer for beginners options available on the market and see what makes them so good.

Best 3D Printer for Beginners Reviews

Creality Ender 3 3D Printer 

The Creality Ender 3 is a popular and much-admired 3D printer that has lived up to expectations. It is considered one of the best of its kind and doesn’t only promise great performance, but affordability as well. It is one of the best options for a beginner and will introduce you to the fun side of 3D printing.

Review

When it comes to affordability and good performance, the Ender 3 strikes the perfect balance. It is a great option for those starting out with 3D printing. It offers a high-quality way of learning more about this kind of printing.

The very affordable price of this 3D printer is something that sets it apart from the competition, especially when considering its features. Some of the more expensive printers don’t have some of the capabilities that this one does.

The power recovery mode, magnetic bed, tight filament pathway, and build volume of 220 x 220 x 250mm is truly admirable. It is much easier to work with flexible material when using this printer.

Although it has much to offer the beginner, it is not considered a professional machine. Experienced 3D printer users may find themselves a bit underwhelmed by this one’s performance. Still, it remains a favorite with beginners and hobbyists everywhere.

One thing that may not be as appreciated about the Ender 3 is its magnetic bed. Many find it to be a flimsy component, and it doesn’t just snap into position; instead, it adheres to where it lands. This could be rather frustrating for some people as they will manually have make adjustments.

Also, sometimes, the filament can be brittle, which could affect the quality of the print. Leveling the print bed can be a rather tricky thing to do, which could put some people off. These are some of the small drawbacks that prevent this printer from being seen as a professional tool. However, it is still a good way to be introduced to the world of 3D printing.

You can get high-quality prints from this printer, and it will impress those who have never seen this kind of printing done. It is an affordable 3D printer that is easy to assemble and set up.

The design is compact, but the Ender 3 can handle a pretty decent print volume.  Overall this makes it one of the best 3D Printer option for beginners.

PROS

  • Very affordable for most people
  • Easy to set up and use
  • Produces high-quality prints
  • Can handle impressive print volume
  • Compact design

CONS

  • Leveling the print bed can be difficult
  • Magnetic bed isn’t as impressive

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QIDI TECHNOLOGY New Generation 3D Printer

This is a complete 3D printing set that is shipped completely assembled and takes the fuss out of 3D printing. That makes the Qidi ideal for the beginner — it won’t be tricky or difficult to set up and get started. Instead, you will find that you can start using this printer shortly after delivery or bringing it home.

Review

This printer is equipped with a double-layer of metal with spray paint technology — this makes it a strong product. This also enhances and makes the printing process more stable. The aluminum-alloy platform measures at 6mm and is impressively flat. It is not easily deformed, as might be the case with other 3D printers.

The printer supports both PLA and ABS filaments making it quite versatile. You get a handy and user-friendly touchscreen with this printer. That makes it easier to interact with it and adjust your settings, even during the printing process.

Another thing that makes the QIDI so popular is that it comes with a detailed manual to make it easy to get to know it. It’s not difficult to follow the instructions and makes it a more fun experience rather than a frustrating one. Unfortunately, many manufacturers seem to fail when it comes to the manual, but this printer’s manufacturers did it right.

Using the printer could offer a frustrating learning curve, though. Some people have found the printer to jam without reason. Others have mentioned that it will occasionally cease printing; it is possible that human error was to blame, so it could be that the user made a mistake.

The QIDI has a strong and sturdy build and is made from high-quality materials. It has been manufactured to last a long time. But it doesn’t have a large user base, and the volume is rather limited.

The touchscreen interface makes the printer very easy to understand and use. In addition, the transparent design enables you to keep an eye on the printing process.  Another great option as one of the best 3D printers for beginners.

PROS

  • Easy to learn how to use
  • Supports PLA and ABS filaments
  • Durable and strong design
  • Touchscreen interface
  • Manual is useful and insightful

CONS

  • Jamming is possible during the printing process
  • Printer could be faulty sometimes

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LABISTS Quiet 3D Printer

If you’re looking for a 3D printer that doesn’t feel invasive and cumbersome or bulky, this is a good option. The LABISTS boasts a compact design and is pretty easy to use. It isn’t intimidating and is a really good choice for anyone getting started with 3D printing. You won’t be overwhelmed by all the abilities that 3D printers have and will learn more about this fascinating way of printing.

Review

This 3D printer supports One-Key printing, which offers a more convenient experience. Once you have ensured that the printer has warmed up and is ready to print, you simply have to click a button. Just be sure the TF card has been inserted. You can then pause or stop the printing process as you see fit.

It is a small printer that is easy to carry around and move to new spots. Its 0.4mm nozzle is made of aluminum and has high precision; it doesn’t clog easily either.

