6 Best Large 3D Printers in 2024 (All Budgets)

Some may be content printing within the confines of their small, desktop FDM 3D printer — but for big home projects, or large prototyping, size matters. For these bigger jobs, you’ll need a large 3D printer capable of printing the Goliath structures they need for their commercial business or hobbyist project.

Great Large-Volume 3D Printer	Super Fast & Large Build Volume	Premium Pick For Businesses
Elegoo Neptune 4 Max	Creality K1 Max	Raise3D Pro3 Plus
3DSourced Rating:	3DSourced Rating:	3DSourced Rating:
Primary Rating: 4.4	Primary Rating: 4.8	Primary Rating: 4.7
Build Volume: 420 x 420 x 480 mm	Build Volume: 300 x 300 x 300 mm	Build Volume: 300 x 300 x 605 mm
Max Nozzle Temperature: 300°C	Max Nozzle Temperature: 300°C	Max Nozzle Temperature: 300°C
$470	$929	$7599
Elegoo here	Creality here	MatterHackers here
Amazon here	Amazon here

Great Large-Volume 3D Printer

Elegoo Neptune 4 Max

3DSourced Rating:

Primary Rating:

4.4

Build Volume:

420 x 420 x 480 mm

Max Nozzle Temperature:

300°C

$470

Elegoo here

Amazon here

Super Fast & Large Build Volume

Creality K1 Max

3DSourced Rating:

Primary Rating:

4.8

Build Volume:

300 x 300 x 300 mm

Max Nozzle Temperature:

300°C

$929

Creality here

Amazon here

Premium Pick For Businesses

Raise3D Pro3 Plus

3DSourced Rating:

Primary Rating:

4.7

Build Volume:

300 x 300 x 605 mm

Max Nozzle Temperature:

300°C

$7599

MatterHackers here

So, whether you want to print large-scale figures, model cars or cosplay helmets as home projects, or large commercial prototypes, we’ve split this article into two sections covering both:

• The best under $1,000 (the largest 3D printers for home use)
• The best large-scale 3D printers for commercial use

Some inspired makers have even built enormous 850mm tall printers at home as DIY projects.

This article includes the best large bed 3D printers, as well as buying guide with what factors to consider when buying a larger printer, tips and tricks for printing based on the elements that change as you scale up print bed size, and some FAQs on large-scale printing.

How We Picked

In assessing which of the following 3D printers deserved to be on our ranking, we used the following criteria:

• Speed – Large prints can take days to complete, so speed is the name of the game. Especially with independently designed prints, it can be a huge benefit to complete a print faster, even if that means failing faster.
• Reliability – This is a catchall for how much tinkering and troubleshooting you can expect from your printer. Although expected for budget printers, it’s a major con if you’re playing printing issue whack-a-mole every time you start a new project.
• Size Relative to Price – A large print volume on a cheaper printer is more meaningful, but it also makes it accessible to hobbyists or smaller independent businesses.
• Customer Service – Especially with industrial printers, bad customer service can ruin an otherwise solid printer.
• Special Features – Some printers stand out because they have special features, such as enclosures, different formats (like CoreXY), or better firmware.

Best Large-Format 3D Printers – 2024 Reviews

1. Neptune 4 Max – Best Budget Option for Hobbyists

• Price: Check latest price at Elegoo here / Amazon here
• Build volume: 420 x 420 x 480 mm
• Filament compatibility: PLA, TPU, PETG, ABS, ASA, Nylon
• Max nozzle temp: 300°C 
• Max bed temp: 100°C

If you’re in the market for a budget large-volume printer, the Neptune 4 Max is the one to beat. It’s a comically large printer with a build volume of 420 x 420 x 480 mm.

The downside is that it won’t give you that polished, “it just works” experience. You can read more in our hands-on full review of the Neptune 4 Max, but you should expect some troubleshooting to get it printing optimally.

It does have great 121 point auto-leveling, which is crucial for a printer with such a large build plate. It isn’t as perfectly accurate as other printers on this list (like the Ultimaker S7), but you get what you pay for.

The Neptune 4 Max’s pre-installed Klipper firmware is another major point in its favor. If you’re willing to tweak settings, you can get incredibly high speeds with this printer while retaining excellent quality.

