81 records
Printers
One uniform spec sheet per printer.
Desktop 3D Printers Editorial Team
The Desktop 3D Printers Editorial Team compiles the printer spec records and writes the guides, comparisons and lists built from them. Each spec value comes from a cited source, unknown values stay blank rather than guessed, and every record shows when its specs were last verified.
160 pagesUpdated
How the team works
Each printer record starts from the manufacturer's product page, spec sheet or documentation, and each source is listed with the date it was read. A figure the maker does not publish shows as a dash; nothing is estimated or carried over from a similar model. Comparisons, lists and topic tables are computed from the records rather than retyped, so a corrected figure updates every page that shows it. The methodology defines each field, and the corrections log records every substantive fix to a published figure.
What the team maintains
Topics
3D printer and laser engraver combos, explained
What a 3D printer and laser engraver combo is, how the laser fits on, its work area, switching time, print quality and how it compares with two machines.
3D printer build volume: what it means and every printer compared
3D printer build volume explained: what X × Y × Z means, how to read the spec and its footnotes, and the build volume of every shipping printer compared.
3D printer motion systems: every type explained and every printer compared
3D printer motion systems explained: bedslinger, CoreXY, delta and gantry layouts, how to spot them on a spec sheet, and the motion system of every shipping printer.
Buying a used 3D printer: what to know before you pay
Buying a used 3D printer: when it makes sense, how used compares with new at current launch prices, and what happens to warranty, parts and firmware.
Guides
How much does a 3D printer cost? Launch prices by tier
3D printer price range from the database: shipping desktop printers launched at $199 to $3,799, median $549. Prices by band, by enclosure class and by feature.
Are 3D printers getting cheaper? Launch prices by year
Are 3D printers getting cheaper? The cheapest launch price has stayed at $199 to $369 since 2022, but heated chambers, enclosures and extra nozzles now launch far lower.
Cantilever 3D printers: how they work and their limits
What a cantilever 3D printer is, why its one-sided arm keeps it small, which printers use the design, and what to check on the spec sheet before you buy.
Cartesian vs CoreXY vs Delta Explained: 3D Printer Motion Systems
Cartesian vs CoreXY vs delta explained: how each motion system moves, what a bedslinger is, and the trade-offs in moving mass, footprint and build shape.
CoreXY vs H-bot, CrossXY and CoreXZ: How the Gantries Differ
CoreXY vs H-bot explained, plus CrossXY, CoreXZ and hybrid CoreXY: how each belt layout moves the toolhead and where you meet it on a spec sheet.
IDEX Dual-Extruder Printers Explained: Mirror and Duplicate Modes
What an IDEX dual-extruder 3D printer is, how its mirror and duplicate modes work and shrink the print width, and how IDEX differs from other dual-nozzle designs.
Linear Rails vs Rods vs Wheels on a 3D Printer, and Belt vs Leadscrew Z
Linear rails, smooth rods and V-wheels compared: how each guide works, what a published test found, which printers use rails, and belt vs leadscrew Z.
Which motion system suits tall and heavy prints?
Tall and heavy prints by motion system: why a bedslinger's moving bed shakes tall parts, what CoreXY, gantry and delta printers do instead, and the tallest of each.
What Is a Delta 3D Printer, and How Does It Work?
What a delta 3D printer is, how three towers and six arms move the nozzle over a round fixed bed, and which makers still sell delta printers.
What Is CoreXY? How the Two-Belt Motion System Works
What CoreXY means on a 3D printer: two fixed motors, two belts, the A/B motor math, how the belts are routed, whether it counts as Cartesian and who invented it.
Why CoreXY Printers Are Faster: Moving Mass and Acceleration
Why CoreXY 3D printers accelerate harder than bedslingers: moving mass, resonance and makers' acceleration claims, plus the bedslingers that match them.
3D printer dimensions: how much space a printer takes up
3D printer dimensions and weights from maker spec sheets, from a 347 mm compact to a 1.4 m large-format machine, plus the desk space bed travel and add-ons need.
What size 3D printer do you need for helmets and cosplay?
A one-piece helmet needs about a 256 x 256 mm bed: a large adult head is 211 mm long before shell and padding. Printer sizes for helmets, props and masks.
250 vs 300 vs 350 mm build volume: what fits on each
A 300 mm bed has 37% more area than a 256 mm bed, and a 350 mm bed 87% more. What fits on each size, with everyday objects and sizes in inches.
How much does a large 3D printer cost?
How much a large 3D printer costs: launch prices of every shipping printer with a 300 mm bed, from $349 to $3,799, by price band, and why bigger costs more.
Can you print objects larger than the build volume?
Not in one piece. You can split a model into parts and join them, or fit a long part diagonally. How slicer cut tools work, and when a bigger printer is the answer.
Standard 3D printer bed size: the most common build volumes
There is no official standard 3D printer bed size. The most common is 256 × 256 mm, and the median shipping printer in the database builds 18.7 liters.
