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Guide on Buying Chinese 3D Printers That Can Print Anything

by Tim Howard on Aug 01, 2024

3D Printers are underrated. If put to right use, I’m sure a lot can be created at home or the office. Most 3D printing aficionados are capable of printing out some useful products like face shields, masks, toys, sculptures and more.

But they are expensive. And if you want to build a collection of 3D printers pertaining to different use cases, then it’ll probably burn a hole in your pocket.

Budget Chinese 3D Printers

If you are looking for 3D printers in China, then you can look out for some of the best chinese 3D printer manufacturers.

Budget Chinese 3D Printers	Key Features	Price
*CREALITY ENDER 5 Pro*	Patented extrusion mechanism to reduce the risk of plugging and spillage. Rapid heating up to 110 degrees Celsius within 5 minutes.	$239 - $474
*Anycubic i3 Mega-S*	TFT-Touch screen for easy access. Resume printing even if power is lost. Bigger build volume.	$187 / $369
FLSUN QQ SS Delta Kossel	Lattice platform for quick heating and durability. Touch screen interface. One-button leveling.	$241/$463
*Flying Bear Ghost 4S*	Wifi connectivity. 3.5mm large touch screen. Power loss resume function. Easy and quick installation.	$310 / $334
*Artillery X1 D3 Printer*	Fault detection. AC heated bed. Power failure detection. Filament runout detection. Color touch screen.	$396
*EasyThreed 3D Printer*	Automatic printer with SD card support. Lightweight and portable. Perfect for small figurines and simple toys.	$84
Kelant S400S 3D Printer	3.5-inch touch screen. Wide application range. 30mm/hour print speed. USB port for easy connectivity.	$508
*Creality CR 10S Pro V2*	Large build volume (300mm X 300mm X 400mm). High printing speed (up to 180mm/second). BL-Touch probe and dual-gear extrusion options available.	$490

#1 -- CREALITY ENDER 5 Pro - Best Creality 3D Printer

One of the most popular 3D printers from CREALITY. It has a host of features that we’ll get to. But first primarily, what can be printed with the Ender 5 Pro?

A lot of complicated prints can be made with the Ender 3 Pro.

Movie Props
3D Portraits
Architectural Design
Lighting Design
Medical requirements
Toys

Some of it’s best features are

Has a patented extrusion mechanism to reduce risk of plugging and spillage
New platform sticker that can be easily removed
Resume printing while the power is off
It heats rapidly to about 110 degrees within 5 minutes, which is perfect for quick printing
It comes with a free kit bag with all tools required for 3D printing
The print quality is amazing with proper detailing and good colour output.

Ender 5 Pro Specifications

Ender 5 Pro Features	Specs
Printing Method	Fused Deposition Molding
Printing Size	220mm X 220mm X 250mm
Print Speed	0.1mm
Nozzle Diameter	Standard 0.4mm
Bed Temperature	< 110 degrees celsius
Working Mode	Online or offline with a SD card
File Format	STL, OBJ, AMF
Slice Software	Cura, Repetier Host, Simplify 3D
Power Supply	Input AC 100 - 120V/6.8A, 200-240V/3.4A
Filament	1.75mm PLA, ABS, WOOD, TPU, Carbon, Fiber
NW	6.9kg
Machine Size	440mm X 440mm X 465mm
Machine Weight	8.9kg

#2 -- Anycubic i3 Mega-S 3D Printer

If you are looking for a powerful 3D printer that is also affordable, then the Anycubic Mega S is a solid contender. Why?

First of all, there are units of this piece located in Europe, Australia, North America, South American and Asia. So you can expect quick shipping.

So what can you make with this device?

Architectural 3D designs
3D models
Toys
Flexible products like cups, vases

Some of the features of the Anycubic Mega-S

It has a TFT-Touch screen for easy access
Resume the printing even if power is lost
High quality extruder
Bigger build volume unlike a lot of 3D printers that can only print small things

Anycubic Mega-S Specifications

Anycubic 3D Printer Features	Specifications
Printing Method	Fused Deposition Molding
Printing Size	210mm X 210mm X 205mm
Print Speed	20mm~100mm / s
Nozzle Diameter	0.4mm
Bed Temperature	Max - 110 degrees celsius
Working Mode	SD Card, Data Cable (For experts)
File Format	.STL, .OBJ, .AMF, .DAE
Slice Software	Cura, Repetier Host, Simplify 3D
Power Supply	110V/220V, 50/60HZ
Materials that can be printed	PLA, ABS, TPU, HIPS, WOOD
Net Weight	11 kgs
Machine Size	405mm X 410mm X 453mm
Machine Weight	11 kgs

#3 -- FLSUN QQ SS Delta Kossel 3D Printer

One of the other top 3D printer brands from China is FLSUN and they have a good collection of Chinese 3D Printers which are pretty amazing.

