Buyer’s guide

Which 3D printer should you buy?

14 printers people are actually buying. Compare any two side by side, filter by what you need, and see honest pros and cons. Prices from each brand's own store.

Our picks

Picked from independent reviews (mainly Tom's Hardware's lab tests) and each maker's spec sheet, not from who pays us. Reviewed Oct 6, 2026.

Best first printer

Bambu Lab A1 mini from $209 Cheapest way into a printer that just works: auto-calibration, quiet, and a cheap 4-color add-on. Small bed, PLA/PETG only. Cheapest 4-color printer

Anycubic Kobra X from $299 Four colors built in at the base price, with a bed a bit bigger than the A1's. Best enclosed printer under $400

ELEGOO Centauri Carbon 2 from $349 Enclosed CoreXY speed for bed-slinger money, and works without a cloud account. Best all-rounder

Bambu Lab P2S from $549 Fast, easy, prints everything with the door closed, and the Combo adds 4-color AMS 2 Pro. Best for ABS, ASA, nylon and carbon fiber

QIDI Q2 from $499 Actively heated 65 °C chamber and a 370 °C hardened nozzle at a mid-range price. Least-waste multicolor

Snapmaker U1 from $721 Four separate toolheads: color swaps take seconds and barely purge any filament. Best overall (Tom's Hardware)

Bambu Lab X2D from $649 Dual nozzle, heated chamber and AMS 2 Pro: the most capable machine here under $1,000. Best premium, built to be repaired

Prusa CORE One+ from $1,203 Open-source, quiet, superb first layers and Prusa's support. You pay for it. Biggest build

Sovol SV08 Max from $1,099 50 cm cube build volume on plain Klipper, for props, helmets and cosplay.

Compare printers side by side

Pick two (or three) printers to see their prices, specs, pros and cons next to each other. You can also tick Compare on any printer below.

Printer 1 Printer 2 Printer 3 (optional)

Printer	Bambu Lab A1	Anycubic Kobra X
Price	$299.00 Combo with AMS lite (4 colors): $399.00	$299.00
Our pick for	—	Cheapest 4-color printer
Build volume	256 × 256 × 256 mm	260 × 260 × 260 mm
Frame	Open frame	Open frame
Heated chamber	No	No
Multicolor	Optional AMS lite, 4 colors	4 colors built in (ACE Gen 2)
Max nozzle temp	—	—
Good	Full-size bed with the A1 mini's ease of use Quiet, reliable auto-calibration Quick-change nozzle Cheap 4-color combo	Four colors included at the base price Slightly bigger bed than the Bambu A1 Quick filament swaps Reliable auto bed leveling
Watch out for	Open frame: no ABS or ASA Color changes purge filament, and the AMS lite takes space	Loading filament through the spool guide is awkward Open frame: no ABS or ASA
Buy	See it at Bambu Lab →Check price on Amazon →	See it at Anycubic →Check price on Amazon →

Our own printer: Bambu Lab P1P · two years of honest notes

It was my first 3D printer and it has never let me down. Getting started was the easy part: connect it to Bambu Studio and start printing from the huge library of free models people have already made and shared.

I've had it for two years (I bought it from a friend who'd used it for a few years before that) and haven't had a problem yet. I upgraded to a 0.4 mm hardened steel nozzle, and PLA and PETG print with no issues. I live in California, where it isn't very humid, which probably helps.

The AMS I added is awesome: it holds 4 colors and switches between them automatically mid-print, so I don't have to swap spools by hand.

— Dave, who runs FilaNexus. No longer sold: the P2S is the current model in the same P series. One owner’s experience over two years, not a lab test.

