Best 3D Printing Filament in 2023 – CNET

Polylactic acid, or PLA, is the most common 3D printing filament and the easiest to use. Unlike most plastics, it’s made from corn starches so it’s nontoxic and, in theory, compostable, though it takes an industrial composter to do it. PLA uses a fairly low heat — between 190 and 215 degrees Celsius (between 374 and 419 degrees Fahrenheit) — to melt the plastic for extrusion so it is the safest of the filaments. Almost every FDM 3D printer in the world can print PLA.

 
PLA pros

• No awful smell
• Easy to use for a beginner
• Almost universally available
• Nontoxic
• Usable on any FDM printer
• Very cheap

PLA cons

• Can require a lot of sanding
• Can easily warp in the sun or high-temp environments
• Can be brittle

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Build PLA from MatterHackers is great for projects that require finishing (sanding, painting and so on). I have about 12 rolls of it in my workshop, and use it for large projects, including my Mandalorian armor or cosplay swords. The dimensional accuracy — how consistent the diameter is along the length of the roll — is good, though nothing mind-blowing. It’s well within the sweet zone.
Post-processing is where Build Series PLA shines. It is simple to sand and holds paint well, as long as you use a good primer and filler first. Like all PLA, it holds together well using superglue and even takes putty and Bondo without complaint. ” superlative=”Best overall PLA filament” imagegroup=”{“alt”:”Roll of filament with a model on top”,”caption”:”

Build PLA is my go-to when I need to make a large project. It’s easy to use and produces great models.

“,”credits”:”MatterHackers”,”imageData”:{“id”:”0ab6367a-21f8-4596-99d2-9c6cd98c757c”,”title”:”mh-build-pla”,”filename”:”mh-build-pla.jpg”,”path”:”https://www.cnet.com/a/img/hub/2022/03/22/0ab6367a-21f8-4596-99d2-9c6cd98c757c/mh-build-pla.jpg”,”caption”:”

Build PLA is my go-to when I need to make a large project. It’s easy to use and produces great models.

“,”size”:131240,”width”:800,”height”:450,”dateCreated”:{“date”:”2022-03-22 20:43:48″,”timezone”:”UTC”,”timezone_type”:3},”dateUpdated”:{“date”:”2022-03-22 20:46:32″,”timezone”:”UTC”,”timezone_type”:3},”needsModeration”:false,”mimeType”:”image/jpeg”,”deleted”:false,”credits”:”Matterhackers”,”alt”:”Roll of filament with a model on top”,”restricted”:false,”startDate”:null,”endDate”:null,”preferred”:false,”watermark”:false,”doNotCrop”:false,”doNotResize”:false,”primaryCollection”:null,”vanityUrl”:null,”notes”:null,”crop”:null,”cropGravity”:0,”preservedRegion”:null,”isNew”:false,”keywords”:[],”primeColor”:null,”hasWarning”:false,”typeName”:”content_image”},”uuid”:”0ab6367a-21f8-4596-99d2-9c6cd98c757c”,”imageAltText”:”Roll of filament with a model on top”,”imageCaption”:”

Build PLA is my go-to when I need to make a large project. It’s easy to use and produces great models.

“,”imageCredit”:”MatterHackers”,”imageDoNotCrop”:false,”imageDoNotResize”:false,”imageWatermark”:false,”imageFilename”:”mh-build-pla.jpg”,”imageDateCreated”:”2022/03/22″,”imageWidth”:800,”imageHeight”:450,”imageParallax”:””,”imageCrop”:””,”imageEnlarge”:false}” overridecaption=”

Build PLA is my go-to when I need to make a large project. It’s easy to use and produces great models.

” overridecredit=”MatterHackers” usepricing=”true” data-key=”cnetlisticle__11cb609f-296b-408d-a208-73551b2c09ac” index=”2″ imagecredit=”MatterHackers” tagslugs=”3d-printing” contenttype=”Best List – Precap” isbestlistredesign=”true” filtershortcodetypes totalfilteritems=”0″ pagelayout=”Default – Article Page” showdetails=”true” tocheadlineitem=”[object Object]” class=”c-bestListProductListing” readability=”5.8682766190999″>

The color of this PLA is hard to describe, but it is beautiful. It has a purple-blue-green hue to it and looks like metal that’s been heated up a lot. Right now it’s probably my favorite-looking filament on my shelf.

It’s also easy to print with, and because of the shifting colors it hides layer lines well. If you’re looking for a dark filament that you aren’t painting over, I’d pick up a few rolls of this today.

” superlative=”Best metallic-looking filament” imagegroup=”{“alt”:”Roll of purple ish plastic filament”,”caption”:””,”credits”:”Flashforge”,”imageData”:{“id”:”4909997d-aad7-4cab-8880-af3a21605512″,”title”:”burnt-titanium-pla”,”filename”:”burnt-titanium-pla.jpg”,”path”:”https://www.cnet.com/a/img/hub/2023/01/05/4909997d-aad7-4cab-8880-af3a21605512/burnt-titanium-pla.jpg”,”caption”:””,”size”:383274,”width”:2667,”height”:1500,”dateCreated”:{“date”:”2023-01-05 18:06:27″,”timezone”:”UTC”,”timezone_type”:3},”dateUpdated”:{“date”:”2023-01-05 18:07:17″,”timezone”:”UTC”,”timezone_type”:3},”needsModeration”:false,”mimeType”:”image/jpeg”,”deleted”:false,”credits”:”Flashforge”,”alt”:”Roll of purple ish plastic filament”,”restricted”:false,”startDate”:null,”endDate”:null,”preferred”:false,”watermark”:false,”doNotCrop”:false,”doNotResize”:false,”primaryCollection”:null,”vanityUrl”:null,”notes”:null,”crop”:null,”cropGravity”:0,”preservedRegion”:null,”isNew”:false,”keywords”:[],”primeColor”:null,”hasWarning”:false,”typeName”:”content_image”},”uuid”:”4909997d-aad7-4cab-8880-af3a21605512″,”imageAltText”:”Roll of purple ish plastic filament”,”imageCaption”:””,”imageCredit”:”Flashforge”,”imageDoNotCrop”:false,”imageDoNotResize”:false,”imageWatermark”:false,”imageFilename”:”burnt-titanium-pla.jpg”,”imageDateCreated”:”2023/01/05″,”imageWidth”:2667,”imageHeight”:1500,”imageParallax”:””,”imageCrop”:””,”imageEnlarge”:false}” overridecaption=”” overridecredit=”Flashforge” usepricing=”true” data-key=”cnetlisticle__88c9ceec-07df-4476-8878-93fbd220b402″ index=”3″ imagecredit=”Flashforge” tagslugs=”3d-printing” contenttype=”Best List – Precap” isbestlistredesign=”true” filtershortcodetypes totalfilteritems=”0″ pagelayout=”Default – Article Page” showdetails=”true” tocheadlineitem=”[object Object]” class=”c-bestListProductListing” readability=”5.8633975481611″>