They ship from China, Czech Republic, Germany, Russia, United Kingdom, United States, Brazil and Spain!

It has a tall design that can print tall objects with ease.

What can be printed with the FLSUN QQ SS?

Bracelets
Lamps
Toys
3D Models

Here are some of the features of the FLSUN 3D Printer

It uses a lattice platform that heats up quickly and is super strong
It has a touch screen interface for easy commands
It has one button for leveling
It takes 20 minutes to assemble the entire 3D printer
It can print objects 366 mm in height and 255mm in width
It can resume printing when the power cuts off

FLSUN 3D Printer Specifications

FLUSIN 3D Printer Features	Specifications
Printing Method	Fused Deposition Molding
Printing Size	250mm X 360mm
Print Speed	60mm / s
Nozzle Diameter	0.4mm
Bed Temperature	110 degrees celsius
Working Mode	USB
File Format	STL
Power Supply	110V - 220V
Materials that can be printed	PLA, ABS, Flexible, HIPS, WOOD, PVA

#4 -- Flying Bear Ghost 4S 3D Printer

The Flyingbear store on Aliexpress has a 99% rating and they are a top brand. That’s a testament to their quality. One of their most popular products is the Ghost 4S.

Features of the Flying Bear Ghost 4S 3D Printer

The printer can work with Wifi
It has a 3.5mm large touch screen for smooth operation
It has a power loss resume function which continues printing when the power is lost
It’s pretty easy to install and takes about 10 minutes as about 90% is already built

Flying Bear 3D Printer Features

3D Printer Features	Specifications
Printing Method	Fused Deposition Molding
Printing Size	255mm X 210mm X 210mm
Print Speed	150mm / S (Maximum)
Nozzle Diameter	0.4mm
Bed Temperature	60C - 110C
Working Mode	Wifi, SD Card, USB
File Format	STL, OBJ, DAE, EMF
Power Supply	24V, 300W
Materials that can be printed	PLA, ABS, WOOD, HIPS

#5 -- Artillery X1 D3 Printer

The Artillery 3D Printer X1 has a 110V option or an even powerful 200V option. It's a premium 3D printer that promises pristine print quality.

Some of the features of the Artillery X1 include Fault Detection, AC heated bed, power failure detection, filament runout detection, inductive endstop and colour touch screen.

There isn't much to do in terms of initial setup as it comes pre-installed to about 95%. The maximum print speed is about 150mm/s. It works with USB, TF Card/SD card and USB Stick.

The machine weight is about 14.5kgs. You can print some fine articles with good detailing. It ships from China, Italy, Russia, Czech Republic, Spain and the U.S.

#6 -- EasyThreed 3D Printer

One of the best Chinese printers that's good for starting out is the EasyThreed Mini 3D printer. It works with a SD card and costs about $80. Let's check out it's salient points.

It's a perfect home printer and a 3D printer for young students. It uses the Easyware software. It's an automatic printer, all you need to do is insert the SD card.

It's not meant to print high-end equipment and only small items. The machine is quite light, just weighing around 1.3 kilograms.

Is compatible with Windows OS. It's perfect for making small figurines and simple toys. The print quality isn't as detailed as some of the other printers out there.

#7 -- Kelant S400S 3D Printer

The Kelant S400s is a beast of a printer. It costs $500 and it has a low of power. The Kelant 3D printer has a 12 month warranty and ships from China, Spain, Italy, U.S., Brazil, Australia and Czech Republic.

You can buy the printer standalone or with Resin and a separate platform and so on. You can actually 3D print a mask with this printer.

It has a 3.5-inch touch screen for the operations. The print speed is 30mm/hour. The power is about 144W. It uses the Chitubox slicing software. With the USB port, you can just plug and play whatever you need printed.

The application is wide-ranged. From home & garden requirements to toys and even dental requirements.

#8 -- Creality CR 10S Pro V2

Another Creality takes in the Top Chinese 3D printer list and it's the mid-ranger, the 10S Pro V2. Costing around $500, it has the perfect budget and perfect value.

It's got a 0.4mm Nozzle type with a build volume of 300mm X 300mm X 400mm. It can print up to 180mm/second and a layer thickness of 100 µm.

Weighs around 13.7 kgs, which is light for what this 3d printer offers. It can be connected through a SD card. There are a few automation options with the 10S Pro V2 and that is a BL-Touch probe and dual-gear extrusion among others.

