3D Printer Filament Comparison Guide

PLA (Polylactic Acid) is one of the two most commonly used desktop 3D printing filaments (with the other being ABS filament). It is the "default" recommended material for many desktop 3D printers, and with good reason - PLA is useful in a broad range of printing applications, has the virtue of being both odorless and low-warp, and does not require a heated bed. PLA filament is also one of the more eco-friendly 3D printer materials available; it is made from annually renewable resources (corn-starch) and requires less energy to process compared to traditional (petroleum-based) plastics. Outside of 3D printing, PLA plastic is often used in food containers, such as candy wrappers, and biodegradable medical implants, such as sutures. PLA filament for 3D Printing is available in a wide range of colors in both 1.75mm and 3mm. For tips and tricks on 3D printing PLA, check out How To Succeed When Printing In PLA.

PLA 3D Printing Filament Properties:

• PLA filament is a stiff but brittle 3D printing material.

• Best used for cosmetic prints, prototypes, desk toys, low-stress applications.

• Best 3D printer material for beginners due to ease of printing and minimal warp.

MatterHackers PRO Series PLA 3D printing filament is a high-quality material made with NatureWorks 4043D Ingeo™, a polylactic acid biopolymer. Made in the USA, PRO Series PLA filament is designed to produce accurate and seamless 3D printed parts perfect for prototyping end-use parts, life-like models, or for taking your everyday 3D printing to a higher caliber. With a diameter and ovality tolerance of ± 0.02mm, PRO Series PLA produces better parts while keeping your printer running great. Available in 1.75mm and 2.85mm with spools ranging from 1kg up to 10lbs in weight, any prototyping or production needs can be met with PRO Series PLA. For tips and tricks on 3D printing PRO Series PLA, check out How To Succeed When Printing In PLA.

PRO Series PLA 3D Printing Filament Properties:

• PRO Series PLA filament is a hard but brittle material with a wide selection of rich colors.

• Best used for cosmetic prints, prototypes, desk toys, or low-stress applications.

• Best beginner material due to low to no shrinkage and warp.

Tough PLA takes the ease of use of regular PLA and steps it up. Where normal PLA will warp and soften from very little heat, Tough PLA has heat resistance up to 60°C. Some easily machinable materials like ABS come with their own hurdles, like overhangs, warping, and inter-layer adhesion, but this Tough PLA has been modified to be more machinable than traditional PLA and makes it more reliable than ABS for larger prints. Since it is PLA, it is still compatible with the usual support materials, giving you full geometric freedom when designing parts. Tough PLA is available only in 3mm or 1.75mm. For tips and tricks on 3D printing Tough PLA check out the printing techniques used for PLA: How To Succeed When Printing In PLA.

Tough PLA 3D Printing Filament Properties:

• Impact strength is much closer to ABS, making it better suited for practical applications.

• Easy-to-print and reliable makes it ideal for printing models with large volumes.

• When paired with PVA, complex curves, internal details, and harsh overhangs 3D print beautifully.

ColorFabb nGen is the perfect filament for beginners or those who don't want to constantly refine print settings. Because this material prints well at a wide range of temperatures and speeds, you can spend less time refining your settings and more time printing. nGen flows very well through the print nozzle and does not clog often. This filament is great for creating durable parts while avoiding print failures and the need to adjust print settings. nGen has the astounding ability to print parts with many bridges successfully where other materials have failed. Additionally, nGen has a very opaque and crisp looking appearance when printed. Although best printed on a heated bed, BuildTak or a similar adhesive can minimize warping. nGen is available in a variety of colors in both 1.75mm and 3mm.

nGen 3D Printing Filament Properties:

• nGen filament is a stiff but brittle 3d printing material with an excellent surface finish.

• Designed for ease-of-use printing and minimal settings tweaking, making it great for both cosmetic and functional parts.

• Low-odor and easy to print like PLA, yet high heat resistance like ABS.

NylonX 3D printing filament is an amazing, reinforced nylon filament. By adding micro-carbon fibers to nylon, you get a tough filament capable of printing parts with stiffness, impact resistance, and high tensile strength. NylonX filament is an engineering grade filament, ready for home 3D printing, which gives you the durability of Nylon combined with the stiffness of carbon fiber. The best part of NylonX is that the carbon fiber adds stability and rigidity, so parts are much less likely to warp than with standard nylon. With a unique matte black finish, NylonX eliminates post-print processing. Finished prints can immediately be moved to production with no sanding, polishing, scraping, or pesky acetone vapor baths. If you are already printing with Nylon, it's time to upgrade to Nylon X. NylonX is available in both 1.75mm and 3mm. For tips and tricks on 3D printing NylonX, check out A Closer Look at 3D Printing with NylonX.

