2017 has been on its way for a while now and so we thought it was about time to make a list of the best 3D printers to buy in 2017. Some of the 3D printers on the list we’ve tested ourselves and some were recommended by experts in our network.
The article has 6 categories and each will go over the top 5 3D printers pertaining to those qualities.
Table of Contents
- Best Large Format Desktop 3D Printers
- Best 3D Printers for the classroom
- Best Industrial Grade FFF/FDM 3D Printers
- Best Dual Extruder 3D Printers
- Best Open Source 3D Printer
- Best Resin 3D printers (SLA / DLP)
Best Large Format Desktop 3D Printers
We’ve covered large scale 3D printers before. 3D printers in that list have an X, Y or Z axis print area of at least 1 meter / 39,37 inches.
We have noticed a relatively new category is gaining popularity lately. That of Large format desktop 3D Printers; with a print area ranging from 500mm – 1000mm X, Y or Z axis. Below you’ll find our top 5, the best large format 3D printers you can buy in 2017.
Raise3D N2 Plus
The N2 Plus is a mammoth machine that is designed for processing a wide range of thermoplastics. It’s affordable and reliable with a massive build volume. What more do you need?
| 3D printer | Ships from | Type | Print area | Assembly | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Raise3D N2 Plus | USA | FFF / FDM |
|
Fully assembled | $3,899.00 |
Wombot Cubus
The Wombot Cubus is a perfect example of how autonomous 3D printing has become. From octo-print and it’s web applications to automatic bed leveling, it’s a machine that requires barely any supervision.
| 3D printer | Ships from | Type | Print area | Assembly | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Wombot Cubus | Australia | FFF / FDM |
|
Fully assembled | $5,850.00 |
Tevo Delta ‘Little Monster’
The Tevo Delta ‘Little Monster’ is not only huge – it’s really fast. The automatic calibration and the touch screen display guarantee an excellent printing experience.
| 3D printer | Ships from | Type | Print area | Assembly | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Tevo Delta | USA | FFF / FDM |
|
DIY Kit | $939.99 |
Creality CR10 500mm
On the surface this looks like a plain machine, but the build size and the speed make up for it. Economical, efficient and spacious, what’s not to like?
| 3D printer | Ships from | Type | Print area | Assembly | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Creality CR-10 500mm | USA | FFF / FDM |
|
Semi assembled | $1,098.00 |
Cultivate3D The Beast
Cultivate3D’s Beast certainly lives up to its name. A massive print area, 4 extruders and a max temperature of 280°C.
| 3D printer | Ships from | Type | Print area | Assembly | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Cultivate3D The Beast | Australia | FFF / FDM |
|
DIY Kit | $2,035.86 |
Best 3D Printers for the classroom
Since 3D printing is becoming more accessible to everyone, there has been a clamouring for low-cost educational printers. Classrooms are already gearing up to set up printers as new teaching tools. The market has responded in kind by introducing a new class of printers (and 3D pens) specifically meant kids and newcomers.
The must-haves for educational printers can vary. However, a good general rule is anything that simplifies the system and makes printing safer. Think of assisted (or fully automatic) bed leveling, a closed print chamber (to prevent burns) and a removable / flexible print bed (to make removing prints from the print bed easier and safer). This category primarily judges the printers on ease-of-use, diversity of functions and versatility. These are 2017’s the best 3D printers for the classroom.
- Sindoh DP201
- Tiertime UP BOX+
- Dremel Idea Builder 3D40-01
- XYZprinting da Vinci 1.0 Pro
- MakerBot Replicator Plus
Sindoh DP201
Building on the original DP200 (full review here), Sindoh have done it again. Easily one of the most user-friendly and economical devices on the market.
| 3D printer | Ships from | Closed chamber | Bed leveling | Flex buildplate | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Sindoh 3DWOX DP201 | USA | Yes | Manual (assisted) | Yes | $1,299.00 |
Tiertime UP BOX+
The UP Box+ is ideal for the classroom due to its built in HEPA filter and low operating sound levels. The quick change nozzle system and the wide range of materials make this machine one of the best on the market.
| 3D printer | Ships from | Closed chamber | Bed leveling | Flex buildplate | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Tiertime UP BOX+ | USA | Yes | Fully automatic | No | $1,899.00 |
Dremel Idea Builder 3D40-01
The Idea Builder is one of the best printers for classroom situations. Boasting a low operating noise level, an extruder for minimised clogging, and a great range of materials considering the price, it’s definitely one to look out for.
| 3D printer | Ships from | Closed chamber | Bed leveling | Flex buildplate | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Dremel Idea Builder 3D40-01 | USA | Yes | Manual (assisted) | No | $1,209.02 |
XYZprinting da Vinci 1.0 Pro
The da Vinci 1.0 Pro is great value for money. It has a host of features contained within a sleek compact body. A great 3D printer for passionate beginners.
| 3D printer | Ships from | Closed chamber | Bed leveling | Flex buildplate | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
XYZprinting da Vinci 1.0 Pro | USA | Yes | Manual (assisted) | No | $664.99 |
MakerBot Replicator+
The MakerBot Replicator+ is a solid device with a lot to offer. A decent range of materials and a flex buildplate make it an easy and versatile device to print with.
| 3D printer | Ships from | Closed chamber | Bed leveling | Flex buildplate | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
MakerBot Replicator+ | USA | No | Manual (assisted) | Yes | $2,499.00 |
Best Industrial Grade FFF/FDM 3D Printers
Industrial grade 3D printers are gaining prominence everywhere. The greatest innovations are increases in print heads and new materials. Companies are also setting themselves apart by varying their designs with heated chambers and multiple (5 or 6 axes). These are the best industrial grade FFF/FDM 3D Printers to buy in 2017.
