You’ve set up the best 3D printer money can buy and are ready to go, but you can’t get started without some material. If you chose a fused deposition modeling, or FDM, printer — the most common type of 3D printer for hobbyists — you’ll require several rolls of special plastic.
PLA pros
No awful smell
Easy to use for a beginner
Almost universally available
Nontoxic
Usable on any FDM printer
Very cheap
PLA cons
Can require a lot of sanding
Can easily warp in the sun or high-temp environments
Can be brittle
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Polylactic acid
Polylactic acid, or PLA, is the most common 3D printing filament and the easiest to use. Unlike most plastics, it’s made from corn starches so it’s nontoxic and, in theory, compostable, though it takes an industrial composter to do it. PLA uses a fairly low heat — between 190 and 215 degrees Celsius (between 374 and 419 degrees Fahrenheit) — to melt the plastic for extrusion so it is the safest of the filaments. Almost every FDM 3D printer in the world can print PLA.
PLA pros
No awful smell
Easy to use for a beginner
Almost universally available
Nontoxic
Usable on any FDM printer
Very cheap
PLA cons
Can require a lot of sanding
Can easily warp in the sun or high-temp environments
Can be brittle
Build PLA from MatterHackers is great for projects that require finishing (sanding, painting and so on). I have about 12 rolls of it in my workshop, and use it for large projects, including my Mandalorian armor or cosplay swords. The dimensional accuracy — how consistent the diameter is along the length of the roll — is good, though nothing mind-blowing. It’s well within the sweet zone.Post-processing is where Build Series PLA shines. It is simple to sand and holds paint well, as long as you use a good primer and filler first. Like all PLA, it holds together well using superglue and even takes putty and Bondo without complaint.
Matterhackers
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Build PLA is my go-to when I need to make a large project. It’s easy to use and produces great models.
The color of this PLA is hard to describe, but it is beautiful. It has a purple-blue-green hue to it and looks like metal that’s been heated up a lot. Right now it’s probably my favorite-looking filament on my shelf.
It’s also easy to print with, and because of the shifting colors it hides layer lines well. If you’re looking for a dark filament that you aren’t painting over, I’d pick up a few rolls of this today.
” superlative=”Best metallic look ever” imagegroup=”{"alt":"Roll of purple ish plastic filament","caption":"","credits":"Flashforge","imageData":{"id":"4909997d-aad7-4cab-8880-af3a21605512","title":"burnt-titanium-pla","filename":"burnt-titanium-pla.jpg","path":"https://www.cnet.com/a/img/hub/2023/01/05/4909997d-aad7-4cab-8880-af3a21605512/burnt-titanium-pla.jpg","caption":"","size":383274,"width":2667,"height":1500,"dateCreated":{"date":"2023-01-05 18:06:27","timezone":"UTC","timezone_type":3},"dateUpdated":{"date":"2023-01-05 18:07:17","timezone":"UTC","timezone_type":3},"needsModeration":false,"mimeType":"image/jpeg","deleted":false,"credits":"Flashforge","alt":"Roll of purple ish plastic filament","restricted":false,"startDate":null,"endDate":null,"preferred":false,"watermark":false,"doNotCrop":false,"doNotResize":false,"primaryCollection":null,"vanityUrl":null,"notes":null,"crop":null,"cropGravity":0,"preservedRegion":null,"isNew":false,"keywords":[],"primeColor":null,"hasWarning":false,"typeName":"content_image"},"uuid":"4909997d-aad7-4cab-8880-af3a21605512","imageAltText":"Roll of purple ish plastic