Despite a terrible name —  this filament is neither dark nor gray — I really enjoy the color of this PLA from Inland. It prints very well and the shimmer from the gold/red highlights hides any layer lines after it has printed. Beautiful colored filament always makes me happy, and this is now one of my favorites.” superlative=”Best sparkly filament” imagegroup=”{“alt”:”inland dark gray filament as a chameleon”,”caption”:””,”credits”:”James Bricknell / CNET”,”imageData”:{“id”:”89853e66-46c1-44ed-9362-ce76eb859905″,”title”:”inland-dark-gray”,”filename”:”inland-dark-gray.jpg”,”path”:”https://www.cnet.com/a/img/hub/2023/12/05/89853e66-46c1-44ed-9362-ce76eb859905/inland-dark-gray.jpg”,”caption”:””,”size”:1043474,”width”:3840,”height”:2160,”dateCreated”:{“date”:”2023-12-05 17:28:39″,”timezone”:”UTC”,”timezone_type”:3},”dateUpdated”:{“date”:”2023-12-05 17:28:59″,”timezone”:”UTC”,”timezone_type”:3},”needsModeration”:false,”mimeType”:”image/jpeg”,”deleted”:false,”credits”:”James Bricknell / CNET”,”alt”:”inland dark gray filament as a chameleon”,”restricted”:false,”startDate”:null,”endDate”:null,”preferred”:false,”watermark”:false,”doNotCrop”:false,”doNotResize”:false,”primaryCollection”:null,”vanityUrl”:null,”notes”:null,”crop”:null,”cropGravity”:0,”preservedRegion”:null,”isNew”:false,”keywords”:[],”primeColor”:null,”hasWarning”:false,”typeName”:”content_image”},”uuid”:”89853e66-46c1-44ed-9362-ce76eb859905″,”imageAltText”:”inland dark gray filament as a chameleon”,”imageCaption”:””,”imageCredit”:”James Bricknell / CNET”,”imageDoNotCrop”:false,”imageDoNotResize”:false,”imageWatermark”:false,”imageFilename”:”inland-dark-gray.jpg”,”imageDateCreated”:”2023/12/05″,”imageWidth”:3840,”imageHeight”:2160,”imageParallax”:””,”imageCrop”:””,”imageEnlarge”:false}” overridecaption=”” overridecredit=”James Bricknell / CNET” usepricing=”true” data-key=”cnetlisticle__8c7bba14-e245-4092-ae24-277963588c58″ index=”4″ imagecredit=”James Bricknell / CNET” tagslugs=”3d-printing” contenttype=”Best List – Precap” isbestlistredesign=”true” filtershortcodetypes totalfilteritems=”0″ pagelayout=”Default – Article Page” showdetails=”true” tocheadlineitem=”[object Object]” class=”c-bestListProductListing” readability=”5.7464788732394″>

With the advent of ultra fast 3d printers companies like Elegoo have started to create materials that work better at high speeds. Rapid PLA Plus works extremely well at high speed due to its high fluidity when melted. I’ve found it printed very well on several of my fastest machines and sands very well if you are looking to finish your prints with paint. ” superlative=”Best filament for fast printers” imagegroup=”{“alt”:”Rapid PLA Plus on blue background”,”caption”:””,”credits”:”Elegoo”,”imageData”:{“id”:”3dc457d8-3ad1-4154-b4ed-e91540493608″,”title”:”rapid-pla-elegoo”,”filename”:”rapid-pla-elegoo.jpg”,”path”:”https://www.cnet.com/a/img/hub/2023/08/09/3dc457d8-3ad1-4154-b4ed-e91540493608/rapid-pla-elegoo.jpg”,”caption”:””,”size”:343356,”width”:1600,”height”:900,”dateCreated”:{“date”:”2023-08-09 17:01:04″,”timezone”:”UTC”,”timezone_type”:3},”dateUpdated”:{“date”:”2023-08-09 17:01:35″,”timezone”:”UTC”,”timezone_type”:3},”needsModeration”:false,”mimeType”:”image/jpeg”,”deleted”:false,”credits”:”Elegoo”,”alt”:”Rapid PLA Plus on blue background”,”restricted”:false,”startDate”:null,”endDate”:null,”preferred”:false,”watermark”:false,”doNotCrop”:false,”doNotResize”:false,”primaryCollection”:null,”vanityUrl”:null,”notes”:null,”crop”:null,”cropGravity”:0,”preservedRegion”:null,”isNew”:false,”keywords”:[],”primeColor”:null,”hasWarning”:false,”typeName”:”content_image”},”uuid”:”3dc457d8-3ad1-4154-b4ed-e91540493608″,”imageAltText”:”Rapid PLA Plus on blue background”,”imageCaption”:””,”imageCredit”:”Elegoo”,”imageDoNotCrop”:false,”imageDoNotResize”:false,”imageWatermark”:false,”imageFilename”:”rapid-pla-elegoo.jpg”,”imageDateCreated”:”2023/08/09″,”imageWidth”:1600,”imageHeight”:900,”imageParallax”:””,”imageCrop”:””,”imageEnlarge”:false}” overridecaption=”” overridecredit=”Elegoo” usepricing=”true” data-key=”cnetlisticle__e701f337-c7bc-4f1d-977f-8dd771469184″ index=”5″ imagecredit=”Elegoo” tagslugs=”3d-printing” contenttype=”Best List – Precap” isbestlistredesign=”true” filtershortcodetypes totalfilteritems=”0″ pagelayout=”Default – Article Page” showdetails=”true” tocheadlineitem=”[object Object]” class=”c-bestListProductListing” readability=”5.5977011494253″>

Ataraxia Art already makes excellent PLA and flexible PLA but its new range of tri-color filament is some of its best yet. Tri color uses three colored filaments along its width to create a beautiful shimmering effect as you move the model so it’s perfect for projects you aren’t going to be painting.

This PLA comes in four different color combinations and it’s now one of my favorite filaments to use.

