Top 10 Cheap 3D Printers for Budget Under $500/$1000

Many are intimidated when buying 3D printers because they think these machines are expensive, which is not true. If money is tight and you want to purchase your first machine there’s certainly one out there that fits your budget and we are here to help you find the cheapest 3D printers on the market.

Are you interested in affordable 3D printing? Do you want to own a 3D printing machine but afraid that you can’t afford it?

If you say “yes” to any of the questions above, then you are looking for a budget 3D printer. Right? Don’t worry because there are a lot of budget 3D printers for sale and we are here to help you find the best cheap 3D printer.

A decade ago, 3D printers cost over $100,000. At the time, it’s too expensive to own one. But, 3D printing is the trend today, which makes the demands for 3D printers high. However, not as high as the supply. The supply of 3D printers remains high compared to its demand causing its price to drop.

Today, more companies are dedicated to delivering the best 3D printers that are low-cost. Furthermore, there are tons of cheap DIY 3D printer kits, so it’s a matter of finding which 3D printer is the best for your budget.

Here’s a list of the best cheap 3D printers under $1000. We also include the inexpensive 3D printer kits in the market.

Disclaimer: Please take note that the price is subject to change without prior notice.

Best Cheapest 3D Printers

When one looks for a 3D printer, the first question I hear all the time is “how much are 3D printers”? And many would often ask for the best cheapest 3D printer available. For those who are looking for the cheapest 3D printer, here are the brands that you should consider. All of these are priced below $1,000 and each of them has a good reputation for producing impressive print quality.

1. FlashForge Finder 3D Printer Review

FlashForge Finder 3D printer is a small but powerful low cost 3D printer. It has a small build volume but it is sturdy, slide-in build plate for easy set-up and removal. It has a full-color touchscreen with user-friendly control that is easy and simple to operate.

This is among the best cheap 3D printers in the market because it offers so much more for its price. It supports various languages including English, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, French, and more. This also comes with an integrated assist leveling system for precise and easy calibration and a patented extruder structure with a built-in turbofan to circulate the air for the better molding process.

This also works smartly because aside from the intuitive calibration, it helps you minimize offset damages. It also operates quietly and accommodates different types of filaments.

For only $500, you will get so much than what you expect in this cheap 3D printer. So, grab it now if you want a low-cost, quality and efficient 3D printer.

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2. FlashForge Adventurer III Review

FlashForge Adventurer 3 is another impressive 3D printer under $1000. Most 3D printing machines within this price range are inferior and come with limited features but not this one.

Adventure 3 is fast loading and heats up to 200°C in less than a minute. It has a built-in enclosed filament cartridge for your safety and an upgraded nozzle and auto filament feeding system for ease of use.

It has a removable buckle design to easily replace or conveniently solve clogging problems. Thanks to this, you don’t have to disassemble your printer or remove the extruder when it requires maintenance.

This printer is also equipped with a flexible and removable heating printer bed for model bend with less deformation. It also comes with ready-to-use and non-leveling printing technology that helps avoid faulty problems from incorrect leveling and auto loading and unloading of filaments.

This 3D printer offers you a smooth and easy printing experience because it uses cloud technology to manage the printer status, open files, upload 3D files, share model design, and more. Although it is a low-cost 3D printing machine, it isn’t inferior at all when it comes to quality and performance. It has a generous build volume, too. So, if your budget is tight and you want the best affordable 3D printer, get this one!

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3. FlashForge Creator Pro II

FlashForge Creator Pro II is a bit expensive than the first two printers I mentioned, but it is still under $1000. Also, it offers more from its build to its features.

It is built with a sturdy metal frame structure and has a pre-installed front panel. Its new injected PC top solid cover piece is added for better temperature regulation. The material offers substantial stability and it has a warp-resistant platform that can withstand the stress during printing.

This value 3D printer is also redesigned to provide faster print access with reasonable build volume. It comes with an optimized build printing platform and dual extruder with two spools and gives you the flexibility to print any project using various materials like ABS, PLA, HIPS, TPE, metal-filled filament, conductive filament, wood filled filament and more. That’s not all; it has LED light that illuminates the machine and an integrated LCD screen with easy to use board button functions.

Overall, I have a great 3D printing experience with this. Everything about this cheap 3D printer convinces me that it is worth the price. Actually, it offers more than what I expected from it. This is the best value 3D  printer in the market, I highly recommend it.

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4. AnyCubic Photon

ANYCUBIC Photon is a resin 3D printer for beginners and one of the most affordable machines you will ever find in the market. Even if it is a low-cost printer, it offers the same quality and performance as its more premium siblings, the Photon S.

It is the best entry-level 3D printing machine for those who want to shift into 3D resin printing and in a budget. It has a very simple design with a parallel LED and UV cooling system. It also comes with 16X Anti-aliasing function that enables it to deliver smoother outputs compared to regular resin printers and FDM printers.