filament","imageCaption":"","imageCredit":"Flashforge","imageDoNotCrop":false,"imageDoNotResize":false,"imageWatermark":false,"imageFilename":"burnt-titanium-pla.jpg","imageDateCreated":"2023/01/05","imageWidth":2667,"imageHeight":1500,"imageParallax":"","imageCrop":"","imageEnlarge":false}” overridecaption=”” overridecredit=”Flashforge” techobjectinfo=”{"uuid":"26a9e0d3-3b40-4973-a55d-46ee2ffd8f2a","slug":"flashforge-3d-printer-filament-mulitcolor-pla-1-75mm-3d-printing-filament-1kg-spool-dimensional-accuracy-plus-0-02mm","name":"Flashforge 3D Printer Filament Mulitcolor PLA 1.75mm, 3D Printing Filament 1kg Spool-Dimensional Accuracy +/- 0.02mm, Environmental Friendliness, no Smoke and no Odor (Burnt Titanium, PLA)","productType":"SERIES","updateType":"EZMONEY","mod":1696435834747,"displayDate":"Wed Oct 04 2023 12:10:34 GMT-0400 (Eastern Daylight Time)"}” usepricing=”true” data-key=”cnetlisticle__88c9ceec-07df-4476-8878-93fbd220b402″ index=”3″ imagecredit=”Flashforge” tagslugs=”3d-printing” contenttype=”Best List – Precap” isbestlistredesign=”true” filtershortcodetypes totalfilteritems=”0″ pagelayout=”Default – Article Page” showdetails=”true” tocheadlineitem=”[object Object]” buttoncolor buttoncolorsection class=”c-bestListProductListing” readability=”6.7873831775701″>
The color of this PLA is hard to describe, but it is beautiful. It has a purple-blue-green hue to it and looks like metal that’s been heated up a lot. Right now it’s probably my favorite-looking filament on my shelf.
With the advent of ultra fast 3d printers companies like Elegoo have started to create materials that work better at high speeds. Rapid PLA Plus works extremely well at high speed due to its high fluidity when melted. I’ve found it printed very well on several of my fastest machines and sands very well if you are looking to finish your prints with paint.
” superlative=”Best filament for fast printers” imagegroup=”{"alt":"Rapid PLA Plus on blue background","caption":"","credits":"Elegoo","imageData":{"id":"3dc457d8-3ad1-4154-b4ed-e91540493608","title":"rapid-pla-elegoo","filename":"rapid-pla-elegoo.jpg","path":"https://www.cnet.com/a/img/hub/2023/08/09/3dc457d8-3ad1-4154-b4ed-e91540493608/rapid-pla-elegoo.jpg","caption":"","size":343356,"width":1600,"height":900,"dateCreated":{"date":"2023-08-09 17:01:04","timezone":"UTC","timezone_type":3},"dateUpdated":{"date":"2023-08-09 17:01:35","timezone":"UTC","timezone_type":3},"needsModeration":false,"mimeType":"image/jpeg","deleted":false,"credits":"Elegoo","alt":"Rapid PLA Plus on blue background","restricted":false,"startDate":null,"endDate":null,"preferred":false,"watermark":false,"doNotCrop":false,"doNotResize":false,"primaryCollection":null,"vanityUrl":null,"notes":null,"crop":null,"cropGravity":0,"preservedRegion":null,"isNew":false,"keywords":[],"primeColor":null,"hasWarning":false,"typeName":"content_image"},"uuid":"3dc457d8-3ad1-4154-b4ed-e91540493608","imageAltText":"Rapid PLA Plus on blue background","imageCaption":"","imageCredit":"Elegoo","imageDoNotCrop":false,"imageDoNotResize":false,"imageWatermark":false,"imageFilename":"rapid-pla-elegoo.jpg","imageDateCreated":"2023/08/09","imageWidth":1600,"imageHeight":900,"imageParallax":"","imageCrop":"","imageEnlarge":false}” overridecaption=”” overridecredit=”Elegoo” usepricing=”true” data-key=”cnetlisticle__e701f337-c7bc-4f1d-977f-8dd771469184″ index=”4″ imagecredit=”Elegoo” tagslugs=”3d-printing” contenttype=”Best List – Precap” isbestlistredesign=”true” filtershortcodetypes totalfilteritems=”0″ pagelayout=”Default – Article Page” showdetails=”true” tocheadlineitem=”[object Object]” buttoncolor buttoncolorsection class=”c-bestListProductListing” readability=”6.8084210526316″>
With the advent of ultra fast 3d printers companies like Elegoo have started to create materials that work better at high speeds. Rapid PLA Plus works extremely well at high speed due to its high fluidity when melted. I’ve found it printed very well on several of my fastest machines and sands very well if you are looking to finish your prints with paint.