2. Anycubic Kobra Max – Largest Under $1000

• Price: Check latest price at Anycubic here / Amazon here
• Build Volume: 450 x 400 x 400 mm 
• Minimum Layer Height: 50 microns
• Max Nozzle Temperature: 260°C
• Filament Compatibility: PLA, ABS, PETG, TPU

The largest of Anycubic’s most recent batch of affordable large FDM printers, the Anycubic Kobra Max gives you a massive 450 x 400 x 400 mm – the largest build volume 3D printer under $600. That ultra-large build volume alone justifies a slot on our list, but there’s plenty more to like about the Kobra Max.

Despite the large capacity, the Kobra Max is made stable by the dual z-axis threaded lead screws, each with a dedicated stepper motor and two support rods to reduce wobble and keep things running smoothly.

With a 50-micron minimum layer height, the Kobra Max delivers solid precision and can theoretically crank sprint speeds up to a dizzying 180 mm/s.

It also has a tempered carborundum glass print bed, coated with Anycubic’s proprietary Ultrabase microporous coating.

Elsewhere, Anycubic has bundled in its in-house-developed LeviQ fully automatic bed leveling. We tested it ourselves on the Kobra and continue to be impressed with the accuracy and hands-off, set-and-forget ease of use it delivers. Anycubic is on to something special here, and it’s a delight to see LeviQ ported over the larger Kobra Max.

Other notable features include filament runout detection, the same responsive 4.3″ touchscreen display found on the smaller Kobra, adjustable belt tensioners, an E3D Volcano-inspired hot end, and reasonably quiet operational noise levels at 58 dB.

Overall, it’s definitely the largest 3D printer for home use, and a reliable FDM pick.

3. Creality K1 Max – Mid-Range Option For Quality and Cost Efficiency

• Price: Check latest price at Creality here / Amazon here
• Build volume: 300 x 300 x 300 mm
• Filament compatibility: ABS, PLA, PETG, PET, TPU, PA, ASA, PC, PLA-CF, PA-CF, PET-CF
• Max nozzle temp: 300°C 
• Max bed temp: 100°C

The Creality K1 Max is nothing like the engineering project that is the Ender 3. With this printer, Creality has taken a high-quality yet consumer-focused approach to the large volume printer.

It uses a CoreXY model, which allows for faster print head movements and speedy prints of up to 600 mm/s. The K1 Max also includes monitoring and quality assurance tools like AI LiDAR, a camera, and an enclosed design.

These factors allow for a wide range of filaments to be used, including finicky filaments like TPU and ABS. Plus, the inclusion of an air purifier makes them safer to print for the hobbyist.

Of course, the defining feature is a large build volume. The Creality K1 Max boasts a cube size of 300 x 300 x 300 mm. Overall, the K1 Max is the best option for a powerful high volume printer that stays in the consumer price range.

4. Modix Big-60 V3 Kit — For Heavy-Duty Use

• Price: $4,700 — Available at Matterhackers here / Available at Dynamism here
• Build volume: 600 x 600 x 660 mm

The Big-60 makes the previously mentioned printers look tiny, with its enormous 600 x 600 x 660 mm build volume able to print even the largest prototypes and parts in one large part. 

This is a huge advantage as you can print these large models without having to assemble them together – so surface finish isn’t affected by post-processing. 

It’s a large 3D printer kit, but experienced operators or 3D printing makers will have no trouble assembling the Model Big-60 V3, especially as it comes with such detailed instructions that take you through every step of the assembly process. 

The Big-60 V3 kit features premium parts all around, for example, a high-quality E3D hot end, and Duet3D controllers as standard. Despite being designed for industrial, heavy-duty use, the Big-60 is designed also to be modular enough that you can easily install any upgrades tailored to your 3D printing needs.

These could be custom, third-party upgrades, or any one of a number of available upgrades you can buy with the printer, such as the enclosure kit, a super high-temperature nozzle for industrial material printing like PEEK or ULTEM, or a secondary print head.

Overall, it’s a large area 3D printer but at a much lower medium-range price, and it’s certainly a large 3D printer for big 3D printer projects.