” superlative=”The best color shift” imagegroup=”{“alt”:”Roll of filament with multi-color dragons next to it”,”caption”:””,”credits”:”Ataraxia”,”imageData”:{“id”:”00ef32b6-6166-471e-a933-4ed75b7b3d33″,”title”:”ataraxia-art-tricolor”,”filename”:”ataraxia-art-tricolor.jpg”,”path”:”https://www.cnet.com/a/img/hub/2023/05/18/00ef32b6-6166-471e-a933-4ed75b7b3d33/ataraxia-art-tricolor.jpg”,”caption”:””,”size”:167080,”width”:1500,”height”:843,”dateCreated”:{“date”:”2023-05-18 14:22:56″,”timezone”:”UTC”,”timezone_type”:3},”dateUpdated”:{“date”:”2023-05-18 14:23:20″,”timezone”:”UTC”,”timezone_type”:3},”needsModeration”:false,”mimeType”:”image/jpeg”,”deleted”:false,”credits”:”Ataraxia”,”alt”:”Roll of filament with multi-color dragons next to it”,”restricted”:false,”startDate”:null,”endDate”:null,”preferred”:false,”watermark”:false,”doNotCrop”:false,”doNotResize”:false,”primaryCollection”:null,”vanityUrl”:null,”notes”:null,”crop”:null,”cropGravity”:0,”preservedRegion”:null,”isNew”:false,”keywords”:[],”primeColor”:null,”hasWarning”:false,”typeName”:”content_image”},”uuid”:”00ef32b6-6166-471e-a933-4ed75b7b3d33″,”imageAltText”:”Roll of filament with multi-color dragons next to it”,”imageCaption”:””,”imageCredit”:”Ataraxia”,”imageDoNotCrop”:false,”imageDoNotResize”:false,”imageWatermark”:false,”imageFilename”:”ataraxia-art-tricolor.jpg”,”imageDateCreated”:”2023/05/18″,”imageWidth”:1500,”imageHeight”:843,”imageParallax”:””,”imageCrop”:””,”imageEnlarge”:false}” overridecaption=”” overridecredit=”Ataraxia” techobjectinfo=”{“uuid”:”a6ed375b-39f6-49e5-96c3-dd3e18eb5ee9″,”slug”:”ataraxia-art-triple-color-coextrusion-silk-pla-filament-1-75mm-pla-3d-printer-silk-shiny-blue-yellow-purple-filament-3d”,”name”:”Ataraxia Art Triple Color Coextrusion Silk PLA Filament 1.75mm, PLA 3D Printer Silk Shiny Blue-Yellow-Purple Filament, 3D Printing Filament 1kg/2.2lb Spool, ±.03mm, Include Filament Storage Bag”,”productType”:”SERIES”,”updateType”:”EZMONEY”,”mod”:1696435834237,”displayDate”:”Wed Oct 04 2023 12:10:34 GMT-0400 (Eastern Daylight Time)”}” usepricing=”true” data-key=”cnetlisticle__12f3c78d-70ea-4509-a1a9-a987a6165ef9″ index=”6″ imagecredit=”Ataraxia” tagslugs=”3d-printing” contenttype=”Best List – Precap” isbestlistredesign=”true” filtershortcodetypes totalfilteritems=”0″ pagelayout=”Default – Article Page” showdetails=”true” tocheadlineitem=”[object Object]” class=”c-bestListProductListing” readability=”5.8609625668449″>

I’ve been meaning to buy some of this beautiful filament for some time now, and I’m really happy I did. The color is almost exactly the same as mint chocolate chip ice cream and the tiny flecks of marble color enhance the look even more. It prints great, with a nice glossy finish, and I found printing it at a higher temperature brings out that gloss really well. 

More importantly than the print quality though, I love it for the way it makes me feel. The color just makes me happy and reminds me of days at the beach with my kids. It’s gorgeous.

” superlative=”It’s ice cream that won’t melt” imagegroup=”{“alt”:”Mint green filament with black flecks”,”caption”:””,”credits”:”Cookiecad”,”imageData”:{“id”:”975bbe79-9d93-4f4b-846e-319a8f0040f5″,”title”:”cookiecad-mint-chip”,”filename”:”cookiecad-mint-chip.jpg”,”path”:”https://www.cnet.com/a/img/hub/2022/10/14/975bbe79-9d93-4f4b-846e-319a8f0040f5/cookiecad-mint-chip.jpg”,”caption”:””,”size”:54457,”width”:853,”height”:480,”dateCreated”:{“date”:”2022-10-14 13:50:49″,”timezone”:”UTC”,”timezone_type”:3},”dateUpdated”:{“date”:”2022-10-14 13:51:10″,”timezone”:”UTC”,”timezone_type”:3},”needsModeration”:false,”mimeType”:”image/jpeg”,”deleted”:false,”credits”:”Cookiecad”,”alt”:”Mint green filament with black flecks”,”restricted”:false,”startDate”:null,”endDate”:null,”preferred”:false,”watermark”:false,”doNotCrop”:false,”doNotResize”:false,”primaryCollection”:null,”vanityUrl”:null,”notes”:null,”crop”:null,”cropGravity”:0,”preservedRegion”:null,”isNew”:false,”keywords”:[],”primeColor”:null,”hasWarning”:false,”typeName”:”content_image”},”uuid”:”975bbe79-9d93-4f4b-846e-319a8f0040f5″,”imageAltText”:”Mint green filament with black flecks”,”imageCaption”:””,”imageCredit”:”Cookiecad”,”imageDoNotCrop”:false,”imageDoNotResize”:false,”imageWatermark”:false,”imageFilename”:”cookiecad-mint-chip.jpg”,”imageDateCreated”:”2022/10/14″,”imageWidth”:853,”imageHeight”:480,”imageParallax”:””,”imageCrop”:””,”imageEnlarge”:false}” overridecaption=”” overridecredit=”Cookiecad” usepricing=”true” data-key=”cnetlisticle__8372bd38-3c17-40a9-852c-ce83b5d47043″ index=”7″ imagecredit=”Cookiecad” tagslugs=”3d-printing” contenttype=”Best List – Precap” isbestlistredesign=”true” filtershortcodetypes totalfilteritems=”0″ pagelayout=”Default – Article Page” showdetails=”true” tocheadlineitem=”[object Object]” class=”c-bestListProductListing” readability=”5.8899858956276″>

Rainbow filament tends to transition between colors very slowly. This means you often get only one or two colors per model. Creality’s latest rainbow filament has a much shorter transition, so you get a much nicer rainbow effect across your models. It looks great on this amazing dragon from Fotis Mint.” superlative=”So many colors!” imagegroup=”{“alt”:”Elder dragon by Fotis Mint printed in rainbow PLA”,”caption”:””,”credits”:”James Bricknell/CNET”,”imageData”:{“id”:”a5146a58-1ecb-465e-9199-41c8fc0abf70″,”title”:”creality-rainbow-pla”,”filename”:”creality-rainbow-pla.jpg”,”path”:”https://www.cnet.com/a/img/hub/2022/11/03/a5146a58-1ecb-465e-9199-41c8fc0abf70/creality-rainbow-pla.jpg”,”caption”:””,”size”:566314,”width”:4032,”height”:2268,”dateCreated”:{“date”:”2022-11-03 12:56:03″,”timezone”:”UTC”,”timezone_type”:3},”dateUpdated”:{“date”:”2022-11-03 12:56:28″,”timezone”:”UTC”,”timezone_type”:3},”needsModeration”:false,”mimeType”:”image/jpeg”,”deleted”:false,”credits”:”James Bricknell / CNET”,”alt”:”Elder dragon by Fotis Mint printed in rainbow PLA”,”restricted”:false,”startDate”:null,”endDate”:null,”preferred”:false,”watermark”:false,”doNotCrop”:false,”doNotResize”:false,”primaryCollection”:null,”vanityUrl”:null,”notes”:null,”crop”:null,”cropGravity”:0,”preservedRegion”:null,”isNew”:false,”keywords”:[],”primeColor”:null,”hasWarning”:false,”typeName”:”content_image”},”uuid”:”a5146a58-1ecb-465e-9199-41c8fc0abf70″,”imageAltText”:”Elder dragon by Fotis Mint printed in rainbow PLA”,”imageCaption”:””,”imageCredit”:”James Bricknell/CNET”,”imageDoNotCrop”:false,”imageDoNotResize”:false,”imageWatermark”:false,”imageFilename”:”creality-rainbow-pla.jpg”,”imageDateCreated”:”2022/11/03″,”imageWidth”:4032,”imageHeight”:2268,”imageParallax”:””,”imageCrop”:””,”imageEnlarge”:false}” overridecaption=”” overridecredit=”James Bricknell/CNET” usepricing=”true” data-key=”cross_content_listicle__59597682-6283-451c-83ad-a73c0ecf2713″ imagecredit=”James Bricknell/CNET” tagslugs=”3d-printing” contenttype=”Best List – Precap” isbestlistredesign=”true” filtershortcodetypes totalfilteritems=”0″ pagelayout=”Default – Article Page” showdetails=”true” tocheadlineitem=”[object Object]” class=”c-bestListProductListing” readability=”5.8315334773218″>

For projects you can show off without having to paint them first, PolyTerra might be for you. The colors are vivid, and because they are matte, you don’t lose details in the reflections like with shiny filament.

