Best Large 3D Printer in 2024: Top Large FDM Printer Picks

Size isn’t the main consideration when looking for a top 3D printer, but the best large 3D printer models are often top-grade choices for both beginners and enthusiasts. Until fairly recently, large-volume 3D printers came with a hefty price tag that alienated most consumer-grade customers. Fortunately, large object printing no longer sits behind a hefty price tag: more and more affordable printers with generously sized build volume hit the market each year.

As is often the case for the beginner 3D printer enthusiast, wading through what’s out there and making an informed choice can be taxing. With that in mind, we’ve pulled together a selection of top recommendations for those in the market. If you need large-volume printing, irrespective of budget, we’ve got a great selection of products to cater to every 3D printing need.

How We Picked the Best Large 3D Printer

As specifications go, a large build volume is among the most versatile additions to any 3D printer’s toolkit. This ranges from enthusiastic home tinkerers eyeing up more ambitious designs or a small business prototyping their latest flagship product – so a large volume was the main attribute we looked for when leafing through the spread of large 3D printers. Common 3D printer criteria such as print speed, print quality and material compatibility also factored into our decision. We also appreciate quality-of-life features such as automated leveling or filament run-out detection, which make even the most cumbersome of prints easier – though it is still rare to find a model that checks all the boxes!

After careful consideration, we shrunk down our choices to five large 3D printers. With any one of these, you are more or less guaranteed a satisfying printing experience. In addition, you’ll find more on how you can pick the best large 3D printer for you later in the article, with a few top tips to remember when shopping.

Artillery Sidewinder X1 V4

Specifications

• Build Volume: 300mm x 300mm x 400mm
• Filament: PLA, ABS, Flexible PLA, TPU,
• Connectivity Technology: USB, Wireless
• Filetype: STL

What We Think

Boasting top-quality features along with it’s highly accommodating build volume, the Sidewinder is a top 3D printer for those who need a little extra space.

Reasons to Buy

• Pre-assembled – for those who want to simply plug-and-play, the Sidewinder comes 95% pre-assembled.
• Fast print speeds – with a print speed of up to 150mm/s, this 3D printer can make for impressively fast turnarounds.

Reasons to Avoid

• Lacks auto-leveling – the hassle of leveling a print bed is one even veteran 3D print enthusiasts could do without.

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The Artillery Sidewinder X1 V4 isn’t just one of the best hobbyists-level large 3D printers available, but one of the best 3D printers around. Along with its impressive 300mm x 300mm x 400mm build volume, Artillery has also incorporated a direct drive E3D Titan Aero Volcano-style hot-end nozzle into this powerhouse of a 3D printer.

The Sidewinder X1 V4 is in its element when tackling larger projects with bulky infills and thick layers and does so at great speeds (up to 150mm/s), especially considering the Sidewinder X1 V4 is an FDM 3D printer.  With a heated bed and 100-micron layer resolution, the Artillery Sidewinder X1 V4 can handle a good range of materials like PLA, ABS and TPU. We found that the Sidewinder X1 V4 is best paired with PLA: with top-tier print quality that is consistently excellent for the operating price.

All that said, the Artillery Sidewinder X1 V4 isn’t impervious to the odd issue and imperfection (no printer is): the spool holder detracts from what is an otherwise stellar offering from Artillery. Different spool sizes require a tedious set of adjustments to fit in the holder, wasted time that adds up if you’re partial to jumping between brands and sizes. No automatic leveling is also disappointing and can make large-scale printing somewhat tedious. These are the only gripes we had with the Sidewinder X1 V4, however, and it remains our best large-volume 3D printer!

Anycubic Chiron

Specifications

• Build Volume: 400mm x 400mm x 450mm
• Filament: PLA, ABS, TPU, PETG
• Connectivity Technology: USB, SD
• Filetype: .STL, .OBJ, .TPG, GCode

What We Think

If the Sidewinder’s build volume wasn’t enough, then the Chiron is sure to match your 3D printing needs.

Reasons to Buy

• Varied filament compatibility – supporting a wide range of filaments means that the Chiron is suited to a range of designs.
• Large build volume – of course, the star feature of this 3D printer is its 400mm x 400mm x 450mm build volume.

Reasons to Avoid

• Difficult leveling – whilst we’re grateful to have a 25-point auto-leveling system, the Chiron’s system is hard to learn, and arguably harder to master.

