The Best Creality 3D Printers of 2021
In the past few years, at-home 3D printing has matured quite a bit from something exclusively for tinkerers with a weekend to devote to assembly and calibration. In 2021, there are many affordable options that anyone can get set up and printing in a matter of hours. This has also caused an overwhelming number of home 3D printers on the market today, and it can be difficult to choose the best one for your specific needs. To help you decide, we’ve narrowed it down to our top picks for entry-level and all-around printers Creality offers in 2021.
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Best Entry-Level Printer of 2021: Creality Ender 3 V2
An entry-level 3D printer is typically suited for hobbyists and beginners. People who are getting started with 3D printing might not have the expertise or patience for more complicated jobs. Unlike ten years ago, you are able to choose one from among dozens that have similar specs with wildly varying price points.
The Creality Ender 3 V2, the second version of the Creality Ender 3, is the best entry-level printer on the market as of 2020. It stands out for its value and quality.
This model rings in at less than $300. Creality CR-10S Pro V2 3D printers with similar specs are often $400-600, with some options valued at more than $1,000. This makes it one of the most affordable models in its class without too many concessions in terms of quality.
It is a compact 3D printer, meaning it won’t take up the entirety of your workspace with its bulk. With a print bed of 220 x 220 x 250 mm, it fits on any desktop, workbench, or table with room to spare.
The Creality Ender 3 V2 added an updated silent motherboard, allowing the machine to run lower than 50 decibels(dB) while printing. To quantify, normal speech hovers around 60 dB, while the hum of a refrigerator is about 40 dB.
The print bed is composed of a material called carborundum, or silicon carbide, a hard ceramic material with extremely high durability and resistance to heat.
The Creality Ender 3 V2 is ideal for makers who are interested in a lower cost 3D printer that still has many modern features included with more premium machines. Its low price point, and convenience features make it a great first 3D printer or as a supplement to an existing 3D printer collection.
Click here to check current prices of the Creality Ender 3 V2.
If you are looking for an even lower cost printer, the Ender 3 may be a good choice as well, but we feel that the added upgrades on the V2 are well worth the additional cost. To learn more about the differences, take a look at our Ender 3 Comparison Guide.
Best All-Around 3D Printer of 2021: Creality CR-10S Pro V2
Compared to the entry-level 3D printer discussed above, the all-around designation refers to the overall value of the printer in terms of its value, material quality, and versatility.
For the best all-around 3D printer, we recommend the Creality CR-10S Pro V2. The CR-10 is well-known among 3D printing enthusiasts as one of the most reliable models, and the CR-10S Pro V2 is its most recent, feature-rich, and advanced version. Here’s why we chose it as the best all-around 3D printer of 2020:
The print bed is larger (300 x 300 x 400mm) than most 3D printers and it works with most common printing materials, including PLA, ABS, PETG, and TPU).
Includes a reliable dual drive extruder, which ensures consistent filament feeding and fewer issues in the long term.
Adding automatic hardware bed-leveling with a BLTouch probe removes the headaches that often occur from bed-leveling while 3D printing. Probes are considered the most modern bed-leveling techniques, and the BLTouch is among the most advanced and reliable.
The CR-10S Pro V2 uses the same ‘silent motherboard’ technology included in the Creality Ender 3 v2, making for a surprisingly quiet machine despite its power.
Built with a space-saving unibody design with a touch screen that integrates its electronics into the printer frame, the CR-10S Pro V2 is more compact than its bed size would indicate.
The CR-10S Pro V2 is ideal for those looking to upgrade from an entry-level machine to something larger and more robust. The CR-10S Pro is also a great beginner 3D printer if cost is less of a concern and you are looking for a printer with the latest quality and convenience features.
Check the price of Creality CR-10S Pro V2 on Amazon.
About Buying 3D Printers
Both the Ender 3 V2 and the CR-10S V2 are excellent choices for aspiring makers. If you’d like to see more information about other 3D printers or the materials you’ll need to start your first print job, take a look at our recommendations here:
Comprehensive Guide To Choosing A 3D Printer - A detailed guide on all of Creality’s 3D printers.
3D Printing Filament Guide - Information about 3D printing filament, the plastic that 3D printers use to create prints.