It's known for the size of the printing in terms of volume and is strong and can be upgraded with minimal parts. The automatic bed levelling, although is a positive is not that consistent all the time and has an open frame, which a lot of people don't prefer.

Best Aliexpress 3D Printers

Most 3D printers on Aliexpress have a metal frame, which means they are sturdy and rugged. They also use the latest printing technology. Each 3D printer uses a different software and that's something you need to check before you make a purchase.

Brand Name	Specialized 3D Printers
CREALITY	Ender 3 Pro, Ender 5 Pro, CR-10 V2, CR-10 MAX, CR 10S PRO V2
Anycubic	Photon Zero, Mega Zero, Mega-X+1 G PLA, Photon S, Chiron, Wash & Cure
FLSUN	F5, C5, A5, QQ-S

CREALITY 3D Printers

One of the most popular 3D Printers online is the CREALITY range of 3D printers. There are so many 3D printers from CREALITY and there are a lot of contenders for the Best CREALITY 3D Printer. Some of the 3D Printers in the CREALITY range are

CREALITY Ender 3 Pro
CREALITY Ender 5 Pro
CR-10 V2
CR-10 MAX
CR 10S PRO V2

The CREALITY store on Aliexpress also sells 3D printing parts which will come in handy! Overall this is one of the best Chinese 3D printing brands. They have 3D printers under $500 and more.

Click here to check out the store

Anycubic 3D Printers

Anycubic is another super popular 3D printer manufacturer. They have been around for quite some time and make specialised 3D printers depending on certain requirements. They make affordable 3D printers which work great. Here are some of their best 3D printers.

Anycubic Photon Zero
Anycubic Mega Zero
Anycubic Mega-X+1 G PLA
Anycubic Photon S
Anycubic Chiron
Anycubic Wash & Cure

You can check out Anycubic Predator on Aliexpress amongst the other options.

Click here to check out the store

FLSUN 3D Printers

If you are looking for 3D printers that can print complex objects, then you can look at FLSUN. They are one of the top 3D printing manufacturers in China. They have 3D printers under $300. Here is their best collection

FLSUN F5
FLSUN C5
FLSUN A5
FLSUN QQ-S

Click here to check out the store

Cheap 3D Printer parts

There are a lot of 3D printer parts and sometimes they stop functioning and need to be replaced. Here are the 3D printer parts and I’ve added the link below, where you can find these parts for cheap.

3D printer resin
3D printer boards
3D printer
3D printer filament
3D printer frame
3D printer extruder
3D printer
3D printer nozzle

Then check out the best 3D printer parts site online.

Check out 3D printer parts here

What is the best Chinese 3d printer for home use?

Here are the basic rules for a simple 3D printer for home use.

It shouldn’t be too large
It shouldn’t be too expensive
It shouldn’t be too difficult to setup
It shouldn’t be hard to use

If you are looking at making simple objects and toys, then here are a few suggestions.

EasyThreed Cheap Mini Printer - $91

ZoneStar Mini 3D Printer - $123

Does China make 3D Printers?

China is the largest manufacturer and exporter of 3D Printers in Asia and only falls behind Germany and the USA in the world.

3D printing is one of the in-focus technologies that is being developed for the Made in China 2025 (MIC 2025) initiative, which was launched to make the country a global powerhouse in high-tech industries.

Food, construction, medical science and education industries are the major consumers of the 3D printing technology in the country, thereby creating an increasing demand for it.

With such a focus on knowledge sharing, even smaller companies can manufacture and sell these printers domestically and internationally.

There have already been few schemes by the Chinese government that invested in the technology, enabling companies to start supplying products.

Furthermore, developmental info and technical know-how are being increasingly shared on open-source platforms that are accessed by manufacturers and researchers around the world.

Are Chinese 3D Printers any good?

While other countries drive the development of high-end products, Chinese manufacturers look to make and sell printers (or any other product!) at low prices.

While the products may be cheap, they are in no way a statement of low quality. The industrial design of the country enables brands to source good-quality raw materials for cheap.

Advancements in infrastructure, research and logistics along with government schemes, help the sellers keep prices low. Most of the printers in this list cost below $300!

The market demands products at all levels of quality, from affordable to high-end, and the Chinese brands cater to them all.

This means that regardless of your requirement or budget, you will be able to find a suitable printer from China. To steer clear of the few rotten apples who may be selling fake products, you could do a bit of research to check if the brand is credible.

There are of course alternatives. And today we cover the Best Chinese 3D printers.

How to use a Chinese 3D printer?

3D printing technology has been growing in popularity over the past few years, and for good reason. This innovative technique allows you to create objects from digital files that are then physically created in real life.

The process of 3D printing is not as complicated as it might seem, and most home printers can handle the task relatively easily.

