The best 3D printers for beginners 2024

In recent years, 3D printers have become a popular leisure activity at a record pace. More and more beginners are discovering the hobby for themselves, but usually find it a little difficult to choose the right printer. Therefore, we will tell you below which are the best 3D printers for beginners. In addition, we will give you a few useful tips along the way.

The most important in a nutshell

• Der 3D-Druck ist ein Bereich, in dem sich auch Einsteiger leicht einfinden können
• Heutzutage stehen viele 3D-Drucker zur Verfügung, die problemlos von Anfängern bedient werden können
• Mit Hilfe von Schablonen und Vorlagen gelingen die ersten Kunstwerke meist einfacher als gedacht
• Beim Kauf eines Anfänger-3D-Druckers sind verschiedene Kriterien wie etwa eine leichte Handhabung und eine große Materialvielfalt von Bedeutung

Die besten Anfänger-3D-Drucker 2024

All beginnings are difficult? This does not always have to be the case. Below you can get a quick overview of the current best 3D printers for beginners.

Place	Name	Manufacturer	Procedure	Installation space	Special features	approx. price	to the store
1	Mini+	Prusa Research	FDM	18 x 18 x 18 cm	Color LCD screen, wide range of supported materials.	489 €	Click
2	Ender 3 Pro	Creality	FDM	22 x 22 x 25 cm	Fast heatable build plate, easy setup	199 €	Click
3	Ender 2 Pro	Creality	FDM	15 x 15 x 20 cm	High print speed, USB and MicroSD port available	169 €	Click
4	Mars 3	Elegoo	DLP	14.3 x 89.6 x 17.5 cm	4k resolution, sandblasted build plate	299 €	Click
5	I3 MK3S+	Prusa Research	FDM	25 x 21 x 21 cm	Simple and effective calibration, quiet operation	849 €	Click
6	Select Mini V2	Monoprice	FDM	12 x 12 x 12 cm	Delivery completely assembled, easy operation	203 €	Click
7	Vyper	Anycubic	FDM	24,5 x 24,5 x 26 cm	Automatic pressure bed leveling, large build volume	319 €	Click
8	Sidewinder X2	Artillery	FDM	30 x 30 x 40 cm	Very large installation space, direct extruder with 0.5 mm pressure resolution	400 €	Click

The best 3D printer for beginners: Prusa Mini+

The Prusa Mini+ is specially designed for beginners and inexperienced print fans. This is especially noticeable in handling, which is enormously easy with this device thanks to the LCD screen. In addition, the Mini offers a print volume of 18 cubic centimeters, optional Wi-Fi or removable spring steel plates, among other features. The entry-level printer is also compatible with a wide variety of materials.

General info

• Name: Mini+
• Hersteller: Prusa Research
• Bauraum (L x B x H in mm): 180 x 180 x 180
• Maximale Druckauflösung (Mikrometer):
• Besonderheiten: Farbiger LCD-Bildschirm, große Auswahl an unterstützten Materialien
• Vorteile: optionales Wi-Fi, geräuscharme Nutzung, kaum/geringe Temperaturabweichungen, schnelles Vorheizen
• Nachteile: offener Bauraum, preislich eher im oberen Drittel

The best cheapest 3D printer for beginners: Creality Ender 2 Pro

If you are a beginner and don't want to spend that much money, you can use the Creality Ender 2 Pro, which is a bit cheaper. With a print area of 15 x 15 x 20 cm, the printer is large enough for many models. Furthermore, the print speed of up to 200 mm/s is by no means weak. The popular successor to the Ender is compatible with many different materials. Compared to the predecessor, however, some improvements have been integrated once again.

General info

• Name: Ender 2 Pro
• Hersteller: Creality
• Bauraum (L x B x H in mm): 150 x 150 x 200
• Maximale Druckauflösung (Mikrometer):
• Besonderheiten: Hohe Druckgeschwindigkeit, USB und MicroSD-Anschluss vorhanden
• Vorteile: günstiger Preis, Heizbett vorhanden, starkes Preis-Leistungs-Verhältnis
• Nachteile: Manuelle Bettausrichtung notwendig

The Best Premium Beginner 3D Printer: Prusa i3 MK3S+

Some beginners would also like to go for a premium device right away. The Prusa i3 MK3S+ is ideal for this purpose. For example, the printer offers a hurdle-free start with automatic calibration and compatibility with various materials. In addition, the device works quietly and also quite quickly with around 200 mm/s.

General info

• Name: i3 MK3S+
• Hersteller: Prusa Research
• Bauraum (L x B x H in mm): 250 x 210 x 210
• Maximale Druckauflösung (Mikrometer):
• Besonderheiten: Einfache und effektive Kalibrierung, leise Arbeitsweise
• Vorteile: ausreichend großer Bauraum, kompatibel mit PLA, PETG, ASA, Nylon uvm, automatische Kalibrierung
• Nachteile: hoher Preis

What distinguishes a 3D printer for beginners?

Material diversity

An important criterion for finding a suitable 3D printer is the variety of materials. Here you have to differentiate a little between the individual devices. With a resin printer, it is especially important that it can best process material from different manufacturers. If you are using an FDM printer, you should pay particular attention to a high temperature for the nozzle and the heating bed. Otherwise, you won't be able to print detailed and accurate artwork.