All 14 printers

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14 printers

Best first printer

Bambu Lab

A1 mini

$209.00 ~~$219.00~~ printer only

Combo with AMS lite (4 colors): $315.50

18 cm cube
Open frame
Optional AMS lite, 4 colors

See it at Bambu Lab →Check price on Amazon →

Good

Cheapest printer here that's ready in minutes: full auto-calibration
Fast and quiet for a bed-slinger
Quick-swap nozzle
The 4-color AMS lite combo is cheap

Watch out for

Small 18 cm bed
Open frame: PLA, PETG and TPU, not ABS or ASA
The AMS lite takes up a lot of desk space

Pros and cons summarized from: Tom's Hardware, best budget 3D printers.

Feeding it, cheapest per kg today: PLA $9.20/kg · PETG $8.03/kg · TPU $12.30/kg · AMS-friendly spools

Compare Price from Bambu Lab, checked Oct 6, 2026 · Photo: Bambu Lab

Creality

SPARKX i7

$279.00 printer only (i7)

26 × 26 × 25.5 cm
Open frame
Optional CFS Lite

See it at Creality →Check price on Amazon →

Good

Very beginner-friendly, with an excellent interface
Quiet and quick
Reliable auto bed leveling
Low-waste color option (CFS Lite)

Watch out for

CFS Lite doesn't rewind spools
Open frame: no ABS or ASA

Pros and cons summarized from: Tom's Hardware, best 3D printers (best for beginners).

Feeding it, cheapest per kg today: PLA $9.20/kg · PETG $8.03/kg · TPU $12.30/kg

Compare Price from Creality, checked Oct 6, 2026 · Photo: Creality

Bambu Lab

A1

$299.00 printer only

Combo with AMS lite (4 colors): $399.00

25.6 cm cube
Open frame
Optional AMS lite, 4 colors

See it at Bambu Lab →Check price on Amazon →

Good

Full-size bed with the A1 mini's ease of use
Quiet, reliable auto-calibration
Quick-change nozzle
Cheap 4-color combo

Watch out for

Open frame: no ABS or ASA
Color changes purge filament, and the AMS lite takes space

Pros and cons summarized from: Tom's Hardware, Bambu Lab A1 review.

Feeding it, cheapest per kg today: PLA $9.20/kg · PETG $8.03/kg · TPU $12.30/kg · AMS-friendly spools

Compare Price from Bambu Lab, checked Oct 6, 2026 · Photo: Bambu Lab

Cheapest 4-color printer

Anycubic

Kobra X

$299.00 ~~$399.00~~ with 4-color system built in

26 cm cube
Open frame
4 colors built in (ACE Gen 2)

See it at Anycubic →Check price on Amazon →

Good

Four colors included at the base price
Slightly bigger bed than the Bambu A1
Quick filament swaps
Reliable auto bed leveling

Watch out for

Loading filament through the spool guide is awkward
Open frame: no ABS or ASA

Pros and cons summarized from: Tom's Hardware, best 3D printers (best budget pick).

Feeding it, cheapest per kg today: PLA $9.20/kg · PETG $8.03/kg · TPU $12.30/kg

Compare Price from Anycubic, checked Oct 6, 2026 · Photo: Anycubic

Best enclosed printer under $400

ELEGOO

Centauri Carbon 2

$349.00 ~~$359.00~~ printer only

Combo with CANVAS (4 colors): $399.00

25.6 cm cube
Enclosed
Optional CANVAS, 4 colors
350 °C nozzle

See it at ELEGOO →Combo with CANVAS (4 colors) →Check price on Amazon →

Good

Enclosed CoreXY for about the price of an open bed-slinger
350 °C hardened nozzle
Works without a cloud account
4-color combo is one of the cheapest enclosed multicolor setups

Watch out for

No active chamber heating: large ABS/ASA parts are less reliable than on a heated-chamber printer
Single-nozzle color swaps purge filament

Pros and cons summarized from: TechRadar, Centauri Carbon 2 Combo (4.5/5) · Tom's Hardware, best 3D printers (Centauri Carbon, fastest budget).

