Best 5 Cheap Small 3D Printers – Price Comparison

A small 3D printer works best if you want to produce small prints. Due to its size, this is usually more compact, portable, and affordable. It is the best home 3D printer.

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3D printing machines come in different sizes. There are small, medium and large 3D printers, but despite the differences in sizes, all of them help you produce almost anything you want.

Mini 3D printers come handy if you have a small place or if you travel a lot. If you are interested in a portable 3D printer, this article will help you understand this device even more. I will be sharing with you the benefits of small 3D printers and aside from that, I’ll reveal the best 3D printer on the market!

Contents

Small 3D PrinterRatingPrice CheckDimensionWeightBuild VolumeProsCons
Flashforge Creator Pro II4.9/5Click Here To Check Price480 x 338 x 385 mm24.2 lbs227 X 148 X 150 mmOpen source, simple to use. Does not take lots of space. Reasonable good quality prints, dual extrusion for dual colors. Middle of the pack 3D printer at affordable price.Some noise during printing. Printing takes time, so you may want to do other things.
FlashForge Finder
4.8/5Click Here To Check Price420 x 420 x 420 mm35.2 lbs140 L X 140 W X 140 H mmPowerful product, easy to operate with great quality prints.Built plate size is restricting and on-board slot for PLA spool is proprietary only. Some users find it unreliable due to inconsistent feeding of filament.
AnyCubic Photon 3D Printer
4.5/5Click Here To Check Price220 x 200 x 400 mm6.6kg115 x 65 x 155 mmAffordable, small, portable, user-friendly and delivers extremely high-detailed prints.Has a small build area and lacks peel mechanism.
Makerbot Replica Mini+
4.2/511.6 x 13.8 x 15 inches20.5 lb10.1 L X 12.6 W X 12.6 H CMEasy to setup and operate, fairly fast and decent quality printsNoisy and loud, and requires the use of branded filament from Makerbot.
da Vinci Mini
3.6/5
15.75 x 13.23 x 14.25 inches18 lb150 x 150 x 150 mmCompact, lights and portable. Has user-friend interface, single-button operation and LED indicators. It can also connect wirelessly to the network.Only allows proprietary filament

 

How Much Does A Small 3D Printer Cost?

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Small and portable 3D printers are more practical and affordable compared to a big 3D printing machine. Per Genius Gadget a small 3D printing device may cost you $1,375. The price range starts at least $150 depending on the features the 3D printing machines offer. However, with the continuous progress of technology, these gadgets are getting cheaper.

Per TechRepublic, a number of small companies already manufacture their own 3D machine or crowd-fund it and the prices for these devices are expected to drop continuously, Makerbot released their smallest printer at the price mentioned above. However, if you check Amazon, there are already a lot of cheap 3D printers today, you can even find many priced below $1000.

You can also check the table of the best mini 3D printers below and you will find that most of the items are below $500. If you are planning to venture into 3D printing, most of the products you will find in this article are available at an affordable price and will serve as a good start for your new hobby.

What Can You Make With A Small 3D Printer?

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Just like big 3D printers, you can 3D print almost any object using mini 3D printers. Among the things that you can 3D print are toys like anime characters, war games miniature models, cartoon figures, working tools like wrench, screwdrivers, or pliers and organizers to name a few. There are vast of options that you can print in a small 3D printer. You can print a dress, shoes or bag.

You can also print a coffee sleeve, a cable management hive, portal bookstand, drink coaster, charging dock and passive amplifier, SD card mountain, and even a shopping bag handle. Whatever the size of your 3D printer, you can almost print any object you have in mind in it but don’t expect a massive output like a house or building from it. Perhaps, a miniature house is possible but not a habitable one.

Mini 3D Printer Reviews

3D printing machines come in different sizes and while big printers appear more powerful and mighty, small ones are as useful and efficient. In fact, for those who are interested in venturing 3D printing, purchasing a mini 3D printer is good enough to get you started in this very interesting and enjoyable hobby.

Another benefit of having a small 3D printer is that it is more affordable. Yes, since it only uses fewer materials and they are not as complicated and as time-consuming to construct.

However, a small 3D printer is not as high-quality and as detailed as large 3D printers. Although this type of printers produces great quality output the resolution is not as detailed and as impressive as those printed from huge 3D printers.

Best Small 3D Printers

There are tons of portable 3D printers in the market now. To help reduce your research time listed the best micro and cheap 3D printer reviews below. Check it out.

#1 Flashforge Creator Pro II Review

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If you are looking for a very handy 3D printer that you can easily move around at home or take wherever you go, Flashforge Creator Pro II is highly recommended. This 3D printer is most pre-assembled and you will only do minimal work to make it work. This is the better version of the entry-level Flashforge Creator.

It comes with a metal frame and an enclosed chassis. It has a metal build plate and a guide that helps with stabilization and durability. It also comes with an improved platform leveling system and uses the fused filament fabrication (FFF) technology.

Although it is small it has a huge build area for a mini 3D printer. It is best suited for intermediate users or those who are willing to work around the printer because some part of the process in setting this up might be challenging and time-consuming. Moreover, this offers advanced features that beginners might not need but will surely love.

For instance, it can cater to different printing materials including ABS, PLA and PVA plastic filaments. Furthermore, it produces professional-quality and high-resolution prototypes and models.

