Having your own 3d printer can significantly help by giving you complete freedom with your projects. The printer’s efficiency plays a huge role in ramping up the speed at which your projects progress, so it’s crucial to have the best 3d printer for miniatures. With so many different ones littered around the market, you might find it hard to choose just one.
Creality Ender 3 is one of the best printers out there. It can work with a wide range of filament materials with extreme precision. The entire Ender series has yet to disappoint with its new and upgraded version in terms of reliability, stability, and affordability.
There are a lot of other printers besides the Ender 3, which are also considerably high quality in the current market. Every one of them has certain qualities that you might find useful, as well as some qualities that you would deem useless. There’s also the price range to consider. In this comprehensive buyer’s guide, I’ll provide you with what I think are the 5 best 3D printers for miniatures in 2021.
Before we begin with the review check out this comparison table for a basic idea of how the 3D printers in this article differ from each other:
Top 5 3D Printers for Miniatures
| Printer | Weight (lbs) | Print Volume | Dimension (Inches) | Links |
| Creality Ender 3 V2 Upgraded | 17.2lbs | 220 x 220 x 250mm | 18.7 x 18.5 x 24.4 inch |     |
| Monoprice Maker Ultimate 2 3D Printer | 17.19lbs | 200 x 150 x 150mm | 15 x 13.4 x 16.5 inches |   |
| Monoprice Voxel 3D Printer | 19.9lbs | 150 x 150 x 150mm | 15 x 15.7 x 15.9 inches |   |
| FlashForge Finder 3D Printer | 24.31 | 140 x 140 x 140mm | 16.5 x 16.5 x 16.5 inches |   |
| JGMaker Magic 3D Printer DIY Kit | 17.6lbs | 220 x 220 x220mm | 17.5 x 17 x 18.5 inches |   |
Each of the 3D printers in this list has distinguishing specs and offers reliable performance. Some of them are FDM printers, and others use resin as a base. Regardless they are the tried and tested best among their peers. Which would be best for you is a matter of what you need and what you can afford. So, without further ado, let’s begin.
1. Creality Ender 3 V2 Upgraded
Creality Ender 3 is the epitome of mini 3d printers. It is exceptionally great for casual hobbyists because of its reasonable pricing. The V2 final model is an immense upgrade over its already great base.
Creality Ender 3 V2 has a vastly superior motherboard compared to its predecessors. It even comes with a noise reduction feature (thank god). It comes with a heated bed made of carborundum glass. And most importantly, it has an elegant and compact design.
It has exceptionally durable and flexible belt tensioners that you can use to print with more precision. One of the things I don’t like about Creality Ender 3 V2 is that it doesn’t come with a touch screen. At the first glance, you will see a pad that kinda looks like a touchscreen. However, it’s only the interface screen, and you need to rotate the button at the bottom.
Creality Ender V2 is one of the best. That’s because it adds a lot of quality of life which was absent in the previous model. They added a little toolbox at the bottom so that you can store all your print chipping tools.
Specifications:
- Build Volume: 220 x 220 x 250mm
- Filament type: PLA, PETG, ABS, TPU
- Print Speed: 180mm/s(maximum)
- Total Weight: 7.8kg
- Print type: FDM
- Extruder Temp: 250 °C (Maximum)
Features:
Silent printing: The upgraded motherboard of Ender 3 V2 comes with a noise suppression feature. It also monitors the fan speed to reduce as much noise as possible.
Toolbox: It has a little compartment at the bottom that you can use a tool holder. A nifty little place to store all your flash cutters.
Tempered Heated Bed: Ender 3 V2 comes with an exquisite tempered aluminum plate bed. It is much more adhesive than an ordinary bed platform.
Pros:
- Noise suppression
- High-end motherboard
- Beginner-friendly
- Fast heating
- Durable
- High-stability
- Large print volume
Cons:
- No touchscreen
- Heavy bed
- No automatic bed leveling
2. Monoprice Maker Ultimate 2
Monoprice Maker Ultimate 2 is one of the more powerful 3d printers on this list. It is rustic, utilitarian, and efficient. It does not share the elegant design of Creality Ender 3 but it makes up for it in performance. It looks more like a brick oven compared to the newer mini printer model.
Monoprice Maker Ultimate 2 is one of the more powerful 3d printers on this list. It is rustic, utilitarian, and efficient. It does not share the elegant design of Creality Ender 3 but it makes up for it in performance. It looks more like a brick oven compared to the newer mini printer model.
