Anycubic Photon Mono 4 Resin 3D Printer
A resin 3d printer, a detail-focused choice for miniatures and detailed models.
What Materials Do 3D Printers Use?
3D printers don't all use the same material, and choosing the right one matters for how easy and successful your prints are. Here's a plain guide to the main options.
Quick answer
Home 3D printers mostly use plastic filament (FDM printers) or liquid resin (resin printers). The most common filament is PLA, which is easy and popular; others include PETG, ABS and TPU. Resin printers use a UV-curable liquid resin that gives very fine detail.
FDM filaments
- PLA - the easiest and most popular; great for beginners and general prints.
- PETG - tougher and more heat- and water-resistant than PLA, still fairly easy.
- ABS - strong and heat-resistant but trickier, and it gives off fumes, so needs ventilation and ideally an enclosure.
- TPU - flexible, rubber-like filament for phone cases and the like.
Resin
Resin printers use a liquid resin cured by UV light, layer by layer. It produces much finer detail than filament, which is why it's popular for miniatures and models. The trade-offs are more mess, fumes and post-processing (washing and curing), so it needs gloves and good ventilation.
Which should you choose?
For most people starting out, PLA on an FDM printer is the easiest and cheapest route. Move to PETG or ABS when you need tougher parts, TPU for flexible ones, and a resin printer when fine detail matters more than convenience.
Our top picks
#1
#2 
Creality Ender 5 Max 3D Printer
A FDM 3d printer (700 mm/s), a versatile choice for everyday printing.
#3 
Elegoo EU-EHJ-3DL-S4U Saturn 4 Ultra Resin 3D Printer
A resin 3d printer, a detail-focused choice for miniatures and detailed models.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best material for a beginner 3D printer?
PLA filament. It prints at lower temperatures, sticks well, doesn't need an enclosure and is forgiving of mistakes, making it ideal for learning.
What's the difference between PLA and resin?
PLA is a solid plastic filament used by FDM printers - easy and cheap. Resin is a liquid cured by UV light in resin printers - far finer detail but messier and needing more post-processing.
Are 3D printing materials safe?
Used sensibly, yes, but ventilate the area - ABS and resin in particular give off fumes. Wear gloves with resin, and keep printers out of living spaces where possible.
Bottom line
Our top pick is the Anycubic Photon Mono 4 Resin 3D Printer (our score 9.6/10) - A resin 3d printer, a detail-focused choice for miniatures and detailed models..