Aside from its solid build quality, it uses a linear rail for steadying motion through the Z-axis that’s why it has a higher success rate and low instability-related errors. For its price, quality and performance, Anycubic Photon is definitely a steal!

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5. Monoprice Select Mini 3D Printer Review

Monoprice Mini has a heated build plate and comes with a micro SD card and sample PLA filament. It has a compact design with a small footprint and a basic open frame design.

Due to its heated build plate and wide range of extruder temperature, this low cost 3D printer can work with any type of filament from the basic filaments like ABS and PLA to the more advanced materials such as conductive PLA, wood, metal composites and dissolvable PVA.

Monoprice Select Mini 3D printer is fully assembled and can be used right out of the box. Furthermore, it has a heated bed, a high printing resolution of 100 microns, and a printing speed of 55mm per second. This model is definitely one of the best value 3D printers on the market today.

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6. Reprap Guru DIY Prusa i3 3D Printer Kit Review

If you are interested in DIY 3D printers or desktop 3D printers, Reprap Guru Prusa i3 3D Printer is a great device to start with. This low-cost 3D printer is designed to provide redefined usability, quality prints, and impressive performance. It is easy to assemble and is constructed for a quick set up.

In fact, even if you are not good with building models, this cheap 3D printer kit will work for you because the setup does not require any soldering. Also, it comes with assembly instruction and free software from the SD card that is included in the package.

However, the complexity of assembly may depend on your 3D printing experience and interest in building objects. Some said it was easy, but others struggled. If you want a step-by-step guide for the assembly of this Prusa i3, there are helpful YouTube videos online. Check it out to find more detailed instructions. You can also follow the procedure as you assemble your machine.

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7. Creality Ender 3 3D Printer Review

Creality Ender 3 is one of the most popular brands and a trusted cheap 3D printer on the market because of its price and performance. It looks very simple, but it is smart and most importantly, it gets the job done.

This 3D printing machine has the ability to resume printing even after a power outage or lapse occurs. It uses advanced extruder technology to reduce plugging risk and bad extrusion, a V-shape with POM wheels for a quiet, smooth and durable move, and a safety protected power supply.

Also, if you are into open source machines, this one is definitely for you. It is fully open source, so you can improve the printer and share the changes in the community to help improve everyone’s experience. This 3D machine offers so much more than you expect for its price that’s why it is in our top budget 3d printers list.

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8. Printrbot Play Cheap 3D Printer Review

This budget 3D printer is fully assembled with a metal frame and an open platform. It has a metal plate print bed with an auto-leveling probe that works with open-source computer software to provide a level print surface.

This 3D printing machine has a maximum resolution of 100 microns with USB and SD card for connectivity. It also includes a sample filament to help you get started.

Considering the said qualities, there is no doubt that Printrbot Play is one of the best budget 3D printers that you will surely love. So, check it out below.

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9. Wanhao Duplicator i3 V2 3D Printer Review

This entry-level 3D printer is designed for anyone who wants to engage in affordable 3D printing. It has a pre-assembled steel frame, so you don’t need to build a kit. Also, it’s the best-selling RepRap on the market.

Unlike most Prusa, this cheap 3D printer comes with a standard custom electronics housing. It also includes an MK10 single extruder, a G-code based micro-controller, and a standard heated build plate.

This machine is worth every penny. It is the ultimate RepRap and yes, many also consider this the best budget 3D printer due to its design, quality and performance.

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10. Creality CR-10 3D Printer Review

 

Creality CR-10 V2 has a very simple design, but it comes with a convenient monitor that will detect when the printer has run out of filament. When this happens, it automatically stops printing and alerts the user to restock the filament.

Once the filament is replenished it resumes printing. The Resume Print function is also very helpful during a power outage and when there is an unexpected stoppage during printing.

It has a minimalist design but offers maximum performance and a large build volume. It comes with a golden triangle structure to reduce errors due to the vibration of the Z-axis during printing. It is also equipped with dual lead screw Z-axis design that offers more stability and accuracy, and dual-port hot end cooling fans for superior cooling performance.

Aside from its sophisticated design, its performance is superb. The outputs are high-quality and it is not noisy during the operation. Overall, Creality CR-10 V2 is a must-try budget 3D printer.

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Conclusion

If you are looking for the best budget 3D printers, these machines are the top picks on the market because they cost below $1,000. In addition, they are fully equipped, offers quality prints and are made of reliable materials. They also have decent build size, print speed, and impressive printing technology.

These affordable 3D printers are great starter kits for anyone interested in 3D printing. So, if you are considering to get the most affordable 3D printer, you should consider the top 10 affordable 3D printers listed above. You can also try Da Vinci 3D printers like da Vinci Nano, da Vinci Mini, da Vinci Jr Pro because they are also affordable. Later on, if you want to upgrade, you can try Lulzbot Mini and Lulzbot Taz.

If you still find these cheap 3D printers out of your budget, you can check out 3D printing pens these are also great deals for starters.