Some may be content printing within the confines of their small, desktop FDM 3D printer — but for big home projects, or large prototyping, size matters. For these bigger jobs, you’ll need a large 3D printer capable of printing the Goliath structures they need for their commercial business or hobbyist project.
So, whether you want to print large-scale figures, model cars or cosplay helmets as home projects, or large commercial prototypes, we’ve split this article into two sections covering both:
- The best under $1,000 (the largest 3D printers for home use)
- The best large-scale 3D printers for commercial use
Here are our top picks overall:
Ender 5 Plus
Lowest cost reliable large 3D printer
Very versatile and upgradeable
Excellent 350x350x400mm build volume
Anycubic Kobra Max
Even larger 450 x 400 x 400 mm print area
Upgraded accuracy and print speed
The largest 3D printer under $1000
Ultimaker S5
Fantastic 20-micron precision
Optional Pro Bundle adds on filament holder and air filter
Excellent for large part prototyping
Some inspired makers have even built enormous 850mm tall printers at home as DIY projects.
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This article includes the best large bed 3D printers, as well as buying guide with what factors to consider when buying a larger printer, tips and tricks for printing based on the elements that change as you scale up print bed size, and some FAQs on large-scale printing.
Brand and Name | Max Print Size (mm) | Price | Where To Buy for Best Price? | Alternative Purchase Option |
---|---|---|---|---|
FLSUN QQ-S PRO | 255 x 255 x 360 | $369 | Amazon here | |
Qidi Tech X-Plus | 270 x 200 x 200 | $699 | Amazon here | |
Tronxy X5SA PRO | 330 x 330 x 400 | $399 | Amazon here | |
Creality CR-10 MAX | 450 x 450 x 470 | $1,099 | Amazon here | 3DJake UK & Europe |
Peopoly Phenom | 276 x 155 x 400 | $1,999 | Matterhackers here | |
Raise3D Pro2 / Pro2 Plus | 305 x 305 x 300 (605) | $3,999 / $5,999 | Pro2 on Amazon here | Dynamism Store here |
BCN3D Sigma D25 | 420 x 300 x 200 | $3,995 | Dynamism Store here | Matterhackers here |
Modix Big-60 V3 Kit | 600 x 600 x 660 | $4,700 | Matterhackers here | Dynamism Store here |
Ultimaker S5 | 330 x 240 x 300 | $5,995 | Dynamism Store here | |
BigRep Studio G2 | 1000 x 500 x 500 | Quote | BigRep |
Large 3D Printer Reviews: The Criteria
In assessing which of the following huge 3D printers deserved to be on our ranking, we used the following criteria:
- Size relative to price: a large print volume on a low-cost printer is relatively more impressive.
- Quality of print: it’s irrelevant if you can print larger objects if they come out looking terrible. Only high-quality XXL 3D printers made the cut.
- Enclosed or open build chamber: a large print area is more impressive on an enclosed 3D printer.
- Reliability, versatility and ease of use: what materials does it support, how simple is the printer’s interface to navigate, and how prone is the printer to errors.
Best Large 3D Printer – 2022 Reviews
Ender 5 Plus – the best budget large 3D printer
- Price: Check latest price at Creality here / Amazon here
- Build Volume: 350 x 350 x 400 mm
- Minimum Layer Height: 100 Microns
- Max Nozzle Temperature: 260°C
- Filament Compatibility: PLA, ABS, TPU, PETG
Pros
Lowest cost reliable large 3D printer
Very versatile and upgradable
Excellent 350x350x400mm build volume
Cons
Open air printer requires an enclosure for ABS to prevent warping in a more stable printing environment
A perennial favorite among makers that balances great value and large print capacity, the Ender 5 Plus delivers on its large-format promise with a roomy 350 x 350 x 400 mm build volume.
The capacity offered by the Ender 5 Plus opens the door to projects that simply aren’t on the cards with most standard-size printers: helmets, masks, cosplay props and accessories, tall vases, tabletop gaming terrain, and so on.
Size aside, the Ender 5 comes with other notable features. A pre-installed BLTouch automatic bed leveling probe makes easy work of calibrating the bed, while dual z-axis rods ensure smooth lead screw movement even when using the entire print bed for a huge print.
Speaking of axes, the Ender 5 uses a rather novel system whereby the Z-axis is responsible for lowering the bed. It’s bolstered by a beefy stepper motor that moves both belts on the Y-axis in unison for clean, precise movements that help reduce layer shifting.
Extras like print resume, a filament run-out sensor, and a removable tempered glass build platform, which delivers solid first-layer adhesion and ensures prints snap off cleanly with little effort, score points for ease of use.
If you’re partial to improving your printers through upgrades and modifications, the Ender 5 mimics its Ender 3 sibling with a wide array of upgrades available.
From 3D printed mods like cable strain relief brackets to extruder knobs all the way to purchased upgrades like an all-metal extruder, quiet mainboard, and why not a pivot to a direct drive system, there’s no shortage of ways to make the Ender 5 even better.
