Best 3D Printers (2025) – CNET

Testing 3D printers is an in-depth process. Printers often don’t use the same materials, or even the same process, to create patterns. I’m testing SLA 3D printers that use resin and light to print, and FDM printers that melt plastic on a plate. Each has a unique methodology. The basic qualifications I look at include:

• Hardware quality
• Easy setup
• Bundled software
• The appearance and accuracy of prints
• Repairability
• Support the company and community

A master test print, representing the (now obsolete) CNET logo, is used to evaluate how the printer fills gaps, creates precise shapes, and handles overlays. It even has small towers to help measure how well the 3D printer handles temperature ranges.

When testing speed, we slice the model using the standard slicer the machine shipped with at its standard settings, and then compare the actual print duration to the statement completion time on the slicer. 3D printers often use different chips, and these can vary greatly depending on the expected completion time.

We use then PrusaSlicer To determine the amount of material a print should use and divide that number by the actual time it takes to print, giving us a more accurate figure for the speed in millimeters per second (mm/s) at which the printer can operate.

Each build plate is supposed to be heated to a certain temperature, so we use InfiRay thermal imaging camera for Android To check how successful they are. We set the build plate to 60°C—the temperature most commonly used for build plates—and waited five minutes for the temperature to stabilize, then measured it at six separate locations. We then measured the average temperature to see how close the 3D printer came to its advertised temperature.

Resin testing requires different standards, so I use… Amerlab standard test: Print a small resin model that looks like a small city. This helps determine how accurate the printer is, how it handles small parts, and how effective the UV exposure is at different points in the model.

Several other anecdotal test prints, using different 3D models, are also run on each printer to test the longevity of the parts and how well the machine handles different shapes.

For other criteria, I researched the company to see how responsive they are to support inquiries from customers and how easy it is to order parts and install them yourself. Kits (printers that come semi-assembled only) are judged by the length and difficulty of the assembly process and how clear the instructions are.