The Best 3D printers Under $1000 (Including DIY Kits)

3D printing has exploded, and with the surge of new businesses trying their hands in the industry, the costs for 3D printers keep falling. This is excellent news for people who wish to print out 3D objects at home, or for those of you looking for an inexpensive method of prototyping.

In this review, we will take a look at a few of the best affordable 3D printers available in the marketplace. The purpose of this guide is to assist newbies, or anyone working within a budget to find the best 3D printer under $1000.

Now, remember that 3D printing used to be an industrial activity, and home 3D printing is still a technology that is in its infancy.

You might be tempted to start off by going for one of the cheaper 3D printers, such as the ones we reviewed in our best 3d printers under $500 review, but we at Pen and Plastic believe that the sweet spot for price vs performance currently lies in the sub-$1000 range.

You can find quite a few entirely enclosed 3D printers under $1,000 that will make it possible for you to begin 3D printing and produce quality prints.

 Let’s get to it! Below you will see a table with the top 5 3D printers under $1000.

Best 3D Printers under $1000 for 2023


In the table below you will find the four 3D printers we reviewed. The 4 printers you see below are the only ones we would consider buying in this price range.

Printer

Score

Summary

Where to Buy

Dremel Idea Builder 3D20
Dremel Digilab 3D20 3D Printer, Idea Builder for...

4.5 out of 5

Easy to set up and use, great quality prints.

QIDI TECH 3D Printer
R QIDI TECHNOLOGY X-PlusⅡ 3D Printer, New...

4.2 out of 5

For advanced 3D printing with two extruders and double Z axis

Up! Plus 2
Up! Plus 2

4 out of 5

Good all-rounder, very easy to set up, prints all materials.

Flashforge Creator Pro
Flashforge Creator Pro

3.5 out of 5

Dual extruders, dated design, average performer.

Robo 3D C2

Robo 3D 2C

3 out of 5

Ultimately falls short.

These are some of the better, but more expensive 3D printers available, if you want to take a look at all of the price categories we've reviewed, then head over to our 3D printing resources page and select the category which best suits your budget.

The four listed below are, in my opinion, four of the best 3D printers available under $1000, but before we jump into the review, lets take a look at our scoring catergories.

How we reviewed


Here’s a list of the categories which we used to evaluate the pens in this review:

Quality & Print Speed:

  • Layer height and resolution: One of the main factors of accuracy, lower is better
  • XYZ Accuracy: Very important for small details
  • Printing Speed: lighter, smaller pens are easier to paint with

Features & Versatility:

  • General capabilities: we compare the nozzle heating and cooling system setup, the printing bed and build volume, in addition to the filament and software compatibility.
  • Does it have a heated bed: Important for printing with ABS and some other plastic
  • Auto-leveling: Ensures that the correct height between the nozzle extruder and bed 

Ease of use:

  • Is it easy to setup and operate: How difficult is it to assemble? Does it have a user friendly touchscreen or better even...a mobile app?
  • Does it support open source software: The best things in life are free, and when it comes to 3D printing, the best software on the market all happens to be open source

Value for Money:

  • Price: Total cost was one of the key metrics in this review
  • Customer Support: Does the manufacturer have a good reputation for support?
  • Reviews: Product reviews on Amazon.com say a lot about quality


And now without further ado, let’s take a look at Pen&Plastic’s round-up of best 3D printers currently on the market.

1. Dremel Idea Builder 3D20

Next up we have the Dremel Idea Builder 3D20. Dremel is an 85-year old American brand, primarily known for its manufacturer of power tools.  They have partnered with Digilab to tackle the 3D printing industry.

Let’s take a closer look at their latest model, the Dremel 3D20. On opening the box, you will find it is very nicely packaged for safe delivery and pretty much ready to go straight out of the box.

You will also see it has a pre-loaded SD card, a spatula-like instrument for loosening your prints off the printing bed, a few adhesive build surfaces and a bed leveling instrument.

Everything you will need to begin printing right from the box including one white reel of PLA filament.

Dremel Idea Builder 3D20

Pen and Plastic Rating

"Great quality at a very fair price."