The printer’s magnetic plate is removable, which enhances the overall ease of use of it. It has a magnetically bendable design that is quite admirable. When you’re done printing, you can easily remove the model from the platform by just bending the magnetic blade.

If quiet operation is what you want, you’ll get that with the LABIST. It performs its job at under 60 dB, and that’s not very loud at all — about the noise level of a normal conversation. It won’t announce to the whole neighborhood that you’ve started the printing process.

Setting up this printer is fairly straightforward. You won’t have to sort out a great number of things before you can start using it. This makes it great for the novice. Thanks to its 30W power supply, the printer doesn’t use a lot of power.

It should be noted that the software starts up in Chinese, but this can, fortunately, be adjusted easily.

PROS

  • Small and compact
  • Printing quality is very good
  • Operates quietly
  • Simple and easy to use
  • Setup isn’t complicated

CONS

  • The software starts up in Chinese

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Dremel Digilab 3D20 3D Printer

The Dremel is a favorite with hobbyists and 3D print enthusiasts. It comes fully ready to use — you can start printing after you’ve taken it out of the box. It doesn’t require any skill to use, and noise isn’t a big problem with this model because of its enclosed design.

Review

For a functional but still fun-to-use 3D printer, the Dremel comes highly recommended. It has its extruder pre-installed so you can jump into printing as soon as you want, even shortly after unboxing it.

The customization of 3D models is possible — and easy — with this printer because of its unique printer software. Also, the software allows you to use it as a standalone printer. You just insert the SD card, use the touchscreen panel, choose the model file, and start the process. Pretty straightforward.

This printer uses its own filaments that were made to enhance the printing process. What’s really great is that there is a community that shares information and models for free. You can download them and start printing out the unique designs of other 3D printer enthusiasts.

The enclosed design ensures that the printer’s noise is never something that will annoy those who use it. However, it should be noted that the printer’s plate isn’t heated; this means that only PLA filament can be used in printing. This is on top of the filament included with purchase.

Printing is a simple task with the Dremel. You just have to load the filament and then level the bed. After that, you’re set and can start printing. Unfortunately, leveling the bed can be a slightly tricky thing to do. The printer doesn’t have an assist mechanism for this purpose. If you use the manual, though, you should do just fine.

A big plus of the Dremel is that is has a very impressively-sized print bed. It measures 255x155x170 mm, which isn’t to be sneezed at. There are also useful resources to make use of like models and tutorials which makes it arguably the best 3d printer option for beginners.

PROS

  • Enclosed design for quiet printing
  • Setup is very easy
  • Rich in additional resources
  • Large printing bed
  • Plug-and-play design

CONS

  • Uses only PLA filament
  • Leveling the bed can be difficult

Learn More →

Kingroon DIY Resume 3D Printer

Getting started with the Kingroon isn’t very complicated or difficult as it comes with several parts already assembled. This printer comes highly recommended, not only for beginners but for more experienced 3D printer users as well. It is a quality product that simplifies the process while keeping it a fun activity.

Review

A unique and useful feature of the Kingroon is that it has a ‘Resume Print’ function. This means that even if the printing process were disrupted by something like a power outage, it would continue what it was doing with no hassle.

It is equipped with a high-quality precision guide rail. This not only results in good printing but relatively noiseless printing as well.

Issues such as bad extrusion are taken out of the equation with the technology used with this printer. It is a reliable and trusted product with many loyal supporters that love it.

Adjusting and leveling the print bed isn’t as tricky as with other 3D printers. It’s as easy as simply making adjustments to the nuts that are in the corner of the heat bed. Once adjusted, you can easily raise or lower the bed as you desire.

Although the printer is not all that big, it offers high-quality performance that can stand up to the big guys. The filament sensor, heated bed, and magnetic build surface make it an enjoyable and useful 3D printer.

The touchscreen offers a colorful display that makes understanding and keeping an eye on the printing process much more convenient. However, some of the wiring is in an odd place and could be a bother for some people. Some of the accessories needed for a good printing experience are not included with the purchase of the printer.

PROS

  • Assembly is easy and fast
  • Magnetic bed is admirable
  • Color display touchscreen menu
  • Features level-assist
  • Resume function

CONS

  • Some wiring placement could be frustrating
  • Lacks some necessary tools

Learn More →

FINAL VERDICT

Now you know more about some of the best 3D printers for beginners. All in all, the LABISTS Quiet 3D Printer is our top pick. The only fault to be found with it is that the software starts up in Chinese.

This can easily be amended, and all its features more than make up for the minor glitch. High-quality printing and ease of use make the LABIST a good choice.  All 5 of these are great options, so ultimately make the best decision for you.

About Maker Industry

Joshua Garcia, Founder

Hi, I'm Joshua. I created Maker Industry to share my passion for maker tools and help others learn about 3D printing, CNC systems, laser cutting and more. Learn More