- Stacker S4
- Markforged Mark Two
- Raise3D N2 Plus
- Tractus3D T650 RTP
- Airwolf 3D AXIOM 20 Dual Direct Drive
Stacker S4
The S4 is a packed bursting with excellent features including 4 extruders, a hot-end max temperature of 300°C and a dual power supply for additional reliability. This machine is truly a cutting edge device.
| 3D printer | Ships from | No. of extruders | Print area | Max nozzle temp | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
STACKER S4 | USA | Four |
|
572 °F / 300 °C | $10,995.00 |
Markforged Mark Two
As far as Industrial printing goes, you can’t go wrong with the Markforged Mark Two. At high temperatures it can print kevlar and fiber-glass, making it one of the most unique machines out there.
| 3D printer | Ships from | No. of extruders | Print area | Max nozzle temp | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Markforged Mark Two | USA | Two |
|
527 °F / 275 °C | $13,499.00 |
Raise3D N2 Plus
The N2 Plus is a mammoth machine that is designed for processing a wide range of thermoplastics. It’s affordable and reliable with a massive build volume. What more do you need?
| 3D printer | Ships from | No. of extruders | Print area | Max nozzle temp | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Raise3D N2 Plus | USA | Two |
|
572 °F / 300 °C | $3,899.00 |
Tractus3D T650 RTP
The Tractus3D T650 RTP is ideal for high-strength thermoplastic prints. Aside from the durability it achieves used PEEK and Ultem, it also achieves incredible print speeds.
| 3D printer | Ships from | No. of extruders | Print area | Max nozzle temp | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Tractus3D T650P RTP | The Netherlands | One |
|
752 °F / 400 °C | $8,547.00 |
Airwolf 3D AXIOM 20 Dual Direct Drive
AXIOM 20 Dual Direct Drive is one of the user friendliest industrial printers on the market. With its active automatic bed leveling system and easy feed filament system, it can be printing in no time.
| 3D printer | Ships from | No. of extruders | Print area | Max nozzle temp | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Airwolf 3D AXIOM 20 Dual Direct Drive | USA | Two |
|
599 °F / 315 °C | $9,995.00 |
Best Dual Extruder 3D Printers
Dual head printers really took off this year. The entire concept has promoted small batch production printing and overall production speed for FFF / FDM machines.
They also enable complex, multi-color prints and add options like syncing and mirroring to the arsenal of machines that are already quite impressive. Independent dual extruders have also set the scene for more trust-worthy and consistent quality. These are the best dual extruder 3D printers you can buy in 2017.
Stacker S2
The Stacker S2 is an industrial grade device with a dual extruder system and a massive build volume. The S2 was the product of a powerhouse Kickstarter campaign and has since achieved critical acclaim.
| 3D printer | Ships from | Type | Print area | Assembly | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
STACKER S2 | USA | Independent dual |
|
Fully assembled | $7,995.00 |
MakerGear M3 Independent Dual
The MakerGear M3 Independent Dual is great value for money. An independent dual extruder system is always a nice addition along with its sync mode.
| 3D printer | Ships from | Type | Print area | Assembly | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
MakerGear M3 Independent Dual | USA | Independent dual |
|
Fully assembled | $2,999.00 |
BCN3D Sigma R17
The Sigma is a fantastic device that produces quality prints with dual extrusion. With a sleek design, the Sigma is especially designed for the office experience considering it’s low operating sound.
| 3D printer | Ships from | Type | Print area | Assembly | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
BCN3D Sigma R17 | Spain | Independent dual |
|
Fully assembled | $2,572.00 |
Leapfrog Bolt Pro
The Bolt Pro is the flagship machine of Dutch manufacturer Leapfrog 3D Printers. This dual independent extruder equipped device is a force to be reckoned with. Full review of its predecessor here.
| 3D printer | Ships from | Type | Print area | Assembly | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Leapfrog Bolt Pro | The Netherlands | Independent dual |
|
Fully assembled | $6,999.00 |
Ultimaker 3
3D Printing titan Ultimaker’s most recent foray brought us swappable print cores and a 20 micron layer resolution. Affordable and efficient, it’s certainly one of the best on the market.
| 3D printer | Ships from | Type | Print area | Assembly | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Ultimaker 3 | USA | Normal dual |
|
Fully assembled | $3,495.00 |
Best Open Source 3D Printer
3D printers, like so many technologies today, are in a state of constant improvement. Open sourced printers and printer parts are a large part of moving us towards better technologies. Open source technologies have clear advantages: they are easy to upgrade, there’s more resources to learn from and dedicated communities looking to help everyone make their prints better. These are the best open source 3D printers you can buy in 2017.
