Looking for the best 3D printers for action figures? Read our guide for the top 5 recommendations of printers that will not disappoint you.
Getting acquainted with 3d printers and which of all models is the best is not entirely easy.
There are many printers on the market in widely varying prices. And that you need to think about what material to print in, and that you will find as easy-to-use 3D printer as possible. To make it easier for you, today I have compiled a list of the best 3D printers on the market right now, based on user reviews and expert reviews.
Best 3D Printer for Action Figures
In this test you will find the following 3d printers:
- Flashforge Creator Pro (best in test)
- Creality3D Ender-3 (good budget choice)
- Flashforge Adventurer 3
- Makerbot Replicator +
1. Flashforge Creator Pro
AVAILABLE ON AMAZON
Flashforge Creator Pro is in my opinion the best 3d printer right now. It is a nice gateway to 3d printing, and is suitable for you who are a beginner (or if you want something for the office, school or other organization where many are new to 3d printers).
It is also one of the most popular 3d printers that has received the highest ratings in places like Amazon and the like. The printer is also one of the latest news from the manufacturer, which among other things made Flashforge Finder before.
A tip is that you use Flashforge Creator Pro together with, for example, Simplify 3D . It greatly facilitates the process. 3d printer supplied is like this.
The building board may be slightly small, but seems to last a long time.
This printer works well for materials / filaments such as PLA plastic, ABS and NinjaFlex. Because the printer supports dual extrusion, you can also use this 3D printer for more advanced printing.
The printer comes with a heated plate, which is a prerequisite when working with certain types of filaments. The door to the printer (to close in vapors etc. when the material is heated) is a bit shaky though – but it can be solved by taping to it properly.
Pros
- Easy to use.
- High quality prints.
- Pretty good price considering that there are a lot of features you get.
Cons
- The spool holder can be slightly large for some of the materials.
- Wobbly door.
Creality3D Ender-3
AVAILABLE ON AMAZON
Creality 3D Ender-3 is a nice budget choice for you who are looking for a nice 3d printer.
Because there is a large community behind this printer, it is easy to find both guides and tips on how to proceed when using it.
To help with the actual installation / assembly, there will be an associated PDF, but it is even better if you watch videos from youtube on how to most easily install the 3d printer. Make sure you really spend a little extra time mounting the 3d printer properly.
The printer provides high quality prints. It’s easy to use – load it with filament and print, basically.
The motors for the 3d printer unfortunately sound quite a lot, so make sure to have your printer in a place that does not disturb you when you go to sleep or the like.
Slicers that work well for this 3d printer are for example PrusaSlicer , or Ultimaker Cura .
Don’t forget to also buy the filaments (the product you use to create your 3D gadget) you need for the printer. The filaments are usually sold on spools, and come in all possible colors. Isopropanol, microfiber cloth and calipers can also be good to have.
Pros
- Very affordable.
- Good quality of the device and associated hardware.
- Easy to use.
Cons
- Can be a bit loud.
- Requires you to spend some time assembling the printer.
Flashforge Adventurer 3
AVAILABLE ON AMAZON
Flashforge Adventurer 3 is another great 3d printer.
The printer is easy to use and it is no problem to change filaments when you need to. The bonus is that the printer is pre-assembled from scratch.
It also comes with a kind of test print that you can use to easily get started without making your own drawings. However, the PDF itself that is added for this is not super easy to follow. Among other things, you need to find out the printer’s IP number (which you most easily do through the touch screen). The interface itself is fairly easy to use.
When you want to make your own drawings, this printer works well with, for example, TinkerCAD and Flashprint .
This particular printer is fairly quiet – around 50 dB when running. And it’s damn nice that the printer has WiFi.
The printer also comes with a built-in hotplate and is completely encapsulated.
Pros
- Easy to get started with.
- Helpful support.
- Heated plate included with purchase.
Cons
- The instructions for the test prints could be better.
- Doing so-called bed leveling is cumbersome for this printer – you get too little feedback.
Makerbot Replicator +
AVAILABLE ON AMAZON
Makerbot Replicator + is something of a worst for 3D printers. You can count on high quality prints that look exactly as the design is meant to be, which of course is one of the most important things with a 3d printer. The precision feels higher than several of the other printers on the market, which of course affects the price accordingly.
This printer is excellent for wireless printing. In general, the printer is easy to use and works well with the included Makerbot software.
Unfortunately, the printer has a reputation for breaking pretty quickly, which means you may potentially often need to leave it in service. This is a shame considering it’s a good printer otherwise.
Pros
- Fantastically good quality of the prints.
- Possibility of larger prints.
