Top 5 BEST 3D Printers in 2025

Which low-cost 3D printer is the best available right now? You might not want to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars right away, regardless of whether you want to start a small business or pursue 3D printing as a hobby. A good way to get started or, if you’re an experienced maker, to expand your farm is to buy a beginner or inexpensive 3D printer.

The good news is that there are plenty of options available to you if you’re looking for the best low-cost 3D printer for your requirements. Numerous competent low-cost 3D printers are available for less, and some even cost less. It is beyond question. It’s a good thing that 3D printers are becoming much faster. It now only takes minutes to complete models that used to take hours. Furthermore, the advancements in technology are not just found in high-end printers. Volcano nozzles, high-flow PLA filament samples, and stock installations of speedy Klipper firmware are available for even the most basic machines.

We conducted a timed print test with standard settings, maximum acceleration, and no flow restrictions to determine which FDM-style (filament) 3D printer provides the best balance of speed and output quality. We tested over a dozen models from top manufacturers like Creality, Bambu Lab, and Prusa using the standard nozzle without making any hardware changes.

Everybody of these are among the best 3D printers for speed and ease of use and surprisingly, even a handful of best budget 3D printers also made this speedster list, but they’re not all created equal. We saw print times ranging from 13 minutes to 41 minutes and huge quality differences in the output of our test model.

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Last update on 2025-01-14 / Affiliate links/images from Amazon.

Top 5 BEST 3D Printers in 2025

1.Bambu Lab A1 Combo

Last update on 2025-01-14 / Affiliate links/images from Amazon.

We don’t know why Bambu Lab didn’t take the lead in bed slingers with the A1, a high-speed Cartesian 3D printer that is standard size and remarkably well-built. Compared to the current generation of speed freak machines, it is much quieter and a pleasure to use. Like the mini, it uses a desk-hogging “lite” AMS (Automatic Material System), but it has the same build size as the P1 and X1 line.

The A1 Combo is roughly the same price as the Bambu Lab P1P without the AMS, retailing for for the printer and $559 for a combo package with an AMS Lite. It features quick change nozzles, an AMS unit that is less likely to jam, and an easy-to-use full-color touch screen. Additionally, the AMS stores spools by the central core, making it compatible with more 3rd party filament.

The Bambu Lab A1 is a contemporary, IKEA-inspired 3D printer that is a standard Cartesian printer, also known as a bed slinger. With a touch screen interface that includes instructions to help you operate the machine, it is incredibly simple to use. Although it lacks an enclosure option, it is built to the same size as the P1 and X1 printer lines.

Its smooth frame and base, which conceal metal rails, linear bearings, and dual Z rods, give it a far more polished appearance than other printers.The A1 requires less headroom but occupies a notably larger space when fitted with an AMS unit. I could print the clip that Bambu Lab provided to connect the AMS to the X gantry, but I didn’t find it very attractive. As it is, the AMS is awkward. Placing it on top of the printer along with 4 kg of filament is unthinkable.

The A1 has half the acceleration of its Core XY siblings, but it is still just as fast. Naturally, 10,000 mm/s is not a bad speed, and since the Core XY machines save half of their acceleration for regular printing, it will be difficult to notice the difference. Vibration compensation is built in to maintain smooth prints at high speed – an Eddy Current sensor on the hotend to measure extrusion pressure for greater stability.

Similar to the Core XY machines, it features the same direct drive with a 300 degree hot end and quick swap steel nozzles. Similar to the Prusa MK4 nozzles, the nozzles’ heat break and cooling fins stop leaks caused by careless user installation. Because they are secured in place by a sturdy magnet and metal buckle, these nozzles are actually very easy to install in comparison to earlier Bambu Lab equipment. The procedure doesn’t require any messy thermal paste, screws, or wiring.

2.Prusa MK4S

Last update on 2025-01-14 / Affiliate links/images from Amazon.

It doesn’t seem as quick on paper as many of the printers in the competition, which have slightly faster printing speeds and higher acceleration speeds. A Bondtech CHT nozzle that boosts volumetric flow is this machine’s secret, though. Ordinary Prusament PLA is forced out by the new nozzle with a volumetric flow of 24 mm³, which is 50% more than the MK4 standard of 16 mm³.

In contrast, Bambu Lab’s house brand PLA has a volumetric flow of 21 mm³, while third-party filament only has a flow of 12 mm³. In PrusaSlicer, Bambu Studio, and OrcaSlicer, the volumetric flow setting limits print speed according to the hotend’s capacity. Typically, “High Speed” filaments have higher volumetric flow numbers, and Bambu Lab’s is 18mm³.