LulzBot Mini
With its self-cleaning nozzle, automatic bed levelling and and easy switch nozzle block, the Lulzbot mini practically runs itself. Despite it’s small size, it has much to offer.
| 3D printer | Ships from | Lead time | Print area | Assembly | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
LulzBot Mini | USA | 1-3 days |
|
Semi assembled | $1,200.00 |
Original Prusa i3 MK2S kit
The Prusa i3 MK2S kit builds off of the original to become a formidable device. With a great heated bed and a E3D V6 Full hotend, it guarantees a smooth printing experience.
| 3D printer | Ships from | Lead time | Print area | Assembly | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Original Prusa i3 MK2S kit | Czech Republic | 7 weeks |
|
DIY Kit | $845.79 |
SeeMeCNC Rostock MAX v3
The SeeMeCNC Rostock MAX v3 is not just reasonably priced, but also packed with features ranging from thermal runway protection, a large list of materials it can process and thermal fuse safety for safety.
| 3D printer | Ships from | Lead time | Print area | Assembly | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
SeeMeCNC Rostock MAX v3 | USA | 1 week |
|
DIY Kit | $999.00 |
gCreate gMax 1.5 XT+
Boasting a massive print volume and a host of different materials, this printer is a wonder device. The fully automatic bed levelling and the 0.5mm J-Head Mk V-BV are indicative of great design.
| 3D printer | Ships from | Lead time | Print area | Assembly | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
gCreate gMax 1.5 XT+ | USA | 1-3 days |
|
Fully assembled | $2,995.00 |
JellyBOX
The JellyBOX Easy-Build DIY Kit is composed of some of the best open source parts. Despite its simple looks it is capable of printing layer heights as small as 20 microns.
| 3D printer | Ships from | Lead time | Print area | Assembly | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
JellyBOX “Easy-Build” DIY Kit | USA | 1-3 days |
|
DIY Kit | $949.00 |
Best Resin 3D printers (SLA / DLP)
SLA and DLP have seen an upsurge in interest the past few years. When you are looking for a 3d printer that’s able to print with really high detail (for miniatures or jewelry), a resin based printer is what you need. As research and development goes along, companies are finding faster ways to develop prints with light sourcing.
DLP and SLA are already being used to make jewelry and dental endproduct appliances along with many other objects. While print fragility and speed are still issues, many industries have taken a shine to light curable raises and UV based methods of printing. These are the best resin 3D printers (SLA / DLP) to buy in 2017.
B9Creations B9 Core 550
The Core 550 is a self-calibrating SLA printer built for the office. It houses a filtration system to remove odors, making it ideal as an office printer.
| 3D printer | Ships from | Technology | Print area | Material system | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
B9Creations B9 Core 550 | USA | SLA |
|
Open material system | $9,955.00 |
Cubicon LUX
The Cubicon Lux is one of the most user friendly DLP printers on the market. With automatic bed-levelling and auto resin refill functions it certainly smoothens the entire manufacturing process.
| 3D printer | Ships from | Technology | Print area | Material system | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Hyvision Cubicon Lux | Singapore | DLP |
|
Closed material system | $4,177.00 |
Formlabs Form 2
The Formlabs Form 2 is a light but functional printer with perks like an automatic resin refill function and various features like Finish Kit and PreForm software included upon purchase.
| 3D printer | Ships from | Technology | Print area | Material system | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Formlabs Form 2 | USA | SLA |
|
Closed material system | $3,499.00 |
XYZprinting Nobel 1.0a
The Nobel 1.0a is a relatively cheap SLA device that can achieve 25 micron layer resolutions. This device is relatively affordable and has great accuracy.
| 3D printer | Ships from | Technology | Print area | Material system | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
XYZprinting Nobel 1.0a | USA | SLA |
|
Closed material system | Check on Amazon |
WANHAO Duplicator 7
One of the cheapest printers on the market, at a staggeringly affordable $399 price. It uses a very particular UV system to produce 35 micron prints, which is impressive considering the low cost.
| 3D printer | Ships from | Technology | Print area | Material system | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
WANHAO Duplicator 7 | China | SLA |
|
Closed material system | $399.00 |
Final word
Did we forget a 3D printer that we should really add to this list? Let us know in the comments below or contact us.
I think the Up box is a great machine, I have had mine for a year now and it has being the best printer I’ve seen in years, I have worked for Mcor Technologies installing printers into fab shops around the world, every site I was in that had an Up mini loved the machine. The Up Box has been great. Maintenance is being tiny as I haven’t even changed a nozzle yet.
I see sites like Alibaba.com offering lots of 3d printers. What do you think about their quality? Is it worth to try them and save money?
It really depends on the seller. Do some research – try to find out if you’re dealing with the manufacturer directly or that it’s a rebrand