Dremel has also built a miniature ‘Thingiverse’ database of models and lots of teaching aids and jobs to get you started. On Dremels site there are numerous resources which you should look at if you choose to buy this printer.

Dremel is apparently targeting the educational or college teaching aid audience and is constructing online infrastructure to support this.

Dremel also has the more extensive 3D45, which offers a larger printing area among other improvements, for those more serious about 3D Printing.

What we liked

The Dremel is quite simple to set up and allows the user to start printing straight away.

When booting up the printer that your first introduced with a beautiful touchscreen UI that is easy is to browse and overall well designed. Plug it in, follow the UI instructions and start printing.

I enjoyed the crystal clear 3.5 inch IPS touchscreen; it proves excellent user experience for this stand-alone printer.

Everything is simple to use with this printer, and your specified prompts on the way to level the bed, load the filament and begin printing.

 It appears to be geared toward the novice and has excellent print results with little to no effort.

What we didn't like

The Dremel 3D20 only prints with PLA, although you are probably going to use PLA for 80% of your 3D printing projects.

This limitation will prevent you from more advanced 3D printing projects that require stronger or more flexible materials such as ABS, Nylon or Flex (TPE). Read more about these plastic filaments here.

As soon as you load the small spool of filament they give you, you will notice it is quite loud when printing and the plastic casing itself helps amplify that.

Pros

  • Great quality prints
  • Excellent touch screen
  • Easy to set up and get started
  • Safe, uses a closed printing build
  • Durable and reliable

Cons

  • Can only print with PLA
  • No heated bed or auto-leveling feature 

Verdict

There's no printer on this list that offers the same quality at the price the Idea Builder Goes for.

Another one of Dremel's advantages is they can draw big box retailers to take the product making it easy to support and supply the end user.

Not everyone is expected to become an “expert” in 3D printing, and it’s great to see more companies targeting the mainstream people to become involved with 3D printing, however, I feel that the dremel Idea builder can be a great match for anyone.

Read more about what makes this 3D Printer tick in our Dremel 3D20 in-depth review.

2. QIDI TECH 3D Printer

Qidi Tech is one of the brands causing waves in the 3D printing industry with a mixture of affordability and versatility in their products. These come equipped with high-quality features that are common on higher-priced printer models.
 
A good example is the Qidi Tech X-Plus, a remarkable option if you have the cash to spend on a top-quality unit. This 3D printer offers the best of both worlds, giving you amazing functionalities at a very reasonable price.

The Qidi Tech X-Plus will suit advanced 3D printing fans searching for a device that can handle more serious projects. However, it is also recommended for rookie users ready to blow the budget on a high-end unit.

UP! Plus 2

Pen and Plastic Rating

"For advanced 3D printing"

Technical Specifications

Extruder
Two Sets of Direct Drive Extruders
PRINT VOLUME
270 x 200 x 200 mm build volume
FILAMENT
1.75mm
TYPE
ABS/PLA/Nylon and all other types
DISPLAY
5-Inch Color Touchscreen
CONNECT
USB/Mobile App
HEATED BED
Yes, Qidi Tech Build Plate

Pros

  • Wi-Fi Connection & Computer Monitoring Interface
  • Air Filtration System
  • Automatic Leveling
  • Power Failure Resume Feature
  • Fast customer support and warranty
  • Removable Plate

Cons

  • Software needs more improvements
  • The touchscreen interface sometimes is confusing

Verdict

The X-Plus features a closed frame design that makes it resemble a mini microwave. Its 270 x 200 x 200 mm build volume may not be a lot but is adequate for most basic models you can think of. It also comes with a direct-drive feeder system with a nozzle diameter of 0.4mm. 

A single extruder on the printer provides you with interchangeable print heads while the bed leveling is done manually. The good thing is that it is assistive, allowing you to perform the process by following a couple of simple steps. 

You also get an external and internal filament holder, a unique feature that leaves you with ways of mounting the filament. The highest printing temperature on the first extruder is 250 degrees Celsius whereas the second extruder can go up to 300 degrees Celsius. This allows you to print with both common and more advanced filaments. 