Ataraxia Art already makes excellent PLA and flexible PLA but its new range of tri-color filament is some of its best yet. Tri color uses three colored filaments along its width to create a beautiful shimmering effect as you move the model so it’s perfect for projects you aren’t going to be painting.
This PLA comes in four different color combinations and it’s now one of my favorite filaments to use.
” superlative=”The best color shift” imagegroup=”{"alt":"Roll of filament with multi-color dragons next to it","caption":"","credits":"Ataraxia","imageData":{"id":"00ef32b6-6166-471e-a933-4ed75b7b3d33","title":"ataraxia-art-tricolor","filename":"ataraxia-art-tricolor.jpg","path":"https://www.cnet.com/a/img/hub/2023/05/18/00ef32b6-6166-471e-a933-4ed75b7b3d33/ataraxia-art-tricolor.jpg","caption":"","size":167080,"width":1500,"height":843,"dateCreated":{"date":"2023-05-18 14:22:56","timezone":"UTC","timezone_type":3},"dateUpdated":{"date":"2023-05-18 14:23:20","timezone":"UTC","timezone_type":3},"needsModeration":false,"mimeType":"image/jpeg","deleted":false,"credits":"Ataraxia","alt":"Roll of filament with multi-color dragons next to it","restricted":false,"startDate":null,"endDate":null,"preferred":false,"watermark":false,"doNotCrop":false,"doNotResize":false,"primaryCollection":null,"vanityUrl":null,"notes":null,"crop":null,"cropGravity":0,"preservedRegion":null,"isNew":false,"keywords":[],"primeColor":null,"hasWarning":false,"typeName":"content_image"},"uuid":"00ef32b6-6166-471e-a933-4ed75b7b3d33","imageAltText":"Roll of filament with multi-color dragons next to it","imageCaption":"","imageCredit":"Ataraxia","imageDoNotCrop":false,"imageDoNotResize":false,"imageWatermark":false,"imageFilename":"ataraxia-art-tricolor.jpg","imageDateCreated":"2023/05/18","imageWidth":1500,"imageHeight":843,"imageParallax":"","imageCrop":"","imageEnlarge":false}” overridecaption=”” overridecredit=”Ataraxia” techobjectinfo=”{"uuid":"a6ed375b-39f6-49e5-96c3-dd3e18eb5ee9","slug":"ataraxia-art-triple-color-coextrusion-silk-pla-filament-1-75mm-pla-3d-printer-silk-shiny-blue-yellow-purple-filament-3d","name":"Ataraxia Art Triple Color Coextrusion Silk PLA Filament 1.75mm, PLA 3D Printer Silk Shiny Blue-Yellow-Purple Filament, 3D Printing Filament 1kg/2.2lb Spool, ±.03mm, Include Filament Storage Bag","productType":"SERIES","updateType":"EZMONEY","mod":1696435834237,"displayDate":"Wed Oct 04 2023 12:10:34 GMT-0400 (Eastern Daylight Time)"}” usepricing=”true” data-key=”cnetlisticle__12f3c78d-70ea-4509-a1a9-a987a6165ef9″ index=”5″ imagecredit=”Ataraxia” tagslugs=”3d-printing” contenttype=”Best List – Precap” isbestlistredesign=”true” filtershortcodetypes totalfilteritems=”0″ pagelayout=”Default – Article Page” showdetails=”true” tocheadlineitem=”[object Object]” buttoncolor buttoncolorsection class=”c-bestListProductListing” readability=”6.8032432432432″>
Ataraxia Art already makes excellent PLA and flexible PLA but its new range of tri-color filament is some of its best yet. Tri color uses three colored filaments along its width to create a beautiful shimmering effect as you move the model so it’s perfect for projects you aren’t going to be painting.
