The Most Proven & Best 3D Printers for Beginners (2022)

When it comes to picking the best 3D printer, there are some major factors that you should take into account. These are usually the price, durability, print speed, print quality, ability to upgrade, size and more.

What I’ve done in this post is put together these key factors into determining what 3D printer is best for beginners to use and be more than satisfied with in the start of their 3D printing journey.

There’s nothing worse than purchasing a 3D printer and taking several hours of frustration and errors to put it together, so this list will consist of 3D printers that are easy to assemble and give you great quality prints right out the box.

Monoprice Select Mini V2

When we focus on the price and size, it may seem like this 3D printer doesn’t pack much of a punch, but there are plenty of features within this 3D printer.

The first benefits you will see out of this 3D printer is its printing speed and quality. In no time you’ll be able to power through several prints with outstanding quality and in good time.

It can easily work with all filament types from basic PLA and ABS all the way to advanced materials like composite PLA such as wood-fill and copper-fill, dissolvable PVA and even Nylon.

The beauty is in the compact desktop, open frame design which can be placed comfortably on any desk and only weighs 1KG (2.2 Lbs).

The Monoprice Select Mini V2 3D printer is ready to print as it is fully assembled and gets calibrated at the factory before arriving directly to you.

Countless users who bought this 3D printer have made clear that it was very easy to start with, being their first 3D printer.

With plenty of YouTube videos and information out there to help you get to a good level, it’s an easy choice for beginners to purchase.

Extra info:

• Look over the heated bed wiring and make sure it’s satisfactory and not getting caught on something, it may require rewiring.
• There have been a few reported issues of a poor quality power supply
• The ‘settings knob’ can be fiddly so make sure you’re selecting the right menus

ELEGOO Mars UV 3D Printer

Most people who are looking into 3D printing only know about FDM (Fusion Deposition Model) printing which is when the nozzle is extruding layer by layer to make an object.

On the other hand, there is another popular technique that is used for 3D printing and it’s called a Resin 3D Printer.

Don’t be alarmed, these are easy to use and are user-friendly but just takes a little knowledge to get printing. The upside to these printers is they are well known to out-match FDM printer quality and are capable of some more intricate designs.

The ELEGOO Mars UV 3D printer is probably the most popular resin printer out there with its sleak design, high precision and resolution.

With this 3D printer you’ll be getting a semi-assembled, reliable machine with an interactive touch-screen display, all at the budget price most beginners will appreciate.

From the unboxing to the printing, it can be done all within minutes with excellent results.

Resin printers do require a lot of post-processing compared to FDM printers so be aware before purchasing one.

You’ll need to remove the printed part, remove supports, rinse the part in a cleaning substance, then rinse with water and cure the part in UV light. Resin is an irritant so handle with care.

Unfortunately this Resin 3D printer doesn’t come with resin so make sure you purchase some in addition! I’d recommend the Siraya Tech brand (on Amazon), it’s very well respected, high quality and all at a good price.

Extra Info:

• The orientation of your models on the build plate will make a difference in whether your prints come out successfully (large flat areas should be printed diagonally)
• Make sure you have the updated firmware so you can print smoothly with little errors.
• Large online (Facebook) community for any questions/issues you may have

Creality Ender 3 Pro

Creality, one of the main staple 3D printer manufacturers globally. No list is complete without a 3D printer from them and for good reason.

Once put together and setup, you can expect thousands of hours of error free printing with this 3D printer.

It’s very well known for its reliability, print quality and beginner-friendliness.

The Creality Ender 3 Pro has a medium size build volume of 220 x 220 x 250mm along with several features that you can appreciate.

Rather than have to put the whole 3D printer together, which isn’t ideal for beginners, this one comes semi-assembled and easy to set up.

A lot of times beginners want a fully-assembled 3D printer but there comes a time where you want to upgrade or need to replace something so building your 3D printer up gives you experience with your machine.