NylonX 3D Printing Filament Properties:

• NylonX filament is strong like carbon fiber and durable like nylon.

• Best used for tough functional parts, wear parts, and production-ready prints.

• Printed parts come off the bed with zero post processing required.

Nylon is an incredibly strong, durable, and versatile 3D printing material. Flexible when thin, but with very high inter-layer adhesion, nylon lends itself well to things like living hinges and other functional parts. Nylon filament prints as a bright natural white with a translucent surface, and can absorb color added post process with most common, acid-based clothing dyes or synthetic cloth specific dyes. Nylon filament is extremely sensitive to moisture, so taking drying measures during storage and immediately prior to printing (using desiccant, vacuum, or elevated temperature) is highly recommended for best results. Taulman Nylon is a specially formulated 3D printing Nylon filament that comes in a variety of sizes and packages, including 1-, 2-, and 3-packs of both 1.75mm and 3mm. For tips and tricks on 3D printing Nylon, check out How To Succeed When Printing With Nylon.

Nylon 3D Printing Filament Properties:

• Nylon filament is strong yet flexible making it tough to break and shatter resistant.

• Commonly used for living hinges, functionally strong parts.

• Must be dried before printing for strength and a glossy finish.

You'll be hard pressed to find true PET (Polyethylene terephthalate) filament, as most PET filaments are actually copolymers - PET with an extra molecule. The most common, PETG filament, is an industrial strength filament with several great features. Figuratively speaking, it combines the ease of use of PLA filament with the strength and durability of ABS filament. First, its strength is much higher than PLA and it is FDA approved for food containers and tools used for food consumption. Unlike ABS filament, it barely warps, and produces no odors or fumes when printed. PET filament is not biodegradable, but it is 100% reclaimable. It's known for its clarity and is also very good at bridging. PET 3D printing filament is available in 1.75mm and 3mm. For tips and tricks on 3D printing PETG, check out How To Succeed When Printing With PETG.

PET 3D Printing Filament Properties:

• PET filament is a durable and flexible 3d printing material with a glossy finish and is impact and heat resistant.

• Best used for mechanical parts and snap fit enclosures.

• Sticks incredibly well to blue painters tape.

MatterHackers PRO Series Ryno 3D printing filament is a professional level copolyester perfect for strong, functional prototypes. Capable of yielding clean, durable, and complex prints, PRO Series Ryno is formulated to have superior bridging properties and temperature and chemical resistance. Excellent for industrial modeling, end-use parts, tooling, and more, Ryno's versatility and ease-of-use make it a solid choice for not only professional printing, but everyday projects as well. Produced with a precise ovality tolerance of ± 0.02mm, RYNO 3D printing filament is available in 1.75mm and 2.85mm.

PRO Series RYNO 3D Printing Filament Properties:

• RYNO filament is a durable and flexible 3D printing material that also has superior chemical and heat resistance.

• Best used for prototyping strong, functional mechanical parts.

• Sticks incredibly well to blue painters tape.

PolyPropylene filament (PP) has a number of uses as a 3D printing material. Its best use is for packaging, food-safe containers, and living hinges. Polypropylene material has a much better ability to elongate without breaking when compared to PLA filament. It also resists impact better than PLA as well. Where PLA plastic tends to shatters and snap while Polypropylene plastic bends and squeezes into place. However, Polypropylene can be difficult to stick well to most print surfaces, including glass, kapton tape, PEI, and some packaging tapes. Most packaging tape is made with Polypropylene and it will stick to that, otherwise it won't work. With the right type of packaging tape, a bed temperature of 120°C and an extrusion temperature of 240°C produces great prints. PolyPropylene filament is available in a clear color in 3mm

PolyPropylene 3D Printing Filament Properties:

• PolyProylene filament is flexible and chemically inert 3D printing material.

• Commonly used for living hinges, medical devices, and chemistry equipment.

• Very hygroscopic, making drying before printing an essential step.

MatterHackers PRO Series Flex TPE 3D printing filament is a tough, flexible material with high elasticity. PRO Series Flex materials retain incredible structure, making them a great solution for parts that require abrasion-resistance, shock-resistance, and pliability. With an elongation rate of 600%, shore hardness of 98A, and chemical-resistant properties, PRO Series Flex flexible 3D printing filament can be used for prototyping, end-use products, and custom 3D printed parts. Produced down to a precive ovality tolerance of ± 0.02mm, PRO Series Flex filament is available in 1.75mm and 2.85mm.

PRO Series Flex 3D Printing Filament Properties:

• PRO Series Flex filament creates rubbery, elastic, and impact resistant parts.

• Best used for stoppers, belts, caps, phone cases, bumpers and more.

• The less infill you use, the more flexible your finished print will be.

