Types of 3D Printers For Beginners UK 2024 | Best Enclosed 3D Printers in UK

Looking for the Best 3D printers for beginners? Well, check out the top 3D printers that are super easy to use and set up. Read further to know more.

Earlier 3D Printers were only used by a select few trained professionals in huge factories to design mockups of various products. But as the years went by 3D printers have become more compact and versatile. In fact, these machines are filled with jaw-dropping features. Check out our list of the Best 3D Printers For Beginners UK for all the details.

These days 3D printers are used by product designers, engineers, architects and even hobbyists. However, choosing the right one for your needs might be quite difficult. For example, if you're a product designer you might want to invest in a 3D printer with a large printing area. You should also ideally have a good PC to complement the printer.

Since there are tons of various factors to consider before investing in a 3D Printer, we’ve compiled a list of the Best 3D Printers For Beginners UK to simplify the choice for you.

After reviewing close to 50 3D printers based on various factors like ease of use, effectiveness, design, features, safety, performance and price, we zeroed in on 8 that really stood out. We further put these 8 through a series of tests to determine the best. We found that:

Creality Ender-3 V2 is one of the best 3D printers for beginners as it's simple to assemble, and easy to set up. All of the tools you'll need are included, and the project should take no more than an hour to complete with care. This machine has an intuitive 4.3-inch color screen display and user-friendly operation UI system, making it simple to get started with 3D printing. The carborundum glass platform ensures your prints adhere better and look smoother than ever. It also enables the hotbed heatup quicker.

Top 8 Best 3D Printers For Beginners UK

Creality Ender-3 V2 3D Printer

Creality Ender-3 V2 is one of the best 3D printers for beginners. I personally used this 3D printer to print all some of the 3D objects for my work. ​​In my research, I compared it to the current Ender 3 Pro, and because this machine has a newer motherboard and display, it is a worthy upgrade over the existing models.

• The machine is simple to assemble, and I recommend watching any of the excellent YouTube tutorials that cover these steps. Once built, the printer is very sturdy and feels very strong. All of the tools you'll need are included, and the project should take no more than an hour to complete with care.
• The filaments used to create the prints are easily purchased on Amazon and come in a variety of colours.
• This machine has an intuitive 4.3-inch color screen display and user-friendly operation UI system, making it simple to get started with 3D printing.  
• The carborundum glass platform ensures your prints adhere better and look smoother than ever. It also enables the hotbed heatup quicker.

This Creality Ender-3 VD is an upgraded version of the older one and is equipped with beter technology that gives out spectacular results.

Key features: 

• 4.3 inch colour screen display 
• Sturdy and easy to set up 
• Enables the hotbed to heat up quickly
• Userfriendly 
• Various colours of filaments

Ratings: 

• Setup: 9.5/10
• Printing results: 9/10
• Affordability: 9/10

Voxelab Aquila S2 DIY 3D Printer

Voxelab Aquila S2 is one of the 3D printers we use in our workspace for spatial design. I’m quite impressed with its quality and metal, steel material that makes it sturdy. 

• Voxelab Aquila S2. This DIY 3D printer supports self-design, so you can customize your printing method to suit your specific needs. 
• Plus, with the included PEI Spring Steel Magnetic Platform, you can easily remove your models without warping or damage. 
• The strong magnetic force of the platform also ensures durability, even at temperatures up to 100 degrees Celsius. 
• It's easy to use and has a quick manual loading system, so you can start printing right away. Plus, the dual cooling fan helps improve accuracy and success rate while the temperature of the extruder can reach up to 300 degrees Celsius, giving you more printing possibilities than ever before.
• Additionally, you don’t have to worry about accidentally switching offs as it will resume from where it stopped after the power is back. 

Voxelab is one of the best bets for anyone looking for an easy-to-use 3D printer at an affordable price. The best feature of this printer is that it resumes from where it stopped after the power is back.

Key features: 

• Durable 
• Easy to use
• Dual cooling fan for maximum success rate 
• Resumes from where it has stopped after power is back 
• Easy to use 

Ratings: 

• Setup: 9/10
• Printing results: 10/10
• Affordability: 9/10

#3 -- MakerBot Replicator+

The Second Generation in the MakerBot series is absolutely stunning. The Makerbot Replicator+ is a full-fledged professional-grade 3D printer that is compact whilst having a large space to build your dream designs. It's very easy to use and offer extremely high print quality with virtually zero error.

