The best first 3D printer is the one that gets you printing on day one instead of fighting with settings. All the printers below calibrate themselves and come with ready-made profiles. What separates them is size, materials and how much you want to tinker later.
How this list was made: picks are based on the manufacturers’ own specifications and public information, checked in October 2026, plus my own experience with the Prusa Core One+, the printer I use myself. More about me. “Check price” links go to the official store and may be affiliate links, which never changes the picks.
| Printer | Best for |
|---|---|
| Bambu Lab A1 | Most beginners |
| Bambu Lab A1 mini | Small prints, small space, small budget |
| Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 | An enclosed printer on a budget |
| Prusa Core One+ | Open, repairable hardware for the long run |
Our picks
1. Bambu Lab A1: best for most beginners
The A1 levels its bed, sets the nozzle height and tunes vibration and flow before every print, so most new owners get good results straight away.
Pros:
- Very easy setup and quiet operation
- Add the AMS lite later for up to four colors
Cons:
- Open frame, so ABS and ASA are not recommended
- The bed moves, so it needs space front and back
| Specs | |
|---|---|
| Build volume | 256 × 256 × 256 mm |
| Type | Open bed-slinger |
| Nozzle / bed | 300 °C / 100 °C |
| Best materials | PLA, PETG, TPU |
2. Bambu Lab A1 mini: best small and cheap starter
The same easy, self-calibrating setup as the A1 in a smaller body. Enough for most everyday prints like holders, organizers and small figures.
Pros:
- Low price and small footprint
- Available as a Combo with the AMS lite
Cons:
- 180 mm build volume limits bigger projects
| Specs | |
|---|---|
| Build volume | 180 × 180 × 180 mm |
| Type | Open bed-slinger |
| Multicolor | AMS lite (Combo) |
| Best materials | PLA, PETG, TPU |
3. Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2: best enclosed printer for beginners on a budget
If you know you will want tougher materials, an enclosed CoreXY printer like the Centauri Carbon 2 gives you room to grow without a big jump in price.
Pros:
- Enclosed chamber and a 350 °C nozzle
- Ready for a multicolor upgrade
Cons:
- The multicolor unit is sold separately
| Specs | |
|---|---|
| Build volume | 256 × 256 × 256 mm |
| Type | Enclosed CoreXY |
| Nozzle / bed | 350 °C / 110 °C |
| Multicolor | Upgrade ready (Canvas, sold separately) |
4. Prusa Core One+: best for a printer you keep for years
This is the printer I use myself. It is enclosed, open source and sold as a kit or assembled, and Prusa sells spare parts for it. It costs more than the others here, but you can repair and upgrade it for a long time.
Pros:
- Enclosed CoreXY with active chamber temperature control
- Open hardware and firmware
Cons:
- Higher price than the other picks
| Specs | |
|---|---|
| Build volume | 250 × 220 × 270 mm (14.9 liters) |
| Type | Enclosed CoreXY with active chamber temperature control |
| Multicolor | MMU3 upgrade, up to 5 filaments |
| Options | Kit or assembled, open source |
How to choose your first printer
- What will you print? Household items and toys work on any of these. Tough, heat-resistant parts need an enclosed printer.
- How big? Most prints fit in 180 mm. Helmets and large organizers need 250 mm or more.
- Multicolor? If you think you will want it, pick a printer that has a multicolor add-on, even if you buy it later.
- Open or closed ecosystem? Bambu Lab is the easiest. Prusa is the most open and repairable.
Not sure yet? Try the printer finder. It takes three questions.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best 3D printer for a complete beginner?
The printer named most often in Reddit and forum threads for first-time buyers is the Bambu Lab A1 mini, followed by the full-size A1. Both level the bed and calibrate themselves, and Bambu Studio ships with profiles for them, so owners mostly report that the first print works without manual tuning. In October 2026 the A1 mini costs €189 and the A1 starts at €259 at Bambu Lab’s EU store.