10 W vs 40 W laser modules: what each can cut
A 40 W laser module cuts 15 mm basswood plywood and a 10 W cuts 5 to 6 mm. Maker figures for speed, spot size, materials and price on Bambu Lab and Snapmaker.
Software for 3D printer laser combos: what each machine uses
Which software runs the laser on each 3D printer laser combo: Bambu Suite on the Bambu Lab H2 series, Snapmaker Luban on Artisan and 2.0, and where LightBurn works.
3D printer vs laser engraver: what each machine makes
3D printer or laser engraver? One builds 3D parts from filament, the other burns and cuts sheet material. What each makes, what it uses, and what it costs.
Bambu Lab H2D Laser Full Combo vs printer only: what changes
What the Bambu Lab H2D Laser Full Combo adds over the printer-only H2D, 10 W vs 40 W, the Laser Upgrade Kit for later, and US store prices.
How dangerous are desktop laser modules? Laser classes and eye safety
Why an open 10 to 40 W diode laser is Class 4, when an enclosed laser combo counts as Class 1, when you need laser glasses, and what to check before you buy.
Laser engraving fumes: what you need to know before you buy
What laser engraving smoke contains, which materials you must never cut, and how desktop laser machines vent outdoors or filter smoke with HEPA and carbon.
What is a 3-in-1 3D printer?
A 3-in-1 3D printer swaps heads on one frame to 3D print, laser engrave and cut, and CNC carve. Which models have a CNC module, and what the modular design trades away.
What is a 3D laser printer?
A 3D laser printer is a laser resin (SLA) printer, a laser powder (SLS, SLM) printer or an FDM printer with a laser module. How each works and which use lasers.
Buying a used Bambu Lab printer: what to check
What to check when buying a used Bambu Lab printer: account unbinding, warranty terms, print time, the A1 recall, end-of-life dates and AMS compatibility.
Buying a refurbished 3D printer: programs, warranties and what refurbished means
What refurbished means on a 3D printer, how it differs from used, and the warranty and return terms of US refurbished programs, from makers to Amazon and eBay.
Used 3D printer inspection checklist
A used 3D printer inspection checklist: what to check before you go, questions to ask the seller, physical checks, a test print in person and the red flags.
Where to buy a used 3D printer, and the buyer protection each place gives
Where to buy a used 3D printer in the US: eBay, Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, OfferUp and Mercari, with each platform's buyer protection from its own policy.
3D Printer Connectivity Options: Wi-Fi, Ethernet, USB and Cloud
What connectivity options 3D printers have: Wi-Fi, Ethernet, USB, SD card, Bluetooth and cloud, plus LAN-only modes and what to check on a spec sheet.
3D Printer Speed Claims Explained: Speed, Acceleration and Flow
Do 3D printer speed claims mean anything? What max speed, acceleration and volumetric flow each measure, with worked examples from manufacturer figures.
Hotend Max Temperature Explained: What It Means for Materials
What a 3D printer's max hotend temperature means: what limits it, which nozzle temperatures common filaments need, and why all-metal hotends matter.
Input Shaping and Klipper Explained: Why Fast 3D Printers Need Them
Why fast 3D printers need input shaping: what causes ringing, how Klipper, Marlin, Prusa and Bambu Lab firmware cancel it, and what else limits quality at speed.
What Is Max Volumetric Flow Rate? The 3D Printer Spec Explained
What max volumetric flow rate means on a 3D printer spec sheet, how to turn mm³/s into print speed, what limits it, and how to compare printers by flow.
How to Compare 3D Printers Before Buying: Reading the Spec Sheet
How to compare 3D printers before buying: which specs matter most, how to read a spec sheet, and the gotchas behind build volume, speed and enclosure claims.
Open Firmware vs Closed Firmware 3D Printers Explained
Open firmware vs closed firmware printers explained: Marlin, Klipper, Prusa Firmware Buddy and proprietary firmware, and what open source changes for owners.
What Size 3D Printer Do I Need? Build Volume by Use Case
What size 3D printer do you need? How build volume works, whether 220 x 220 is enough, usable vs advertised volume, and size classes by use case with examples.
Comparisons
Bambu Lab printers with a laser engraver: H2S vs H2D vs H2C vs H2D Pro
Which Bambu Lab 3D printers take a laser engraver: the H2S (10 W only), H2D, H2C and H2D Pro (10 W or 40 W), with processing areas, combos and upgrade kits.
Bambu Lab P1S vs X1-Carbon: spec comparison
Bambu Lab P1S vs X1-Carbon spec comparison: identical build volume and motion claims, different bed temperature, nozzle, sensors, chamber rating and price.
Creality K1 Max vs Bambu Lab X1-Carbon: spec comparison
Creality K1 Max vs Bambu Lab X1-Carbon spec comparison: 300 mm vs 256 mm build volume, speed claims, sensors, chamber rating, firmware source and launch price.