It is one of the best enclosed-printers I have used to date. It is a beginner-friendly product that is as close to plug-and-play as one can get. It comes with all the tools and filaments you would need to get it up and running in the box.
It is compatible with Cura, and you will get a memory card with it. If you do not like the initial set-up then feel free to rewrite the commands. The printer looks like a brick house, so it is more stable than an old fort. There are absolutely no vibrations while printing. No vibrations mean no fluctuation during the printing period, resulting in incredibly smooth prints.
The automated bed reduces a lot of hassle for me. I can make do with manual bed leveling, but I’d rather have it auto. Enclosed space also makes it produce a lot less sound when I’m printing, which is a great boom.
Specifications:
- Build Volume: 200 x 150 x 150mm
- Filament type: Metal, PET, PLA. ABS, TPE, TPU
- Print Speed: 150mm/s(maximum)
- Total Weight: 7.8kg
- Print type: FDM
- Extruder Temp: 280 °C (Maximum)
Features:
Removable Bed: Monoprice Maker Ultimate 2 has a durable and removable glass bed. It takes very little time to heat up. After printing, you can remove the bed to remove the print safely.
Internal Illumination: The interior of this mini printer has separate lights so that you can observe what’s happening inside. It is an inseparable feature because the enclosed space inside the printer is hard to see otherwise.
Automatic Filament Detection: It comes with automatic filament direction. It will alert you when the filament is about to run out. Not only that, but it will also stop the printing process on its own accord until you add sufficient filament.
Enclosed Printing: The entire printing space is covered with door screens from the top and front. The enclosed environment makes the print happen more smoothly by reducing outside disturbances.
Auto-Leveling Bed: It comes with an auto-leveling bed, so you don’t have to adjust manually now and then.
Pros:
- Stable and sturdy
- Can be used without computer input
- Automatic bed
- Enclosed Space gives better temperament to the prints
Cons:
- Slightly on the expansive side
- Has a noisy fan
- No touch screen.
3. Monoprice Voxel 3D Printer
Monoprice Voxel is one of those easy-to-use printers that require zero assembly time. You don’t even need to bother with manual calibration or tweaks either. Everything came pre-assembled so I did not need to waste any time on unnecessary shenanigans. Inside the box, there is a printer, power cord, spool filament, and some necessary tools.
Just like the Ultimate 2 model, Monoprice Voxel is another solid-looking printer. I usually prefer more elegant printers most of the time, but Voxel is one of the rare bulky ones that I would use. It is an enclosed printer with a noise suppressive effect. I could run it right next to my chair and still not hear a thing.
Voxel has automatic bed adjustment and I cannot stress enough how helpful that is. With it being automated, I hardly ever need to manually adjust anything. I especially like the flexible bedding. Not only is the bed durable and fast-heating, but it is also bendable. Taking out a print by gently bending the bed is infinitely easier than taking one out of an inflexible one.
Usually, I need to constantly keep an eye on the amount of filament I have left. Constantly watching it is such a hassle, but with Voxels auto-detect technology, I no longer have to deal with any of that. The only thing that irritates me is that Voxel is slightly expensive.
Specifications:
- Build Volume: 150 x 150 x 150mm
- Filament type: PLA, PETG, ABS, TPU
- Print Speed: 100mm/s(maximum)
- Total Weight: 7.8kg
- Print type: FDM
- Extruder Temp: 250 °C (Maximum)
Features:
Camera print monitoring: Voxel comes with an internal monitoring camera. It helps a lot to check precision prints. It also helps keep track of your print when you are somewhere far away. It essentially acts as a webcam for prints.
Flexible Build plate: It has a flexible bed much like Monoprice Ultimate 2. It is also easily removable and replaceable as long as you have the parts.
Remote Controlling system: Voxel has an in-built polar cloud system. With polar cloud-enabled you can control Voxel completely through wifi.
Auto-leveling: the distance between the extruder nozzle and bed can auto-adjust themselves. The same goes for the bed height. You can also change them manually if you want.
Pros:
- Beginner-friendly
- Can use multiple filaments types
- Reliable software
- Convenient features
- WiFi-enabled
Cons:
- A bit expensive for a mini 3d printer
- Old-school touchscreen
- print fluctuations from time to time
4. FlashForge Finder 3
FlashForge Finder is a beginner-friendly 3D printer that is both cheap and reliable. It is yet another sealed space 3d printer. In terms of overall power and efficiency FlashForge Finder ties with many of the top printers like Creality CR and Anycubic. However, those still have slightly larger build volumes and faster print speed.