Feeding it, cheapest per kg today: PLA $9.20/kg · PETG $8.03/kg · ABS $9.69/kg · ASA $11.00/kg

Compare Price from ELEGOO, checked Oct 6, 2026 · Photo: ELEGOO

QIDI

Q2C

$349.00 printer only

Combo with QIDI Box: $529.00

27 × 27 × 25.6 cm
Enclosed
Optional QIDI Box
370 °C nozzle

See it at Qidi →Combo with QIDI Box →Check price on Amazon →

Good

Big enclosed CoreXY bed for the price
370 °C hardened nozzle opens up carbon-fiber and nylon
Klipper firmware: works with OrcaSlicer and PrusaSlicer

Watch out for

No heated chamber, camera or filter (those are on the Q2)
Tom's Hardware found the QIDI Box unreliable on the Q2, so think twice about the Combo

Pros and cons summarized from: 3D Tech Valley, QIDI Q2C review · Tom's Hardware, QIDI Q2 Combo review.

Feeding it, cheapest per kg today: PLA $9.20/kg · PETG $8.03/kg · ABS $9.69/kg · ASA $11.00/kg

Compare Price from Qidi, checked Oct 6, 2026 · Photo: QIDI

Anycubic

Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro Combo

$499.00 with ACE 2 Pro (4 colors)

25 cm cube
Enclosed
ACE 2 Pro, 4 colors (included)
320 °C nozzle

See it at Anycubic →Check price on Amazon →

Good

Enclosed, 4 colors and a filament dryer in one box
Reviewers rate its print quality highly
Simple to set up, with a decent slicer and app

Watch out for

Single-nozzle color swaps purge filament
No active chamber heating

Pros and cons summarized from: TechRadar, Kobra S1 Combo · CGMagazine, Kobra S1 Combo review.

Feeding it, cheapest per kg today: PLA $9.20/kg · PETG $8.03/kg · ABS $9.69/kg · ASA $11.00/kg

Compare Price from Anycubic, checked Oct 6, 2026 · Photo: Anycubic

Best for ABS, ASA, nylon and carbon fiber

QIDI

Q2

$499.00 printer only

Combo with QIDI Box: $649.00

27 × 27 × 25.6 cm
Enclosed
Heated chamber
Optional QIDI Box
370 °C nozzle

See it at Qidi →Combo with QIDI Box →Check price on Amazon →

Good

Actively heated chamber (65 °C): ABS, ASA, PC and nylon print well
370 °C hardened bimetal nozzle
Carbon filter for fumes
Fast CoreXY

Watch out for

Tom's Hardware's QIDI Box (multicolor) failed repeatedly: buy the printer alone
The touchscreen gets in the way of the door

Pros and cons summarized from: Tom's Hardware, QIDI Q2 Combo review · TechRadar, QIDI Q2 review.

Feeding it, cheapest per kg today: PLA $9.20/kg · PETG $8.03/kg · ABS $9.69/kg · ASA $11.00/kg

Compare Price from Qidi, checked Oct 6, 2026 · Photo: QIDI

Best all-rounder

Bambu Lab

P2S

$549.00 printer only

Combo with AMS 2 Pro (4 colors): $749.00

25.6 cm cube
Enclosed
Optional AMS 2 Pro, 4 colors
300 °C nozzle

The P2S is the current version of our own Bambu P1P: two years of PLA and PETG with no problems. See "Our own printer" above.

See it at Bambu Lab →Check price on Amazon →

Good

Prints every common material with the door closed
Touchscreen and easy-swap nozzle
CoreXY speed with Bambu's ease of use
Kept close to the old P1S price

Watch out for

AMS color swaps waste filament
Closed ecosystem: Bambu-specific parts and software

Pros and cons summarized from: Tom's Hardware, Bambu Lab P2S review (Editor's Choice).

