Getting a new 3D printer is exciting, especially if it’s your first one. But you’ll need somewhere to place it, right?! So here’s our top recommendations for the best 3D printer desks, tables and workbenches that’ll keep the vibrations out, and store all your tools:
Quick Overview
- Olympia hardwood bench: A really strong workbench that can fit larger printers.
- Heavy-duty foldable workbench: Great for easy access to accessories and tools
- Home office computer desk: Doubles up as a desk for work
- IKEA Lack table: Only if you’re on a strict budget and have a small enough 3D printer.
Bigger 3D printers require more space to fit them, while different projects will require different filaments, resins, paints, or tools that need to be kept handy. Entry-level 3D printers often weigh from 8kg to 18kg, so a workbench needs to comfortably hold this plus any accessories.
How To Pick
We recommend desks that:
- Stable and sturdy: The table needs to be sturdy and strong enough not only to comfortably hold your 3D printer and any tools you have on it but also to prevent the vibrations from affecting print quality.
- Big enough: IKEA Lack tables look great and they’re cheap, but they’re barely big enough to hold a 3D printer with any kind of enclosure, so we recommend going bigger if you have the budget. You want a table big enough to place any accessories, filament storage boxes, desktop storage for resin, gloves, scrapers and other tools, etc.
- Easy to keep clean: Wood surfaces are easy to clean, and don’t get hot during printing.
I personally do not recommend wheeled 3D printer tables. Lots of people recommend them, but I’m personally nervous about weak brakes, so I avoid them for hot, electric things like 3D printers. They can also be less stable, and you don’t want anything that could affect your print’s surface finish.
The Best 3D Printer Tables in 2024 – Reviews
1. Olympia Hardwood Workbench
- Price: Check on Amazon here
Pros
One of the strongest affordable benches out there.
Nice to look at and works very well as a 3D printer table.
Easy to keep dust-free.
Cons
The instructions are difficult to follow.
Not just one of the strongest affordable benches out there, the Olympia hardwood workbench is also one of the best-looking.
If you like to show off your workstation, then this hardwood desk is definitely something to add to your cart. As well as being very nice to look at, the Olympia works very well as a 3D printer table.
Sturdy enough to hold several times what the average 3D printer weighs, and with enough desktop space to keep any peripheral tools or resins within a safe distance, the Olympia is an ideal 3D printer stand.
Hardwood is also famously easy to clean, so it’s easy to keep dust-free. And for under $200, it’s definitely worth adding to your wish list at least.
2. Heavy Duty Foldable Workbench
- Price: Check on Amazon here
Pros
Sturdy.
More vibration-resistant and stable than many others.
Comes with a pegboard.
Cons
Not useful for the not-so-portable 3D printers.
While the foldable nature of this heavy-duty 3D printer workbench isn’t useful for the not-so-portable machines that are 3D printers — it’s the sturdiness that really counts here.
With a pedal lock on the bottom of the legs, this workbench is a great 3D printer table as it’s more vibration-resistant and stable than many others.
In addition, it comes with a pegboard for handy access to scrapers and other tools without risking leaving them around and cluttering up your space or, worse, getting lost.
3. Repurposed Home Office Computer Desk
- Price: Check on Amazon here
Pros
Easy to assemble.
Extra space.
A strong surface to use as a 3D printer stand.
Cons
Lack of drawers.
Sometimes simplicity is key. Bells and whistles can make for confusing spaces, and while drawers and pegboards do come in handy, sometimes you just want a strong surface to use as a 3D printer stand.
Despite being designed for computers, this home office desk is an easy-to-assemble steel frame that’s deep enough to comfortably fit most 3D printers and still leave enough space for extra tools, gloves, and other pieces.
The extra space can also be used for the desk’s original purpose; a computer to plug directly into your printer.
The lack of drawers does limit storage somewhat, but the wide space below is perfect for storing boxes of filament.
If built-in storage is a must for your 3D printer table, however, there’s also this computer desk with shelves on which you can keep resins and tools. Available in a variety of sizes, you can choose which version of this table suits your 3D printer and/or your available space.
4. IKEA Lack Tables (Only if on a STRICT budget!!)
Pros
Sturdy and strong.
Fairly cheap and doesn’t take up too much space.
Can store things under it safely.
Cons
Not suited for larger 3D printer models.
3D printers and super cheap IKEA lack tables can actually go together really well. They’re compact, extremely cheap (around $15 each), and if you have a standard 220 x 220 x 250 mm 3D printer like a Kobra, Ender 3, or Aquila, it’ll fit snugly.
So, if you’re like me and don’t have a lot of spare space, IKEA Lack tables are a super useful table to house your smaller 3D printers.
But… and here’s the big BUT.
They are basically just glue and sawdust- they are NOT strong like a professional workbench.
It’s also not big enough for any serious enclosures, so you’re limited there. It also does not keep out vibrations like other printers do, which will affect your 3D print quality.
And with the latest 3D printers like the Ankermake M5C and Anycubic Kobra 2 reaching such fast speeds now, you’ll feel these vibration issues more than ever.
While some don’t think the vibrations are an issue (for example, this Redditor ran experiments on vibrations from an IKEA Lack table on a CR-10), this doesn’t necessarily mean it doesn’t affect print quality.
If you’re using a Lack, I highly recommend 3D printing some angular brackets for the corners – even if you don’t think it helps with print quality, it’ll help with the noise. And the vibrations can be very noisy.
So, it’s a good stopgap if you’re on a limited budget and need something small. But, if you can afford to get a proper workbench to house your 3D printers and other tools, then I highly recommend buying one of those instead.
Other Things To Keep In Mind
When working with materials like resin, it may be tempting to keep your 3D printer stand covered at least partially in towel or cloth, but this will increase the risk of fires should anything go wrong. Let’s face it, any workstation is going to get stained eventually.
Even if you have a 3D printer with an enclosure, the space around it still needs to be clean to ensure proper ventilation and cleaner air around your workspace. Dust gets kicked up easily as it is without a working machine in the mix.
If you’re directly connecting your 3D printer to your computer, installing hooks under the table to hold the wires will both clean up your workspace and reduce the risk of tripping.
Filament and material storage is also good. If you have your 3D printer in a cool and dry place – like a garage – then it’s handy to have a 3D printer stand or desk with enough space to store your filaments makes for a more efficient workspace.
For other tools that can come in handy, read our guide to 3D printer accessories