Best Budget 3D Printers Under $300 in 2025

The budget 3D printer market in 2025 is remarkable. Printers that would have cost $500+ just two years ago are now available for under $300 — with features like automatic bed leveling, input shaping, and direct-drive extruders that were previously exclusive to premium machines.

Whether you're buying your first printer or adding a second machine to your setup, these sub-$300 printers deliver serious capability. We've evaluated them on print quality, ease of setup, reliability, speed, and community support.

1. Bambu Lab A1 Mini — Best Overall Under $300

The Bambu Lab A1 Mini has redefined what a $199 3D printer can do. In a market where budget printers traditionally meant compromised quality and endless tinkering, the A1 Mini delivers plug-and-play reliability with print quality that rivals machines costing three times as much.

Setup takes about 15 minutes — attach four screws, plug in two cables, load filament, and you're printing. The automatic bed leveling, vibration compensation (input shaping), and flow calibration happen without any user intervention. For beginners, this is transformative — you skip the steep learning curve that used to define the hobby.

The 180×180×180mm build volume is on the smaller side, but it's adequate for most hobby projects, figurines, and functional parts. Print speed maxes out at 500mm/s, and real-world speeds of 200-300mm/s are easily achievable with excellent quality. The all-metal hotend handles temperatures up to 300°C, supporting PLA, PETG, TPU, and even ABS.

Bambu's slicer software (Bambu Studio) is excellent and comes pre-configured with profiles for the A1 Mini. Wi-Fi connectivity lets you start prints remotely, and the built-in camera provides a live view of your prints.

Best for: Beginners who want great prints immediately, experienced users who want a reliable secondary printer, and anyone who values ease of use over tinkering.

2. Creality Ender-3 V3 — Best Value for Build Volume

The Creality Ender-3 V3 is a complete redesign of the most popular 3D printer ever made. Gone is the clunky assembly and manual bed leveling — the V3 ships with CoreXZ kinematics, automatic leveling via CR Touch, and genuine input shaping for speeds up to 600mm/s.

At $199-230 with a 220×220×250mm build volume, it offers significantly more printable space than the A1 Mini for the same price. The direct-drive Sprite extruder handles flexible filaments reliably, and the PEI-coated spring steel build plate provides excellent adhesion for PLA, PETG, and TPU.

Assembly takes about 30-45 minutes with clear instructions. The learning curve is slightly steeper than the Bambu A1 Mini, but Creality's massive user community means every question has already been answered on Reddit, YouTube, or the official forums. Klipper firmware comes pre-installed for fast, responsive operation.

Best for: Users who want the most build volume per dollar, tinkerers who enjoy customizing their printer, and anyone who values open-source ecosystems.

3. Elegoo Neptune 4 Pro — Best Mid-Range Features

The Elegoo Neptune 4 Pro occupies the sweet spot between budget and premium. At $230-260, it packs features that justify the step up from base models — including a hardened steel nozzle that can print abrasive filaments like carbon fiber without wearing out.

The 225×225×265mm build volume is generous, and the Klipper-based firmware enables speeds up to 500mm/s with pressure advance and input shaping. The direct-drive extruder is robust and handles everything from PLA to TPU to composite filaments.

Build quality is noticeably better than the base Neptune 4 — linear rails on the X-axis provide smoother, more precise movements. The 4.3" touchscreen is responsive and intuitive, making it one of the easiest non-Bambu printers to operate.

Best for: Users who want to print with a variety of materials including composites, and those willing to spend slightly more for better build quality and features.

4. Anycubic Kobra 3 — Best Multi-Color Option

The Anycubic Kobra 3 stands out in this price range by offering multi-color printing capability when paired with the optional ACE Pro multi-material system. Even as a standalone single-color printer, it's a solid performer at $250-280.

The printer features Anycubic's LeviQ 3.0 automatic leveling system, which uses a 49-point probing grid for highly accurate bed mesh compensation. The 220×220×250mm build volume is standard for this class, and print speeds reach 600mm/s thanks to input shaping.

The build quality is solid with a sturdy frame and smooth linear motion. The touchscreen interface is clean and responsive. Where the Kobra 3 really shines is its upgrade path — adding the ACE Pro ($169) gives you four-color printing capability at a total system cost still under $450.

Best for: Users interested in multi-color printing who want an affordable entry point with room to grow.

5. Creality Ender-3 V3 SE — Best Under $200

The Ender-3 V3 SE is the budget option in Creality's V3 lineup, targeting first-time buyers who want reliable printing at the lowest possible price. At $160-190, it's one of the cheapest printers we'd actually recommend.

It sacrifices speed compared to the full V3 (250mm/s max vs 600mm/s), but the print quality at standard speeds is excellent. CR Touch automatic bed leveling is included, and the Sprite direct-drive extruder works well with PLA, PETG, and TPU. The strain-sensor-based Z-offset calibration simplifies one of the trickiest parts of printer setup.

The 220×220×250mm build volume matches the more expensive V3, making it a compelling option if print speed isn't your priority. Assembly is straightforward at about 20-30 minutes.

Best for: First-time buyers on the tightest budget who prioritize print quality over speed and don't need advanced features.

6. Elegoo Neptune 4 — Best Budget Speed Printer

The base Elegoo Neptune 4 delivers Klipper-powered speed at a lower price than the Pro version. At $180-210, it hits 500mm/s max speed with input shaping — making it one of the fastest printers under $200.

The 225×225×265mm build volume is slightly larger than Ender-3 models, and the direct-drive extruder handles common filaments well. Automatic bed leveling with a 121-point mesh (11×11 grid) provides excellent first-layer consistency.

The trade-offs compared to the Pro version are the lack of linear rails (uses V-rollers instead) and a brass nozzle instead of hardened steel. For PLA and PETG printing, these differences are negligible. You'll only miss the Pro's features if you plan to print abrasive or composite filaments.

Best for: Speed-focused users on a budget who primarily print with PLA and PETG and want Klipper performance without the premium price.

Buying Guide: How to Choose a Budget 3D Printer

Build Volume

Consider what you'll actually print. A 180mm cube (A1 Mini) handles most hobby projects. If you need to print larger items like cosplay pieces or functional enclosures, aim for 220×220×250mm or larger. Remember that bigger isn't always better — larger prints take proportionally longer.

Print Speed

Modern budget printers advertise 500-600mm/s, but real-world printing happens at 150-300mm/s for quality results. Input shaping and pressure advance are the features that actually matter for maintaining quality at higher speeds. Printers without these features top out around 80-120mm/s for good quality.

Auto Bed Leveling

In 2025, there's no reason to buy a printer without automatic bed leveling. Manual leveling wastes time and causes frustration, especially for beginners. Look for printers with probe-based systems (CR Touch, BLTouch, or strain gauge) that create mesh compensation maps.

Extruder Type

Direct-drive extruders are superior to Bowden setups for flexible filaments and retraction performance. Most modern budget printers include direct-drive — avoid any new printer that still uses a Bowden setup unless it's under $150.

Firmware

Klipper-based printers generally outperform Marlin-based ones in speed and responsiveness. Look for printers that ship with Klipper or have easy Klipper conversion paths.

Community Support

A large, active community is invaluable — especially for beginners. Creality and Bambu Lab have the largest communities. When you run into a problem at 11 PM, community forums and Discord servers are your best support channel.

Once you've got your printer, you'll need filament — start with our Best PLA Filaments for Beginners guide. For essential accessories, check out our Best 3D Printing Tools and Accessories Kit review. And to keep your filament in top shape, see Best Filament Dryers and Storage Solutions.