Having been printing for a couple years now, I’ve come to learn a thing or two about selecting the best filament brand for my prints. Unfortunately, I’ve determined that there is no solid winner when all characteristics are looked at, but some DO stand apart from the others. With that being said, I want to explain my experiences with my top three brands of filament to help you determine which to get – and hopefully love enough to stick with! It’s important to note that I’m basing all of this off of Amazon. It’s where I buy all of my filament – aside from a couple spools of Hatchbox. Amazon truly is magnificent with the prime membership. (Free 2 day shipping that paid for itself in a couple weeks for me)
Characteristics I will be covering with each brand:
- Each brand is based off of their version of white PLA filament (My baseline filament)
- Price for that spool
- Advertised dimensional accuracy
- Spool and packaging quality
- Amazon reviews
- My personal experience
TL:DR…
Number 1 on my list: 3D Solutech
Wide variety, all made in the U.S.A
Price: $15.99-17.99/1 KG
Dimensional accuracy: +/- 0.3mm
Spool and packaging: Vacuum sealed, 1 roll gave tangles, includes 3D printed filament clip for storage
Amazon reviews: 4-5 stars
3D Solutech is my most used filament brand for many reasons. It’s 100% made in house (USA) and about as cheap as you can go without sacrificing quality. They offer a wide variety of colors and types and even delve into the exotic side of things. All of this while boasting +/- 0.03 dimensional accuracy. Out of the dozens of Solutech spools I’ve gone through, only 1 has given me any tangles. I will continue to use this brand until they ever decide to close up shop, which doesn’t seem to be anytime soon judging by their popularity on Amazon. Seriously, they is hardly a reason to continue reading this article.
Number 2 on my list: Hatchbox
Beautiful colors
Price: $22.99/1 KG
Dimensional accuracy: +/- 0.3mm
Spool and packaging: Vacuum sealed
Amazon reviews: 4-5 stars
Hatchbox boasts the deepest reds and blues I’ve ever used. If I want a color that will really stand out, I check what Hatchbox has first before going anywhere else. Though a little more expensive, you are guaranteed a quality spool and roll of filament. Unfortunately, the company is in a little bit of a bind – a good bind – where they have sold more than they can produce. Many of their more exotic colors and filament types are sold out, but they’ve told me they’re revamping their factory withing the coming two months. If you can’t find the spool you want on Amazon, be sure to check out their website as well. I’ve gotten spools from their website that were listed as sold out on Amazon.
Number three on my list: Inland
Great options for those on a budget
Price: $12.99/1 KG
Dimensional accuracy: +/- 0.5mm
Spool and packaging: Vacuum sealed
Amazon reviews: 3-4 stars
If you need cheap filament now, you shouldn’t look further than Inland. They offer a good selection of PLA, ABS, and PETG at half the price of other spools. I throw one of these on the rack for early prototyping and test models so I won’t feel as bad when the model needs tweaking and therefore goes in the storage (trash) box.