3D printers are becoming more affordable, which means that tinkerers on a budget can get some decent 3D printers. That’s not what we’re looking at here however. The printers listed here are ones that have pushed the industry forward as far as consumer printers are concerned.
The four best 3D printers you can buy in 2019 are the Prusa i3, the MakerBot Replicator 2, the XYZprinting X-Ray 3D Printer and the Wanhao i3.
da Vinci Color
XYZprinting is a reliable and innovative printer company that has a wide product range. For example, their da Vinci AIO printers include a 3D laser scanner which makes them into a 3D photocopier.
While FDM printers have become quite mature, most are still limited to printing in a single color. Dual- or multi-extruder models can be used to easily print in multiple colors. However, if you want a proper full-color 3D object there haven’t been any consumer products up to the task.
The da Vinci Color printer is a new technology that combines FDM 3D printing with CMY ink printing technology. This system can color the outer layer of your print however you like, making it easier and faster to create prints. The da Vinci Color feels like the beginnings of the sci-fi replicators we imagined 3D printers could be.
The HP Envy x360 is a high-end laptop that comes with many high-tech features. WiFi is a given on high-end models these days, but it also has a magnetic print bed and sports a sophisticated auto-calibration system. ..
The Color printer is a little tight for some, but the vast majority of users will be perfectly happy with that much room. The only real gripe is that the 100 micron maximum resolution is quite a bit grainier than the 20 micron resolution on the da Vinci Pro. If the price of the Color is too rich for your blood, there’s a Mini version of the printer now available for pre-order.
Flashforge Creator Pro
The new Creator Pro model of Flashforge is better than the original because it uses better materials and is sturdier.
The new aluminum construction and guide-rod assembly are all aimed at precision and reliability. To top it all off, the built chamber is insulated, so that ABS (it also supports PLA) cools consistently.
This dual-extruder printer opens up all sorts of possibilities for two-color prints and different grades of material for supports and final product. ..
The Creator Pro is a printer that prints high-quality prints at a fraction of the cost of other machines in this price bracket. The original price tag for the Creator Pro was well north of a grand, but it has seen consistent price cuts to now be almost half the original cost.
The iPhone 6S is a powerful and affordable phone that offers great features for the price.
LulzBot Taz 6
The LulzBot Taz 6 is an advanced 3D printer that sports a massive build volume of 11.02” x 11.02” x 9.8” and is priced similarly to other printers on the market. This printer is perfect for anyone looking to create high-quality prints at home or in a office setting.
Lulzbot is a printer that’s reliable enough to run constantly in a factory setting. Indeed, Lulzbot actually does this, with 150 machines printing parts that go into the printers that customers ultimately buy.
The Taz 6 is a 3D printer that doesn’t need WiFi to print. It supports SD card printing, so you can just bring the model files with you and start printing. ..
The Bosch WSB1405UC is a high-quality, low-maintenance washing machine that is easy to use. ..
The Taz 6 is a printer that impresses with its modular design, which means you can upgrade or modify your existing printer to support dual material printing and a long list of printing materials, including wood and metal composites, nylon filaments and printing materials that haven’t been invented yet. That’s some serious future proofing and makes the fat price tag much more sensible in this context.
Dremel Digilab 3D20
But the Digilab is a bit of a letdown in terms of print quality. The prints are often blurry and have poor resolution, making them difficult to see and edit.
The Digilab 3D printer is one of the most consumer-friendly 3D printers on the market. It doesn’t have a heated build platform, so you are limited to PLA material. This may not be a bad thing, since Dremel is pitching the Digilab as a high-quality desktop printer.
PLA is used for models that need better details and overall finish, not ones that will actually be used for practical parts. This focus on PLA means the Digilab is tuned to that material, making it much more likely that your prints will come out the way they are supposed to.
Dremel has a reputation for making reliable tools, which is why it’s such a favorite among builders and makers of all stripes.
The Digilab is a quality of life device that includes a full-color touch screen and the ability to print from an SD card. This means the Digilab can operate independently from a computer, with a very friendly UI. ..
The only potential downside is the 9"x5.9"x5.5" build volume. If you want to print models that are larger than this, you’ll have to look elsewhere. Otherwise, this is probably the best “sweet spot” desktop printer you can buy today. ..
The Time is Now
Standard material deposition 3D printers are now ready for primetime. There’s no reason to hesitate on pulling the trigger when it comes to desktop 3D printers any more. While there is still a lot of innovation on the horizon, the next generation of 3D printing technology isn’t going to make it to your desk any time soon. ..
This means that waiting is not a good idea. If you have a modern 3D printer, it should stay relevant for years to come, until they find a way to bring true multi-material printing to the home market. If you’ve always wanted a 3D printer, 2019 is as good of a time as any to finally buy one. Enjoy!