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Boasting a monstrous 400mm x 400mm x 450mm build volume, the Anycubic Chiron rubs shoulders with the Artillery Sidewinder X1 as one of the best large 3D printers. Unless you have lofty plans to print out furniture, this printer has enough printing space to create virtually anything a hobbyist maker can conjure up.

The build volume is the headline here, but Anycubic hasn’t skimped on the other features, and this is as you’d expect given the asking price. Leading the charge is Anycubic’s proprietary and much-lauded Ultrabase Pro print bed: which ensures strong adhesion to materials as they print, reduces instances of warping, and allows for easy removal of finished prints. Other specifications include 50-300-micron layer resolution, 20-100mm/s print speeds, and a rapidly-heating bed.

Automatic bed leveling should be a boon for beginners fearful that mismanaged manual calibration may sour their printing experience. While the Anycubic Chiron packages in a 25-point automatic bed leveling system that makes tweaks in real-time to ensure reliable printing performance, the system requires an involved setup process that creeps uncomfortably close to what you’d expect from a printer with manual bed leveling. The process is far from insurmountable, but first-timers should be wary that it’s more hands-on than Anycubic suggests in the marketing material.

Tronxy X5SA

Specifications

• Build Volume: 330mm x 330mm x 400mm
• Filament: PLA, ABS, HIPS, PETG, WOOD, PC, PVC
• Connectivity Technology: USB, TF Card
• Filetype: STL, OBJ, GCode

What We Think

This budget 3D printer doesn’t cut down on space to save money, providing an incredibly accommodating build volume.

Reasons to Buy

• Affordable – despite packing top-end features such as filament run-out detection and other quality features, the X5SA has a low price point.
• Accommodating build volume – at 330mm x 330mm x 400mm, you’ve still got ample room to print.

Reasons to Avoid

• More involved print process – less intuitive and requiring length assembly, the X5SA is by no means cheap and cheerful.

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The Tronxy X5SA stands out from the crowd for not just having a huge 330mm x 330mm x 400mm build volume, but also a heated bed and semi-automatic bed leveling, all for under $300. Packing a great selection of top-of-the-range features such as filament run-out detection and power outage protection, the X5SA does a lot with a little and gives you plenty of space for your designs.

The X5SA’s DIY-style kit assembly favors more seasoned printers or novices ready to get their hands dirty and familiarize themselves with the inner workings of a 3D printer. This isn’t a plug-and-play printer by any stretch of the imagination but is great for enthusiasts on the hunt for a bargain. Feature-wise, the printer has a dual Z-axis rod design within its aluminum chassis, making for decent printing speeds and acceleration. With plenty of filament options from PLA to PVC, you’ll have tremendous designs in any material you need.

Print performance is a mixed bag, which isn’t too surprising at this price point. The automated leveling still requires some human input, and there is a learning curve with this 3D printer: it takes some fine-tuning and practice to get the best results. Though the X5SA involves more work than pre-assembled, factory-calibrated 3D printers, this affordable and versatile large 3D printer mingles with the best of them at a highly competitive price.

Longer LK1

Specifications

• Build Volume: 300mm x 300mm x 400mm
• Filament: PLA, ABS, PETG
• Connectivity Technology: USB, SD
• Filetype: .STL, GCode

What We Think

At a great median of price and accuracy, the LK1 is great for detail as well as scope in your 3D print projects.

Reasons to Buy

• High resolution – with accuracy up to 100 microns, every detail of your large build will be on display.
• Great print speed – at a top speed of 180mm/s, prints can be large without being time-consuming.

Reasons to Avoid

• Cumbersome – along with the large unit, the touchscreen control is a standalone unit, taking up even more space.

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For a fantastic3D printer under $500 that still gives you large volumes, we found that the Longer LK1 balances its price tag with a decent range of features while producing more than respectable large format prints.

The LK1 features a 300mm x 300mm x 400mm build volume, which is ample for most journeymen 3D print enthusiasts, and comes with support for the standard array of materials such as PLA or ABS. With a sturdy aluminum frame and a tempered glass heated bed, the build quality of this budget model is unrivaled. Print speeds can reach as high as 180mm/s and the LK1 has a 100-400-micron layer resolution, meaning that prints are detailed to within 0.1mm.

That said, the LK1 isn’t without its flaws. The standalone touchscreen unit could be cumbersome for those with limited space as it adds to the footprint of an already hefty printer. And, like many on this list, automated bed leveling doesn’t feature. We still recommend the LK1 as a tremendous large format 3D printer for those with limited funds. With an easy assembly process and a gamut of useful quality-of-life features, we’re happy to include it in today’s ranking.