I’ve been meaning to buy some of this beautiful filament for some time now, and I’m really happy I did. The color is almost exactly the same as mint chocolate chip ice cream and the tiny flecks of marble color enhance the look even more. It prints great, with a nice glossy finish, and I found printing it at a higher temperature brings out that gloss really well.
More importantly than the print quality though, I love it for the way it makes me feel. The color just makes me happy and reminds me of days at the beach with my kids. It’s gorgeous.
” superlative=”It’s ice cream that won’t melt” imagegroup=”{"alt":"Mint green filament with black flecks","caption":"","credits":"Cookiecad","imageData":{"id":"975bbe79-9d93-4f4b-846e-319a8f0040f5","title":"cookiecad-mint-chip","filename":"cookiecad-mint-chip.jpg","path":"https://www.cnet.com/a/img/hub/2022/10/14/975bbe79-9d93-4f4b-846e-319a8f0040f5/cookiecad-mint-chip.jpg","caption":"","size":54457,"width":853,"height":480,"dateCreated":{"date":"2022-10-14 13:50:49","timezone":"UTC","timezone_type":3},"dateUpdated":{"date":"2022-10-14 13:51:10","timezone":"UTC","timezone_type":3},"needsModeration":false,"mimeType":"image/jpeg","deleted":false,"credits":"Cookiecad","alt":"Mint green filament with black flecks","restricted":false,"startDate":null,"endDate":null,"preferred":false,"watermark":false,"doNotCrop":false,"doNotResize":false,"primaryCollection":null,"vanityUrl":null,"notes":null,"crop":null,"cropGravity":0,"preservedRegion":null,"isNew":false,"keywords":[],"primeColor":null,"hasWarning":false,"typeName":"content_image"},"uuid":"975bbe79-9d93-4f4b-846e-319a8f0040f5","imageAltText":"Mint green filament with black flecks","imageCaption":"","imageCredit":"Cookiecad","imageDoNotCrop":false,"imageDoNotResize":false,"imageWatermark":false,"imageFilename":"cookiecad-mint-chip.jpg","imageDateCreated":"2022/10/14","imageWidth":853,"imageHeight":480,"imageParallax":"","imageCrop":"","imageEnlarge":false}” overridecaption=”” overridecredit=”Cookiecad” usepricing=”true” data-key=”cnetlisticle__8372bd38-3c17-40a9-852c-ce83b5d47043″ index=”6″ imagecredit=”Cookiecad” tagslugs=”3d-printing” contenttype=”Best List – Precap” isbestlistredesign=”true” filtershortcodetypes totalfilteritems=”0″ pagelayout=”Default – Article Page” showdetails=”true” tocheadlineitem=”[object Object]” buttoncolor buttoncolorsection class=”c-bestListProductListing” readability=”6.840490797546″>
I’ve been meaning to buy some of this beautiful filament for some time now, and I’m really happy I did. The color is almost exactly the same as mint chocolate chip ice cream and the tiny flecks of marble color enhance the look even more. It prints great, with a nice glossy finish, and I found printing it at a higher temperature brings out that gloss really well.
Rainbow filament tends to transition between colors very slowly. This means you often get only one or two colors per model. Creality’s latest rainbow filament has a much shorter transition, so you get a much nicer rainbow effect across your models. It looks great on this amazing dragon from Fotis Mint.