PolyTerra also comes in recycled cardboard reels, and the creator, Polymaker, will plant a tree in the area where the roll was bought to help offset the cardboard used. This filament is still plastic of course, but it helps my conscience to use it.

” superlative=”Environmental thinking” imagegroup=”{“alt”:”Bright blue filament with a penguin model”,”caption”:”

Playing with plastic can be environmentally unsound. Poly Terra helps to offset that, at least a little bit.

Pros:

Beautiful matte colors
Recycled cardboard reel
Great for leaving unpainted

Cons:

Can be a little brittle

“,”credits”:”Polymaker”,”imageData”:{“id”:”bce31521-7457-4bd6-af54-c89d85ed9650″,”title”:”polymaker-polytera”,”filename”:”polymaker-polytera.jpg”,”path”:”https://www.cnet.com/a/img/hub/2022/03/22/bce31521-7457-4bd6-af54-c89d85ed9650/polymaker-polytera.jpg”,”caption”:”

Playing with plastic can be environmentally unsound. Poly Terra helps to offset that, at least a little bit.

Pros:

Beautiful matte colors
Recycled cardboard reel
Great for leaving unpainted

Cons:

Can be a little brittle

“,”size”:491135,”width”:2661,”height”:1497,”dateCreated”:{“date”:”2022-03-22 21:37:38″,”timezone”:”UTC”,”timezone_type”:3},”dateUpdated”:{“date”:”2022-03-22 21:41:15″,”timezone”:”UTC”,”timezone_type”:3},”needsModeration”:false,”mimeType”:”image/jpeg”,”deleted”:false,”credits”:”Polymaker”,”alt”:”Bright blue filament with a penguin model”,”restricted”:false,”startDate”:null,”endDate”:null,”preferred”:false,”watermark”:false,”doNotCrop”:false,”doNotResize”:false,”primaryCollection”:null,”vanityUrl”:null,”notes”:null,”crop”:null,”cropGravity”:0,”preservedRegion”:null,”isNew”:false,”keywords”:[],”primeColor”:null,”hasWarning”:false,”typeName”:”content_image”},”uuid”:”bce31521-7457-4bd6-af54-c89d85ed9650″,”imageAltText”:”Bright blue filament with a penguin model”,”imageCaption”:”

Playing with plastic can be environmentally unsound. Poly Terra helps to offset that, at least a little bit.

Pros:

Beautiful matte colors
Recycled cardboard reel
Great for leaving unpainted

Cons:

Can be a little brittle

“,”imageCredit”:”Polymaker”,”imageDoNotCrop”:false,”imageDoNotResize”:false,”imageWatermark”:false,”imageFilename”:”polymaker-polytera.jpg”,”imageDateCreated”:”2022/03/22″,”imageWidth”:2661,”imageHeight”:1497,”imageParallax”:””,”imageCrop”:””,”imageEnlarge”:false}” overridecaption=”

Playing with plastic can be environmentally unsound. Poly Terra helps to offset that, at least a little bit.

Pros:

Beautiful matte colors
Recycled cardboard reel
Great for leaving unpainted

Cons:

Can be a little brittle

” overridecredit=”Polymaker” usepricing=”true” data-key=”cnetlisticle__c7a38f30-470f-4d8f-a20a-dea3c3935b1c” index=”8″ imagecredit=”Polymaker” tagslugs=”3d-printing” contenttype=”Best List – Precap” isbestlistredesign=”true” filtershortcodetypes totalfilteritems=”0″ pagelayout=”Default – Article Page” showdetails=”true” tocheadlineitem=”[object Object]” class=”c-bestListProductListing” readability=”5.7552447552448″>

In this article about this flexible PLA I explained how, although this isn’t technically PLA, it does print much easier than TPU, a more common flexible filament. I used it to print an amazing Mandalorian Blacksmith helmet for my 4-year-old. She can’t break it because it’s so bouncy.

This isn’t for newbies, though. It took a lot of trial and error to get the setting for my 3D printer right, and because it is so soft the accuracy can be pretty wonky. But for something that’s different from normal PLA, it is worth checking out. 

” superlative=”Bouncy bouncy” imagegroup=”{“alt”:”purple filament and a phone case”,”caption”:”

Flexible PLA gives you a lot of scope to try projects you never would have before.

Pros:

Easier to print than TPU
Pantone color codes
Flexible and fun

Cons:

Harder to print on Bowden style 3D printers (Ender 3 et al)

“,”credits”:”Ataraxia Art”,”imageData”:{“id”:”411a0bed-e4e8-4b67-bc54-33bd7fdca347″,”title”:”ataraxia-pla”,”filename”:”ataraxia-pla.jpg”,”path”:”https://www.cnet.com/a/img/hub/2022/03/22/411a0bed-e4e8-4b67-bc54-33bd7fdca347/ataraxia-pla.jpg”,”caption”:”

Flexible PLA gives you a lot of scope to try projects you never would have before.

“,”size”:829497,”width”:2667,”height”:1500,”dateCreated”:{“date”:”2022-03-22 22:12:05″,”timezone”:”UTC”,”timezone_type”:3},”dateUpdated”:{“date”:”2022-03-22 22:15:12″,”timezone”:”UTC”,”timezone_type”:3},”needsModeration”:false,”mimeType”:”image/jpeg”,”deleted”:false,”credits”:”Ataraxia Art”,”alt”:”purple filament and a phone case”,”restricted”:false,”startDate”:null,”endDate”:null,”preferred”:false,”watermark”:false,”doNotCrop”:false,”doNotResize”:false,”primaryCollection”:null,”vanityUrl”:null,”notes”:null,”crop”:null,”cropGravity”:0,”preservedRegion”:null,”isNew”:false,”keywords”:[],”primeColor”:null,”hasWarning”:false,”typeName”:”content_image”},”uuid”:”411a0bed-e4e8-4b67-bc54-33bd7fdca347″,”imageAltText”:”purple filament and a phone case”,”imageCaption”:”

Flexible PLA gives you a lot of scope to try projects you never would have before.

Pros:

Easier to print than TPU
Pantone color codes
Flexible and fun

Cons:

Harder to print on Bowden style 3D printers (Ender 3 et al)

“,”imageCredit”:”Ataraxia Art”,”imageDoNotCrop”:false,”imageDoNotResize”:false,”imageWatermark”:false,”imageFilename”:”ataraxia-pla.jpg”,”imageDateCreated”:”2022/03/22″,”imageWidth”:2667,”imageHeight”:1500,”imageParallax”:””,”imageCrop”:””,”imageEnlarge”:false}” overridecaption=”

Flexible PLA gives you a lot of scope to try projects you never would have before.