If you are up for a small 3D printer that delivers a professional finish or impressive print quality, this is highly recommended. It’s also one of the

Pros
  • Good print quality
  • Huge build area
  • Dual extruder 3D printer
  • Perfect for educational and home use
  • Affordable compared to most competitors
  • Fused Deposition Modeling FDM technology
  • Produces professional quality and high-resolution prototypes and models
  • Reliable Support – backed by an extensive Quality Assurance operation and technical support to ensure success when 3D printing
  • Uses MakerBot PLA filament which is uniformly round for consistent flow and smooth and even layers
  • Supported by MakerBot 3D Ecosystem that integrates seamlessly for satisfying user experience.
Cons
  • Noisy
  • High price
  • Not easy to fix
  • Not fully assembled
  • Extruders are critical but not reliable

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#2 Flashforge Finder Review

Flashforge Finder

FlashForge Finder 3D printer is another small and impressive 3D printer. If you have limited space at home and you want a high-quality 3D printing machine for your favorite hobby, this model is highly recommended.

It features a sturdy, slide-in, non-heated build plate. It also comes with sturdy, plastic alloy construction for solid and stable prints. That’s not all, this is designed with patented extruder structure with built-in turbofan for encircled air and better molding.

For ease of use, this comes with a 3.5-inch LCD screen with preview control. It has various connectivity options too including Wi-Fi, USB cable, USB stick, and 3D cloud. Just like FlashForge Creator Pro, this 3D printer works using the fused filament fabrication (FFF) technology. This is also very versatile as it supports a wide range of filaments like ABS, PLA, TPU, Flex, Luminous, Wood and Metal.

It also includes different languages including English, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, French and more to cater to all users from different parts of the world. This works quietly and efficiently. This is great from its build, print quality, and performance down to the results it delivers. So, this is highly recommended.

Pros
  • Beginner-friendly
  • Sturdy built
  • Easy to use
  • Easy setup
  • Operates quietly
  • Competitive price
  • Supports various types of filaments
  • Slide-in, the non-heated build plate
  • 3.5″ colored touch screen for easy operation
  • Wi-Fi, USB, 3D Cloud connectivity
Cons
  • Software is not the best
  • Small build plate

Flashforge Finder

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#3 AnyCubic Photon 3D Printer Review

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Anycubic 3d printer is one of the most detailed 3D printers under $500. It is affordable and tiny that’s why it is perfect for this category. But despite its low cost and small size, Photon is well-built and offers impressive 3D print quality and performance compared to its competitors.

It is made of aluminum with stamped sheet metal. It has high-quality CNC parts and fast slicer software. Furthermore, it is different from most 3D devices because it is a resin 3D printer, so it doesn’t use any plastic. But, it produces better results with high precision.

Even if it utilizes the SLA/DLP technology, which is not familiar to many, it is very easy to use because it comes fully assembled. It is also smart and user-friendly. It comes with an interactive interface that allows you to preview and monitor print status in real-time.

I have a great experience with Anycubic Photon 3d printer. I love its size, performance and output. So, I highly recommend it.

Pros
  • Low price and affordable
  • User-friendly
  • Small and portable
  • Uses SLA/DLP technology
  • Touchscreen interface
  • Extremely high-detailed prints
Cons
  • Small build area
  • No peel mechanism

 

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#4 Makerbot Replicator Mini+ Printer Review

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This device is Cloud-enabled to make printing easy and convenient. You can control it remotely via MakerBot Print or MakerBot Mobile app. This is also equipped with a Smart Extruder+ with all the standard features including the onboard camera and Wi-Fi and USB connectivity.

Aside from the smart design, you can rely on its fast reliability and print speed. It has 28% larger volume and improved hardware for greater reliability and precision. Overall, this small 3D printer is user-friendly, reliable and efficient. The only downside is that it is loud and uses branded filament from Makerbot.

Pros
  • Uses MakerBot PLA filament for consistent flow and smooth even layers
  • Perfect for educational and home use
  • Produces professional quality and high-resolution prototypes and models
Cons
  • Overpriced compared to other brands like Zortrax M200
  • Extruders are critical but not reliable
  • Not easy to fix
  • Noisy

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#5 da Vinci Mini Wireless Review

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This is the most compact and portable machine on our list. It is 30% smaller than da Vinci Jr. 1.0 and weighs less than 18 pounds, so it will surely fit no matter how small your space is. But, you will still love it because it has an accommodating build area for your 3D projects.

It is also very light and comes with an aluminum print bed. So, you can conveniently take it with you if you travel a lot because it is compact but tough. But even if it is small, it offers big promises.

First, it uses PLA plastic filament which is non-toxic and environmental-friendly. Second, it can connect wirelessly to the home network for a more convenient 3D printing experience. It has a single-button operation and LED indicators to avoid confusion when printing.

For beginners, I’m very pleased to tell you that this 3D printer is very easy to use because you don’t need to adjust material settings. Also, it has free starter filament and auto-calibration function, so you can start printing right away. It also comes with CAD and slicing software with a user-friendly interface that will guide and help you from modeling to printing. It also has a decent print speed up to 120 mm/s

However, the best thing about da Vinci is the technical support it offers and the big community of passionate and creative designers who collaborate with their 3D models for free.

Pros
  • LED indicators
  • Easy to use
  • User-friendly UI
  • Wifi connectivity
  • Technical support
  • Decent print speed
  • Compact and portable
  • Single-button operation
  • Has aluminum print bed
  • Only uses PLA plastic which if non-toxic
Cons
  • Only allows proprietary filament

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Take Away!

The brands mentioned above are the best mini 3D printer. They are affordable and efficient. However, portable 3D printers also come with their own drawbacks whether in price or performance. But whatever you are looking for, these small 3D printers are enough to get you started with 3D printing. They do not have an open frame, so they are safe to use.

Other great options that you can try on include Lulzbot Mini, XYZprinting Da Vinci Mini, Monoprice Mini Delta 3D printer, Formlabs Form 2 (resin), UP Mini 2, Lulzbot Mini 2, and Monoprice Select Mini 3D printer. These small printers are great too but they tend to be more expensive.

If you wish to learn more about 3D printing, you can check our homepage.