3D printers are really a hot topic and a product that has really taken the world by storm since they were first launched on the consumer market a couple of years ago. Both consumers and businesses today buy 3D printers to produce prototypes of products, or simply as a hobby to produce various innovative items that do not exist at the present time.
Today, however, there are a wealth of different technologies and different types of 3D printers of varying quality and price, and therefore it’s not easy to find the best 3D printer for you. We’ve put together this little longer guide that includes a 3D printer best in test to help you simplify your choice when buying 3D printers.
3D Printer Test: How Does a 3D Printer Work?
The most common question many wonder about when it comes to 3D printers is how they actually work in practice. Many 3D printers today use complex techniques to print as accurately as possible, but basically they work in the same way.
Basically, almost all 3D printers work in the same way, and they create thin layers in a filament that adds to each other, which then builds the three-dimensional shape that you want to print. The warehouses that are being built are built on a construction platform that is raised and lowered and lowered to make room for new layers, thus building a model upwards. The height and width are determined by the size of the 3D printer and its range in length, width and height.
To create the model that the printer uses to print, this is done in a 3D modeling program that supports export in the format. STL that most 3D printers support. It is common for these models to be created in applications such as the popular CAD program AutoCAD.
The Story Behind 3D Printers
3D printers have been around for more than 30 years, but today it is considered a right new technology, and this is due in part to the fact that this type of product was almost exclusively used by companies until 2009. 3D printers started to be used in the 1980s, the number of companies to produce prototypes of different products, mostly because it was very cost effective.
In 2009, the first real consumer printers were released, which were easy to use and get started with, but these were not very cheap and you also had to assemble them yourself. These went to about $ 100,000 and the results they produced were not even half as good as the cheapest consumer printers available on the market today. Now in recent years, the technology has become more mature and they have also increased a lot in popularity, now it’s time to invest in a 3D printer.
What Do Modern 3D Printers Look Like?
Most 3D printers today are designed in a way that makes it easy for you as a consumer to get started and printing without having to dive deeper into documentation and focus on the really technical pieces. All you need to do is to stop the filament, which is used for printing, in the printer, and adjust the so-called building platform.
The hardest thing is to create the models in 3D programs, as this requires some prerequisites or more closely. Unfortunately, it is not easy to draw in Paint when creating a 3D model, but it may take hours of work and a lot of experience to create complex models. However, this is not a major problem today, since the internet is a good source of information where you can read exactly how to create perfect 3D models. You can also refill ready-made models that are ready to be printed without the need to draw, if you wish.
Differences Between Cheap and Expensive 3D Printers
When you buy a 3D printer, what you buy can largely depend on how much money you want to spend on a printer, as well as how much experience you actually have. The cheapest 3D printers on the market are usually not assembled, as this would cost the printer a lot more – these printers let you assemble yourself, which can be a quite complex process if you do not really have experience in the area. However, these come with detailed instructions on how to put the printer together, which makes it easier to put it together.
If you buy a slightly more expensive printer, you can expect it to be already assembled and feel more robust, making it much easier to get started with the product. The slightly more expensive 3D printers, most commonly referred to as 3D printers, are the best in tests, but also offer higher quality prints in comparison to the cheaper models.
Print Quality
Nowadays, the quality of the 3D printers has become significantly better, compared with first-generation 3D printers that produced results of varying quality. Depending on the filament, the quality may also differ and therefore it is good to buy a good quality filament. However, yet today it is very common for the printouts made with a 3D printer to have a slight ribbed surface, but this is no major problem when you can have smoother surfaces by sanding the surface with sandpaper or using vapors from acetone.
It may also differ slightly in the quality of the prints depending on the type of filament used, but the most popular that almost everyone uses today is made of ABS or PLA. This is because these materials produce results that are good, and so are these materials very cost effective.
Top 3 Best 3D Printers Under $1000
Since today there is a whole lot of different 3D printers of varying quality, it becomes harder and harder to find the best 3D printer, so we’ve put together a few reviews to help you make the selection easier. Below you will find these and also links to the different products:
1. M3D MICRO 3D Printer
First in our 3D printer best in test, the 3D printer is Micro from M3D. This compact 3D printer, currently one of the smallest in the market, is only 185x185x185 mm, making it the perfect choice if you’re in trouble with space, but still want to print models in 3D format. This can be an advantage and a disadvantage as the printable area is smaller than most other printers on the market, which means that you can not print as large models as some other models can.
Another advantage that this printer has against the Velleman Vertex K8400, for example, is that this printer is already mounted, making it the perfect choice if you want to get started with 3D printing directly without having to build 3D printers and crying down on how it works actually works technically. The software included with this printer is also very easy to use and install, making it easy to get started and print.
Another disadvantage of this particular printer is also that the quality of the prints is not the best, but it’s easy to print some prints in the printouts, which can be corrected afterwards. It also takes some time to print with this printer to the rest. A clear advantage, however, with this printer is that it has a building plate of the popular BuildTak material that facilitates printing when the filament attaches better to the plate itself.
