Best 3D Printers for Materialization of Your Thoughts

The LulzBot TAZ 6 model is one of the best 3D printers for home or professional use you can find on the market. Utilizing the FDM technology, this device lays and fuses building material layer by layer thus creating various three-dimensional parts. The TAZ 6 is very simple to operate and therefore many professors, designers and engineers choose it for their work. One of the undeniable advantages of the printer is its impressive printing area and build volume allowing the device to create 3D models with maximum dimensions of 11.02 "x 11.02" x 9.8".Objects of this size are comparable with the size of a basketball so you can create really big 3D models right on your desktop. The printing platform of this desktop 3D printer is made of borosilicate glass and covered with PEI print surface, with that, it is heated and therefore enables you to use different filament materials. This 3D printing device by LulzBot offers a wide compatibility with various materials, such as ABS, PLA, HIPS, PVA, wood filled filaments, Polyester (Tritan), PETT, as well as bronze, copper, stainless steel-filled filaments and many synthetic materials. Moreover, this list is constantly expanded. Please note that the diameter of filament threads or wires used is 0.1 inches, which is an important parameter to consider when purchasing building materials.

Those people who are interested primarily in high-quality 3D printing, are recommended to consider the Creator Pro model by the FlashForge company. What makes this high-quality 3D printer even more attractive compared with its previous version are significant changes and improvements that made the printer even better. The updated model is built around a metal frame, which not only ensures a more accurate positioning of the device moving parts but also a longer service life. The use of metal in the Creator Pro structure has also made it possible to achieve a high body rigidity as well as to reduce vibrations when model printing is in progress. The vertical support used in the Pro model is better stabilized when the printing platform is moving, which undoubtedly contributes to the quality of the resulting 3D models. The improvements allowed to achieve the accuracy of the extruder assembly positioning at the rate of 0.0004" along the XY axes and the 0.0001" along the Z axis. The printer is designed as a closed chamber with an openable door and a removable cover, which make keeping the desired temperature inside and preventing the dust from getting inside the chamber much easier. The door can be opened through an angle of 180 degrees, allowing a convenient access inside the chamber to extract the finished model or remove accumulated garbage. The cover has a unibody design in contrast to the prefabricated panels of this printing device from FlashForge thus making its handling easier. With that, the cover is completely transparent, which allows you to better monitor the fabrication process. Reattaching the cover after removing it is not difficult at all, all you need to do is to align the cover along the four corners. There are two convenient handles on the printer sides, which you can use to carry it to a new location if necessary.

Perhaps, the title of the most creatively different and distinctive device in our review can be rightly awarded to the Robo C2 model. This one of the best affordable 3D printers, first of all, differs from its competitors in its compactness. The overall size of this piece of equipment measures 18.25" x 13" x 12.75", which allows you to freely place it anywhere, even on your desktop, among other equipment.The printer has a modern design with the body painted white and blue and the frame elements complemented with transparent plastic panels allowing a more comfortable observation of the printing process.The printing chamber of this model is semi-closed and is protected by walls on three sides with the open front side providing a convenient access inside the printing chamber.The maximum build volume of this chamber is 5" x 5" x 6", which is slightly less than that of other competing models, but considering the overall size of the printer, it's a decent volume. The filament holder is attached to the back of the device body and serves for holding a material spool. The filament is fed to the print head assembly that contains the extruder through a special tube, which is pre-inserted at the printer assembly stage. Securing the filament thread is done by pressing a dedicated button, at that it is important to keep in mind that the Robo C2 works with threads of 0.069" diameter. It is also important to know that the printing platform is not equipped with heating elements, which restricts the choice of filament types. The platform is easily removable, which significantly facilitates the finished model extraction. Before printing your 3D model, it is advisable to align the platform using the "paper sheet" method: adjusting the height of each platform corner and at the same time shifting a paper sheet put on the platform from the centered position to each corner; adjust the corners' height until the paper sheet is hard to shift from the center.

We suggest those who decided to seriously engage in 3D-modeling take a closer look at the da Vinci 3-in-1 professional printer. The model got the "3-in-1" in its name, not for nothing and offers a number of extra features in addition to that of printing three-dimensional objects, which we will talk about later in more detail. However, before getting to the device internals let's look at its exterior: the da Vinci has a stylish and at the same time practical design great Leonardo would have been pleased of. The printer body is manufactured as a closed structure with a built-in printing chamber. The body finish in black and red colors makes this additive manufacturing equipment a modern looking device. The external dimensions of this multifunctional printer are 18.4" x 20" x 22", which makes it easy to use it on your desktop. With two recessed carrying handles on the sides, this prototyping device is convenient to carry, especially considering its 60.6-pound weight. As for parts and objects creation, this printer by XYZ fabricates the models in the closed chamber, which can be accessed by opening the front door.The door is made of a semitransparent material, allowing you to freely observe the fabrication of a model and providing an isolation of the build chamber from the dust and small waste particles. As many peers, this 3D printing solution uses the FFF technology for model fabrication, while the availability of heating for the printing platform allows users to work with various materials, including PLA, ABS plastic, etc. The maximum build volume of this one of the top rated 3D printers is 7.9" x 7.9" x 7.5", which makes it possible to create medium-sized models. Add the print speed of 4 in/sec and you get an amazing tool to render your virtual models real.

This one of the best affordable 3D printers by Monoprice stands out from the rest in its league because it combines convenience, simplicity, and compactness. Such combination makes this model an ideally-suited solution for those users who are just beginning to study and try printing three-dimensional models and parts. Contrary to the most DIY 3D printers, this device is shipped in almost completely assembled state, all you need to do before start printing is to unpack and attach some elements to their places according to the included manual. Monoprice designed this model with a completely open frame so that you could conveniently view your models being printed from all directions. The device is equipped with a printing platform that is pre-calibrated at the factory and offers a preheating feature. However, we recommend you to verify its correct position to prevent the resulting models from being skewed. This can be easily done with a paper sheet, aligning the position of the platform with respect to the print head. As for the filament spool, it attaches to the printer frame's side, and for easier handling, the filament thread is secured with a special spring-loaded clip, which also simplifies its release when you need to replace it. Well matched structure elements enable this device to work with various materials, such as PLA, ABS as well as with more advanced ones like wood, composite filaments, and dissolving PLA. The print speed is 2.16 in/sec making the wait for your model to be finished comparatively short. In general, the Monoprice Select Mini, as the name suggests is more suitable for a fabrication of small and medium-sized models. The model's maximum build volume is 4.7" x 4.7" x 4.7". For a better control of temperature conditions, in addition to the heating of the platform, Monoprice fitted the Mini with 2 cooling fans, one of which is aimed at the metal nozzle of the extruder, and the second is integrated into the lower part of the  device body.