DIY Printer kits are a great way to save money on a 3D printer. 3D printers that come pre-fabricated are easy to use and are ready to print right out of the box, but with that luxury comes a hefty sticker price. Oftentimes people pay more for convenience, and it is understandable. But in the case of 3D printers, customers can save hundreds if not thousands on a 3D printer by doing it themselves.
9 Best DIY 3D Printer Kits on Amazon
It’s easy to pay less for a printer kit you can assemble yourself, but it’s a whole different story when you want it to work as well as the more expensive pre-assembled 3D printers. This is why we put together a comprehensive list of the best 3D Printer DIY kits on the web with their pros and cons for easy comparison.
1. JG AURORA 3D Printer A3kit Prusa I3 DIY 3d Printer
The A3 Prusa I3 3D printer assembly kit, is an exciting and user-friendly printer that is highly recommended for students and beginners. It gives the operator first-hand knowledge of the inner workings and functions of their new device.
It is a fun and exciting way to launch yourself into a new hobby or career. There are many applications for 3D printing, and the JG AURORA is the perfect launchpad for those eager to learn.
This product comes with metal housing for stable and reliable performance. It has a heated aluminum print pad and a universal operating system that supports Mac, Windows, and Linux. It has an industry-grade step motor and an LCD that is user-friendly and convenient to operate.
This model is perfect for educational purposes, as well as manufacturing, the auto industry, and creative innovators looking for a creative edge. The package contains all hardware with detailed instructions and customer support with a manufacturer’s warranty.
- Quiet printing operation
- Full-color touch screen
- Power off recovery
- Hard to level the bed
- Not open sourced
2. FLSUN 3D Printer Delta Kossel DIY Kit
The FLSUN 3D Printer is a great package for easy assembly and usage. It has a very user-friendly setup with step-by-step instructions and a youtube support video for those who need a little help. It has all the necessary components to elevate your creative prowess.
The FLSUN 3D Printer comes with a heated bed, a double fan system, and a motherboard that keeps it running smoothly and maintains the highest printing quality level. It features an LCD that is easy to use and supports offline printing. The package comes with an SD card that includes files, instructions, and software.
The Printer also has an auto-leveling kit and an aluminum alloy frame for reliable and precise printing. This device supports all filament types and includes PLA filament and assembly tools, so no further purchase is necessary to get started. It is also supported by all operating systems and is a breeze to install and construct!
- Comes in a neat package
- Good printing quality
- Heated build plate
- Noisy while printing
- No spool holder
3. HICTOP Auto Leveling Desktop 3D Printer Prusa I3 DIY Kit
The HICTOP 3D printer assembly kit is a top-of-the-line model with multiple applications in both industrial and personal settings. It comes partially assembled with wires and a motherboard connected for added ease and less meticulous time-consuming assembly. These manufacturer shortcuts make this one of the best options for the beginner designer or those new to assembling complex devices.
The HICTOP 3D printer is supported by Microsoft and Mac operating systems and comes in two languages – Chinese and English. The HICTOP has dual extender capabilities, so multiple mediums are possible with this printer. This printer supports PLA, ABS, wood, flexible, nylon, and hip filaments.
All of the components are tested before they are shipped, so you always get a working product that comes partially assembled with wiring to save you time. HICTOP offers a 24/7 support system for their customers also, so there is no need to stress when assembling.
- Affordable
- Decent Stepper Motors
- Decent quality 2019 aluminum frame
- Short USB Cable
- No X or Y tensioners
4. ALUNAR 3D Printer DIY Prusa I3 Kit
The Alunar M508 Printer kit is a great self-assembly start-up kit. The recommended minimum age is 16, so it is very user-friendly and an easy entry-level build for the innovator. One must possess patience and strong practical abilities to assemble products such as these, but the reward greatly surpasses the work that goes into the assembly process. Still, although this DIY printer is easy to use after assembly, the assembly itself may require a lot of focus and patience.
The Alunar M508 3D printer is a full assembly kit that comes with all the vital components to get your 3D printing projects off the ground. An LCD allows the user to interact with the product swiftly and smoothly. The controls are easy to use, and tailored to the beginner designer. The operating system supports Mac and Windows.
The Printer also supports multiple forms of filament materials such as PLA, ABS, and other 3D filaments. It has a high-temperature heated bed for precision and performance 3D printing. It comes with a high-quality extruder system that puts out detailed and intricate design work.
- Print Quality
- Affordable
- Generous build volume
- Difficult assembly
5. RepRap Guru DIY Prusa I3 3D Printer Kit
The REP RAP GURU 3D printer is a great DIY option for those who don’t necessarily want to do it all themselves. This model has the option of pre-installation for an added fee. It also comes with pre-drilled holes and soldered wires that have already been cut and assembled into electronic parts. This extra step allows the user not to feel overwhelmed when embarking on the assembly process.
The RepRap Guru DYI printer comes with pre-cut and pre-soldered wires and pre-drilled holes in metal parts. It comes standard with a rather large build area, which is also heated. It only houses one extender, so multimedia is not a feature it can perform simultaneously. It is featured a Borosilicate Heated Glass Bed that adds a serious boost in performance.