Prusa Research has spent more than 12 years developing a single printer, the i3, using a linear approach to printer design. You may wonder, what is an i3? Currently referred to as the Original Prusa MK4, it is their flagship model. Because Josef Prusa doesn’t want his clients to be left with a mountain of e-waste, the first printer resembles the last one in most ways. He can upgrade his printers.

This implies that you won’t be moping and kicking yourself for not waiting for this “S” model if you recently purchased an MK4. It is available to you as a upgrade. In actuality, just purchasing the new high flow nozzle will result in a respectable improvement. However, you will be deprived of the of the new printer: the 360 fan. (Please forgive the dad joke.)

The fan, which has been repositioned to the front and given a wraparound shroud that blasts the nozzle with silently cool air, is the most noticeable improvement to the MK4S. Yes, keep quiet. The MK4S is quiet enough to share office space, in contrast to many high-speed printers available today.

Some MK4S upgrades are optional and will require separate purchases. The MK4S board can support a GPIO board, allowing you to hack your Prusa to use lights, camera triggers, and servos and program them using gcode. Prusa Research knows that its fan base enjoys tinkering.

Customers requested the accelerometer, another accessory, even though Prusa is adamant that it is unnecessary because its factory settings are so good.All of their machines are compatible with the new Prusa mobile app. You can monitor prints and even download files straight from Printables.com using this interface, which is an upgrade of Prusa Connect. With the NFC antenna that the MK4S comes with, connecting your Prusa to the internet is simple. It will still be necessary to connect older machines in an antiquated manner. For users who prefer to keep their printers offline, the app is completely optional.

3.Bambu Lab P1S

Last update on 2025-01-14 / Affiliate links/images from Amazon.

Once again, Bambu Lab has produced an almost flawless printer that has impressed us with its speed, quality, and versatility. A less costly variant of the wildly popular X1 Carbon, a high-end 3D printer that made effortless Core XY speed accessible to the general public in 2022, is the P1S.

It’s shocking to learn that the P1S offers no new technological advancements. Instead, it provides consumers with a set of features they want: an affordable, fully enclosed Core XY printer that is simple to use. The P1S is less expensive at than the deluxe X1 Carbon, which has a better screen, more sensors, and a better camera.

The P1P has been severely weakened since the P1S was introduced.To appease any sense of buyer’s remorse, Bambu Lab is offering a P1P to P1S upgrade kit for This includes plastic panels, a glass door and top cover plate, heavy-duty toolhead cable and chain, and cabin fans. The P1P famously offered “print it yourself” side panels.

Along with a few extra parts, the Bambu Lab P1S includes everything you need to set up your printer. A spare hotend, two spare nozzle wiping pads, a microSD card, and printer maintenance tools are included. A full-sized, reloadable spool containing a sample of green PLA is also present.

There are multiple test models on the microSD card. To create a do-it-yourself scraper from a file on the microSD, a razor blade and screws are included. Additionally, there are instructions on how to access the slicer and phone app, as well as a paper getting started guide. A QR code that links to an unpacking video is printed on the inside flap of the box.

The entry-level version of Bambu Lab’s high-end X1-Carbon 3D printer is called the P1S. It has the same D-pad selector interface as the P1P and is completely enclosed with plastic sides instead of aluminum.

Bambu Lab has provided us with the third Core XY printer; all three have the same motion system, build volume, speed, and quality. For faster and smoother printing, core XY printers move the X and Y axes simultaneously using a combination of belts. As the build plate gradually descends, the print head remains at the top of the machine. Combined with input shaping for vibration damping, the outcome is incredibly smooth, high-quality prints.

A flawless first layer is produced by the printer’s extremely sensitive auto bed leveling system. There is no way or even need to adjust the z height. After a few minutes of auto calibration the printer just works.

4.Anycubic Kobra 3 Combo

Last update on 2025-01-14 / Affiliate links/images from Amazon.

Anycubic’s Kobra 3, a quick four-color bed slinger, has overtaken Bambu Lab’s multicolor system. Anycubic is the first to deliver their machine to eager customers, despite the fact that numerous 3D printer companies have been hinting at four-color AMS-like systems.