5. Raise3D Pro 3 Plus – Best Professional Option for Tall Prints

• Price: Matterhackers here / Amazon here
• Build volume: 299.72 x 299.72 x 604.52 mm (single extruder), or 254 x 299.72 x 604.52 (dual extruder)
• Filament compatibility: ABS, PLA, PETG, PET, TPU, PA, ABS, ASA, PC, PLA-CF, PA-CF, PET-CF, Nylons, etc
• Max nozzle temp: 300°C 
• Max bed temp: 120°C

The Raise3D Pro 3 Plus is a printer for professional use, such as rapid prototyping. Its shining feature are the dual extruders, allowing for multiple filament types to be used in a single print.

The build volume changes depending on whether you have one or two extruders. It’s quite large either way, with the vertical axis being especially impressive at 604.52 mm.

For the price, you will get a fully enclosed printer with a HEPA filter and air flow manager, an HD camera, auto bed leveling, and interchangeable hot end and extruder covers.

Although it has two extruders, the print speed is quite low. You trade speed for flexibility and the capacity for multi-filament prints.

6. Ultimaker S7 – Best Reliable and Feature Packed Industrial Printer

• Price: Matterhackers here
• Build volume: 330 x 240 x 300 mm
• Filament compatibility: 280+ tested materials
• Max nozzle temp: 180 – 280°C 
• Max bed temp: 100°C

The Ultimaker name comes with reliable, trustworthy industrial printers and the Ultimaker S7 is no exception. This is another professional-tier printer with a large build volume and dual extrusion.

It has an improved inductive probe for auto-leveling, promising better accuracy. The build plate also has a unique design using 25 magnets and 4 pins. The result is a streamlined leveling process and saved time.

Other benefits include a tested air filter, an onboard camera, and an auto-nozzle lifting system.

Overall, the Ultimaker will be the most reliable in an industrial context, even if it doesn’t have the largest build volume available. It still offers an impressive size of 330 x 240 x 300 mm.

Tips for Large-Format 3D Printing

Keep time in mind

It’s important to remember how long it takes to print these enormous parts. In rapid prototyping, it’s common to leave your printer running overnight and come back to it the next day, but if you’re printing a 50 x 50 cm prototype with a 0.4mm nozzle and small-ish layer heights, it could take several days to print.

A natural solution is to replace the standard 0.4mm nozzle that comes on most large-scale 3D printers with a larger (0.8-1.2mm) nozzle. Then, if printing larger layer heights (200 – 400 microns) you massively increase print speed.

However, this opens another can of worms. Less powerful hotends can struggle to melt such a large amount of filament quick enough to extrude in time, so you may want to upgrade your hotend to print without issue. We have a guide to some great hotends here.

Is it worth buying a large 3D printer, or using a 3D printing service instead?

This is another question you should ask yourself. If you’re only planning on printing a few prototypes for the year, you might find it advantageous to instead outsource your printing needs to an external service.

It’ll be more expensive than if you were to just pay for the materials to print yourself, but if you don’t have much use for the large-scale 3D printer, it’ll sit there collecting dust in your workshop for the rest of the year.

This is a simple value judgment — do you think you’ll use it enough?

The answer could even be to keep/buy a standard smaller 3D printer, use that for day-to-day prototyping, and if you have an enormous printer project, outsource those. We have a ranking of some of the best 3D printing services.

1 big 3D printer, or multiple smaller printers for many small parts

A common line of thought is that buying one large 3D printer gives you the capacity to print many smaller parts simultaneously.

This is true, but not necessarily efficient. Yes, you can print 10-20 small pieces at the same time on a large 3D printer, but it’ll take 20 times as long as you could have printed these parts on 20 desktop 3D printers. So, if you’re planning on printing many small parts, consider instead going with a 3D printer farm.

That said, the best 3D printer for large objects is certainly one with a big print volume – it’s a hassle gluing multiple parts together, and affects the final part’s strength.

FAQs

If you enjoyed this ranking, you may also be interested in:

• Our ranking of the best small 3D printers
• The best dual extruder 3D printers
• The best 3D pens
• How much does a 3D printer cost to buy and maintain?
• The best commercial 3D printers
• The best 3D printers for small businesses
• Best 3D printers for $5000
• 500x500x500mm 3D printers
• Nylon 3D printer buyer’s guide