This model was intended to be an accelerated build that takes the frustration out by doing most of the more difficult tasks associated with the assembly. This makes it a great choice for beginners as it will help them display their favorite designs with only half the effort.
- Open framed design
- Integrated LCD screen
- Various filament types
- The detail isn’t perfect during the printing result
6. FLSUN 3D Printer Prusa I3 DIY Kit
The FLSUN I3 3D printer is a fully equipped and powerful 12-volt device capable of multiple applications and is designed to be interchangeable for optimum performance. This is an advanced kit that allows the user freedom to alternate between programs and different mediums. The support only overshadows the capabilities this machine possesses in terms of variance features incorporated into the device.
The FLSUN I3 is equipped with an auto-leveling and heated bed that gives the professional and sleek design more detailed precision and performance. It comes with PLA filament and assembly tools. The kit is also accompanied by a detailed assembly manual and a youtube video specifically designed to troubleshoot the assembly process.
The LCD display is a bonus to give ease to the user interface. The printer is supported by Mac, PC, and Lenix operating systems. It is compatible with most filament types, and its European-designed aluminum alloy frame gives it additional stability and accuracy.
- Large maximum build volume
- Good print quality
- Easy to use
- Outdated instruction manual
- Needs a heavy dose of modifications
7. RepRap Guru DIY Prusa I3 V2 Black 3D Printer Kit
The REP RAP GURU Prusa I3 is the pinnacle of DIY 3D printers. The manufacturers took a lot of the legwork out of the assembly by pre-soldering, pre-wiring, and pre-drilling holes into the electronic parts. This extra step in the process grants the user added peace of mind by not concerning them with wiring and connecting sensitive parts together. These kits are a great learning device and an excellent crash course in the world of 3D printing.
This product comes with a heated build platform made out of borosilicate glass. This particular model comes in black and sports an impressive 8″x8″ build plate. It is equipped with multiple nozzle settings and a 2004 LCD screen with an SD card reader attached. This model has plastic molded parts to keep it lightweight and fast by keeping heavier metal parts from redirecting the motor’s power.
This RepRap Guru model is equipped with Open Source Firmware that gives the user full control and adaptability for more unique and complex designs. The Software is supported by Mac, PC, and Linux operating systems. So give this product a chance if you want a versatile printer to work for almost any OS system.
- Heated build plate
- Easy to assemble
- Includes responsive LCD screen
- Loud printing operation
8. Geeetech Wooden Prusa Desktop 3D Printer DIY Kit
One of the best-received DIY printers on the market – the Wooden model from Geeetech is easy to use and comes with Wifi connectivity options. As with any complex machinery that requires assembly, it will take you multiple hours to put together this printer, but the process itself should be easy enough, seeing how all the instructions are unambiguous and available in the added manual and the instructional youtube video.
This Geeetech printer comes with a borosilicate bed and a wooden frame. The frame material doesn’t change much about the 3D printer’s functionality, though a couple of people have had trouble with the wood getting damaged easily, especially during assembly. Regardless, the printer itself works just fine for most people. The customers who’ve come across issues have had an enjoyable experience with Geeetech’s customer support, with most issues being resolved quickly and easily.
The EasyPrint 3D app is included with the printer, and it supports all major operating systems – Windows, Mac, and Linux. The printer supports ABS, PLA, and flexible PLA filament types. Overall, the Geeetech DIY 3D printer kit is an excellent product that provides great print quality along with a bunch of other handy features, and even if the experience with this machine goes south, instrumental customer support will be there to help you out.
- Great customer support
- Fine resolution
- Wifi connectivity
- With the lengthy assembly process, the sturdy wooden parts sometimes difficult to adjust
- Software sometimes refuses to work
9. Creality Ender-3 3D Printer DIY Kit
Quick and easy describes the Creality Ender-3 3D printer kit quite well – it’s simple to build with most parts being already pre-constructed and pretty easy to use afterward. Although the package doesn’t include a printed manual, all instructions on assembly and usage can be found online, and the customer service seems to have been very useful to all customers who’ve contacted it.
This Creality 3D printer kit comes with an aluminum bed and can utilize PLA, TPU, and ABS filaments. The printer can also resume printing after a power outage. The 3D printer accepts STL, OBJ, and G-Code file formats either online or from an SD card.
In short, this 3D printer kit does its job well and is accessible to people newer to 3D printing, seeing how the assembly is fairly simple and quick. Some people have encountered badly functioning or completely unworkable parts (like the aluminum bed being warped or the cooling fans not working), but these are expected sometimes. Plus, the faulty parts seem to be easy to replace, ensuring that even if you encounter issues with this machine, Creality will help you fix them as soon as possible.
- Easy to assemble
- Great print quality
- Responsive support team
- Some separate parts (like cooling fans) seem to fail often
- The aluminum bed warps easier than the glass
- No manual included, instructions only online
Conclusion
To conclude, you need a good DIY printing kit when making your first 3D printing model. No matter which 3D printer you choose from this list, you’ll receive a high-quality device that’s tailored to assist you. Thus, pick out one that suits your needs the best.
