Best 3D Printer For Miniatures in 2023

The Creality Ender 3 Pro is not only one of the most popular FDM 3D printers around due to its versatility and well-rounded feature set but is also a top choice for miniature printing. Much of this comes down to the consistent quality of the prints, bolstered by a vibrant community of owners, a fount of knowledge and advice to tame the Creality Ender 3 Pro to meet your miniature printing needs. It’s an affordable 3D printer that should satisfy curious beginners and hobbyists alike.

With a 0.4 mm nozzle, 100 to 400-micron resolution, 110-degree heated bed, and a 220 mm x 220 mm x 250 mm build volume, the Creality Ender 3 Pro comes with all the ingredients required to produce detailed, accurate miniatures. The build volume lends itself to everything from tiny, intricate accessories like weapons to moderately-sized figurines and even reasonably-sized background sets.

While the Creality Ender 3 Pro supports various filament types, it excels when paired with flexible materials like PLA and ABS, which for miniature printing is ideal as these are the filament of choice among veteran printers.

A word of warning: due to its DIY origins, the Creality Ender 3 Pro falls more in the tinkerer’s printer category. It is a hands-on machine ideal for those with experience or those eager to learn as they print than other options in our list. The best results are achieved through time spent getting to know the printer’s quirks rather than straight out of the box. In the same vein, the absence of auto-bed leveling can be somewhat challenging for novices.

The Uniformation GKtwo 10.3″ 8K printer is a fantastic 3D printer, especially well suited to printing high-detail miniatures. The Uniformation GKtwo 10.3″ 8K features inbuilt PTC ceramic heating technology that can heat up up to 80 degrees Fahrenheit depending on ambient temperature. Overheating sensors are also present, ensuring your printer can operate efficiently and continuously.

Structurally, the Uniformation GKtwo 10.3″ 8K is easy to use and clean, thanks to its clamping design and flip-up cover. The flip-up cover is a great design choice that makes the Uniformation GKtwo 10.3″ 8K perfectly suited for smaller homes or tighter office spaces . Furthermore, with a built-in vat tray, users can reduce resin waste and save messy clean-up jobs during their printing session. Overall, the   Uniformation GKtwo 10.3″ 8K is a very impressive 3D printer for miniatures.

The Monoprice 121666 is surprisingly cheap for a 3D printer at $160, something unheard of even a few years back even among DIY kits, let alone fully assembled machines such as this one. Compromises are part and parcel of the package here. Still, the Monoprice 121666 packs in enough charm and print performance to warrant a spot in anyone’s 3D printing setup, notably those creating miniatures.

Specification-wise, the printer uses a tri-point Delta design and proposes an impressive feature set commonly found in printers at least three times the price: a layer resolution from 50 to 200 microns, a 0.4 mm nozzle, a heated bed up to 122-degree Fahrenheit, automatic bed leveling, a rugged all-metal chassis, Wi-Fi/microSD/USB connectivity, a color LCD screen, and support for popular materials like ABS, PLA, and even more niche filaments such as wood Fill, copper Fill, steel Fill, bronze Fill.

The slim build volume of 110 mm (diameter) x 120 mm (height) is somewhat of a letdown, though it offers sufficient space to print decently-sized miniatures. Print performance really shouldn’t be this respectable at $160, and the results cough up very few imperfections or warping and boast decent layering that only requires minimal post-print clean-up.

Although the low price can be tempting for newcomers, the open-source design and, more importantly, the lack of included slicing software plumps down a considerable stumbling block to bringing that first print to life.

Unlike the Qidi Technology i Mates 3D Printer, which packages in everything you need to start printing, this printer involves more groundwork and a decent understanding of what goes into a 3D print, notably the slicing and setup side of the process. As such, we recommend some experience with 3D printers or the time and patience to seek out online resources as a prerequisite to squeezing the best out of the Monoprice 121666.

In many ways, resin-based 3D printing is far better suited to the demands of miniature printing. Resin 3D printers offer higher resolutions, print considerably faster than FDM printers, and the curing process generally results in more uniform and stronger prints. All this does come at a cost and limits users to only one type of material, but if you are comfortable with these limitations, the Voxelab Proxima stands as one of the best resin 3D printers for miniatures.

Made from CNC-machined aluminum, the Voxelab Proxima is a tough 3D printer that employs a spectacular 6-inch monochrome 2K LCD to create highly detailed prints at a resolution of 50 microns 1620×2560, perfect for bringing out the subtle nuances of intricately designed miniatures.

Alongside, it’s also a pretty fast printing machine, capping out at 17-22 mm per hour. As expected from resin 3D printers, prints are consistently of a high standard. The build volume tallies up to an impressive 130mm x 82mm x 155mm – more than enough for most miniatures but considerably slimmer than other printers in our guide.

The contained design lends itself to a simple user experience with an intuitive LCD layout and operation and next to no assembly to get the machine up and running. Although there is no auto bed leveling, the process is snappy enough and well-guided. Connectivity is limited to USB. This isn’t necessarily a negative for everyone but be warned before buying.