Products at a Glance
How We Picked the Best 3D Printers for Cookie Cutters
While looking for the best 3D printers for cookie cutters, we prioritized printers that work with food-safe materials, like PLA. Not all filaments are safe for mixing with food, like resin and ABS, which are toxic. Our selection also includes a wide range of budgets to suit every bakery level.
On top of that, we included fast and quiet printers that can accommodate the needs of busy bakeries without adding to the loud noise. Also, because we know bakers aren’t always technology enthusiasts, we included printers with user-friendly interfaces and easy assembly steps.
Product Reviews
- Fast Printing Speed
- Quiet
- Vibration Compensated
- Large build
- Difficult control scheme
The Anycubic Kobra 2 Pro is an all-in-one powerhouse that combines fast printing, intricate detailing, and silent operation – making it the perfect addition to any bakery. Faster and more efficient than other FDM printers, the Kobra 2 Pro will have you creating incredible cookie cutter designs in no time!
The Kobra 2 Pro boasts an impressive top printing speed of 500mm/s, with the generally recommended speed of 300mm/s. But even with that speedy printing and open-frame design, the printer is surprisingly quiet-running. It has vibration compensation and flow control options to reduce warping and guarantee quality. And with a main unit that comes mostly assembled, you’ll have a head start on putting the 3D printer together.
You’ll want to clear some space first, however. The Kobra 2 is quite bulky, despite being relatively lightweight, so it may not fit in a smaller kitchen or bakery. The controls are quite rudimentary, as well, so newcomers to 3D printing may need a bit of help getting off the ground. Once you do, however, you’ll soon come to see the value of this high-quality model-making master. The Kobra 2 Pro is easily our pick for the best 3D printer for cookie cutters!
- Fast printing speeds
- Compact design
- Fast-heating hotbed
- Flimsy build quality
- Poor technical support
If you’re on a tight budget and don’t want it to stop you from pursuing your creative cookie ideas, you’ll love what the Creality Ender 3 has to offer. It’s the most budget-friendly option on our list, but don’t let that trick you into thinking it lacks in terms of performance. It has a myriad of excellent features that will make your 3D printing experience a breeze.
Starting at an affordable price point can often mean that 3D printers skimp on quality-of-life features, but the Ender 3 thankfully doesn’t. It has a pause-printing function, that is incredibly valuable should you run out of filament or suffer some other kind of shortage. For fast, accurate, and smooth printing; the printer has a high-class extruder and rapid-heating hotbed – meaning that you can start to see progress in as little as five minutes.
As with any money-saving option, however, there are some tradeoffs. The assembly is challenging and the controls are difficult – budget beginners may want to look elsewhere. The parts are also a bit flimsy, so more experienced 3D printer users may be disappointed as well. It may be that the Ender 3 satisfies nobody but your accountant. For a hobbyist or experimental baker, this is a great budget 3D printer for cookie cutters, but there are some drawbacks for long-term use.
- Ultra-fast printing
- Great accuracy
- Expensive
- Closed-frame design
For a premium 3D printing solution for high-quality cookie cutters, Qidi Tech’s X-Plus is a great option. It comes packing a myriad of premium features that are better suited for professionals than beginners, and it supports food-safe filaments for easy baking supplements.
With a mind-boggling top print speed of 20,000mm/s, the X-Plus can print cookie-cutter designs in a fraction of the time. The metal frame keeps the vibrations to an absolute minimum for smooth and high-quality models that are accurate to a fraction of a millimeter. To accommodate many different filament types – including PLA and ABS – it has two nozzles: one made from a copper alloy and one made from hardened steel. With automatic leveling and a pause-printing feature, this is easy to use and quick to set up.
However, the X-Plus does have its limits: a closed-frame build limits the size of the print to about 11″ in every direction – though that should be plenty for most bakers. With the hefty price tag attached, it is probably overkill for the journeyman baker. However, for unrivalled quality and speed, the Qidi X-Plus is our favorite premium 3D printer for cookie cutters!
- Incredibly easy to use
- Comes pre-assembled
- Wireless print functionality
- Slow print speed
It’s safe to assume that there’s not a huge amount of overlap between professional 3D print enthusiasts and professional bakers. The skill barrier to entry with 3D printing can be quite high, but don’t be dissuaded! If you have a hard time dealing with technology, you’ll love the Flashforge Finder 3. It’s one of the easiest 3D printers to use on the market, and it can meet all your cookie-shaping needs.
The easiness of the Finder 3 starts before you even unbox it. The body comes pre-assembled and doesn’t require any steps on your side. As a bonus, it comes with two build plate options: a flexible one made from PEI and a rigid one made from glass. It also has superb pause and recovery functions to save progress should you run out of power or filament. If your native device and the Finder 3 are on the same network, you can easily send your designs to be printed wirelessly. All-in-all, this printer is great for creating food-safe 3D designs with ease.
The only setbacks that we encountered with the Finder 3 was that its print speed was quite slow. And while it isn’t too large, it’s a bit bulky for a closed-frame 3D printer. The price reflects this mid-range printer’s strengths and weaknesses, and whilst it isn’t our top pick, it more than earns an easy spot as a great 3D printer for cookie cutters!
Features and Considerations
There are a few things to consider before purchasing the best 3D printer for your needs:
Software
Alongside becoming an adept baker, you’ll also need to have some knowledge of 3D design. There are some fantastic and easy-to-use 3D design tools available – some of the best are even free! Make sure that, if you take the time to learn the software, that the 3D printer you choose is compatible with the filetype. Most 3D printers are able to process most filetypes, but it doesn’t hurt to check!
Filament
Since cookie cutters are used to make edible desserts, you’ll need to use food-safe filaments for 3D printing. The most famous food-safe materials are PLA, PETG, PET, HIPS, and PP. Not all 3D printers can work with these filaments, so double-check this too. You’ll have very unhappy customers if you cut cookies with potentially toxic materials!
Build Volume
Depending on the size of your operation (and the size of your cookies), you may need larger cookie cutters. 3D printers have what’s known as a “build volume”: the largest 3D model that they can make. So long as the design for your cookie cutter is smaller than the build volume, you’ll have no problem.
How can I design cookie cutters for 3D printing?
You can use 3D printing software for designing your cookie cutters. Some printers come with their own design software, but otherwise are compatible for third-party tools such as Blender.
Can I use ABS for 3D printing cookie cutters?
No. Cookie cutters made from ABS can leak toxic chemicals into food, so they aren’t deemed food-safe by health professionals.
Our Verdict
For near-unrivalled speed and efficiency at a competitive price, it’s easy to see why we chose the Kobra 2 Pro as our best 3D printer for cookie cutters! Though it may be tough to master, doing so is its own reward! For phenomenal cookie cutter designs of any shape, this is your best bet! That said, any of our four choices today will serve you well – if you take into account the benefits and drawbacks of each, then you’ll surely be satisfied no matter your choice!
Looking to print edible designs as well as molds? We have a great guide on the best edible ink printers that can create delicious designs!