Top 6 Best 3D Printers Under $300

Today, we will discuss the Best 3D Printers Under $300 and experience a jump in product quality while staying in the budget category. If you are serious about 3D printing as a hobby, spending $50 to $100 more for a better product will go a long way. Here we present the cheapest and best 3D printers under $300 – or more precisely 3D printers priced between $200 and $300 (note: prices are correct at the time of writing). So do not expect super cheap 3D printers sold at $150, even if their price is technically less than $300.

Best 3D Printers Under $300 Comparison Table

Things To Consider Before Buying Best 3D Printers Under $300

• Built Quality: The best 3D printers under $300 are often made of firmer and more stable materials, with products such as the Jgaurora A-3 even with a full metal frame for added durability. Of course, regular maintenance and use play an important role in the life of your 3D printer. Still, it is nice to have a machine that has already been built to print for hundreds of hours without showing signs of failure.
• Size: Regarding the maximum size, the best 3D printers under $300 do not really differ from their less expensive parents. It all depends on the type of 3D printer. For example, you can create self-adhesive DIY Prusa i3 clones for a build volume of at least 7 x 7 x 7 inches. On the other hand, integrated 3D printers and mini-3D printers still have small to medium sized print beds.
• Heated Print Bed: About print beds, the best 3D printers under 300 dollars are more likely to have heated print beds. This means that you can experiment with different types of filaments, including ABS and TPU. Almost all the products we mentioned here are equipped with heated printing beds. We’ve already done it together.

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• Print Quality: In terms of print quality, the difference is not particularly dramatic, although it depends on the products you are comparing. Monoprice Maker Select V2, for example, delivers much better results than the HopeWant desktop 3D printer, which sells for around $150.

Monoprice Maker Select V2

If you’re looking for an affordable 3D printer and one of the best 3D printers under $300 that lets you play while learning the workings of 3D printing, the Monoprice Maker Select V2 is for you. It is a reliable entry-level 3D printer that offers excellent value at the table. It’s actually a plug-and-play 3D printer. The printer is already mounted directly in the box. All you have to do is to tighten a few screws and it is ready to be used. In less than 30 minutes, you can start printing some of the test patterns on the SD card (the package also contains a filament for the starter). For beginners, this first trouble-free installation is a big plus.

The Maker Select V2 contains a generous maximum build volume, although the announced 7.1-inch vertical space is misleading. In reality, you can print up to about 6 inches due to the placement of the hot end. The building board is heated, allowing reliable treatment of ABS and other filaments requiring higher temperatures to function properly. The print quality is impressive for a 3D printer sold for less than $300. It is polished and accurate, complemented by a reasonably high print speed. But as with other 3D printers, the level of detail and the size of the project have an impact on the speed: the more the production time is large and detailed, the longer the execution time. Overall, this is one of the best 3D printers under 300 dollars.

Pros:

• Extremely easy to assemble
• Includes heated build plate
• Supports standalone printing
• Open for modding
• Large build size
• Great print quality

Cons:

• No auto-leveling technology
• No touchscreen interface

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Monoprice Select Mini V2

Our next choice for the best 3D printers under 300 dollars, we still have a product from Monoprice, one of the most popular brands in the 3D economical printer department. The Monoprice Select Mini V2 is available in two colors: black and white, the first giving a more professional look. The Select Mini V2 is fully assembled and can be printed directly from the box. Just follow the first installation, which should take less than 30 minutes, and you’re ready to start. The built-in button interface is easy to use and responds well although it is rudimentary: a touch screen interface would have been better.

The Select Mini V2 is lightweight and compact and is designed for use on a PC. It looks great on any desk and its relatively quiet feel makes it less distracting when working on other tasks. But in return for the compact construction, you get a small building plate, which limits you to small, often non-functional elements. On the plus side, the building board is heated, which is not common for an economical 3D printer. In most cases, you need to adjust and install an economical 3D printer with a heated construction plate. The heated wall panel means that you can use ABS for printing, although we suggest that you stick to the PLA during the first few weeks of learning. Overall, this is one of the best 3D printers under $300

Pros:

• Easy to use for beginners
• Compact enough for desktop placement
• Fully assembled right out of the box
• Includes heated build plate
• Sturdy construction

Cons:

• Small maximum build volume
• Unreliable customer support
• No touchscreen

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XYZprinting da Vinci Jr. 1.0

The XYZprinting da Vinci Jr. 1.0 is a fully integrated 3D printer offering an unbeatable value for money at such a low price that you can think that there is an error in the list of products. The Da Vinci Jr. 1.0 comes in an attractive white-blue case and in a neat package that immediately tells you that the manufacturer cares about its products. It’s a ready-to-use 3D printer that only takes a few minutes to calibrate before you can start printing. More specifically, you must make sure that the extruder and the print bed have a correct distance from each other.