FlashForge is one of the most easy-to-use printers out there. It is simple and easy-to-use design is something that I don’t see even on things like Ender 3. Finder’s print quality is top-notch among miniature printers. It can easily use multiple filament types because of its extruder.
Finder 3 got an exceptional upgrade over its predecessors in terms of performance and material quality. It may be on the cheaper side, but it still offers quite a few conveniences that are only ever found on the most expensive printers.
Finder 3 is my recommendation for beginners looking for a budget printer that comes with an extremely small learning curve. It may not have all the fancy features like an automatic filament warning system, but it still has quite a few perks that are worth every penny you pay.
Specifications:
- Build Volume: 140 x 140 x 140mm
- Filament type: PLA, PETG
- Print Speed: 100mm/s(maximum)
- Total Weight: 11kg
- Print type: FFF
- Extruder Temp: 220 °C (default)
Features:
Unique software: Finder 3 comes with its own software called FlashPrint. It is a bit of a hassle to set-up but it does bring some interesting utilities to the table. It’s a dimension-setting tool for the most part.
Noiseless: It doesn’t make much noise while operating. A lot of it has to do with its sealed compartment design. When I used it, I barely heard any noise save for a quiet hum.
Wi-Fi connection: It comes with a fancy Wi-Fi connection, which is rare for cheaper models like this. You can keep track of all your prints while you are out on a stroll, how convenient!
Pros:
- High stability
- Beginner-friendly
- consistent
- Low noise
- Removable plate
Cons:
- Inferior Build volume
- Cold bed
- Manual bed leveling
- Exclusively uses FlashForge filament cartridge
5. JGMAKER Magic 3D Printer
JGMaker Magic is one of the best DIY 3d printers on the current market. Not only is it affordable, but it also offers refillable functionality. It is one of the best printers for miniatures. It is a printer kit, so it comes as a whole package of all the essential tools and software. The printer comes pre-assembled so you wouldn’t need to hassle with the assembly and manuals.
It is one of those jack-of-all-trades sorts of a deal because this one printer can flawlessly pump out all the miniatures you want. You don’t even need to bother with additional tools as they all come with the pack.
Even though it’s on the cheaper side, it still has a fully functional heated bed. A heated bed ensures that your prints do not become distorted. I was honestly surprised at the print quality because of the smoothness. The nozzles are very precise and have excellent temperature control. That results in the quality of the print naturally being very high.
However, It might be a little hard to get spare parts for this one. Standard parts do not work on it, so if it ever breaks you need have no choice but to rely on the manufacturer.
Specifications:
- Build Volume: 220 x 220 x 220mm
- Filament type: PLA, PETG
- Print Speed: 70mm/s(maximum)
- Total Weight: 8kg
- Print type: FDM
- Extruder Temp: 240 °C (Maximum)
Features:
Stable Frame: JGMaker Magic has one of the best frame designs among all the miniature printers on this list. Not only is the design elegant and compact, but it also provides excellent stability. A stable frame is a key to smooth finishings.
Continuous Filament feeding: You can use the filament loader to replenish the filament as it keeps printing. No need to pause or stop the process.
Build plate can be removed: It has a removable build plate to make it easier to remove completed prints.
Automatic Filament detection: The printer will warn you when the filament is about to run out. It will also pause the printing process until you replenish its filament stock. This is a great feature for people who keep losing track of time.
Pros:
- Affordable
- Beginner-friendly
- High build volume
Cons:
- Slow Print speed
- Manual Bed leveling
My Top Pick
Deeming a single product as a top choice is certainly a tricky thing to do. After much consideration, I’ve decided Creality Ender 3 V2 to be the ultimate best choice overall. Creality has been providing us with one marvelous product after the other, and its latest release was the Ender 3 V2.
I’m not saying it is the absolute best mini 3d printer that ever existed. I chose them after considering their performance, stability, and utility of the machine compared to its cost. There are a lot of printers that can beat it in terms of performance, but they are also a lot more expensive. Creality Ender 3 v2 packs the most amount of value per money.
Conclusion
The printers on this list are among the best 3d printers for miniatures in the current market. Some of them are slightly cheap while some of them are more expensive, but they all offer undisputed and reliable service. As long as it is for miniatures, any one of these printers should work impeccably.
Thanks for reading till the end. Hope this article has helped you find the perfect 3D printer for you.