Original Prusa MK4S vs Bambu Lab P1S: specs side by side
Original Prusa MK4S vs Bambu Lab P1S specs side by side: bedslinger vs CoreXY, open frame vs enclosure, build volume, temperatures, firmware and launch price.
Lists
3D printers under $1,000, by launch price
Every shipping 3D printer that launched at $1,000 or less: 39 models, highest launch price first, with motion system, build volume, enclosure, chamber, speed and nozzles.
3D printers under $2,000, by launch price
Every shipping 3D printer that launched at $2,000 or less: 48 models, highest launch price first, with build volume, enclosure, chamber rating, nozzles and laser option.
3D printers under $300, cheapest first
Every shipping 3D printer that launched at $300 or less, cheapest first: eight models from $199 to $299.99, with motion system, build volume, enclosure and speed.
3D printers under $400, cheapest first
Every shipping 3D printer that launched at $400 or less, cheapest first: 19 models with motion system, build volume, enclosure, hotend limit, speed and multicolor system.
Bambu Lab's newest printers, by announcement date
Bambu Lab's newest 3D printer is the A2L, announced June 1, 2026. Every Bambu Lab printer by announcement date, with release month, status and launch price.
Bambu Lab printer comparison: every model side by side
Bambu Lab printer comparison chart: all 13 models with launch price, build volume, enclosure, chamber rating, stock nozzle, nozzle count, flow, AMS and laser.
Cheapest multicolor 3D printers, by launch price
The cheapest multicolor 3D printers: every shipping printer with a multicolor system or more than one nozzle, cheapest launch price first, with sourced combo prices.
Fastest 3D printers by claimed top speed
The fastest 3D printers you can buy, by claimed top speed: three claim 1,200 mm/s. Every shipping printer with acceleration, flow, motion system and launch price.
Fastest large 3D printers: 300 mm beds by claimed speed
The fastest large 3D printers by claimed top speed: every shipping printer with a bed of 300 mm or more, with acceleration, flow, build volume and launch price.
Bambu Lab printers by motion system: CoreXY or bedslinger
Which Bambu Lab printers are bedslingers and which are CoreXY: the A1 mini, A1 and A2L move the bed; the P, X and H series do not. Every model in one table.
CoreXY 3D printers: every shipping model compared
Every shipping CoreXY 3D printer in the database, newest release first, with launch price, build volume, enclosure, and claimed speed and acceleration.
CoreXY 3D printers under $500 and under $300
Every shipping CoreXY 3D printer that launched at $500 or less, cheapest first, with build volume, enclosure, claimed speed and acceleration, and firmware.
Delta 3D printers compared: build size and claimed speed
Every delta 3D printer in the database compared: round build volume, liters, claimed speed and acceleration, enclosure, launch price and whether it still ships.
Bedslinger 3D printers by claimed speed and acceleration
Every shipping bedslinger 3D printer in the database by claimed acceleration and top speed, with flow, build volume and launch price. Five tie at the top.
Large 3D printers under $1,000, by build volume
Large 3D printers that launched at $1,000 or less, sorted by build volume: the biggest under $1,000, $500 and $400, and the cheapest with a 300 x 300 mm bed.
Large CoreXY 3D printers compared by build volume
Large CoreXY 3D printers compared: every shipping CoreXY printer with a bed of 300 mm or more per side, by build volume, with enclosure, claimed speed and launch price.
Large enclosed 3D printers: 300 mm beds and up
Every shipping enclosed 3D printer in the database with a bed of 300 mm or more, largest first: chamber heating, chamber rating, filtration and launch price.
Largest 3D printers for home use, by build volume
The largest 3D printers for home use, by build volume: every shipping printer with a 300 mm or larger bed, from the 800 x 800 x 1000 mm Elegoo OrangeStorm Giga down.
Large multicolor 3D printers: 300 mm beds with AMS, CFS or tool changers
Every shipping 3D printer with a bed of 300 mm or more per side that prints in several colors, by filament changer, dual nozzle or tool changer.
3D printers with a laser engraver: every model compared
Every 3D printer whose maker sells a laser engraver module for it: laser power, whether it is in the box, enclosure, filtration and launch price.
New 3D printers released in 2026
New 3D printers released in 2026, newest first: release month, motion system, build volume, enclosure, claimed speed, toolheads and launch price.
Upcoming 3D printers: announced models and their specs
Upcoming 3D printers that makers have announced but not yet shipped: announcement date, motion system, build volume, enclosure, toolheads and launch price.
3D printer comparison chart: specs of popular printers side by side
A 3D printer comparison chart for 2026: build volume, motion system, enclosure, temperatures, speed claims, firmware and launch price for every printer tracked.
Chamber temperature specs of popular 3D printers compared
Chamber temperature specs of popular enclosed 3D printers compared: which have an actively heated chamber, which state a passive rating, and which publish none.