The best 3D printers in 2021

1. Creality Ender 3 Pro - The most popular

The most affordable-expandable-popular in the range of under 300 $, with an unbeatable value for money, it is a perfect printer either for beginners or experienced users with a limited budget.
It is a best-selling 3D printer backed by a community of satisfied users.

2- Anycubic Mega S - Sturdy and well equipped 

3- Sovol SV01 - Larger volumes and more ..

Despite a generous printing volume, size is not the only quality of this printer. The Sovol SV01 comes with features not seen in printers on this budget: a Direct Drive Extruder and, a dual Z lead screw. 

The best of the Sovol SV01:

• Larger printing volume for the group in this budget (24 x 28 x 30 cm).
• Direct Drive Extruder and dual Z lead screw: increasing its printing stability and maintaining great printing quality even under high-speed printing. 
• Meanwell Power Supply. Built-in branded Meanwell power supply ensures stable and sufficient power, heat up the hotbed and nozzle fast.
• It can support multiple filaments, such as PLA, TPU, ABS and etc.
• Removable Glass Plate: This 3D printer comes with a flat glass plate on the regular heated bed, resolving warped bed issues.
• No matter for small or large model, it can ensure you to get perfect layer lines every time.
• It is shipped partially assembled in 3 parts, taking approximately 20 minutes to assemble.

Conclusion: It is a fantastic alternative to the Creality 3D printers. It manages to pack in the essentials and adds some (very!) nice-to-haves.

4- Anycubic Mega X - Robust and reliable

Its all-metal frame and compact chassis not only give it a sleek look, but also dramatically reduce unwanted printer movements, improving the overall quality of your projects.

Conclusion: The Anycubic Mega X is an excellent investment for both newbies and experienced users. All the materials in its manufacture are of high quality, reflected in the result of the work.

5- Creality Ender 5 Pro - Best value for money

The best of the Creality Ender 5 Pro:

• Upgraded Motherboard : Quiet V1.15 model with TMC2208 drivers, enabling quieter and more accurate printing performance. This motherboard has both Marlin 1.1.8 and Bootloader installed and also has the board's thermal protection feature enabled, which provides additional protection in case the printer has a temperature spike.
• Very Durable Metal Extruder Frame - This feature provides stronger pressure while pushing the filament through the extruder, which, according to the manufacturer, will boost overall printing performance. This upgraded metal extruder kit comes equipped with an adjustable bolt so that users can adjust the pressure of the extruder gear to better fit the selected filament.
• New and Improved Filament Duct - This is the Capricorn Bowden Duct . It has an inner diameter of 1.9mm ± 0.05mm, which prevents the filament from bending inside the tube. This makes the printer more suitable for printing with flexible filaments and other exotic materials.

Conclusion: The Ender 5 Pro is a very solid 3D machine and a very good investment, since its manufacturer has built on good experience with the Ender 3 and 5 models, incorporating additional premium features.

6- Creality CR10 V2 - For large projects

The highlight of the CR-10 V2 is the large print volume. The surface measures 12 "x 12" and can print objects up to 16" high.

Conclusion: The Creality CR-10 V2 is a high-quality, affordable , large-format printer.

7- QIDI Tech X-Plus - For all type of filaments

The QIDI Tech X-Plus is aimed at semi-professional users , since it allows working with more delicate materials, such as nylon or PC, which can only be processed at high temperatures and in a closed chamber.

The best of the QIDI Tech X-plus: 

• It comes equipped with two interchangeable extruder configurations.
• The default has a maximum temperature of 260 ° C to process consumable materials such as PLA, ABS, PETG or TPU.
• The second extruder has a printing temperature of up to 300 ° C and can handle more delicate materials such as nylon, carbon fiber or PC.
• The print bed is double-sided . Each side works best with flexible, low-temperature materials such as PLA, PETG, TPU, or is designed to adhere better to high-temperature materials.
• It has two filament holders , offering two different spool seat capacities.
  It comes fully assembled and the only steps to get started include loading the filament and leveling the bed (just press a button).
• When closed it protects the environment from potentially harmful vapors .
• For the same reason, the noise level is low, only 40 dB.
• It comes with an improved cooling system.

Conclusion: The QIDI Tech X-Plus is a safe investment for professionals and semi-professionals of multiple branches. The many functionalities, the simplicity in its use and the quality of the prints make this printer one of the best value for money.

8- Flashforge Creator Pro

It is one of the most affordable and capable dual extrusion 3D printers in the market.
The robust construction, a fully enclosed build chamber allows for printing of multiple materials, including temperature sensitive ones, that would otherwise warp.