Another thing that is negative is that this printer does not support ordinary filaments rolls out of the box, but in order to use these, you need to print a holder. Without this holder, only M3D filaments can be used.
Considering that this is one of the most affordable and compact printers in the market, this is definitely worth a spot in our 3D printer best in test. It’s easy to get started with and already mounted, which very few models offer with this price tag today.
See the price here!
2. XYZ Da Vinci 1.0 PRO 3D Printer
Next trip in our 3D printer best in test is Da Vinci 1.0 Pro from XYZ. This is a 3D printer designed primarily for professional use according to the manufacturer, and it is quite right considering that the printer is 460x560x500mm big and weighs the entire 26kg – this is not a printer you just have standing next to your computer at home!
In addition to the size, this is an enclosed printer that is already mounted, which means that it is very easy to get started with clean practicality. The advantage of an encapsulated 3D printer is that this also helps reduce the noise level, as well as eliminating the smell of burned plastic that some 3D printers emit when printing prints. Functionally, it’s packed, but the easy-to-use software makes it easier for you to configure the printer.
Another plus with this printer is that it supports WiFi, meaning you can have the printer in another room and print remotely, which is smooth considering the printer is large. Another advantage is also that the building plate is heated.
The printer is also based on open source as some other models we tested, which is a clear advantage for those who are technically interested. The printer also comes with XYZWare that provides settings that allow you to adjust the 3D printer in a very easy way.
When it comes to the quality of the prints, this printer performs like Vinci Junior, but with a larger building plate, which means that you can print significantly larger items. As with some other printers, there are some rifles, but these can, of course, be processed. The printer uses only PLA or ABS filament.
The conclusion is that this is a slightly more expensive printer that offers some more advanced features and even support for larger prints, but the print quality is far from impressive. However, the printer is very quiet and easy to get started with, making it a great choice if you want to get started quickly.
See the price here!
3. Renkforce RF1000
The RF1000 from Renkforce is not a beginner’s model, but is aimed at professionals and people who have previously had some experience about how 3D printers work technically. The printer is a quality product that is manufactured in Germany and has a size of 375x410x500 mm and a weight of 16.5kg making it one of the larger models, along with Vinci 1.0.
As mentioned earlier, this is not an entry model aimed at the one who wants to get his first 3D printer, but this printer is aimed at professionals. This is already apparent immediately when you get the printer when it is not installed and the software is not as easy to get started as with other models.
The software for this product is based on open source code, which modifies what you want to do with the printer, which is a positive aspect if you want to get the most out of your printer. The printer also supports engraving and milling of items with additional parts that you can buy afterwards. It is also great to order spare parts for this printer online, which will make it possible to break down afterwards due to wear and tear.
Another advantage that this printer has in comparison with others is that it supports a lot of different filaments such as PLA, ABS, Polyamide, Laywood, Bendlay, HIPS, NinjaFlex, SmartABS, PVA, Laybrick, Nylon, PP, PS. This makes you have a great choice when it comes to buying filament and you do not have to rely on a variety, but you have a completely different choice. In addition to what has been mentioned above, this 3D printer also has a high quality networking device designed for industry where continuous operation is a requirement, replaceable nozzle, ceramic print plate, and wear-free cable wiring to name a few things.
This is truly a quality product that offers features that not many other brands can, but it also shows the price and the advanced printer. This is no product for the beginner, but if you have experience previously, this model may be perfect for you.
See the price here!
4. Velleman Vertex K8400
Last but actually greatest in our 3D printer best in test is Vertex K8400 from Velleman. This is a printer that requires some experience earlier to get started, but it is much easier to use than the Renkforce RF1000. The printer comes with detailed instructions that step by step show exactly how to build the printer, which are both easy to follow and implement.
The printer uses PLA or ABS filament and provides very high quality prints and is the model we tested that left the least ripples on the print models. The printer is also very fast and whips the more expensive Da Vinci Pro model, while providing significantly better results.
The software is also of open source and based on popular Marlin 3D printer, as well as software upgrades by end users, which is very positive. The printer also comes with Repetier, CuraEngine and Slic3r software.
Another advantage is that the printer can be used freely without connecting to a computer, as it has both the LCD panel and an SD card reader. This is convenient especially if you do not want the printer standing right next to your computer, which is an advantage as it is a bit loud with regard to the encapsulated models. There is also support for an extra printhead, which means that combining up to 2 colors can be combined at the same time. However, you will have to pay extra for the second print head, as it is unfortunately not included in the kit.
The conclusion, however, is that this is a very good printer and it is probably the printer that produces absolutely the best prints for the best 3d printer price. The downside is, however, that you have to assemble it yourself, but with simple instructions, this is no problem making it an excellent choice.
See the price here!
Conclusion
All 3D printers best tested in this list are really recommended. There is not one that suits everyone, as they are made for different purposes. The former is perfect if you just want to get started a little bit and try it out for fun, for personal use. However, if you want to print prototypes or buy a 3D printer for your company then the other 3 are recommended! So it’s very difficult for us to design a 3D printer best in testing as it varies from what to use, but in the list there are many good 3d printers for all kinds of uses. Good luck!
