Choosing the right 3D printing filament is crucial for successful and high-quality prints. With a wide variety of brands available, it can be challenging to determine which filament will best meet your needs. This article compiles user experiences and recommendations across various filament brands, focusing on PLA and PETG, to help you find the Best 3d Printing Filament for your projects.
Prusament: High Quality and Good Value
Prusament filament is frequently praised for its excellent quality and affordability. Users consistently report positive printing experiences with Prusament PLA and PETG. However, a common issue is stock availability. It can be difficult to order all desired colors at once due to frequent out-of-stock situations. Despite this, the quality for the price makes Prusament a highly recommended option for reliable 3D printing.
Prusa Filament: Reliable and Affordable
Similar to Prusament, Prusa brand filament is known for its reliability and reasonable cost. It’s considered a dependable choice for everyday 3D printing needs. Notably, Prusa White PLA is highlighted as a standout, producing excellent results for white prints, which can often be problematic with other brands. However, some users have experienced clogging issues with Prusa Silver PLA, particularly when using smaller 0.25 mm nozzles. Overall, Prusa filament offers a solid balance of quality and price for consistent printing.
3D Prima: Easy Printing and Speedy Delivery
3D Prima offers two main lines: Easy Print and Prima Value. Easy Print is particularly favored for its ease of use and quick delivery within Sweden. Users appreciate the convenience of receiving filament the day after ordering. Prima Value is considered a more budget-friendly option but with slightly reduced print quality compared to Easy Print. Beyond PLA and PETG, 3D Prima also offers specialty filaments like ASA, PC, and woodfill, which have been successfully used by users seeking materials with specific properties.
Clas Ohlson: Budget-Friendly and Paintable PLA
Clas Ohlson PLA is noted for its unique characteristics. The pigmented PLA options are described as having very little pigment, resulting in transparent “candy colors” that may be suitable for niche applications but less so for general use. Conversely, the nature-colored PLA from Clas Ohlson is highly praised for its excellent printability and smooth surface finish. This makes it a top choice for parts intended for painting, as it requires minimal sanding and filler. Its affordability and widespread availability in physical stores across Sweden make it an accessible option for many users.
Add:north: Easy-to-Print PETG
Add:north PETG is recognized for its ease of printing. While not the cheapest PETG option available, it provides a user-friendly experience. The orange color is noted to be very similar to Prusa orange, making it a useful alternative when Prusa orange is out of stock. For users prioritizing ease of use with PETG, Add:north is a recommended brand.
3D Experten: Inconsistent Diameter but Good Printing
3D Experten PLA offers a wide range of colors and materials and generally prints well. However, it is noted to have inconsistencies in filament diameter, exhibiting the highest spread in diameter measurements compared to other brands. Despite this inconsistency, users have reported positive printing experiences with 3D Experten PLA, particularly appreciating the color variety.
Grossiste 3D: High-Quality, Low-Cost PLA
Grossiste 3D PLA is praised for its exceptional print quality, even for challenging prints where other brands have failed. It is considered a very nice filament that delivers reliable results. Historically, it was a low-cost option, though price increases due to exchange rates have been observed. Grossiste 3D offers a wide color selection, reportedly 28 colors. An interesting pricing anomaly is that purchasing two 1 kg rolls is sometimes cheaper than buying a single 2 kg roll. While the website is in French, browser translation plugins can easily overcome this barrier. Shipping costs, typical for French companies, are a factor to consider.
Accenix: Rebranded High-Quality PLA
Accenix PLA, primarily found on eBay, is described as very nice to print. Users speculate it may be a rebrand of Grossiste 3D, noting identical spools and similar printing characteristics. This suggests Accenix could offer comparable quality to Grossiste 3D, potentially through a different distribution channel.
Rigidi Ink: Expensive and Problematic
Rigidi Ink filament, based on limited user experience with a sample, is reported to have significant warping issues. Furthermore, it was noted to be very expensive and is no longer available. This brand is not recommended based on these negative experiences.
Conclusion
Choosing the best 3D printing filament depends on your specific needs and priorities. Brands like Prusament and Prusa offer a strong balance of quality and value, while 3D Prima provides easy-to-use options and fast delivery. Clas Ohlson stands out for paintable PLA, and Grossiste 3D offers high quality at a competitive price point. User experiences highlight that many brands can produce satisfactory prints, but considering factors like reliability, consistency, ease of use, and specific material properties will guide you to the optimal filament for your 3D printing projects.