Feeding it, cheapest per kg today: PLA $9.20/kg · PETG $8.03/kg · ABS $9.69/kg · ASA $11.00/kg · AMS-friendly spools

Compare Price from Bambu Lab, checked Oct 6, 2026 · Photo: Bambu Lab

Best overall (Tom's Hardware)

Bambu Lab

X2D

$649.00 printer only

AMS Combo (AMS 2 Pro): $899.00

25.6 cm cube
Enclosed
Heated chamber
Dual nozzle + optional AMS 2 Pro
300 °C nozzle

See it at Bambu Lab →Check price on Amazon →

Good

Dual nozzle: two materials, less purge waste
Active chamber heating
Easy-swap nozzles
Door stays closed for every material

Watch out for

The second nozzle is fed through a Bowden tube
AMS 2 Pro needs an extra power cord to dry filament while printing

Pros and cons summarized from: Tom's Hardware, best 3D printers (best overall).

Feeding it, cheapest per kg today: PLA $9.20/kg · PETG $8.03/kg · ABS $9.69/kg · ASA $11.00/kg · AMS-friendly spools

Compare Price from Bambu Lab, checked Oct 6, 2026 · Photo: Bambu Lab

Least-waste multicolor

Snapmaker

U1

$721.00 ~~$999.00~~ 4 toolheads

27 cm cube
Open frame
Tool changer, 4 toolheads

See it at Snapmaker store →Check price on Amazon →

Good

Tool changer: color swaps in seconds with almost no purge waste
CoreXY speed, open-source Klipper
Excellent auto bed leveling and a camera

Watch out for

The enclosure costs extra
Launched on Kickstarter, so it has a shorter track record

Pros and cons summarized from: Tom's Hardware, Snapmaker U1 review (Editor's Choice).

Feeding it, cheapest per kg today: PLA $9.20/kg · PETG $8.03/kg · TPU $12.30/kg

Compare Price from Snapmaker store, checked Oct 6, 2026 · Photo: Snapmaker

QIDI

Plus5

$749.00 printer only

Combo with QIDI Box: $899.00

32 × 32 × 30 cm
Enclosed
Heated chamber
Optional QIDI Box

See it at Qidi →Combo with QIDI Box →Check price on Amazon →

Good

Bigger 32 cm bed with an actively heated chamber
HEPA air filtration
Very little setup, polished hardware and software

Watch out for

Filament loads from the back, which is awkward
Single color unless you add the QIDI Box

Pros and cons summarized from: Tom's Hardware, best 3D printers (best practical).

Feeding it, cheapest per kg today: PLA $9.20/kg · PETG $8.03/kg · ABS $9.69/kg · ASA $11.00/kg

Compare Price from Qidi, checked Oct 6, 2026 · Photo: QIDI

Biggest build

Sovol

SV08 Max

$1,099.00 ~~$1,299.00~~ ships from US, no enclosure

50 cm cube
Open frame
Single color
300 °C nozzle

See it at Sovol store →Check price on Amazon →

Good

Huge 50 cm cube build volume
Plain open-source Klipper
Fast eddy-current bed leveling

Watch out for

Loud, and the optional enclosure rattles
Some software and firmware quirks
May be too big for your space

Pros and cons summarized from: Tom's Hardware, best 3D printers (best large format).

Feeding it, cheapest per kg today: PLA $9.20/kg · PETG $8.03/kg · TPU $12.30/kg

Compare Price from Sovol store, checked Oct 6, 2026 · Photo: Sovol

Best premium, built to be repaired

Prusa

CORE One+

$1,202.78 assembled (kit $925)

25 × 22 × 27 cm
Enclosed
Heated chamber
Add-ons (INDX tool changer)
290 °C nozzle

See it at Prusa →

Good

Open-source and built to be repaired
Very quiet, with excellent first layers
Heated chamber up to 55 °C
Cheaper as a kit, and MK4S owners can convert

Watch out for

About double the price of similar enclosed printers
Multicolor costs extra

Pros and cons summarized from: Tom's Hardware, best 3D printers (best premium) · Prusa CORE One+ specifications.