The common advice in those threads is to spend more only for a reason you already know about. If you need a bigger build plate, look at the A1 or the A2L (330 × 320 × 325 mm, from €379). If you want to print ABS or ASA, you need an enclosed printer such as the P1S or P2S. The picks above compare these, and the printer finder narrows it down from your answers.
Sources: Bambu Lab forum, Bambu Lab.
Should I get the A1 mini or the full-size A1? Is 180 mm too small?
The two printers are almost the same apart from size. The A1 mini prints up to 180 × 180 × 180 mm and the A1 up to 256 × 256 × 256 mm. The A1’s bed also heats to 100 °C against 80 °C on the mini. Both work with the AMS Lite for multicolor printing. At Bambu Lab’s EU store the difference is €70 (€189 against €259 in October 2026).
Build volume is the limit owners mention most when they outgrow the mini. Phone stands and small household parts fit fine. Helmets and large storage boxes often do not, and you would have to print them in pieces. If you already know you want to print larger things, the A1 is the simpler choice, and the A2L goes up to 330 × 320 × 325 mm from €379.
Sources: Bambu Lab.
Should my first printer be an open A1 or an enclosed P1S or P2S?
It depends on the materials you plan to print. Bambu Lab lists PLA, PETG, TPU and PVA as ideal for the A1, and lists ABS, ASA, PC and nylon as not recommended, because the open frame lets the print cool unevenly and warp. If PLA and PETG cover what you want to make, the A1 is enough.
For ABS or ASA you need an enclosure. The P1S costs €379 and the P2S €519 in October 2026. The P2S has a hardened nozzle that reaches 300 °C and a bed that reaches 110 °C. On the Bambu Lab forum, some owners now recommend the P2S as a first printer for its camera and lighting, while others suggest waiting about a year after a new model launches before buying it. The enclosed printer guide covers the options.
Sources: Bambu Lab, Bambu Lab forum.
Is a Prusa kit hard to build? Should I buy the kit or the assembled printer?
Prusa estimates about 12 hours to build the Core One+ kit. The kit costs €1,049 and the assembled printer €1,349, so building it yourself saves €300. On the Prusa forum, builders report anything from three evenings to two days, and most of them recommend the kit: the instructions show each part at life size, and having built the printer makes later repairs less daunting. The counterpoint in the same thread is time, and one builder said they would not build another.
Mikkel, who runs this site, built his Core One+ from the kit and has printed on it for about a year. His build took 1–3 hours, he did not find it hard, and the first print worked. The kit assembly page has more on what the build involves.
Sources: Prusa, Prusa forum.
Is a 3D printer a good gift for a kid or teenager?
For teenagers, the A1 mini is the printer suggested most often in gift threads, mainly because it needs little setup and costs €189. One parent reported that their 11-year-old had been printing nonstop on a Bambu Lab printer without help from adults. For younger children, Tom’s Hardware points to the Toybox, which has a much smaller build area (70 × 80 × 90 mm) and a library of models made for kids.
The warning that comes up in the same threads is that some gifted printers end up unused after a few downloaded models, so it helps to check that the child wants one and has something they want to make. The nozzle and bed get hot enough to burn, and on an open printer like the A1 mini the moving parts are within reach, so younger children need an adult nearby. If you are unsure, is a 3D printer worth it? goes through what people use them for.
Sources: Tom’s Hardware.
Is a 3D printer safe to have around kids?
The main hazards are hot parts and fumes. NIOSH notes that filament printer nozzles typically run at 190–260 °C and heated beds at 55–120 °C, both hot enough to burn skin, and that burns often happen when people pull melted plastic off a hot nozzle. An enclosed printer keeps hands away from the nozzle and moving parts. Prusa tells Core One owners to keep the door closed during any movement or printing, mainly to prevent burns and injuries from moving parts.
On fumes, the American Lung Association points to an EPA modeling study that found people aged 9 to 18 may be at the greatest risk from 3D printer particles and VOCs. That is a good reason to keep the printer out of a child’s bedroom and run it somewhere ventilated. Resin printers need more care, since liquid resin can irritate skin and cause allergic reactions.
Sources: NIOSH, Prusa Knowledge Base, American Lung Association.