Best 3D printers of 2020: Find the right printer for your business needs

3D printers have come a long way in the past few years.

Initially relegated to large industrial processes, they experienced a bit of a boom in the mid-2010s, when the technology became affordable to small offices, design firms, and hobbyists. Since then, 3D printers have evolved along with a number of vectors. Low cost, high-resolution resin printers have joined filament-based (or FDM) printers in the home and hobbyist market. Printers with large print areas have become available at both the low and high end, with lower-end printers optimizing for the very basic heated plates needed for large prints, while the higher-end solutions add sealed chambers, temperature management, and cameras. Printers with dual extruders are becoming more common, and the slicing software needed to prepare prints is becoming more sophisticated. We're also starting to see more full color and metal printing.

In this guide, we award best-of-show for a range of printer categories. We're spotlighting the machines based on where they're best used. We're starting with the most expensive offerings and ending with our favorite under-$200 printer.

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So now that you've seen our selection of printers, which should you buy? That depends entirely on what you're doing. If you're a factory or production shop doing low-volume manufacturing, some of the industrial printers at the top of the list are for you. If you're a design house, you'll need to make a price/performance determination and decide if added convenience is worth a few thousand more dollars. If you're a hobbyist, your choice depends on what you're making. Makers and tinkerers will like FDM printers, but if you're a miniature gamer, jewelry designer, or model railroad enthusiast, the resin SLA printers will probably catch your eye.

Also:Everything you need to know about 3D printing and its impact on your business

Also, a special acknowledgment: While I have a lot of experience with desktop-level 3D printers, I haven't had much of an opportunity to use industrial 3D printers. So I turned to the folks atFargo 3D Printer Repairwho not only have experience with these printers, but have a daily view into the reliability and failure points for a wide range of printer brands. They were kind enough to take the time to provide us with their recommendations, which I included in the listings above.

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