The Best 3D Printer

Our pick

Prusa i3 MK3S

The best 3D printer

This printer consistently cranked out high-quality prints in our tests and has a huge print volume.

Buying Options

$1,000 from Prusa Research

The Prusa i3 MK3S’s quick setup is manageable for beginners, while its consistency and its thoughtfully chosen, repairable parts will please more advanced users who need a dependable 3D-printing workhorse. It’s also the quietest printer we’ve tested, and it’s compatible with a huge range of plastic types.

Budget pick

Monoprice MP Cadet

A beginner’s printer

The MP Cadet is cheap, reliable, and small enough to fit on any desk.

Buying Options

$250 from Monoprice

If you’re a total beginner who doesn’t want to invest too much, or if you’re looking for a printer that’s safer for children to use (similar machines are advertised for kids as young as 8), the Monoprice MP Cadet might be a better option. In our testing, it consistently turned out flawless (though less detailed) prints as long as the designs weren’t too complex. It has a small, desk-friendly footprint. It’s also just a quarter of the price of the Prusa i3 MK3S, but it doesn’t offer as many features or produce the same level of detail.