Should I buy a filament or resin 3D printer?

Choose the Bambu Lab P1S for single-material functional parts, including ABS and ASA applications. The ELEGOO Mars 5 Ultra better matches detailed miniatures and intricate small components. Resin requires a dedicated chemical-handling workflow, ventilation, and post-processing, so consider your workspace as carefully as the objects you want to make.

Do I need an enclosed 3D printer?

For ABS and ASA, choose an enclosed printer under our buying rules; open frames are not the recommended option. The Bambu Lab P1S enclosure retains heat for these warp-prone materials. Standard PLA can print without an enclosure. Check your printer manual for material-specific settings and operating instructions.

Does automatic bed leveling prevent failed prints?

Automatic bed leveling addresses a major source of setup failures, but it is not a guarantee that every print will succeed. Keep the build surface clean, use appropriate material settings, and follow the manual's calibration procedure. The Bambu Lab P1S includes automated leveling, reducing the need for manual bed adjustment.

What extra costs should I budget for with a resin printer?

Allow for ventilation and exhaust extraction, protective equipment, washing and curing supplies, resin, and replacement release films. The ELEGOO Mars 5's $199.99 listing covers the printer, not a complete safe workspace. Follow the printer manual and resin safety instructions when choosing equipment and planning handling, post-processing, and disposal.

The best 3D printers

The Bambu Lab P1S is our best 3D printer pick for single-material functional parts, while the ELEGOO Mars 5 Ultra suits detail-focused resin printing.

Research-based article drawn from our 28 maker tools reviews. Updated September 2026.

Short answer

The Bambu Lab P1S is our top 3D printer pick for single-material functional parts: its $399 enclosed chassis supports ABS and ASA, and automated leveling reduces setup work. Choose the P1S Combo for multi-color printing or the ELEGOO Mars 5 Ultra for detailed miniatures. Resin buyers should budget for ventilation, protective equipment, and post-processing, not just the printer.

Our picks for “3d printer”

Best for functional parts: Bambu Lab P1S

The standalone Bambu Lab P1S earns our highest printer score, 8.9/10, and costs $399 in the supplied listing. It suits makers who want single-material functional parts rather than multi-color output. Its enclosed CoreXY chassis supports ABS and ASA, while the listed build volume is 256 × 256 × 256 mm. Automated leveling reduces the manual adjustment involved in preparing the bed.

The main compromise is the interface: its basic segment screen leaves much of the interaction to mobile or desktop software. This price also excludes AMS multi-material hardware. If filament switching is central to your plans, consider the Combo instead.

For this buying guide, enclosure and leveling matter more than headline speed. The P1S lists a maximum speed of 500 mm/s, but that specification is not a measured completion time for your parts. Check the manual for material-specific setup, and keep the build surface clean even when leveling is automated.

Read the reviews: Bambu Lab P1S 3D Printer

Best for multi-color printing: Bambu Lab P1S Combo

The Bambu Lab P1S Combo costs $499.99 and adds AMS hardware for automated multi-spool feeding and filament switching. It retains the enclosed body and 256 × 256 × 256 mm build volume of the standalone P1S. Our score is 8.4/10. Choose it when multi-color functional prototypes justify the additional hardware; choose the standalone model when you mainly print one material at a time.

Its limitations include a proprietary component ecosystem that restricts third-party modifications. Automated calibration reduces user intervention, but buyers should check the manual for which materials can pass through the feeding system rather than assuming every printer-supported filament is compatible.

The $769 Bambu Lab P2S Combo is the higher-investment alternative, scoring 8.6/10. It pairs an enclosed CoreXY printer with AMS 2 Pro and fully automated calibration. Our notes favor it for heavy-duty multi-material fabrication, though its 124 customer reviews provide a smaller review sample than the P1S Combo's 749.

Read the reviews: Bambu Lab P1S Combo, Bambu Lab P2S Combo

Best for detailed miniatures: ELEGOO Mars 5 Ultra

The ELEGOO Mars 5 Ultra is our pick for detailed resin miniatures with less mechanical tuning. Listed at $356.98 and scoring 8.5/10, it combines automated tilt-release mechanics with improved connectivity. Our review notes highlight intricate small-component detail and release mechanisms that improve operational reliability. It suits a detail-focused workshop rather than a buyer primarily seeking filament-based structural parts.

The purchase price is only part of the commitment. Budget for dedicated exhaust extraction, protective equipment, post-processing supplies, and replacement release films. Automation does not remove the chemical-handling responsibilities of resin printing. Follow the printer manual and resin safety instructions for handling, washing, curing, and disposal.

For larger resin batches, the ELEGOO Saturn 4 Ultra 16K is an alternative at $519.99, with our score of 8.3/10. Its expanded build volume and 16K panel suit small-batch manufacturing, but increased consumable use and the need for rigorous air extraction make it a more substantial workshop commitment.

Read the reviews: ELEGOO Mars 5 Ultra Resin 3D Printer, ELEGOO Saturn 4 Ultra 16K Resin 3D Printer

Best lower-cost resin option: ELEGOO Mars 5

The ELEGOO Mars 5 is the lowest-priced printer in this reviewed selection at $199.99, with our score of 8.3/10. It suits budget-focused miniature printing, offering fine detail and smooth surface finishes without the Ultra model's advanced sensor suite. Its straightforward mechanical layout is a reason to consider it if you prioritize simpler maintenance over additional automation.

Do not treat its sub-$200 price as a complete starting budget. It still requires protective equipment, post-processing chemicals, and fume extraction. If your available space cannot support safe resin handling and ventilation, the lower purchase price should not decide the purchase.

Across these picks, choose the process around the parts you need. Our buying rule is to use an enclosed printer for ABS and ASA, not an open frame. Prioritize automatic bed leveling to reduce setup errors, but continue cleaning and maintaining the bed. Check each model's manual for calibration procedures; automated release mechanics and automated leveling are not interchangeable features.

Read the reviews: ELEGOO Mars 5 Resin 3D Printer

Frequently asked

Should I buy a filament or resin 3D printer?: Choose the Bambu Lab P1S for single-material functional parts, including ABS and ASA applications. The ELEGOO Mars 5 Ultra better matches detailed miniatures and intricate small components. Resin requires a dedicated chemical-handling workflow, ventilation, and post-processing, so consider your workspace as carefully as the objects you want to make.
Do I need an enclosed 3D printer?: For ABS and ASA, choose an enclosed printer under our buying rules; open frames are not the recommended option. The Bambu Lab P1S enclosure retains heat for these warp-prone materials. Standard PLA can print without an enclosure. Check your printer manual for material-specific settings and operating instructions.
Does automatic bed leveling prevent failed prints?: Automatic bed leveling addresses a major source of setup failures, but it is not a guarantee that every print will succeed. Keep the build surface clean, use appropriate material settings, and follow the manual's calibration procedure. The Bambu Lab P1S includes automated leveling, reducing the need for manual bed adjustment.
What extra costs should I budget for with a resin printer?: Allow for ventilation and exhaust extraction, protective equipment, washing and curing supplies, resin, and replacement release films. The ELEGOO Mars 5's $199.99 listing covers the printer, not a complete safe workspace. Follow the printer manual and resin safety instructions when choosing equipment and planning handling, post-processing, and disposal.