First, you will need a digital file of your desired object. Next, you will need to send this file to your printer via computer or phone connection. Your printer software should then allow you to print the file using various materials and settings.

You can also customize your prints by adding special effects like color or texture after they have been printed out.

What to look for while choosing a Chinese 3D Printer?

Here are a few things you should consider before purchasing a 3D Printer:

Application Areas: Printers are built differently depending on their usage. You may need printers for industrial use (to print prototypes for R&D) or commercial use (to print art or model pieces) or domestic use (to print small projects with light usage)

Printing Materials: Several materials are used to print 3D objects, and they vary in terms of cost, flexibility, finish, water resistance, etc. For example, ABS is a commonly-used low-cost material, while Nylon is a semi-flexible choice for printing durable parts. Apart from 100% plastic materials like ABS, PET, PLA, HIPS, Polycarbonate and Polypropylene, a few mixtures also contain metal, wood or carbon fibre filaments. You will have to identify the materials you intend to use in order to pick a model which can print them.

Printing Technology: If you want to print fine products such as scale models or jewellery, SLA (Stereolithography) technology is ideal, while FDM (Fused Deposition Modelling) fuses layers one atop the other and SLS (Selective Laser Sintering) is used in manufacturing durable end-use parts.

Printer Mechanics: A 3D printer has elements that are required to move continuously while printing and these components play a role in the speed and durability of the machine. Take a note of the positioning of the case, the rails, the print bed and the feeder to ensure that it is ideal for the intended usage.

Print Speed: These machines may have different speed settings such as 50mm/s and 100mm/s and one thing to remember is, the quality of the print reduces if the speed is higher. This means that a printer that does not offer speeds of 80mm/s or below may not provide high-quality finishes.

Print Bed: The size of the print bed will determine the largest size that you can print a product in.

What are the different types of 3D printers available in China?

China is a prominent hub for 3D printer manufacturing, with various types of 3D printers available to cater to different needs and applications.

Here are some of the different types of 3D printers commonly found in China, along with their features and use cases:

Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) 3D Printers: FDM printers are among the most popular and widely used types of 3D printers. They work by heating and extruding a filament of thermoplastic material, which is then deposited layer by layer to create the desired object.

FDM printers are known for their affordability, ease of use, and versatility. They can produce functional prototypes, concept models, and simple end-use parts. FDM printers are widely used in industries such as automotive, aerospace, consumer goods, and education.

Stereolithography (SLA) 3D Printers: SLA printers use a liquid resin that is selectively cured by a UV light source to create solid objects layer by layer. SLA technology offers high-resolution prints with excellent surface finish and intricate details.

SLA printers are commonly used in industries like jewelry, dentistry, medical, and product design, where precision and accuracy are crucial.

Digital Light Processing (DLP) 3D Printers: Similar to SLA, DLP printers use a light source to cure liquid resin. However, instead of a laser, they employ a digital light projector to flash an entire layer of the object at once.

DLP printers offer fast printing speeds and can produce highly detailed models. They find applications in jewelry making, dental prosthetics, and other areas where high-resolution prints are required.

Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) 3D Printers: SLS printers use a high-power laser to selectively fuse powdered materials, typically nylon, into solid objects. The laser selectively sinters the powder layer by layer, allowing for complex geometries and functional parts with good mechanical properties.

SLS printers are commonly used in industries such as automotive, aerospace, and manufacturing for producing end-use parts, rapid tooling, and functional prototypes.

Selective Laser Melting (SLM) and Electron Beam Melting (EBM) 3D Printers: SLM and EBM printers are both types of metal 3D printers. SLM utilizes a high-power laser to melt and fuse metallic powders, while EBM uses an electron beam for the same purpose.

These technologies are primarily used in industries like aerospace, medical, and automotive, where high-strength and complex metal parts are required. They enable the production of functional prototypes, customized implants, and lightweight structures with intricate internal geometries..

Binder Jetting 3D Printers: Binder jetting printers use a printhead to selectively deposit a liquid binding agent onto a powdered material, layer by layer. The binder solidifies the powder, creating the desired object.

This process can be repeated with different materials or colors to achieve multi-material or full-color prints. Binder jetting printers are suitable for producing large-scale models, architectural prototypes, and complex sand molds for casting in industries like architecture, manufacturing, and art.

These are just a few examples of the various types of 3D printers available in China. Each type has its unique advantages and applications, and choosing the right printer depends on the specific requirements of the project or industry.

It's important to consider factors such as print quality, resolution, material compatibility, build volume, and cost when selecting a 3D printer.

Also Read :

Guide on Buying Chinese 3D Printers That Can Print Anything

Budget Chinese 3D Printers