3D pens & printers · for UK buyers

The pen matters a great deal more than the plastic.

Every pen here is judged on the three things that decide how it feels in your hand: how low the nozzle will go, how finely you can meter the flow, and what it takes to clear a clog at eleven at night. Then we tell you which one suits the person you’re actually buying for.

See the ranking → Buying for a child?
Pens compared
5
Printers compared
6
Products listed
27
Standard filament
1.75 mm

Start here

Who is it for?

A pen that delights a nine-year-old is not the pen you want for filling a gap in a model hull. Pick the person, not the price bracket.

Ages 6–10
Kids

No hot parts at all, a grip sized for small hands, and no ABS fumes.

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 Tight budget
First pen

Cheap enough to risk on a hobby you’re not sure about, good enough that you won’t replace it.

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 Daily use
Artists & pros

Stepless speed, ABS and wood-fill compatibility, a nozzle built against clogging.

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 Not sure yet
Start with the ranking

Six pens ordered by what each is genuinely best at, with the specs that decide it.

See the ranking →

Rankings

Start with a ranking

Browse everything →
Ranked The Best 3D Pens: Our Top Picks Five 3D pens ranked by what each does best rather than by price: for young children, first-time makers, artists and small budgets, using the figures their makers publish. See the ranking → Ranked The Best 3D Printers for Beginners: Our Top Picks Six 3D printers ranked for first-time buyers, from a compact self-calibrating machine to resin for miniatures, using the figures their makers publish. See the ranking →

The shop

Four shelves, and nothing on them we wouldn’t buy.

Each listing is a short review with the specs that matter and a link straight to Amazon. There is no basket here — we don’t sell anything, and pretending otherwise would waste your time.

LIHUACHEN RPC200B 3D Pen (Button Version) 3D Pens 3D pens compared on what their makers publish: working temperatures, materials, speed control and what's in the box. Sorted by who each… Browse 5 → Flashforge Adventurer 5M 3D Printer 3D Printers 3D printers for first-time buyers and the step after, from compact self-calibrating machines to resin printers for detail work. Each listing gives… Browse 6 → Anycubic Wash & Cure 3 Station Accessories & Tools The kit that makes 3D pens and printers easier to live with: silicone mats, templates and finger guards for pens, cases, filament… Browse 7 → SCRIB3D PLA Refills, 20 Colours (1.75 mm) Filament & Refills Refills for 3D pens, by material and colour pack: 1.75 mm PLA for most hot pens, low-temperature PCL for the 3Doodler Start… Browse 7 →

The Layer Guide

The part a product page will never tell you.

All guides →
3D Pen Guides Best 3D Pen for Kids: What Changes Under Ten Under ten, a child needs a pen with no external hot parts. One pick per age, what comes in each… Safety Is a 3D Pen Safe for Kids? Whether a 3D pen is safe for a child depends on how hot it runs: the temperatures makers publish, an… How to choose a 3D pen: illustration of a 3D pen drawing a cube 3D Pen Guides How to Choose a 3D Pen: the Specs That Actually Matter Every listing claims the same features. Here are the specs ranked by how much they change your drawing, five pens…