” superlative=”So many colors!” imagegroup=”{"alt":"Elder dragon by Fotis Mint printed in rainbow PLA","caption":"","credits":"James Bricknell/CNET","imageData":{"id":"a5146a58-1ecb-465e-9199-41c8fc0abf70","title":"creality-rainbow-pla","filename":"creality-rainbow-pla.jpg","path":"https://www.cnet.com/a/img/hub/2022/11/03/a5146a58-1ecb-465e-9199-41c8fc0abf70/creality-rainbow-pla.jpg","caption":"","size":566314,"width":4032,"height":2268,"dateCreated":{"date":"2022-11-03 12:56:03","timezone":"UTC","timezone_type":3},"dateUpdated":{"date":"2022-11-03 12:56:28","timezone":"UTC","timezone_type":3},"needsModeration":false,"mimeType":"image/jpeg","deleted":false,"credits":"James Bricknell / CNET","alt":"Elder dragon by Fotis Mint printed in rainbow PLA","restricted":false,"startDate":null,"endDate":null,"preferred":false,"watermark":false,"doNotCrop":false,"doNotResize":false,"primaryCollection":null,"vanityUrl":null,"notes":null,"crop":null,"cropGravity":0,"preservedRegion":null,"isNew":false,"keywords":[],"primeColor":null,"hasWarning":false,"typeName":"content_image"},"uuid":"a5146a58-1ecb-465e-9199-41c8fc0abf70","imageAltText":"Elder dragon by Fotis Mint printed in rainbow PLA","imageCaption":"","imageCredit":"James Bricknell/CNET","imageDoNotCrop":false,"imageDoNotResize":false,"imageWatermark":false,"imageFilename":"creality-rainbow-pla.jpg","imageDateCreated":"2022/11/03","imageWidth":4032,"imageHeight":2268,"imageParallax":"","imageCrop":"","imageEnlarge":false}” overridecaption=”” overridecredit=”James Bricknell/CNET” usepricing=”true” data-key=”cross_content_listicle__59597682-6283-451c-83ad-a73c0ecf2713″ imagecredit=”James Bricknell/CNET” tagslugs=”3d-printing” contenttype=”Best List – Precap” isbestlistredesign=”true” filtershortcodetypes totalfilteritems=”0″ pagelayout=”Default – Article Page” showdetails=”true” tocheadlineitem=”[object Object]” buttoncolor buttoncolorsection class=”c-bestListProductListing” readability=”6.7820359281437″>
Rainbow filament tends to transition between colors very slowly. This means you often get only one or two colors per model. Creality’s latest rainbow filament has a much shorter transition, so you get a much nicer rainbow effect across your models. It looks great on this amazing dragon from Fotis Mint.
For projects you can show off without having to paint them first, PolyTerra might be for you. The colors are vivid, and because they are matte, you don’t lose details in the reflections like with shiny filament.
PolyTerra also comes in recycled cardboard reels, and the creator, Polymaker, will plant a tree in the area where the roll was bought to help offset the cardboard used. This filament is still plastic of course, but it helps my conscience to use it.
” superlative=”Environmental thinking” imagegroup=”{"alt":"Bright blue filament with a penguin model","caption":"
Playing with plastic can be environmentally unsound. Poly Terra helps to offset that, at least a little bit.
Pros:
Beautiful matte colors Recycled cardboard reel Great for leaving unpainted
Playing with plastic can be environmentally unsound. Poly Terra helps to offset that, at least a little bit.