Pros:

Easier to print than TPU
Pantone color codes
Flexible and fun

Cons:

Harder to print on Bowden style 3D printers (Ender 3 et al)

” overridecredit=”Ataraxia Art” usepricing=”true” data-key=”cnetlisticle__e088ccda-36f1-4a3d-b2d5-ac3ff9a7c5eb” index=”9″ imagecredit=”Ataraxia Art” tagslugs=”3d-printing” contenttype=”Best List – Precap” isbestlistredesign=”true” filtershortcodetypes totalfilteritems=”0″ pagelayout=”Default – Article Page” showdetails=”true” tocheadlineitem=”[object Object]” class=”c-bestListProductListing” readability=”5.6619718309859″>

Inland makes good filament across the board, and its ABS is no different. I’ve never had issues with the dimensions, and the final product has consistent layer lines. Sanding Inland ABS is a joy as the material can be wet-sanded to a smooth finish.” superlative=”Cheap and cheerful” imagegroup=”{“alt”:”inland-abs”,”caption”:”

This brand of ABS is perfect for creating strong prints with a smooth finish.
Pros:
Cheap
Consistent diameter
sands well

Cons:

Needs to be sealed in a bag to stay fresh

“,”credits”:”Inland”,”imageData”:{“id”:”fd3f0ac6-c935-431b-a78a-439623ceca69″,”title”:”inland-abs”,”filename”:”inland-abs.jpg”,”path”:”https://www.cnet.com/a/img/hub/2022/03/23/fd3f0ac6-c935-431b-a78a-439623ceca69/inland-abs.jpg”,”caption”:”

This brand of ABS is perfect for creating strong prints with a smooth finish.
Pros:
Cheap
Consistent diameter
sands well

Cons:

Needs to be sealed in a bag to stay fresh

“,”size”:719937,”width”:2667,”height”:1500,”dateCreated”:{“date”:”2022-03-23 20:38:49″,”timezone”:”UTC”,”timezone_type”:3},”dateUpdated”:{“date”:”2022-03-23 20:41:23″,”timezone”:”UTC”,”timezone_type”:3},”needsModeration”:false,”mimeType”:”image/jpeg”,”deleted”:false,”credits”:”Inland”,”alt”:”inland-abs”,”restricted”:false,”startDate”:null,”endDate”:null,”preferred”:false,”watermark”:false,”doNotCrop”:false,”doNotResize”:false,”primaryCollection”:null,”vanityUrl”:null,”notes”:null,”crop”:null,”cropGravity”:0,”preservedRegion”:null,”isNew”:false,”keywords”:[],”primeColor”:null,”hasWarning”:false,”typeName”:”content_image”},”uuid”:”fd3f0ac6-c935-431b-a78a-439623ceca69″,”imageAltText”:”inland-abs”,”imageCaption”:”

This brand of ABS is perfect for creating strong prints with a smooth finish.
Pros:
Cheap
Consistent diameter
sands well

Cons:

Needs to be sealed in a bag to stay fresh

“,”imageCredit”:”Inland”,”imageDoNotCrop”:false,”imageDoNotResize”:false,”imageWatermark”:false,”imageFilename”:”inland-abs.jpg”,”imageDateCreated”:”2022/03/23″,”imageWidth”:2667,”imageHeight”:1500,”imageParallax”:””,”imageCrop”:””,”imageEnlarge”:false}” overridecaption=”

This brand of ABS is perfect for creating strong prints with a smooth finish.
Pros:
Cheap
Consistent diameter
sands well

Cons:

Needs to be sealed in a bag to stay fresh

” overridecredit=”Inland” techobjectinfo=”{“uuid”:”c4e3ee1e-29ee-40c0-b3ed-9f4510544191″,”slug”:”inland-1-75mm-abs-3d-printer-filament-dimensional-accuracy-plus-0-03-mm-1kg-cardboard-spool-2-2-lbs-fits-most-fdm-fff”,”name”:”Inland 1.75mm ABS 3D Printer Filament, Dimensional Accuracy +/- 0.03 mm – 1kg Cardboard Spool (2.2 lbs) – Fits Most FDM/FFF Printers – Black”,”productType”:”PRODUCT”,”updateType”:”EZMONEY”,”mod”:1696435835139,”displayDate”:”Wed Oct 04 2023 12:10:35 GMT-0400 (Eastern Daylight Time)”}” usepricing=”true” data-key=”cnetlisticle__d1ee76f7-fd87-448d-b4a2-d2d9119d4f63″ index=”10″ imagecredit=”Inland” tagslugs=”3d-printing” contenttype=”Best List – Precap” isbestlistredesign=”true” filtershortcodetypes totalfilteritems=”0″ pagelayout=”Default – Article Page” showdetails=”true” tocheadlineitem=”[object Object]” class=”c-bestListProductListing” readability=”5.8589511754069″>

Fillamentum is one of my favorite ABS makers. The colors are always so vibrant, and while it costs a little more than the competition, it keeps that vibrancy even after the model is finished printing. If you’re looking for ABS that you don’t need to paint, Fillamentum is a great place to start.” superlative=”Bright and beautiful” imagegroup=”{“alt”:”filumentum-abs”,”caption”:””,”credits”:”MatterHackers”,”imageData”:{“id”:”cae85897-544d-449c-8d5e-b1cfeac55484″,”title”:”filumentum-abs”,”filename”:”filumentum-abs.jpg”,”path”:”https://www.cnet.com/a/img/hub/2022/03/23/cae85897-544d-449c-8d5e-b1cfeac55484/filumentum-abs.jpg”,”caption”:””,”size”:179612,”width”:850,”height”:478,”dateCreated”:{“date”:”2022-03-23 20:46:33″,”timezone”:”UTC”,”timezone_type”:3},”dateUpdated”:{“date”:”2022-03-23 20:46:45″,”timezone”:”UTC”,”timezone_type”:3},”needsModeration”:false,”mimeType”:”image/jpeg”,”deleted”:false,”credits”:”Matterhackers”,”alt”:”filumentum-abs”,”restricted”:false,”startDate”:null,”endDate”:null,”preferred”:false,”watermark”:false,”doNotCrop”:false,”doNotResize”:false,”primaryCollection”:null,”vanityUrl”:null,”notes”:null,”crop”:null,”cropGravity”:0,”preservedRegion”:null,”isNew”:false,”keywords”:[],”primeColor”:null,”hasWarning”:false,”typeName”:”content_image”},”uuid”:”cae85897-544d-449c-8d5e-b1cfeac55484″,”imageAltText”:”filumentum-abs”,”imageCaption”:””,”imageCredit”:”MatterHackers”,”imageDoNotCrop”:false,”imageDoNotResize”:false,”imageWatermark”:false,”imageFilename”:”filumentum-abs.jpg”,”imageDateCreated”:”2022/03/23″,”imageWidth”:850,”imageHeight”:478,”imageParallax”:””,”imageCrop”:””,”imageEnlarge”:false}” overridecaption=”” overridecredit=”MatterHackers” usepricing=”true” data-key=”cnetlisticle__704fec9c-822b-4c7e-9cac-732c7a164931″ index=”11″ imagecredit=”MatterHackers” tagslugs=”3d-printing” contenttype=”Best List – Precap” isbestlistredesign=”true” filtershortcodetypes totalfilteritems=”0″ pagelayout=”Default – Article Page” showdetails=”true” tocheadlineitem=”[object Object]” class=”c-bestListProductListing” readability=”5.7327394209354″>

This US-made PETG has an excellent glassy look that is hard to achieve in melted plastic. The aqua color is subtle and gives the appearance of a stained glass window when printed at the high end of its temperature scale.