In addition to the enclosed frame design, the Qidi Tech X-Plus comes with a built-in air (carbon) filtration system that keeps the harmful fumes and chemicals inside from contaminating the air in your space.

Meanwhile, the manufacturer uses a proprietary build plate with different coatings on either side, enabling you to print using any kind of material you can find. Another impressive feature is the large 5” color display that makes for seamless operation and adjustment of settings.
Between the user-friendly interface and easy-to-follow instructions provided, you’ll have a satisfying experience as you set up your models for printing. Also, a Power Failure Resume feature keeps the process going after any unexpected stops.

In case of power failure, the unit continues printing from the last location instead of having to start anew, helping you to save on both time and the filament material. Additionally, the X-Plus makes use of an updated slicing software for more convenient operations tailored for the user.
 
A filament detection sensor ensures that you don’t end up with unfinished models during printing. This useful feature causes the printer to automatically pause the process and wait for you to replace the stool.
Finally, you will be impressed by the customer support, with company technicians on hand to respond to any queries you may have. You can reach out to the service center any time of the day and the reply will come within 24 hours.
 
Not to mention that there is a free year-long warranty when you purchase the Qidi Tech X-Plus 3D printer; a guarantee that you are getting value for your money!

3. UP! Plus 2

The UP! Plus 2 3D Desktop Printer is an alternative for everyone who’s looking for a 3D printer that’s easy to set up, calibrate, and use. See their 30 min setup time promise.

With its auto nozzle height detection and auto platform leveling, setting it up to print high-quality objects is significantly easier than other 3D printers on the market.

Additionally, the UP! Plus 2 includes a 1-year guarantee, which is way above the industry standard (which beats out the 90-day warranty typically offered in 3D printers like the Flashforge Creator Pro).

Another cool feature of the UP! Plus 2 is that it has a heat shield covering the extruder to help avoid burns and injuries.

UP! Plus 2

Pen and Plastic Rating

"Prints with any type of plastic.
Has heated printing bed.
"

The UP! Plus 2 uses MEM (Melted Extrusion Modeling) printing technology and therefore can print with a wide variety of plastics, not just PLA or ABS.

The printer has a 150 micron resolution, which is slightly sub-standard in this category. But unless you plan to do very small prints, this should not bother you.

The only other thing we could fault the Up! Plus 2 on is that it has only one extruder head, so bear that in mind if you need overhangs with supporting filament.

Technical Specifications

RESOLUTION
150-500 microns
PRINT VOLUME
~5.5″ x 5.5″ x 5.3″
FILAMENT
1.75mm
TYPE
ABS/PLA/Nylon and all other types
DISPLAY
None
CONNECT
USB/Mobile App
HEATED BED
Yes
UP! plus 2 unboxed

What’s included with the UP Plus 2 3D Printer – everything you need to get started, just add a PC

Pros

  • Best in class performance 
  • Prints almost any material, not just limited to ABS and PLA
  • Has a Mobile App for iOS
  • Auto-leveling nozzle and heated print bed
  • Great customer support and warranty

Cons

  • Only one extruder
  • Small print volume

Verdict

Overall, the UP! Plus 2 is the perfect 3D printer for novices and professionals alike. It’s ease-of-use will take a few of the headaches that come with 3D printing away and provide you with a reliable machine.

Truth be told, the reason why it is the top 3D printer is due to its ability to print with almost any type of plastic. This along with the heated bed, extended warranty and mobile app makes this "a-bang-for-your-buck" 3D printer.

If you do choose to buy it, please leave a comment if it, in fact, did take you a mere 30 mins to set up and start printing!

4. Flashforge Creator Pro

The FlashForge Creator Pro stands out from the pack as the only model in this review with dual extruders.

This means that you can print with two different colors or plastic filaments simultaneously.

Additionally, we discovered that we had less bed adhesion problems with this version than many others.

However, the print quality was not anything to write home about, and the suggested software is awful.

A bit of a dinosaur which has not kept up with the rest of the market, the FlashForge Creator Pro is nothing more than an average printer for an average price.