Pros:
Beautiful matte colors Recycled cardboard reel Great for leaving unpainted
Cons:
Can be a little brittle
","size":491135,"width":2661,"height":1497,"dateCreated":{"date":"2022-03-22 21:37:38","timezone":"UTC","timezone_type":3},"dateUpdated":{"date":"2022-03-22 21:41:15","timezone":"UTC","timezone_type":3},"needsModeration":false,"mimeType":"image/jpeg","deleted":false,"credits":"Polymaker","alt":"Bright blue filament with a penguin model","restricted":false,"startDate":null,"endDate":null,"preferred":false,"watermark":false,"doNotCrop":false,"doNotResize":false,"primaryCollection":null,"vanityUrl":null,"notes":null,"crop":null,"cropGravity":0,"preservedRegion":null,"isNew":false,"keywords":[],"primeColor":null,"hasWarning":false,"typeName":"content_image"},"uuid":"bce31521-7457-4bd6-af54-c89d85ed9650","imageAltText":"Bright blue filament with a penguin model","imageCaption":"
Playing with plastic can be environmentally unsound. Poly Terra helps to offset that, at least a little bit.
Pros:
Beautiful matte colors Recycled cardboard reel Great for leaving unpainted
For projects you can show off without having to paint them first, PolyTerra might be for you. The colors are vivid, and because they are matte, you don’t lose details in the reflections like with shiny filament.
Pros
Helping the planet
Beautifully matte
Cons
Needs glue to hold on the print bed
PolyTerra also comes in recycled cardboard reels, and the creator, Polymaker, will plant a tree in the area where the roll was bought to help offset the cardboard used. This filament is still plastic of course, but it helps my conscience to use it.
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In this article about this flexible PLA I explained how, although this isn’t technically PLA, it does print much easier than TPU, a more common flexible filament. I used it to print an amazing Mandalorian Blacksmith helmet for my 4-year-old. She can’t break it because it’s so bouncy.
Ataraxia Art
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Flexible PLA gives you a lot of scope to try projects you never would have before.
Ataraxia Art
ABS was one of the more common 3D printing filaments a few years back, and it still has some excellent uses. The biggest downside is its toxicity. You don’t want to breathe in ABS as it melts, so you’ll need a well-ventilated area. That aside, it’s sturdier and more heat-resistant than PLA. Most printers can print ABS, but you’ll need a heated bed that can reach 100 degrees Celsius for best results, and protecting your printing job in an enclosed printer is a good idea.
Inland makes good filament across the board, and its ABS is no different. I’ve never had issues with the dimensions, and the final product has consistent layer lines. Sanding Inland ABS is a joy as the material can be wet-sanded to a smooth finish.
” superlative=”Cheap and cheerful” imagegroup=”{"alt":"inland-abs","caption":"
This brand of ABS is perfect for creating strong prints with a smooth finish. Pros: Cheap Consistent diameter sands well
Inland makes good filament across the board, and its ABS is no different. I’ve never had issues with the dimensions, and the final product has consistent layer lines. Sanding Inland ABS is a joy as the material can be wet-sanded to a smooth finish.
Pros
Inexpensive
Super easy to sand
Cons
Spools can be loosely wound
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Fillamentum is one of my favorite ABS makers. The colors are always so vibrant, and while it costs a little more than the competition, it keeps that vibrancy even after the model is finished printing. If you’re looking for ABS that you don’t need to paint, Fillamentum is a great place to start.
Matterhackers
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This US-made PETG has an excellent glassy look that is hard to achieve in melted plastic. The aqua color is subtle and gives the appearance of a stained glass window when printed at the high end of its temperature scale.
Protomaker
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Printing with it was easy, though the roll is a little big for printers like the Bambu Lab X1, which has an enclosed filament system.
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The Pro series filament from MatterHackers is a much nicer product than a lot of standard PETG. Yes, it costs a little more, but it’s designed to help reduce some of the issues that filament suffers from. It reduces shrinkage, so the part you make is as close to the part you designed as possible. This is a great material for those who make 3D printed models for a living, rather than a hobby.
Matterhackers
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Overture PETG is a favorite because it comes in an economical two-pack, making it ideal for multiple or larger jobs. I’ve used a lot of Overture products, including PETG and PLA, and they always print well. I once printed an 11-foot-long Masamune sword using Overture and it came out looking awesome.
