The introduction of commercial-grade 3D printers in the early 2000s drastically changed manufacturing on a corporate and hobbyist level. Using a variety of materials including plastic resins, wood and metal, they extrude the base in layers and sculpt objects based on CAD files.
There's just so much you can do with a 3D printer that the investment pays off almost immediately. Fantasy fans love them for printing miniature figures, scenery and props. Engineers revel in the ability to manufacture precision-tooled parts for projects quickly and inexpensively. Kids can print their own toys and gadgets. And there are massive databases of free designs to produce and modify. While they're not quite at the level of household ubiquity, it's hard for me to imagine my workshop without one anymore.
Best Prime Day 3D Printer Deals
- Flashforge Guider II 3D Printer (Opens in a new window) for $799.00 (List Price $999)
- Creality Ender-5 S1 3D Printer (Opens in a new window) for $499.00 (List Price $579)
- Anycubic Photon Mono X2 3D Printer (Opens in a new window) for $299.99 (List Price $355.99)
- Anycubic Photon D2 Resin 3D Printer (Opens in a new window) for $499.99 (List Price $799.99)
*Deals are selected by our commerce team
Amazon has several very solid 3D printers on sale for Prime Day, so grab one now. If you're not a Prime member, Amazon still offers a free 30-day trial for new members.
Anycubic Photon D2 Resin 3D Printer (Credit: Amazon)Anycubic Photon D2 Resin 3D Printer
The tech that goes into 3D printing is almost the stuff of science fiction. Case in point: digital light processing, which employs thousands of tiny mirrors to focus photons precisely at the bottom of the resin vat on this affordable and powerful printer to ensure uniform distribution with intense attention to detail. Users rave about the fidelity to their 3D models, even down to the smallest piece. Printing speed isn't the fastest on the market, so it's not ideal for high-volume use, but if accuracy is your goal the Anycubic Photon D2 is an amazing choice, especially at this price.
- Anycubic Photon D2 Resin 3D Printer (Opens in a new window) for $499.99 (List Price $799.99)
Creality Ender-5 S1 3D Printer
This solid second-generation printer wins marks for its build quality. It's a sturdy, rugged rectangle with built-in handles. It's also versatile, boasting a direct drive extruder for softer materials and an all-metal hot end for high-temperature filaments that won't work in machines that skimp on parts quality. Print speeds on this unit are extremely impressive, especially because quality remains high even when the printer is moving quickly. This isn't a specialist device, but if you're in the market for an all-in-one printer that can handle a wide variety of jobs at a good price, the Ender-5 is a steal.
- Creality Ender-5 S1 3D Printer (Opens in a new window) for $499.00 (List Price $579)
Anycubic Photon Mono X2 3D Printer
There's a lot to love about Anycubic's mid-size resin printer, which just launched in May. It's a remarkably precise device, able to handle 48 microns of detail—less than the width of a human hair—with ease. It has a small footprint, meaning that you don't have to take up a lot of workbench space. It comes fully assembled, with everything you'll need to start printing in the box, even the slicing software. Build quality is exceptional, with accurate joining and metal where it's needed. And the price is already reasonable, so getting Prime Day savings is just an extra bonus.
- Anycubic Photon Mono X2 3D Printer (Opens in a new window) for $299.99 (List Price $355.99)
Flashforge Guider II 3D Printer
Prime Day has deals on beefier 3D printers as well. One of our top picks is the Flashforge Guider II, a popular pick for its combination of quality and reliability. Typically clocking in at over a thousand bucks, the Guider II is a sturdy device that supports a wide range of filament materials. One of the coolest features is the Resume Printing function, where if a job is interrupted by a power failure or other unexpected event, the printer saves its progress and can start back up again at a later time without discarding the entire project. Bed-leveling sensors and adaptive cooling make this a great choice for small, finicky items as well as larger objects.
- Flashforge Guider II 3D Printer (Opens in a new window) for $799.00 (List Price $999)