Flashforge Creator Pro

Pen and Plastic Rating

"Truly Customizable DIY kit
Auto-leveling heated bed
"

Technical Specifications

RESOLUTION100 microns
VOLUME8.9″ x 5.8″ x 5.9″
FILAMENT SIZE1.75mm
FILAMENT TYPEPLA/ABS
DISPLAYMono LCD
CONNECTIVITYUSB
HEATED BED?Yes

To put the Flashforge Creator Pro through its paces we performed some sample prints.

The test print, the 3D Benchy tugboat is a standard 3D printing torture test, commonly used to test 3D printers. The Creator Pro did a superb job at printing the tugboat in PLA — producing a practically perfect model with just a tiny bit of asymmetry noticeable.

The ABS version was substantially worse, with the top section being a bit off and fair windows.

3D Benchy Tugboat

3D Benchy Tugboat printed with dual extrusion, which is the major selling point of the Creator Pro

The PLA Benchy was terrific, the ABS version not so much. The performance improved in another trio of prints. However the same pattern emerged:

The Creator Pro was able to print accurately with PLA, and quite poorly with ABS. We, therefore, recommend you stick to PLA projects with this printer.

The Creator Pro was about average to install from the box, requiring some effort to build the instrument head, adjust the fan, and set up the filament guides and bolt holders.

Attaching the instrument head was especially annoying, as locating the fastener holes was difficult.

There was some assembly needed to get this printer up and running.

This printer does have an SD card slot for standalone printing as well as the ability to immediately connect to a computer through USB.

Next up are the features and versatility. The build volume is fairly large, but the print surface certainly needed hairspray or a glue stick to maintain ABS prints set up.

This printer can use a generic 1.75 mm filament, with the dual extruders being able to reach a maximum temperature of 280°C, giving it a decently broad assortment of acceptable filaments to print with.

This version also has one layer fan to cool the print. While the guide recommends using ReplicatorG for a slicer, this printer can be used with both FlashPrint and Simplify3D.

Simplify3D is available for purchase from a 3rd party but FlashPrint is a free program available right from FlashForge.

The Creator Pro comes with a 3-month standard guarantee, with the choice to upgrade to an extended one.

What we liked

The Dual-extruding mind of the Creator Pro allows you to print in two colors simultaneously.

The FlashForge had a reasonable build volume, measuring at 8.9 X 5.8 X 5.9 in. We were not the biggest fans of this build surface itself — aluminum, coated with something similar to painter’s tape.

We found it easy to swap filaments with the “Utility” section of this menu. The printer will preheat the nozzle and begin the motor automatically to load or unload.

What we didn't like

It has a simple screen to show temperature and printing progress, inferior to the IPS touchscreens of the other printers in this review.

Flashforge recommends ReplicatorG as the suggested slicer software for the Creator Pro…much to our dismay.

Us and a large part of the 3D printing community, in general, find this to be a dreadful piece of software, far inferior to Slic3r or Cura.

We found FlashPrint to be much better than ReplicatorG and are not sure why it’s not the recommended slicer program.

We found it to be rather frustrating to level this printer with the prompts, as you don’t have any control over the nozzle motion, which makes backtracking impossible.

Pros

  • Fairly large print volume
  • Easy to swap filaments
  • Good quality prints for PLA
  • Dual Extruders makes printing in two colors possible

Cons

  • Poor ABS print quality
  • Aged LCD screen, not touch sensitive
  • ReplicatorG is perhaps the worst Slic3r software in existence

Verdict

The FlashForge Creator Pro is an unimpressive but capable machine. It is not the nicest out there, but it works well, is relatively simple to use — provided you switch to something aside from ReplicatorG — and has lots of potential.

It is not the most turnkey solution available — buyers shouldn’t be scared of a little tinkering and troubleshooting, on account of the setup procedure and manual filament changes and bed leveling.

However, it is a decent printer that get's the job done, but with the impressive Dremel Idea Builder and Up! Plus 2 competing in the same price-range, it's a tough call to make.