Overture
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If you are going to be making a lot of projects then you need a good store of materials. Overture makes great for filament for a good price.
Overture
TPU is a flexible material that can make cool rubbery models. Most people use it to 3D print phone cases, but more serious modelers often use it to create connectors or flexible hinges to other materials. It can be a difficult material to work with and is best used on a direct-drive 3D printer such as the Prusa Mk4, and it’s worth noting that TPU does not work with the AMS system from Bambu Lab.
MatterHackers Build Series Materials sit in the perfect balance between usability and cost. Yes, I’ve had failures with the Build Series, but once you get it dialed into your printer, you can make dozens of fun, springy models. I like to use it to make fun toys for my kid’s preschool as they can be thrown around with no fear of breaking into small, sharp pieces.
” superlative=”For everyday use” imagegroup=”{"alt":"Orange roll of filament with an astronaut model on top","caption":"","credits":"MatterHackers","imageData":{"id":"3ae7525e-8e02-4c7a-97eb-84612da929e0","title":"mh-build-tpu","filename":"mh-build-tpu.jpg","path":"https://www.cnet.com/a/img/hub/2022/03/24/3ae7525e-8e02-4c7a-97eb-84612da929e0/mh-build-tpu.jpg","caption":"","size":179912,"width":853,"height":480,"dateCreated":{"date":"2022-03-24 17:51:52","timezone":"UTC","timezone_type":3},"dateUpdated":{"date":"2022-03-24 17:53:08","timezone":"UTC","timezone_type":3},"needsModeration":false,"mimeType":"image/jpeg","deleted":false,"credits":"Matterhackers","alt":"Orange roll of filament with an astronaut model on top","restricted":false,"startDate":null,"endDate":null,"preferred":false,"watermark":false,"doNotCrop":false,"doNotResize":false,"primaryCollection":null,"vanityUrl":null,"notes":null,"crop":null,"cropGravity":0,"preservedRegion":null,"isNew":false,"keywords":[],"primeColor":null,"hasWarning":false,"typeName":"content_image"},"uuid":"3ae7525e-8e02-4c7a-97eb-84612da929e0","imageAltText":"Orange roll of filament with an astronaut model on top","imageCaption":"","imageCredit":"MatterHackers","imageDoNotCrop":false,"imageDoNotResize":false,"imageWatermark":false,"imageFilename":"mh-build-tpu.jpg","imageDateCreated":"2022/03/24","imageWidth":853,"imageHeight":480,"imageParallax":"","imageCrop":"","imageEnlarge":false}” overridecaption=”” overridecredit=”MatterHackers” usepricing=”true” data-key=”cnetlisticle__c886e7a0-c519-478e-8f98-2a01f1f59f58″ index=”14″ imagecredit=”MatterHackers” tagslugs=”3d-printing” contenttype=”Best List – Precap” isbestlistredesign=”true” filtershortcodetypes totalfilteritems=”0″ pagelayout=”Default – Article Page” showdetails=”true” tocheadlineitem=”[object Object]” buttoncolor buttoncolorsection class=”c-bestListProductListing” readability=”6.7174571140262″>
MatterHackers Build Series Materials sit in the perfect balance between usability and cost. Yes, I’ve had failures with the Build Series, but once you get it dialed into your printer, you can make dozens of fun, springy models. I like to use it to make fun toys for my kid’s preschool as they can be thrown around with no fear of breaking into small, sharp pieces.
Glow-in-the-dark filament normally comes in a standard "radioactive" green, but this beautiful roll transitions through multiple colors. It’s simply gorgeous.
It’s also worthwhile to buy some replacement brass nozzles for your printer as glow-in-the-dark filament can chew them up pretty quickly, because the glowing material is more abrasive than standard colors.
” superlative=”Get a good glow on” imagegroup=”{"alt":"Light blue glowing filament","caption":"
Not only does this filament glow, but it glows different colors too! It’s so darn cool.