PCTPE (Plasticized Copolyamide TPE) is another great filament by Taulman. It is a combination of Nylon and TPE. When printed, it's flexible like normal TPE, but the added Nylon means this filament will work even in a bowden setup. It has very low shrinkage and can be dyed with any acid based color thanks to the wonderful properties of nylon. Print settings are closest to ABS filament, with a print temp of 235°C and most other settings the same. PCTPE 3D printing filament is available in 1.75mm and 3mm.

PCTPE 3D Printing Filament Properties:

• PCTPE filament is flexible and dyeable, but added nylon makes it really easy to print.

• Some common prints with PCTPE include cosplay armor, phone enclosures, and industrial parts.

• Use clothing dye designed for synthetic fabrics to dye your prints any color.

TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane) is an elastic, oil/grease resistant, and abrasion-resistant material with a shore hardness of 95A. TPU Plastic has several applicable uses including automotive instrument panels, caster wheels, power tools, sporting goods, medical devices, drive belts, footwear, inflatable rafts, and a variety of extruded film, sheet and profile applications. It is also commonly used in mobile phone cases. TPU is available in both 1.75mm and 3mm.

TPU 3D Printing Filament Properties:

• TPU filament creates rubbery, elastic, and impact resistant parts.

• Best used for stoppers, belts, caps, phone cases, bumpers and more.

• The less infill you use, the more flexible your finished print will be.

LAYBRICK is a 3D printing material that gives parts the look and feel of grey stone while retaining the resiliency of plastic, making it ideal for landscape and architectural designs. Anything made with LAYBRICK can be painted and sanded. In the lower range of 165°C to 190°C, the print will come out mostly smooth, whereas with higher temperatures it will begin to have a more pitted, sandstone-like texture. LAYBRICK is available in both 1.75mm and 3mm unspooled rolls.

LAYBRICK 3D Printing Filament Properties:

• LAYBRICK filament is a stiff but brittle 3d printing material with a stone or sandstone texture.

• Best used for faux-stone, model train scenery, architectural models.

• You can get different textures on your prints depending on your extruder temperature.

Conductive Filament is a modified PLA, designed for low voltage and low current circuitry. This conductive PLA filament will print objects that are more flexible than normal PLA but have less layer adhesion. In addition, this filament works with all PLA compatible 3D printers. Conductive PLA filament is available in 1.75mm and 3mm.

Conductive 3D Printing Filament Properties:

• Conductive filament is slightly flexible and conductive to low power circuitry.

• Best used for functional prototypes, integrated circuitry, complex electronic wiring.

• Best printed in a dual extrusion printer, as it sticks really well to regular PLA.

Proto Pasta Carbon Fiber Reinforced PLA filament provides excellent structural strength and layer adhesion with very low warpage. Due to the carbon fiber contained in the filament, it has increased rigidity, therefore increased structural support is built right in. The carbon fiber in the filament is specifically designed to be small enough to fit through the nozzles, but long enough to provide the extra rigidity that makes this reinforced PLA necessary for any hobbyist that needs rugged prints. Carbon Fiber filament is perfect for printing items that should not bend, such as: frames, supports, propellers, and tools. Drone builders and RC Hobbyists love this filament, and it is made in the USA. Due to its high abrasion, before printing you will need to install a hardened steel nozzle on your printer. Carbon Fiber Reinforced PLA is available in both 1.75mm and 3mm.

Carbon Fiber Reinforced PLA 3D Printing Filament Properties:

• Carbon Fiber Reinforced PLA filament is a strong, ductile material with wear resistance and heat tolerance

• Best used for drone bodies, propellers, and RC car frames.

• PLA provides ease of printing, carbon fiber provides rigidity.

These steel PLA filaments are tougher to print than MH Build PLA , but because of the steel fibers blended with the plastic, prints are heavier and thus, feel more authentic. Finished steel 3D prints can be sanded and polished to create beautiful and unique pieces. Unpolished, the Stainless Steel filament looks like cast metal fresh from a mold. With just a little finishing and polishing, however, you can easily create any look like you desire. 3D Printing Steel is perfect for printing jewelry, props, costumes, figurines, and robots. These steel filaments are great not only for hobbyists looking to make faux metal prints, but serious designers as well. Due to its high abrasion, before printing you will need to install a hardened steel nozzle on your printer. These filaments are available in both 1.75mm and 3mm.

3D Printing Filament Properties:

• These filamentThese filaments print like PLA but slower, with finished prints being hard and heavy.

• Best used for cosmetic prints of busts, jewelry, or sculptures.

• Best results can be achieve by rock tumbling, polishing, or wet sanding to achieve a super smooth surface finish.