Cons
- Significantly more expensive than many other 3D printers.
- Breaks easily (but it is often possible to change if you contact support).
- Can only handle PLA (not ABS).
Technical Specs – Comparison
List of technical specifications:
Name | Filament type | Filament diameter | Construction speed | Construction dimensions | Layer thickness, resolution |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
FlashForge Creator Pro | PLA, ABS | 1.75 mm | 200 mm / s | 270 × 145 × 150 | 0.1 |
CReality3D Ender-3 | PLA, ABS, PLA, LayWood | 1.75 mm | 180 mm / s | 220 x 220 x 250 | 0.1 |
Flashforge Adventurer 3 | PLA, ABS | 1.75 mm | 150 mm / s | 150 x 150 x 150 | 0.1 |
Makerbot Replicator + | PLA | 1.75 mm | 175 mm / s | 295 x 195 x 165 | 0.1 |
Expensive vs Cheap 3D Printer
What is the real reason why the price of a 3D printer can vary so much?
Above all, it has to do with how much you as a user need to do (and be able to) to get started with the 3D printer.
- Many cheap 3d printers require prior knowledge of how to assemble the printer (which can mean everything from more familiar with CNC tools, to computer and computer skills.
- More complete printers (which often cost a few thousand kronor and up) are instead pre-assembled, and thus it is much easier to get started with these – for you who want to print without hassle and make it easy for yourself. There are also more expensive 3D printers that cost tens of thousands of kronor that are more suitable for more professional use (for companies and larger organizations for example).
Other Factors to Consider
There are additional factors that affect what you pay for a 3d printer, depending on how exactly your 3d printer works. Here are some examples.
Print size
This simply means how big objects you can fit as a 3d print. The bigger things you can print, the more expensive the printer will generally be.
Filament / Raw material
Which raw material (eg PLA filament) you use also affects the price (in that the raw material indirectly affects the functions of the printer) on the 3d printers.
For example: If you use ABS filament (which stands for Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene and is often used to print prototypes for tests, for example), you need a 3D printer where the building board can be heated. Having a cover for the 3d printer in this case is also recommended.
Indirectly, this also affects safety. For example, you may need to have a construction area that is shielded to avoid getting dangerous (or for that matter foul-smelling) fumes. This also increases the price of the 3d printer.
Speed and accuracy
The faster the print speed, the more expensive the printer tends to be. And the more precise details and precision work needed for printing, the more it costs the printer to buy.
Associated programs
Most 3D printers come with a program before, but sometimes you may want a more specific one to handle your prints (which you are used to). In these cases, the total cost also increases.
Additional Specifications to Consider
Here are other specifications to consider before purchasing your 3d printer that may be helpful to know:
- Dual nozzles – this is especially useful if you want to be able to print multiple filaments at the same time.
- Heated building board – Useful to prevent the material from cooling down too quickly (which is important to avoid if you use ABS filaments, for example).
- Resolution (Resolution) – if you want high accuracy / precision when printing.
- Construction volume – The volume determines how large things you can print. However, it does not affect the precision / quality of the prints themselves, but only the size.
FAQs
CAD software for 3d printers – what should I think about?
You generally need two types of software for your printer:
- A CAD tool where you design the 3D model itself.
- A so-called “slicer” tool, which translates your drawing into something that your 3D printer understands (so that the printer understands how to print 3D models).
Many CAD programs for 3d printers support both.
There are all sorts of tools – ranging from those aimed at those who are more beginners (for example TinkerCAD ) or for those who have more experience (for example AutoCAD ).
Can you rent a 3d printer?
It depends a bit on where you live. In some cases, you can rent instead of buying a 3d printer at, for example, Hygglo or Wematter . This can definitely be a good option if you only need to print a few things, or want to try 3D printing for a short project or similar.
Why is 3d printer X not included?
In this test, I have exclusively focused on including various 3D printers that have received high reviews from consumers and experts. This means that many well-known brands such as xyz printing da vinci 1 0, xyzprinting da vinci junior, xyzprinting da vinci 1 0 pro, wanhao duplicator, velleman vertex k8400, ultimaker 2 and more did not qualify for the top list. In total, I estimate that I have spent around 15 hours on this compilation.
Conclusion
There are plenty of aspects to consider when buying a 3d printer. Are you comfortable assembling the printer yourself, or would you rather have everything pre-assembled? What material? How big prints should you have? How fast should the prints be done?
Based on this (and on what user reviews think), I currently recommend Flashforge Creator Pro . It is a good and affordable 3d printer, which is easy to get started with, whether you are a beginner or more experienced. In addition, you get high quality on the prints you make.