Not only does this filament glow, but it glows different colors too! It’s so darn cool.
","size":609976,"width":1820,"height":1024,"dateCreated":{"date":"2022-03-24 18:35:12","timezone":"UTC","timezone_type":3},"dateUpdated":{"date":"2022-03-24 18:35:55","timezone":"UTC","timezone_type":3},"needsModeration":false,"mimeType":"image/jpeg","deleted":false,"credits":null,"alt":"Light blue glowing filament","restricted":false,"startDate":null,"endDate":null,"preferred":false,"watermark":false,"doNotCrop":false,"doNotResize":false,"primaryCollection":null,"vanityUrl":null,"notes":null,"crop":null,"cropGravity":0,"preservedRegion":null,"isNew":false,"keywords":[],"primeColor":null,"hasWarning":false,"typeName":"content_image"},"uuid":"b27c6cfe-78be-4b69-be3c-03b3ba86fb4c","imageAltText":"Light blue glowing filament","imageCaption":"
Not only does this filament glow, but it glows different colors too! It’s so darn cool.
Glow-in-the-dark filament normally comes in a standard “radioactive” green, but this beautiful roll transitions through multiple colors. It’s simply gorgeous.
Pros
Very pretty
Glows in the dark!
Cons
Grinds up your nozzles
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Not only does this filament glow, but it glows different colors too! It’s so darn cool.
It’s also worthwhile to buy some replacement brass nozzles for your printer as glow-in-the-dark filament can chew them up pretty quickly, because the glowing material is more abrasive than standard colors.
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If you’re buying a printer for the first time, the best choice of filament is PLA. It is the easiest to print with, the safest in terms of fumes and the most readily available. Think about laying in a store of PLA when you first start. A 1-kilogram roll feels like a lot, but once you get the itch, materials get eaten up quickly.
Are there different sizes of filament?
When 3D printing with any filament, it’s important to remember that you’re essentially burning plastic. Inhaling that kind of thing is never going to be good, but not all filaments are equally bad.
Of the four main filament types, ABS is easily the most toxic. You shouldn’t think about printing it unless you have a well-ventilated space away from your day-to-day living spaces. I have a workshop with a full ventilation system and the fumes can still be pretty bad.
Both PLA and PETG are considered nontoxic, though you still want to keep your area ventilated as you use them. Both filaments are safe to print inside your home and while the fumes can smell pretty bad, they’re not classed as carcinogenic. While other forms of TPU can be toxic, the filament you use for 3D printing is considered nontoxic and nonreactive so you should be fine printing that as well.
Does the filament keep the same color after printing?
Having the right diameter makes for a better print.
Dan Ackerman/CNET
The testing of filament is mainly focused on a few details: Dimensional accuracy, winding precision, and printing quality. Winding precision is a visual test where I check to make sure the filament works well on the spool, without any crossovers that can cause snags while printing.
Print quality is done using a CNET calibration test that I use to test all of the 3D printers I review. When checking for filament quality, I’m looking for noticeable roughness and missing filament where moisture or other contaminants have interrupted the process of melting and cooling.
James Bricknell/CNET
Dimensional accuracy is perhaps the most important test as it measures the consistency of filament. As you move along, the filament changes in diameter will cause the 3D printer to over- or under-extrude filament. This creates noticeable scarring in your model, or worse, complete failure. You want the material to have the same diameter the whole way through.
To measure the accuracy, I take a 5-meter piece of filament from the beginning, middle and end of the roll and measure the diameter at four equally spaced points. I then add all of those measurements up and divide the total by 12 — the total number of measurements taken — to give me an average across the roll. Most modern printers use 1.75mm filament so you want the filament to be as close to that as possible.
Great filament has a variance of +/- 0.02mm, good filament is +/- 0.03mm and rough filament is anything +/- 0.05mm. All of the filaments we have recommended here are at least 0.03mm on average.