• It has a build area dimensions of 6.5H x 11.6W x 7.6D inches. It can build up to 100 microns and weighs about 20 Kgs.

• It works on FFF technology and supports ABS and PLA.

• This 3D printer has a very powerful software and is extremely easy to use. It comes with an intuitive dial and an LCD display that allows you to print preview and access various files.

• You can send files to the machine via Wi-Fi, USB, Ethernet, or using a USB drive. Unlike, other 3D printers on this list you can control the Makerbot Replicator remotely through the MakerBot mobile app. This makes it one of the best of the Best 3D Printers UK.

This is the best professional 3D printer on this list. It is vastly superior to its predecessor. The MakerBot Replicator+ offers a large build area, fantastic speeds and great user interface that you can access through the app. The only issue is that their proprietary filament is expensive.

Key features:

• Large build area
• FFF technology
• Supports ABS and PLA
• High speed and quality
• Control remotely through the MakerBot app
• Send files to the machine via Wi-Fi, USB, Ethernet, or a USB drive
• Powerful software
• Intuitive dial and LCD screen

Ratings: 

• Setup: 8.5/10
• Printing results: 9/10
• Affordability: 9/10

#4 -- Original Prusa Mini+

The Original Prusa Mini+ is one of the latest 3d printing models from Prusa that has been designed to perform at peak performance while costing nearly half of what other brands charge. This model is smaller than the i3 MK3 and considering the small form factor, it’s far more manageable and the print quality is comparable to the i3.

• This 3D printer comes in the form of a kit that’s easy to assemble and utilizes FDM to create precisely printed products out of modeling materials such as PETG, PLA, ASA, Flex and ABS.

• The device can be connected via a Network LAN port or through USB depending on how portable you want to keep the set up. The software that you’ll use is the PrusaSlicer, through this application, you will be able to import and export files, set finely tuned profiles for all types of supported materials and more.

• Though this 3D printer is marketed as a secondary printer, it has been designed to act and perform with the same level of reliability as any other Prusa 3D printer.

This 3D printer comes with a 7” x 7” x 7” build volume and is equipped with sensorless homing, an automatic mesh bed calibrator, replaceable nozzles, and a full-color LCD screen.

Key Features

• Compatible with PETG, PLA, ASA, Flex and ABS
• 2.8” graphic 65k color screen
• WiFi connection via a separate future upgrade (ESP Ei-Fi module)
• Filament Sensor and Diameter - Optional upgrade / 1.75mm

#5 -- Ultimaker 3

The Ultimaker 3 is an absolute beast it can even support small scale manufacturing, and the best part is that it’s affordable. This 3D printer is meant for large volume builds. With Dual Extruders and ease of operation, it makes it one of the Best 3D Printers UK. 

• It comes with amazing dimensions of 23.1H x 19.9W x 13.3D inches with a build area of 7.8H x  8.5W x 8.5D  inches. And guess what even though it has the highest dimensions on this list it only weighs about 23.3lbs,

• It also uses FFF technology and supports ABS, PLA, and Nylon. With the Ultimaker 3, you can build objects up to 100 microns. 

• The interface is user friendly. Especially, with the touchscreen to help you control the various settings with ease. The software, however, doesn’t have an array of features like the others on this list but it gets the job done. 

While setting up the device is easy and you get amazing quality. The print speed is quite slow. However, this only in the default resolution, if you customise the settings it can print with relatively high speeds. 

Key Features:

• Supports large volume builds
• FFF technology
• Supports ABS, PLA, and Nylon
• Build up to 100 microns
• User-friendly UI
• Lightweight

#6 -- Dremel DigiLab 3D40 Flex 3D Printer

This previous generation Dremel DigiLab 3D40 Flex 3D Printer still stands strong as one of the best. It brings professional-grade 3D printing to your average joe. It’s definitely capable of supporting beginner experimentation as well as catering to expert designs. 

• It has decent dimensions of 18.5 X 23 X 19.5 inches and build area of 6.7 X 10 X 6 inches. This 3D printer weighs only about 22 Kgs which is unbelievable considering the engineering that has gone into this machine. It also has a flexible build plate which helps remove the contents easily.

• This 3D printer uses FFF technology but is limited only to PLA filament. But it ensures solid print quality and it can print up to 100-micron height. 

• Setting up the machine is fairly simple and with its user-friendly software, it makes printing super easy. The full-color touch screen provides a visual of the 3D model before you print. 