Printing with it was easy, though the roll is a little big for printers like the Bambu Lab X1, which has an enclosed filament system.

” superlative=”Almost like glass” imagegroup=”{“alt”:”A roll of greeish blue filament”,”caption”:””,”credits”:”Protomaker”,”imageData”:{“id”:”a2bbcc85-27af-44e9-a2f0-bbdb73d6abaf”,”title”:”petg-taqua-protoprinter”,”filename”:”petg-taqua-protoprinter.jpg”,”path”:”https://www.cnet.com/a/img/hub/2023/03/01/a2bbcc85-27af-44e9-a2f0-bbdb73d6abaf/petg-taqua-protoprinter.jpg”,”caption”:””,”size”:25409,”width”:811,”height”:456,”dateCreated”:{“date”:”2023-03-01 14:46:06″,”timezone”:”UTC”,”timezone_type”:3},”dateUpdated”:{“date”:”2023-08-09 19:36:20″,”timezone”:”UTC”,”timezone_type”:3},”needsModeration”:false,”mimeType”:”image/jpeg”,”deleted”:false,”credits”:”Protomaker”,”alt”:”A roll of greenish blue filament”,”restricted”:false,”startDate”:null,”endDate”:null,”preferred”:false,”watermark”:false,”doNotCrop”:false,”doNotResize”:false,”primaryCollection”:null,”vanityUrl”:null,”notes”:null,”crop”:null,”cropGravity”:0,”preservedRegion”:null,”isNew”:false,”keywords”:[],”primeColor”:null,”hasWarning”:false,”typeName”:”content_image”},”uuid”:”a2bbcc85-27af-44e9-a2f0-bbdb73d6abaf”,”imageAltText”:”A roll of greeish blue filament”,”imageCaption”:””,”imageCredit”:”Protomaker”,”imageDoNotCrop”:false,”imageDoNotResize”:false,”imageWatermark”:false,”imageFilename”:”petg-taqua-protoprinter.jpg”,”imageDateCreated”:”2023/03/01″,”imageWidth”:811,”imageHeight”:456,”imageParallax”:””,”imageCrop”:””,”imageEnlarge”:false}” overridecaption=”” overridecredit=”Protomaker” usepricing=”true” data-key=”cnetlisticle__0c303099-1001-400f-b81a-1a4ea41c9983″ index=”12″ imagecredit=”Protomaker” tagslugs=”3d-printing” contenttype=”Best List – Precap” isbestlistredesign=”true” filtershortcodetypes totalfilteritems=”0″ pagelayout=”Default – Article Page” showdetails=”true” tocheadlineitem=”[object Object]” class=”c-bestListProductListing” readability=”5.7614314115308″>

The Pro series filament from MatterHackers is a much nicer product than a lot of standard PETG. Yes, it costs a little more, but it’s designed to help reduce some of the issues that filament suffers from. It reduces shrinkage, so the part you make is as close to the part you designed as possible. This is a great material for those who make 3D printed models for a living, rather than a hobby.” superlative=”Glorious colors” imagegroup=”{“alt”:”Red filament with phone stand”,”caption”:””,”credits”:”Matterhackers”,”imageData”:{“id”:”36c7c2de-f4b8-4398-be9b-d33c2398cd4d”,”title”:”mh-pro-petg”,”filename”:”mh-pro-petg.jpg”,”path”:”https://www.cnet.com/a/img/hub/2022/03/23/36c7c2de-f4b8-4398-be9b-d33c2398cd4d/mh-pro-petg.jpg”,”caption”:””,”size”:251345,”width”:853,”height”:480,”dateCreated”:{“date”:”2022-03-23 22:13:47″,”timezone”:”UTC”,”timezone_type”:3},”dateUpdated”:{“date”:”2022-03-23 22:14:07″,”timezone”:”UTC”,”timezone_type”:3},”needsModeration”:false,”mimeType”:”image/jpeg”,”deleted”:false,”credits”:”Matterhackers”,”alt”:”Red filament with phone stand”,”restricted”:false,”startDate”:null,”endDate”:null,”preferred”:false,”watermark”:false,”doNotCrop”:false,”doNotResize”:false,”primaryCollection”:null,”vanityUrl”:null,”notes”:null,”crop”:null,”cropGravity”:0,”preservedRegion”:null,”isNew”:false,”keywords”:[],”primeColor”:null,”hasWarning”:false,”typeName”:”content_image”},”uuid”:”36c7c2de-f4b8-4398-be9b-d33c2398cd4d”,”imageAltText”:”Red filament with phone stand”,”imageCaption”:””,”imageCredit”:”Matterhackers”,”imageDoNotCrop”:false,”imageDoNotResize”:false,”imageWatermark”:false,”imageFilename”:”mh-pro-petg.jpg”,”imageDateCreated”:”2022/03/23″,”imageWidth”:853,”imageHeight”:480,”imageParallax”:””,”imageCrop”:””,”imageEnlarge”:false}” overridecaption=”” overridecredit=”Matterhackers” usepricing=”true” data-key=”cnetlisticle__a28d1886-8ad8-4c18-ade4-fdd1844ae0c3″ index=”13″ imagecredit=”Matterhackers” tagslugs=”3d-printing” contenttype=”Best List – Precap” isbestlistredesign=”true” filtershortcodetypes totalfilteritems=”0″ pagelayout=”Default – Article Page” showdetails=”true” tocheadlineitem=”[object Object]” class=”c-bestListProductListing” readability=”5.7849462365591″>

Overture PETG is a favorite because it comes in an economical two-pack, making it ideal for multiple or larger jobs. I’ve used a lot of Overture products, including PETG and PLA, and they always print well. I once printed an 11-foot-long Masamune sword using Overture and it came out looking awesome.” superlative=”Stock up on your PETG” imagegroup=”{“alt”:”overture-petg”,”caption”:”

If you are going to be making a lot of projects then you need a good store of materials. Overture makes great for filament for a good price.

“,”credits”:”Overture”,”imageData”:{“id”:”849889b9-10fc-4db1-941b-fa1b0e9c3643″,”title”:”overture-petg”,”filename”:”overture-petg.jpg”,”path”:”https://www.cnet.com/a/img/hub/2022/03/23/849889b9-10fc-4db1-941b-fa1b0e9c3643/overture-petg.jpg”,”caption”:”

If you are going to be making a lot of projects then you need a good store of materials. Overture makes great for filament for a good price.