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Designed for use at home and in the classroom, da Vinci Jr. 1.0 is a small integrated interface that works with a series of buttons. It’s very easy to use. Even technically challenged people will have little trouble getting it to work. The supplied software is also easy to learn, although it is not the most complete in terms of design options. The ease of use is complemented by the addition of two useful functions: the automatic filament system and the fast-spinning extruder. The first means that the machine takes care of everything as soon as the filament is loaded. With the latter, the extruder can be removed quickly for maintenance (or for replacement of the extruder). Overall, it’s one of the best 3D printers under 300 dollars.

Pros:

• Fully enclosed
• Easy to set up and calibrate
• Low noise level
• Includes auto-feeding filament system
• Extruder removes easily for maintenance

Cons:

• Requires proprietary filament
• No heated build plate
• Slow printing speed

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RepRapGuru DIY Prusa i3 V2

There are two types of people when it comes to buying a 3D boot printer: for those who want a predefined or fully assembled 3D printer and for those who prefer to create their own 3D printer with a DIY kit. If you belong to the last group, the RepRap Guru DIY Prusa i3 V2 specialist is for you. The set comes in a carefully packed box. Find out what’s easy because all parts are labeled accordingly. The most difficult thing is to merge everything. The manual provided is simple and easy to understand. However, because the manual is for the older version of the printer, the V1, some upgrades to the V2 are not included. Expect to spend about 10 hours assembling and calibrating, including watching instructional videos on the Internet.

If you are good at engineering or have a background in electronics or machinery, you can probably finish everything in 6 to 8 hours. That said, RepRap Guru DIY Prusa i3 V2 software is only recommended for those who like to tinker with machines and do not worry about getting their hands dirty. Once everything is set up, using the printer is simple. It is easy to use and can be run for several days without interruption, with minimal problems. Its build volume is generous, which greatly increases the type of items you can print and its heated print bed. The last function means that you can print with other media if you think the PLA is too common for you. Overall, it’s one of the best 3D printers under 300 dollars.

Pros:

• Generous build size
• Good print quality
• Includes heated print bed
• Supports various filament types
• Capable of untethered printing

Cons:

• Not recommended for beginners
• Assembly and calibration takes a while
• No main power switch

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Anycubic Kossel 3D Printer

The Anycubic Kossel 3D printer is something we do not recommend to 3D printing beginners, especially because 3D delta printers are more complicated. It is ideal for amateurs who already know the basics of 3D printing and have a lot of patience to work in electronics. Please note that the product included here is the “Pulley” version – the “Linear Plus” version is greater than $ 300, which makes it not eligible for inclusion. The most striking difference between the two is that the “Pulley” comes with a smaller construction space. In terms of performance, the “Linear Plus” has the advantage, but not so much.

Made in China, the Anycubic Kossel 3D printer arrives in a well-protected packaging. It’s not quite out of the box, so you have to take the time to put it together. Depending on your experience of 3D printers and electronics in general, the assembly and the first calibration process can last from 3 to 10 hours. The low-end DIY 3D printers are notorious because they have confusing manuals that only worsen the situation. This Anycubic delta printer is different. The assembly is simple and without a problem, thanks to the well-written manual. It is easy to understand, thanks to surprisingly good English texts (remember that the manufacturer is Chinese) and useful pictures. Overall, it’s one of the best 3D printers under $300.

Pros:

• Outstanding instruction manual
• Supports standalone printing
• Includes starter filament
• Great print quality
• Lightweight
• Excellent customer support

Cons:

• Build size smaller than advertised
• Not ideal for beginners
• Manual bed leveling can be a pain

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Jgaurora A-3

Similar to the RepRap DIY Guru Prusa i3 V2, the Jgaurora A-3 is a DIY 3D printer that comes disassembled and requires hours of manual labor to put it into operation. In fact, the two machines share many similarities, which is not surprising, as they are both based on the original Prusa i3. The most striking difference is that RepRap Guru is based in the United States, while Jgaurora is based in China. Before the assembly and calibration process, be sure to book at least 8 hours. The less experience you have with electronics and machines, the more hours you need. To guide you through the process, Jgaurora offers a series of written and video instructions. The SD card contains everything you need to know about how to mount the printer.

However, as the product is in Chinese, the instructions can be difficult to follow due to the level of English, which is understandable. Overall, the initial assembly and calibration process takes about 8 to 12 hours, depending on your experience in electronics and your ability to follow instructions that are less severe than English. Regarding print quality and machine performance, the Jgaurora A-3 printer will surprise you. It is accurate, runs relatively silently for an open-structure 3D printer, supports different types of filaments, and can last for weeks without problems, if at all. It’s certainly a reliable tool you can rely on for mass printing. Overall, it’s one of the best 3D printers under $300.

Pros:

• Sturdy and stable construction
• Low noise level
• Supports standalone printing via SD
• Top-notch customer service
• Easy to use built-in interface

Cons:

• Intimidating assembly and initial calibration process
• Instruction manual and videos can be confusing
• No auto-leveling technology

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Final Words

Before making a purchase, make sure you understand what the chosen product brings to the table. It is unfair to expect cost-effective 3D printers to have the same quality as advanced 3D printers sold for $2000. Hopefully, with our guide to the Best 3D Printers Under $300, we can help you define your expectations in a realistic way. Tell us what you think of this list by leaving your comments in the box below.

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