Price/Performance

Price is always an important factor. In most cases, beginners in particular do not want to dig deep into their pockets for a professional device. You don't have to. However, you should always consider the price in connection with the respective performance of the device. If you buy too cheap, you will have more problems than fun with your printer in the worst case. So the famous price-performance ratio should be right.

Installation space

The installation space is a factor that can be evaluated somewhat subjectively, so to speak. In general, we advise you to aim for an installation space of at least 150 x 150 x 150 mm. However, the need here also always depends a little on your personal ideas. The build space should not be too small, otherwise you will only be able to put a limited selection of projects into practice. So if you don't necessarily only want to print miniatures in your spare time, you should make sure you have a sufficiently large build envelope. However, excessively large installation spaces are not always an advantage either, especially since the printer will usually need more space as a result.

Simplicity of use

Every beginner should definitely make sure that his 3D printer is easy to use. This refers to several factors at once. On the one hand, the menu navigation should be possible intuitively. This is the case with most devices these days. These offer modern screens that make printing and operation simple thanks to a clear menu. English is usually used as the system language, but that shouldn't really be a problem for any print fan.

Another factor is the complexity of inserting the material. This should be as easy to do as possible. In any case, manual work should be reduced to a minimum at best. This also means, for example, the constant calibration, which good devices should now do for you.

Inherently high print bed adhesion

An important criterion for evaluating entry-level 3D printers is print bed adhesion. The first layer in particular plays a major role here. If this does not hold properly, the entire print cannot be implemented precisely and accurately. In addition, it's best to make sure that your printer's heating bed is coated. Otherwise, you may run into problems when you try to release your print from the heating bed. The heating bed itself is again indispensable for certain materials and ensures that your print does not cool down too quickly.

Quick and easy calibration

It is advisable for all beginners to pay attention to devices with auto-bed leveling. This is an intelligent leveling system that automatically adjusts the print bed at any time. So you save on manual calibration and at the same time can be sure that your print bed is correctly calibrated at all times.

Customer service of the manufacturer/distributor available

Ideally, there are no major problems with your printer. However, this is not always the case. It is all the more important that you can contact the provider's customer service in case of questions or uncertainties. At first, this sounds like a no-brainer. However, you should keep in mind that many retailers and manufacturers are based abroad. This is why the accessibility of customer support is not always really good in practice. In some cases, the manufacturer may not even offer you any real customer service. Especially for newcomers this is not optimal, so you should definitely pay attention here.

Addition: Closed housing for families with small children or animals

Whether you're starting out as a beginner or have some 3D printing experience, a sealed enclosure is usually recommended. Especially if you have small children or animals in the house. A closed housing prevents offspring or pets from injuring themselves on the printer. Furthermore, it can always happen that, for example, something flies in the direction of the printer in the game. An enclosure can then protect your printing surface at least a little.

Addendum 2: Printer-specific fan community

An often underestimated aspect in the search for a suitable 3D printer is the fan community and the community of the individual devices. Over the past few years, a large following has formed that eagerly discusses their favorite devices in forums and blogs. This is usually a “found food” for all beginners. Here you can exchange ideas with like-minded people, simply read along attentively or ask your questions to the community. The larger the fan community, the faster you will discover new tips and tricks or get help with problems. Of course, this is especially important when there may not be seamless support offered by the retailer or manufacturer.

For whom are 3D printers suitable and for whom rather less?

3D printers are suitable for many people. They don't necessarily have to be true technology enthusiasts. Even people who are merely interested in technology can usually have a lot of fun and enjoyment with entry-level printers. The devices are particularly suitable for all those who enjoy experimenting, tinkering and creating things. For example, a 3D printer can be a really handy everyday helper. If the plastic handle of a cabinet in the bathroom breaks off, you can easily make it yourself with a 3D printer.

3D printers are less suitable for people who don't enjoy making and developing things themselves. In addition to this, you should have a certain amount of patience, as the works are obviously not created within seconds. Impatient people may quickly lose interest.

What material is best for beginners 3D printer

For FDM printers, PLA filament is the most suitable material. This is characterized by simple processing and is therefore actually optimal for beginners. In any case, most print fans resort to PLA. This is by far the most popular material. And not without reason. Under optimal conditions, PLA exhibits high biodegradability and is compostable. In addition, the material is produced in a comparatively environmentally friendly way.

Especially in the recent past, PETG filament has also become one of the most popular materials for 3D printing. This is polyethylene terephthalate, which can also be found in beverage bottles or bags, among other things. Thanks to its surface texture, the material can be processed easily and very quickly. Layer adhesion is also good; in addition, the objects shrink only very slightly in size after cooling. In addition, it is a comparatively inexpensive material.

Conclusion: Have fun even as a beginner

3D printers are by no means only for true technology enthusiasts. Even beginners can effortlessly create their first objects with the majority of the devices and possibly find a new passion for life. You should make sure that the pressure is made as easy as possible for you as a beginner. This includes, for example, easy insertion of the material, but also intuitive operation of the printer menu and settings. Other important factors include the adhesion of the print bed, the size of the installation space, and the price. Our tip: Before buying, you should take a close look at what you expect from your device. Thus, it should be comparatively easy to find a suitable printer.