“,”size”:269352,”width”:2667,”height”:1500,”dateCreated”:{“date”:”2022-03-23 22:28:34″,”timezone”:”UTC”,”timezone_type”:3},”dateUpdated”:{“date”:”2022-03-23 22:33:18″,”timezone”:”UTC”,”timezone_type”:3},”needsModeration”:false,”mimeType”:”image/jpeg”,”deleted”:false,”credits”:”Overture”,”alt”:”overture-petg”,”restricted”:false,”startDate”:null,”endDate”:null,”preferred”:false,”watermark”:false,”doNotCrop”:false,”doNotResize”:false,”primaryCollection”:null,”vanityUrl”:null,”notes”:null,”crop”:null,”cropGravity”:0,”preservedRegion”:null,”isNew”:false,”keywords”:[],”primeColor”:null,”hasWarning”:false,”typeName”:”content_image”},”uuid”:”849889b9-10fc-4db1-941b-fa1b0e9c3643″,”imageAltText”:”overture-petg”,”imageCaption”:”

If you are going to be making a lot of projects then you need a good store of materials. Overture makes great for filament for a good price.

“,”imageCredit”:”Overture”,”imageDoNotCrop”:false,”imageDoNotResize”:false,”imageWatermark”:false,”imageFilename”:”overture-petg.jpg”,”imageDateCreated”:”2022/03/23″,”imageWidth”:2667,”imageHeight”:1500,”imageParallax”:””,”imageCrop”:””,”imageEnlarge”:false}” overridecaption=”

If you are going to be making a lot of projects then you need a good store of materials. Overture makes great for filament for a good price.

” overridecredit=”Overture” techobjectinfo=”{“uuid”:”6b03f90e-36cd-4e70-a9a3-24dc59192d63″,”slug”:”overture-petg-filament-1-75mm-3d-printer-filament-2kg-filament-4-4lbs-dimensional-accuracy-99-probability-plus-0-03-mm”,”name”:”OVERTURE PETG Filament 1.75mm, 3D Printer Filament, 2kg Filament (4.4lbs), Dimensional Accuracy 99% Probability +/- 0.03 mm, Fit Most FDM Printer (Black + White)”,”productType”:”PRODUCT”,”updateType”:”EZMONEY”,”mod”:1696435834377,”displayDate”:”Wed Oct 04 2023 12:10:34 GMT-0400 (Eastern Daylight Time)”}” usepricing=”true” data-key=”cnetlisticle__23b3b27a-e068-4005-acf5-6b249423e50c” index=”14″ imagecredit=”Overture” tagslugs=”3d-printing” contenttype=”Best List – Precap” isbestlistredesign=”true” filtershortcodetypes totalfilteritems=”0″ pagelayout=”Default – Article Page” showdetails=”true” tocheadlineitem=”[object Object]” class=”c-bestListProductListing” readability=”5.8638743455497″>

MatterHackers Build Series Materials sit in the perfect balance between usability and cost. Yes, I’ve had failures with the Build Series, but once you get it dialed into your printer, you can make dozens of fun, springy models. 
I like to use it to make fun toys for my kid’s preschool as they can be thrown around with no fear of breaking into small, sharp pieces.” superlative=”For everyday use” imagegroup=”{“alt”:”Orange roll of filament with an astronaut model on top”,”caption”:””,”credits”:”MatterHackers”,”imageData”:{“id”:”3ae7525e-8e02-4c7a-97eb-84612da929e0″,”title”:”mh-build-tpu”,”filename”:”mh-build-tpu.jpg”,”path”:”https://www.cnet.com/a/img/hub/2022/03/24/3ae7525e-8e02-4c7a-97eb-84612da929e0/mh-build-tpu.jpg”,”caption”:””,”size”:179912,”width”:853,”height”:480,”dateCreated”:{“date”:”2022-03-24 17:51:52″,”timezone”:”UTC”,”timezone_type”:3},”dateUpdated”:{“date”:”2022-03-24 17:53:08″,”timezone”:”UTC”,”timezone_type”:3},”needsModeration”:false,”mimeType”:”image/jpeg”,”deleted”:false,”credits”:”Matterhackers”,”alt”:”Orange roll of filament with an astronaut model on top”,”restricted”:false,”startDate”:null,”endDate”:null,”preferred”:false,”watermark”:false,”doNotCrop”:false,”doNotResize”:false,”primaryCollection”:null,”vanityUrl”:null,”notes”:null,”crop”:null,”cropGravity”:0,”preservedRegion”:null,”isNew”:false,”keywords”:[],”primeColor”:null,”hasWarning”:false,”typeName”:”content_image”},”uuid”:”3ae7525e-8e02-4c7a-97eb-84612da929e0″,”imageAltText”:”Orange roll of filament with an astronaut model on top”,”imageCaption”:””,”imageCredit”:”MatterHackers”,”imageDoNotCrop”:false,”imageDoNotResize”:false,”imageWatermark”:false,”imageFilename”:”mh-build-tpu.jpg”,”imageDateCreated”:”2022/03/24″,”imageWidth”:853,”imageHeight”:480,”imageParallax”:””,”imageCrop”:””,”imageEnlarge”:false}” overridecaption=”” overridecredit=”MatterHackers” usepricing=”true” data-key=”cnetlisticle__c886e7a0-c519-478e-8f98-2a01f1f59f58″ index=”15″ imagecredit=”MatterHackers” tagslugs=”3d-printing” contenttype=”Best List – Precap” isbestlistredesign=”true” filtershortcodetypes totalfilteritems=”0″ pagelayout=”Default – Article Page” showdetails=”true” tocheadlineitem=”[object Object]” class=”c-bestListProductListing” readability=”5.7841726618705″>

There is so much to love about this TPU from Inland. It’s colorful and the rainbow transitions look beautiful. It’s flexible and can be used as a phone case. And it’s almost translucent so it has a glassy look to it. It is just generally pretty and great for projects that need to stand out.” superlative=”Best colorful flexible filament” imagegroup=”{“alt”:”inland tpu on a blue background”,”caption”:””,”credits”:”Inland”,”imageData”:{“id”:”e2f39ef2-a5cf-473a-82f3-87db11b3fc30″,”title”:”inland-tpu”,”filename”:”inland-tpu.jpg”,”path”:”https://www.cnet.com/a/img/hub/2023/12/05/e2f39ef2-a5cf-473a-82f3-87db11b3fc30/inland-tpu.jpg”,”caption”:””,”size”:308257,”width”:1600,”height”:900,”dateCreated”:{“date”:”2023-12-05 18:36:39″,”timezone”:”UTC”,”timezone_type”:3},”dateUpdated”:{“date”:”2023-12-05 18:38:57″,”timezone”:”UTC”,”timezone_type”:3},”needsModeration”:false,”mimeType”:”image/jpeg”,”deleted”:false,”credits”:”Inland”,”alt”:”inland tpu on a blue background”,”restricted”:false,”startDate”:null,”endDate”:null,”preferred”:false,”watermark”:false,”doNotCrop”:false,”doNotResize”:false,”primaryCollection”:null,”vanityUrl”:null,”notes”:null,”crop”:null,”cropGravity”:0,”preservedRegion”:null,”isNew”:false,”keywords”:[],”primeColor”:null,”hasWarning”:false,”typeName”:”content_image”},”uuid”:”e2f39ef2-a5cf-473a-82f3-87db11b3fc30″,”imageAltText”:”inland tpu on a blue background”,”imageCaption”:””,”imageCredit”:”Inland”,”imageDoNotCrop”:false,”imageDoNotResize”:false,”imageWatermark”:false,”imageFilename”:”inland-tpu.jpg”,”imageDateCreated”:”2023/12/05″,”imageWidth”:1600,”imageHeight”:900,”imageParallax”:””,”imageCrop”:””,”imageEnlarge”:false}” overridecaption=”” overridecredit=”Inland” usepricing=”true” data-key=”cnetlisticle__b72620f8-da1a-414d-9276-c6bf6e4951ef” index=”16″ imagecredit=”Inland” tagslugs=”3d-printing” contenttype=”Best List – Precap” isbestlistredesign=”true” filtershortcodetypes totalfilteritems=”0″ pagelayout=”Default – Article Page” showdetails=”true” tocheadlineitem=”[object Object]” class=”c-bestListProductListing” readability=”5.7857142857143″>