In our FlashForge Creator Pro In-Depth review we take a deeper look into the tech specs of this 3D Printer.

5. Robo 3D C2

Robo 3D is well-known for their flagship 3D printer, the R2 ($1,500), but the C2 is a cheaper midrange version which ultimately falls short

The Robo 3D C2 tries to deliver a good deal of features for its relatively inexpensive price, however half of the time those features just get in the way.

The Robo C2 has an appealing, functional design that it shares with other Robo 3D printers.

The softly curved white plastic case with blue highlights seems clean and contemporary, hiding the motors and drive belts which does the work behind the scenes.

The case will not stop prying fingers from discovering the heated printhead, however, so this is not a printer which ought to be used unsupervised by children.

Robo 3D C2

Pen and Plastic Rating

"Prone to breaking"

The C2 has a print volume of 5 x 5 x 6 inches, for a total of 150 cubic inches.

That’s significantly more compact than some of the more expensive models, but it is about average for smaller, mid-range printers of this kind.

It is also large enough to print your typical 3D models such as cars, small building models, and figurines.

A non-stick plastic which may be removed and replaced covers the printing bed and three spare sheets of plastic are bundled with the C2. 

Technical Specifications

RESOLUTION
50-300 microns
VOLUME
5″ x 6″ x 6″
FILAMENT
1.75mm
TYPE
PLA/Nylon/PET and all others except ABS
DISPLAY
3.5 inch IPS Touchscreen
CONNECT
USB/Wifi/Mobile App
HEATED BED
No


Robo C2 with mobile app

What we liked

The Robo 3D C2 generated  decent quality prints, with layers which blended well.

It is possible to detach the C2’s print bed which makes removing a 3D print from printer that much easier. The bed is held in place with four magnets which lock onto metal knobs on the bottom so that it will not shift during printing. 

Beneath the printer’s bed is a 3.5-inch touchscreen that you use to control the C2. The screen is large and bright enough, and the touch controls worked well.

However, the display moved and bent rather alarmingly when we pressed a button with anything more than average force, which is likely why Robo 3D contains a tiny touch-screen stylus to use. A finger works just as well, though.

What we didn't like

The bed is not heated: It depends upon the PLA sticking to the plastic for adhesion.

The setup for this printer can be very frustrating and difficult and the quality of the prints decreases quickly.

The Robo 3D C2 isn’t a fast printer either. Our Thinker test version took between 10 hours  (at reduced quality) and 23 hours at high quality print settings.

That is much slower than comparable printers such as the UP! Plus 2 , which required from 5 hours to a bit more than 9 hours to finish the same-size print at comparable high-quality settings.

Pros

  • WiFi Connectivity and Mobile App
  • Closed printer which prints all types of plastic, except ABS
  • Clever IPS touchscreen

Cons

  • Slow print speed
  • Non-heated bed
  • Easily Breaks
  • Print Quality Decreases

Verdict

The Robo 3D C2 ultimately falls short, and many of it's features feel like hindrances instead. The slow print speed is the least of this printer's problems as it is plaguedwith many faults.

The print quality exponentially decreases after your first print, and the build quality is not so great, making this printer prone to malfunction and user reviews state that custommer support is borderline non-existant.

It will either take ages for you to get a reply, or the reply you'll get will be dissatisfactory.

Overall there are many printers in the Under $1000 category or even the Under $500 category that do a better job than the Robo 3D C2

Conclusion

Well there you have it, our four favorite 3D printers in the sub $1000 price-range. We highly recommend the Dremel Idea Builder, which you can read more about in our Dremel 3D20 in-depth review.

We highly suggest the Dremel 3D20, however, the UP! Plus 2 is a great second-best if you are looking to get up and running with the least effort possible.

Remember to choose the correct plastic, if you are uncertain about the properties of different plastics and what they can be used for then go to our 3D printer materials review.

If you have any thoughts or suggestions, leave us a comment below and remember to share this post with your friends by clicking one of the handy social media sharing buttons, or simply head back to our 3D printing resource page for more printer reviews.

Last update on 2024-03-29 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

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