Lay-Felt, Gel-Lay, and Lay-Fomm 40 and 60 can all be characterized as highly porous and flexible filaments.These materials are made from a rubber-elastomeric polymer and a PVA-component. This means that part of this filament is water soluble, and once you soak this material in water, the PVA component dissolves and disappears and the rubber polymer remains as your micro-porous object. Lay-Felt is ideal for making filters, 3D membranes, semipermeable membranes, and any flexible yet felt-like object.

PORO-LAY Series 3D Printing Filament Properties:

• PORO-LAY filament is flexible and highly porous, qith textures ranging from felt, jelly, or sponge.

• Potential use in filters, permeable membranes, jellyfish models, stamps, or intricate sponges depending on the material.

• Soak in water to bring out the full potential of these unique and experimental filaments.

Polycarbonate (PC) Polycarbonate is strong and very resistant to impact - this material is used when making bullet-proof glass. Not only is polycarbonate an extremely tough and durable thermoplastic material it is also very resistant to temperature. This material is malleable when cool and can bend without cracking. Polycarbonate is available in 1.75mm and 3mm.

PC 3D Printing Filament Properties:

• PC filament extremely high temperature resistant and impact resistant.

• Potential uses in printed RC parts or drone parts.

• An all-metal hotend for this high-temp material is required.

MoldLay is a material specifically engineered for moldmaking. Use MoldLay filament to 3D print objects that you want to make a mold of OR investment cast. MoldLay will easily melt out of negative impressions with very little residue. It is structurally sound with zero warping so you will get a mold of exactly what you print. MoldLay filament is available in 1.75mm and 3mm.

MoldLay 3D Printing Filament Properties:

• MoldLay filament is a 3D printing material with zero warp and easy printing properties.

• Best used for objects you want to mold that are too intricate to sculpt from wax.

• Designed for silicone molding or completely vaporizing for investment casting.

PVA (Polyvinyl Alcohol) filament prints translucent with a slightly yellow tint and is primarily used as a 3D printing support material because it is water-soluble, meaning that it will dissolve when exposed to water (and so MUST be kept dry prior to use). PVA is most often used with 3D printers capable of dual extrusion: one extruder printing a primary material (such as ABS or PLA) and the other printing this dissolvable filament to provide support for overhanging features. PVA 3D printer filament is available in 1.75mm and 3mm.

PVA 3D Printing Filament Properties:

• PVA filament is a stiff, water soluble 3D printing support material.

• Best used for models with internal supports or supports for incredibly detailed models with many overhangs.

• Best 3D printer support material for PLA because of similar printing temperatures

MatterHackers PRO Series Breakaway Support Material is engineered to provide the optimal balance between reliable bed adhesion and clean mechanical breakaway from 3D printed parts. PRO Series Breakaway Support Material is ideal for prints that require support material but that also need to be ready for immediate use after printing - PRO Series Breakaway support material reduces the need for post-processing and boasts a longer shelf life and moisture resistance when compared to other support materials such as PVA or HIPS.

PRO Series Breakaway 3D Printing Filament Properties:

• PRO Series Breakaway filament is a stiff support material that can be quickly and easily removed from printed parts-no need to submerge the print.

• Best used for models with internal supports or supports for incredibly detailed models with many overhangs.

• Best 3D printer support material for PLA and PETG because of similar printing temperatures

LAYaPVA is a 3D printing support material designed to quickly dissolve in water. Because it is water soluble, it must be kept in its resealable bag, otherwise it will begin to absorb water. LAYaPVA is best printed at 230°C to achieve the best print viscosity. Of the LAY-AWAY Support Series, LAYaPVA dissolves the fastest. LAYaPVA is available in both 1.75mm and 3mm unspooled rolls.

LAYaPVA 3D Printing Filament Properties:

• LAYaPVA filament is a stiff, water soluble 3d printing support material.

• Best used for models with internal supports or supports for incredibly detailed models with many overhangs.

• Dissolves quicker in water than normal PVA

HIGH-T-LAY is a 3D printing support material designed to quickly dissolve in water. Because it is water soluble, it must be kept in its resealable bag, otherwise it will begin to absorb water. HIGH-T-LAY is best printed at 240°C to achieve the best print viscosity. Of the LAY-AWAY Support Series, because HIGH-T-LAY prints similarly to HIPS, it is best utilized to avoid that limonene stink when supporting your ABS prints. HIGH-T-LAY is available in both 1.75mm and 3mm unspooled rolls.

HIGH-T-LAY 3D Printing Filament Properties:

• HIGH-T-LAY filament is a stiff, water soluble 3D printing support material.

• Best used for models with internal supports or supports for incredibly detailed models with many overhangs.

• Use this filament instead of HIPS to avoid using limonene to dissolve it and use water instead.