Anycubic Mega X

Specifications

• Build Volume: 300mm x 300mm x 305mm
• Filament: PLA, ABS, PETG, TPU
• Connectivity Technology: MicroSD
• Filetype: .STL, .OBJ, .DAE, .AMF

What We Think

Boasting sterling price-to-performance, the Mega X isn’t the best in any particular category, but is very good across the board.

Reasons to Buy

• Accurate – with a 50-300-micron print resolution, the Mega X can actually be more accurate than the LK1 in some print scenarios.
• Quick assembly – the 3D printer is split into a handful of pre-assembled modules, making for quick construction.

Reasons to Avoid

• Manual bed leveling – once again, we’re disappointed in the lack of auto-leveling on this 3D printer.

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The Anycubic Mega X is another top choice from Anycubic, and sits as a great middle ground in large-format 3D printing and our final pick for today’s list. A 300mm x 300mm x 305mm build volume provides ample space to work with, and this translates well to printing performance as Anycubic Mega X shows itself capable with most of the best filament types. A layer resolution range from 50 to 300 microns and 20-100mm/s print speed lend themselves well to all types of projects, from rapid prototyping to smaller intricate designs.

We were also impressed by the ease of assembly. Anycubic has done well to adopt an almost modular approach, and the assembly comes down to attaching a few wires and inserting a dozen screws. Once assembled, the Anycubic Mega X’s all-metal chassis sees it firmly planted on any surface with next to no movement or vibrations to disrupt the printing process, even with the print head whizzing about mid-print.

Our issues with the Anycubic Mega X don’t center on performance but the absence of quality of life features. It has no automatic bed leveling (although the large format manual leveling knob is a welcome touch) nor Wi-Fi connectivity, and tends to pump out quite a din when printing. As negatives go, we’d much rather contend with these than shoddy print quality, clogging, or failures, so take these as nitpicking rather than deal-breakers.

Features and Considerations

If you’re looking to buy a large 3D printer that wasn’t on our list, be sure to have made the following considerations:

Build Volume

Large 3D printer build volumes can swell to ludicrous sizes measured in meters rather than millimeters, which are overkill for most applications. For most,  a more modest but large build volume compared to that of typical 3D printers is a more cost-effective option and still offers plenty of versatility. Consider the maximum size of the prints you are aiming for, and buy accordingly.

Open vs Closed Frame

The design of a 3D printer fundamentally affects how large the build volume can be. With enclosed 3D printers, the entire print space is kept within the model. Most – if not all – of the best large 3D printers will be open-frame, to minimize restrictions on build volume. These models tend to be heavier and bulkier, however.

Filament

Another factor to consider when shopping for a large 3D printer is material compatibility. In a sense, this is a simple step to overlook, but one that can hamper your printing plans if you find out a printer doesn’t support your filament of choice before hitting the buy button. Most will handle PLA and ABS out of the box, while pricier options may extend compatibility to less popular materials such as Nylon. Some large 3D printers can even handle more abrasive materials like carbon fiber but may require upgrading the nozzle to a hardened steel variant – a relatively cheap and easy way to improve the printer.

Print Speeds

A few factors determine the print speed of a 3D printer: the number of extruders, their acceleration, even a slowly-heating bed can have drastic effects on print speeds. A quick tradeoff between quality and speed can be achieved by replacing the nozzle with a wider-diameter model, but that is never ideal. If you know you’ll need quick turnover rates, it is best to invest in a high-speed 3D printer from the outset.

FAQs

Verdict

Artillery Sidewinder X1 V4

Specifications

• Build Volume: 300mm x 300mm x 400mm
• Filament: PLA, ABS, Flexible PLA, TPU,
• Connectivity Technology: USB, Wireless
• Filetype: STL

• Shop on Amazon

A top pick among FDM printers, the Artillery Sidewinder X1 V4 also has the chops to hit the top of our recommendations as one of the best large 3D printers. Reasonably priced with a roomy build volume and an excellent all-around features set, any beginner or enthusiast will be satisfied with the Artillery Sidewinder X1 V4. All of our runners-up today are suitable selections for the best large 3D printer, however, so simply choose the best model for your specific budget or requirements!

For those wanting vibrant colors from their 3D prints, make sure to invest in a multi-color 3D printer – check out our buyer’s guide to make sure you get the best from your investment!