Glow-in-the-dark filament normally comes in a standard “radioactive” green, but this beautiful roll transitions through multiple colors. It’s simply gorgeous. 

It’s also worthwhile to buy some replacement brass nozzles for your printer as glow-in-the-dark filament can chew them up pretty quickly, because the glowing material is more abrasive than standard colors. 

” superlative=”Get a good glow on” imagegroup=”{“alt”:”Light blue glowing filament”,”caption”:”

Not only does this filament glow, but it glows different colors too! It’s so darn cool.

“,”credits”:”Amolen PLA”,”imageData”:{“id”:”b27c6cfe-78be-4b69-be3c-03b3ba86fb4c”,”title”:”amolen-glow-filament”,”filename”:”amolen-glow-filament.jpg”,”path”:”https://www.cnet.com/a/img/hub/2022/03/24/b27c6cfe-78be-4b69-be3c-03b3ba86fb4c/amolen-glow-filament.jpg”,”caption”:”

Not only does this filament glow, but it glows different colors too! It’s so darn cool.

“,”size”:609976,”width”:1820,”height”:1024,”dateCreated”:{“date”:”2022-03-24 18:35:12″,”timezone”:”UTC”,”timezone_type”:3},”dateUpdated”:{“date”:”2022-03-24 18:35:55″,”timezone”:”UTC”,”timezone_type”:3},”needsModeration”:false,”mimeType”:”image/jpeg”,”deleted”:false,”credits”:null,”alt”:”Light blue glowing filament”,”restricted”:false,”startDate”:null,”endDate”:null,”preferred”:false,”watermark”:false,”doNotCrop”:false,”doNotResize”:false,”primaryCollection”:null,”vanityUrl”:null,”notes”:null,”crop”:null,”cropGravity”:0,”preservedRegion”:null,”isNew”:false,”keywords”:[],”primeColor”:null,”hasWarning”:false,”typeName”:”content_image”},”uuid”:”b27c6cfe-78be-4b69-be3c-03b3ba86fb4c”,”imageAltText”:”Light blue glowing filament”,”imageCaption”:”

Not only does this filament glow, but it glows different colors too! It’s so darn cool.

“,”imageCredit”:”Amolen PLA”,”imageDoNotCrop”:false,”imageDoNotResize”:false,”imageWatermark”:false,”imageFilename”:”amolen-glow-filament.jpg”,”imageDateCreated”:”2022/03/24″,”imageWidth”:1820,”imageHeight”:1024,”imageParallax”:””,”imageCrop”:””,”imageEnlarge”:false}” overridecaption=”

Not only does this filament glow, but it glows different colors too! It’s so darn cool.

” overridecredit=”Amolen PLA” usepricing=”true” data-key=”cnetlisticle__5e4d98a3-c6e0-4a7d-bc0f-09d9e9f2c5db” index=”17″ imagecredit=”Amolen PLA” tagslugs=”3d-printing” contenttype=”Best List – Precap” isbestlistredesign=”true” filtershortcodetypes totalfilteritems=”0″ pagelayout=”Default – Article Page” showdetails=”true” tocheadlineitem=”[object Object]” class=”c-bestListProductListing” readability=”5.8652849740933″>

At $35 per 500 grams, this filament isn’t the cheapest, but it is fascinating. This PLA has dense iron powder mixed into it so it is magnetic and can rust if you spray it with salt and vinegar. Being able to easily print any model as normal and then rust it allows you to create some brilliant effects.” superlative=”Rusty filament” imagegroup=”{“alt”:”A rusted iron docahedron”,”caption”:””,”credits”:”Proto Pasta”,”imageData”:{“id”:”ba916144-5671-4173-b67b-af60ba0a40cd”,”title”:”protopasta-iron”,”filename”:”protopasta-iron.jpg”,”path”:”https://www.cnet.com/a/img/hub/2023/12/05/ba916144-5671-4173-b67b-af60ba0a40cd/protopasta-iron.jpg”,”caption”:””,”size”:34064,”width”:1000,”height”:562,”dateCreated”:{“date”:”2023-12-05 19:06:51″,”timezone”:”UTC”,”timezone_type”:3},”dateUpdated”:{“date”:”2023-12-05 19:07:44″,”timezone”:”UTC”,”timezone_type”:3},”needsModeration”:false,”mimeType”:”image/jpeg”,”deleted”:false,”credits”:”Proto Pasta”,”alt”:”A rusted iron docahedron”,”restricted”:false,”startDate”:null,”endDate”:null,”preferred”:false,”watermark”:false,”doNotCrop”:false,”doNotResize”:false,”primaryCollection”:null,”vanityUrl”:null,”notes”:null,”crop”:null,”cropGravity”:0,”preservedRegion”:null,”isNew”:false,”keywords”:[],”primeColor”:null,”hasWarning”:false,”typeName”:”content_image”},”uuid”:”ba916144-5671-4173-b67b-af60ba0a40cd”,”imageAltText”:”A rusted iron docahedron”,”imageCaption”:””,”imageCredit”:”Proto Pasta”,”imageDoNotCrop”:false,”imageDoNotResize”:false,”imageWatermark”:false,”imageFilename”:”protopasta-iron.jpg”,”imageDateCreated”:”2023/12/05″,”imageWidth”:1000,”imageHeight”:562,”imageParallax”:””,”imageCrop”:””,”imageEnlarge”:false}” overridecaption=”” overridecredit=”Proto Pasta” usepricing=”true” data-key=”cnetlisticle__a7b49ac0-73a6-43a7-b73c-b9770c12c15d” index=”18″ imagecredit=”Proto Pasta” tagslugs=”3d-printing” contenttype=”Best List – Precap” isbestlistredesign=”true” filtershortcodetypes totalfilteritems=”0″ pagelayout=”Default – Article Page” showdetails=”true” tocheadlineitem=”[object Object]” class=”c-bestListProductListing” readability=”5.7974025974026″>