Extra info:

• Flexible removable hotbed for easy part removal after printing
• Resume printing function so after any unexpected power outages, it will remember the last recorded position and finish the print.
• Fast heating bed surface

You also get 12 months warranty along with lifetime technical assistance 24/7 so you can be worry free with this reliable purchase.

FlashForge Creator Pro

The FlashForge Creator Pro is a dual extruder, metal-framed, acrylic 3D printer with an enclosure.This is a 3D printer that will handle constant printing, with consistent results.It has a big build area with a good heated plate, although the plate is not removable.

Although there are some 3D printers out there that require a lot of fine-tuning, tinkering and replacements, this 3D printer isn’t one of them. Once you open this 3D printer and put it together with ease, you can expect high quality prints from the get-go.

The FlashForge Creator Pro has a very short learning curve so it’s a great option for beginners.

This 3D printer has reduced in price since it first was released, so you’re getting a real premium machine for an affordable price compared to other printers in the same calibre.

The customer service with FlashForge is known to be very responsive and helpful, so if you have any questions or experience any issues then you will be taken care of.

Extra info:

• You might want to print yourself a new filament feeder assembly as people have said the current one can have issues.
• It’s known to be a little noisy
• Loading and unloading filament can become a chore

Dremel Digilab 3D20 (for Tinkers, Hobbyists & Home Users)

You might think, you’re only starting out 3D printing so why go for something more than say $500? A lot of 3D printer hobbyists today had that thought, but quickly wanted something a bit more premium and this 3D printer is one of those reasons.

The Dremel Digilab 3D20 will give you countless hours of reliable, high quality printing, at a fairly affordable price. Unlike some of the 3D printers in this list, this one comes completely pre-assembled and includes a nice 0.5kg spool of filament along with it.

It has a non-heated bed because it is designed to only print with PLA which most 3D printer hobbyists are usually satisfied with. The extruder goes up to a temperature of 230°C /397°F which is more than enough for your PLA needs.

The safety aspect of 3D printing increases when using an enclosure which this 3D printer has. It has the benefit of increasing the stable temperature within the machine and stopping pets or children from harming themselves by playing in the work area.

Another safety benefit they pride themselves in is their UL-Certification which allows you to print overnight without worrying about possible issues.

Dremel is known for it’s great, responsive customer service (45 second pick up time according to their Amazon page) so that’s something you can rely on. Purchase of the Dremel includes an industry’s best 1-year warranty.

You have the full-color LCD touchscreen, allowing you to modify settings, lookup files in your SD card, and print accurately and reliably.

It has a build volume of 230 x 150 x 140mm

Extra info:

• You’ll get access to plenty of video tutorials after purchase
• Email support as well as live chat or phone support
• Dremel’s specially designed 3D printer for new users & students
• Very low maintenance
• 100 micron high resolution

FlashForge Finder Lite

This 3D printer is probably the best bang for your buck.

The FlashForge Finder Lite specializes in it’s simple, yet effective design. It avoids all the fancy stuff, not having high temperature components or wires and its heating elements being protected from touch.

Just the 3D printer with the bed surface and space for filament to wind in and be extruded, but it’s build volume is relatively small compared to many 3D printers on the market.

PLA prints best when there is quick cooling, so the FlashForge Finder Lite has an innovative four-sided annular air supply structure which cools all sides of your 3D model for a smooth print.

The build plate has a slide-in feature so it can be drawn out from the printer to then remove finished 3D prints with ease.

Good bed leveling features is a bonus for beginners to 3D printing. You’ll be equipped with a modern calibration detection system for bed leveling, easily accessible from the touchscreen display.

You get a reliable 12 months warranty, along with lifetime technical assistance and round-the-clock professional customer service at your desire.

Build volume: 140 x 140 x 140mm
Layer thickness: 0.05mm-0.4mm
Maximum temperature: 240°C
Print speed: 30-120mm/s

Extra info:

• Support printing with: PLA, PETG, TPU, Copper PLA, etc.
• Comes with 50g filament, glue stick, 8GB SD card
• Very quiet printer, fans being the loudest part