• The best of Flashforge Creator Pro:
• Unlike other systems, where the nozzles move independently of each other on the x-axis, this printer uses two aligned print heads .
• With the dual extruder and closed (and sealed) chamber, it allows you to print a wide range of materials , including ABS, PLA, HIPS, Flex, T-glass, and composites such as Woodfill, CopperFill, Brass Fill (and more).
• It also prevents ingress of dust and particles , adds an extra safety precaution, helps muffle operating sound , and retains fumes when printing ABS.
• It has a sturdy metal frame , which makes vertical movement more stable.
• It is equipped with a three-point metal leveling system that allows for a finer and more stable adjustment.
• It is an open source 3D printer and therefore compatible with multiple cutting programs.
  Additionally, there are many upgrades and upgrades available for the printer.

Conclusion: The Flashforge Creator Pro 3D Printer is a fantastic choice for hobbyists, consumers, and small and medium businesses looking for a 3D printer for rapid prototyping.

It has a very active user community, and the value for money for a dual extruder 3D device is unbeatable.

9. Creality CR-10 S5

It is Creality's largest 3D printer and also one of the most competitively priced large format consumer printers on the market. With a build volume of 500 x 500 x 500 mm , it offers endless possibilities.

The best about the Creality CR10-S5 : 

• It introduces a second rail to move the build plate , which, being 50x50cm, provides greater stability and smoother movements.
• It is equipped with double lead screws and two Z axis stepper motor drivers . Combined with the printer's aluminum frame, this feature reduces vibrations and therefore minimizes Z-oscillation, resulting in a smoother finish on prints.
• It includes a new bearing system , which makes the printer run smoother and less noisy.
• New paint recently improved . This should allow the printer to print stably for up to 200 hours without a hitch.
• Print resume function , for both unexpected power outages or filament exhaustion.
• When printing very large projects , the end of filament sensor avoids getting caught in the middle.

Conclusion: For printing big on a budget, there are few options quite like the Creality CR-10 S5 .
It is simple and does enough for the price, but allows extensions in case you want to add improvements.

 10- ELEGOO Mars Pro

Like its predecessor ELEGOO Mars, the ELEGOO Mars Pro is the best-selling SLA printer at the moment.

The best of the ELEGOO Mars Pro :

• It offers a compact but very acceptable build space for the price of 120 x 68 x 155mm.
  Its 2560 x 1440 pixel resolution and 3.5-inch full-color touch screen puts it at the level of the most expensive printers in terms of print quality.
• It incorporates a carbon filter in the base unit of the printer. Designed to filter volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the air inside the build chamber, improving air quality during use.
• They have changed the location of the USB port from the back to the front , making it easier to handle the printer when setting up prints.
• The addition of a more powerful LED system allows the Mars Pro to print a regular layer in six seconds (depending on resin), putting it on a par with more expensive competitors.
• The adhesion of the printing plate is excellent .
• The resin tank has been redesigned with respect to the previous version, it allows to store more resin in the same space.
• The manufacturer includes certain protective equipment, including masks with a built-in filter.

Conclusion: The ELEGOO Mars Pro is a great choice to get started in the world of resin 3D printers.
The manufacturer has taken into account the observations and opinions of the users in the previous model until it becomes a better product at an affordable price to start experimenting with this technology.

11- QIDI Tech Shadow Pro

Of industrial design and quality in its construction , the QIDI Tech Shadow 6.0 Pro is an improved version of the previous model, in which the manufacturer has made sure to incorporate the opinion of its users.

12. Anycubic Photon Mono X

The Anycubic Photon Mono X is a cutting edge MSLA 3D printer. With its large build volume, 4K screen, and monochrome display, it hits all the marks of current resin 3D printing trends.

The best of the Anycubic Photon Mono X:

• Bigger Build Size: 7.55" (L)*9.65" (H)*4.72"(W), more choice for your creation
• 8.9" 4K Monochrome LCD: The resolution is 3840*2400 pixels, which able to greatly restore print details to the original state.
• Upgraded LED Array: Uses UV matrix of Leds which provide much more even light distribution across your whole prints
• UV Cooling System: Double effetive cooling device specially designed for stable printing permance and longer service life
• With Dual Z-Axis: No worry about Z wobble issue; The dual Z axis rail eliminates Z-wobble while producing higher print quality
• With Wifi Function: Able to control the print operations remotely
• Quality Power Supply: With UL Certification, CE marking and ETL Certification
• Sanded Aluminum Platform: Enhances the adhesion between platform and prints
• Marks in Resin Vat: Accurately view how much resin is left with the marks in the resin vat
• Functional Touch Screen: As responsive as operating on the mobile phone
• Safe Design: Printer will be shut off if the top cover has been removed when you turn on the function

Conclusion:  The Anycubic Mono X is capable of producing high-quality prints with little effort to obtain them.