• The Dremel DigiLab 3D40 Flex 3D Printer is capable of supporting multiple connectivity options like Wi-Fi, USB and Ethernet.

• It also comes with RFID Filament Recognition which automatically adjusts the settings like print speed based on the provided filament. You can, of course, manually change this through the touch screen.

The Dremel DigiLab 3D45 uses smart sensor technology, which helps with leveling. It also has a 720p HD camera attached to the corner that can be used for monitoring the progress of your 3D print projects.

Key Features:

• Professional-grade 3D printing
• Wi-Fi, USB and Ethernet
• RFID Filament Recognition
• Smart sensor technology
• 720p HD camera
• User-friendly software
• Full-color touch screen
• Flexible build plate

#7 -- FormLabs Form 3

The Form 3 is a resin based SLA 3D printer that is the smallest 3D printer they’ve released and one that delivers unparalleled print quality. It’s considered to be one of the best SLA printers in the market that uses liquid resin rather than a solid filament.

• Since the Form 3 uses liquid resin to cast your models, it will take more time to harden and you would have to plan in advance if you’re going to create something that has a deadline.

• However, considering the overall size and technology under its hood, the Form 3 is one of the most versatile printers in the world and is capable of creating any prototype you’d like.

The FormLabs Form 3 can be used to create custom high-quality prototypes, jewelry,  casting and production. You should also consider the Form 3 for its ability to support wide range of materials.

Key Features

• It is equipped with a Light Processing  Unit (LPU) that uses a system of lenses to deliver detailed and accurate prints.
• Each kit includes a resin tank, a build platform and a finish kit.
• The device comes with touchscreen alerts, SMS/email via a dashboard, two LED status indicators and a speaker for audio alerts.

#8 -- XYZprinting da Vinci Jr. 2.0 Mix

The XYZprinting da Vinci Jr. 2.0 Mix is one of the few 3D Printers that can print in two colours. And the low price makes it a winner in our books. However, this printer should ideally be used by hobbyists or beginners as it is quite small and also requires the use of a proprietary filament.

• With a weight of 26.4lbs and dimensions of 15H x 16.5W x 16.9D inches, this 3D printer is actually the smallest on this list. Even, the build area is only 5.9H x 5.9W x 5.9D inches. Which isn’t bad for beginners.

• This 3D printer also uses FFF and is capable of producing prints up to 200 microns. However, it only supports PLA. You barely get misprints and it’s super quiet which is a plus. 

• The software is extremely user friendly with a brilliant UI. You also get a free CAD and Slicing software with the device.

• It supports Wi-Fi so you can easily transfer files over your local network without any hassle. Or you can also use an SD card. 

The da  Vinci Jr 2.0 Mix has two unique modes: a multi-colour mode where you can use two colours separately and a mix colour mode where you get to blend the two colours together. 

Key Features:

• FFF technology
• Quiet
• Wi-Fi Connectivity
• Free CAD and Slicing software
• Multi-colour mode and mix colour mode

Best 3D Printers for Beginners: FAQs

How to pick the right 3D printer?

When picking the right 3D printer there are certain thing to consider and look into.These points will help you decide which is the best 3D printer you can buy.

• What to print - One of the most important things to consider is what would you use the 3D printer to make. It is ideal for architects, designers, engineers, hobbyists, teacher and DIYers.

• What size to print - You will also have to consider the printers building area to see if it's large enough to create models you might need. Traditional printers have a build area between6-9 square inches by can range up to 2 feet on the side and some can actually have a square base.

• What materials to print with - Low priced 3D printers use a plastic filament that is melted,, extruded and then solidified into the final shape. Higher end printers are capable of working with ABS, PLA, FFF, PVA, PETT, PCTPE, and PC-ABS.

• Printing Multiple Colors - If you're planning on crafting something with multiple colors, make sure that the printer supports multiple filaments at the same time. 3D printers are available in both options where you can either print in one color or in more than one, make the right decision.

What are the benefits of 3D printers?

The benefits of 3D printers are many and varied. Here are just a few examples:

1. Customization: 3D printers offer the ability to create customized products. This means that you can create a product that is exactly tailored to your specific needs and wants.

2. Short lead times: With 3D printing, there is no need to wait for weeks or even months for your product to be produced – it can be done in a matter of days or even hours. This greatly reduces lead times and helps you get your product to market faster.

3. Reduced production costs: Unlike traditional manufacturing methods, 3D printing generally does not require expensive tooling or molds. This results in lower production. 

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