Feeding it, cheapest per kg today: PLA $9.20/kg · PETG $8.03/kg · ABS $9.69/kg · ASA $11.00/kg

Compare Price from Prusa, checked Oct 6, 2026 · Photo: Prusa

How to choose

What will you print in?

PLA, PETG and TPU print fine on an open printer. ABS and ASA warp without an enclosure, and big ABS, nylon or polycarbonate parts want an actively heated chamber.

Do you want color?

Most multicolor printers use one nozzle and purge filament at every color change, which adds up. Tool changers (Snapmaker U1) and dual nozzles (Bambu X2D) waste far less.

How big?

About 18 cm (A1 mini) is plenty for toys and small parts. 25–27 cm fits most things. Helmets and props want 32 cm or more.

Budget for filament

A printer running most days goes through about 1 kg a month. Each card shows today's cheapest filament for the materials it handles.

Every spec in one table

Printer	From	Build volume	Frame	Chamber	Multicolor
Bambu Lab A1 mini	$209.00	180 × 180 × 180 mm	Open frame	No	Optional AMS lite, 4 colors
Creality SPARKX i7	$279.00	260 × 260 × 255 mm	Open frame	No	Optional CFS Lite
Bambu Lab A1	$299.00	256 × 256 × 256 mm	Open frame	No	Optional AMS lite, 4 colors
Anycubic Kobra X	$299.00	260 × 260 × 260 mm	Open frame	No	4 colors built in (ACE Gen 2)
ELEGOO Centauri Carbon 2	$349.00	256 × 256 × 256 mm	Enclosed	Not heated	Optional CANVAS, 4 colors
QIDI Q2C	$349.00	270 × 270 × 256 mm	Enclosed	Not heated	Optional QIDI Box
Anycubic Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro Combo	$499.00	250 × 250 × 250 mm	Enclosed	Not heated	ACE 2 Pro, 4 colors (included)
QIDI Q2	$499.00	270 × 270 × 256 mm	Enclosed	Actively heated	Optional QIDI Box
Bambu Lab P2S	$549.00	256 × 256 × 256 mm	Enclosed	Not heated	Optional AMS 2 Pro, 4 colors
Bambu Lab X2D	$649.00	256 × 256 × 256 mm	Enclosed	Actively heated	Dual nozzle + optional AMS 2 Pro
Snapmaker U1	$721.00	270 × 270 × 270 mm	Open frame	No	Tool changer, 4 toolheads
QIDI Plus5	$749.00	320 × 320 × 300 mm	Enclosed	Actively heated	Optional QIDI Box
Sovol SV08 Max	$1,099.00	500 × 500 × 500 mm	Open frame	No	Single color
Prusa CORE One+	$1,202.78	250 × 220 × 270 mm	Enclosed	Actively heated	Add-ons (INDX tool changer)

Cheapest first. Prices are each brand's own US store price for the base printer, before tax and shipping.

Printer accessories on Amazon

Enclosures on Amazon Filament dryers on Amazon Hardened nozzles on Amazon Spare build plates on Amazon Tool kits on Amazon Bed adhesive on Amazon

As an Amazon Associate, FilaNexus earns from qualifying purchases. We don't show Amazon prices; these links open Amazon's current listings.

How we keep this page honest

Rankings ignore commissions. Links to Anycubic and QIDI may earn us a commission. Bambu Lab, Creality, ELEGOO, Snapmaker, Sovol and Prusa pay us nothing for their store links and are picked on exactly the same terms. Amazon buttons are affiliate links for every printer.
Prices come from the brands' own stores. Stores we can read are re-checked every day. The rest are checked by hand, and a price we haven't confirmed in 30 days is hidden rather than shown wrong.
We cite our sources. Every card links the reviews its pros and cons come from. Product photos are each maker's own.

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