The Kobra 3 with optional ACE (Anycubic Color Engine) costs just $10 less than the rival Bambu Lab A1 Combo. The Kobra 3 combo is currently on sale for , so it’s a great deal, but should you take advantage of it?The Kobra 3 is comparable to the Bambu Lab A1 mechanically. Its speed is a hair faster, but its print volume is a few millimeters smaller. Along with an onboard accelerometer, it also features input shaping and automatic bed leveling. Similar to the A1, each spool of filament in the ACE filament holder has its own Bowden tube, and a switching hub is fixed right on the printer. This removes the opportunity to catch and snag, which may have been an issue with Bambu’s initial AMS. With automatic settings for a variety of filament types, including TPU, the ACE also has the added benefit of being a heated filament drier. However, TPU cannot pass through the ACE without tangling.

The slicer, which came with no way to adjust the waste purge thrown from the printer while changing colors, is the Kobra 3’s main issue. Similar to Bambu Lab devices, the Kobra 3 cuts filament before retracting it, resulting in large squiggles of wasted filament that must be released before loading a new color. The user can reduce these excessively high purge amounts with Bambu Studio and third-party Orca Slicer, but not with Anycubic Slicer. Additionally, it is unable to utilize a “purge object,” which is an additional model composed entirely of filament that would have been thrown away otherwise.

Either updating Anycubic Slicer or enabling Bambu compatibility for the Kobra 3 could address the waste issue.Studio and Orca Slicer. If you don’t mind wasting filament while waiting for an upgrade, then the Kobra 3 is a fine machine. But in my books, this flaw keeps the Kobra 3 off our list of the best 3D printers.

The Anycubic Kobra 3’s appearance is far too similar to that of the rival. It forgoes its distinctive black and blue pattern in favor of a silver frame that simply shouts “clone.” It still features the Anycubic swish on top, which is now white, as well as a strangely mismatched orange cable that appears to have been taken from another device. The translucent cover conceals the powerful fan, giving it a rather contemporary appearance.

A rubber plug covering the USB ports and ACE cable marred the front plate. This is strange to me because the ACE is the Kobra 3’s primary selling point, so this cover is always hanging open. After removing the flap, I tossed it in a drawer.

4.Bambu A1 Mini Combo

Last update on 2025-01-14 / Affiliate links/images from Amazon.

The Anycubic Kobra 3’s appearance is far too similar to that of the rival. It forgoes its distinctive black and blue pattern in favor of a silver frame that simply shouts “clone.” It still features the Anycubic swish on top, which is now white, as well as a strangely mismatched orange cable that appears to have been taken from another device. The translucent cover conceals the powerful fan, giving it a rather contemporary appearance.

A rubber plug covering the USB ports and ACE cable marred the front plate. This is strange to me because the ACE is the Kobra 3’s primary selling point, so this cover is always hanging open. After removing the flap, I tossed it in a drawer.

The Bambu Lab A1 Mini is a contemporary, IKEA-inspired 3D printer with a cantilever design. With a touch screen interface that includes instructions to help you operate the machine, it is incredibly simple to use.

The A1 Mini is a very small, fast 3D printer on its own. It features quick swap nozzles and a direct drive with a 300 degree hot end. Similar to the Prusa MK4 nozzles, the nozzles’ heat break and cooling fins stop leaks caused by careless user installation. Because they are secured in place by a sturdy magnet and metal buckle, these nozzles are actually very easy to install in comparison to earlier Bambu Lab equipment. There aren’t any messy thermal paste, screws, or wiring involved with the process.

When compared to the toolhead on a P1S, P1P, or X1 Carbon, it is noticeably slimmer. It has a similar filament cutter, but the machine’s right side has a more noticeable “finger” that activates it. Whether you need it or not, the filament hub, which is no larger than a pencil, is always attached to the top.

Before tapping the bed for calibration, the A1 Mini uses a silicone brush located close to the back of the plate to clean the nozzle. Additionally, it features an odd little tray at the end of the X gantry for depositing purged filament, which it then hilariously tosses to the side. An open filament box next to these makes it simple to collect them.

To identify broken filament and tangles, the A1 Mini has an odometer in the AMS and a filament run out sensor in the tool head. Additionally, it has a camera for tracking and capturing time lapses, but no AI programming is in place to identify print failures. The camera features a manual privacy shutter and a tiny light. If you don’t want a lot of background movement captured, I would suggest mounting a screen or parking it in a corner because the lens has a wide angle and can capture a sizable portion of your room outside the build plate.

Similar to other Bambu Lab printers, the A1 Mini attempts to assist you in identifying the issue by sending anerror code. The code is written out and can be displayed as a QR code leading to the Bambu Wiki, a knowledge base for operating any Bambu printer. The Wiki will help you identify and fix the problem, often with quick video tutorials.