Anycubic Kobra Max – largest 3D printer under $1000
- Price: Check latest price at Anycubic here / Amazon here
- Build Volume: 450 x 400 x 400 mm
- Minimum Layer Height: 50 microns
- Max Nozzle Temperature: 260°C
- Filament Compatibility: PLA, ABS, PETG, TPU
Pros
Even larger 450x400x400mm area
Upgraded accuracy and print speed
Best large 3D printer under $1000
Cons
Open air printer requires an enclosure for ABS to prevent warping
The largest of Anycubic’s most recent batch of affordable large FDM printers, the Anycubic Kobra Max gives you a massive 450 x 400 x 400 mm – the largest build volume 3D printer under $600. That ultra-large build volume alone justifies a slot on our list, but there’s plenty more to like about the Kobra Max.
Despite the large capacity, the Kobra Max is made stable by the dual z-axis threaded lead screws, each with a dedicated stepper motor and two support rods to reduce wobble and keep things running smoothly.
With a 50-micron minimum layer height, the Kobra Max delivers solid precision and can theoretically crank sprint speeds up to a dizzying 180 mm/s.
It also has a tempered carborundum glass print bed, coated with Anycubic’s proprietary Ultrabase microporous coating.
Elsewhere, Anycubic has bundled in its in-house-developed LeviQ fully automatic bed leveling. We tested it ourselves on the Kobra and continue to be impressed with the accuracy and hands-off, set-and-forget ease of use it delivers. Anycubic is on to something special here, and it’s a delight to see LeviQ ported over the larger Kobra Max.
Other notable features include filament runout detection, the same responsive 4.3″ touchscreen display found on the smaller Kobra, adjustable belt tensioners, an E3D Volcano-inspired hot end, and reasonably quiet operational noise levels at 58 dB.
Overall, it’s definitely the largest 3D printer for home use, and a reliable FDM pick.
Peopoly Phenom — Large Resin 3D printer
- Price: $1,999 — Available on Matterhackers here
- Maximum build volume: 276 x 155 x 400 mm
Pros
Largest set of resin 3D printers for the price
Super fast bulk printing due to resin printers curing entire layers at once
Cons
XY resolution falls slightly if you purchase a larger Phenom model
The Peopoly Phenom is the only resin 3D printer that features on our ranking. Resin printers are not known for having large print areas, making the Peopoly Phenom’s large size all the more impressive.
Peopoly first made a name for themselves following their successful Kickstarter campaign to bring the Peopoly Moai to market. Now they have the Phenom range, using MSLA technology (combining LCD screens with LED lights) to build parts.
The idea for an LCD 3D printer with a huge build area is a very good one. LCD 3D printing involves solidifying a whole layer of resin at once, unlike FDM where the 3D printer’s extruder needs to trace each layer. Combining this ability to print multiple objects simultaneously with a large format 3D printing area opens up possibilities for truly scalable 3D printing. It’s very exciting.
The printer itself is very impressive. 72-um accuracy is precise and will offer better surface finishes than almost all FDM 3D printers. Peopoly recommends you use their Deft resin, but this large 3D printer kit is compatible with those made by other manufacturers.
If you already own a smaller, low-cost resin printer like an Elegoo Mars or AnyCubic Photon, upgrading to the Phenom is easy as it also runs on the CHITUBOX.
Read more: the best large build volume resin 3D printers
Modix Big-60 V3 Kit — huge 3D printer for heavy-duty use
- Price: $4,700 — Available at Matterhackers here / Available at Dynamism here
- Build volume: 600 x 600 x 660 mm
Pros
Excellent for large part prototyping
Premium parts – E3D hot ends and Duet3D controllers
Cons
Kit so needs to be assembled — rather than being plug’n’play
The Big-60 makes the previously mentioned printers look tiny, with its enormous 600 x 600 x 660 mm build volume able to print even the largest prototypes and parts in one large part.
This is a huge advantage as you can print these large models without having to assemble them together – so surface finish isn’t affected by post-processing.
It’s a large 3D printer kit, but experienced operators or 3D printing makers will have no trouble assembling the Model Big-60 V3, especially as it comes with such detailed instructions that take you through every step of the assembly process.
The Big-60 V3 kit features premium parts all around, for example, a high-quality E3D hot end, and Duet3D controllers as standard. Despite being designed for industrial, heavy-duty use, the Big-60 is designed also to be modular enough that you can easily install any upgrades tailored to your 3D printing needs.
These could be custom, third-party upgrades, or any one of a number of available upgrades you can buy with the printer, such as the enclosure kit, a super high-temperature nozzle for industrial material printing like PEEK or ULTEM, or a secondary print head.
Overall, it’s a large area 3D printer but at a much lower medium-range price, and it’s certainly a large 3D printer for big 3D printer projects.
Modix Big 40 – Best 400mm 3D Printer
- Price: $5,250 — Available at Matterhackers here / Dynamism here
- Build Volume: 400 x 400 x 800 mm
- Minimum Layer Height: 40 microns
- Max Nozzle Temperature: 340°C
- Filament Compatibility: PLA, ABS, Carbon Fiber, Wood, Copper, Brass, Magnetic, PHA, PVA, HIPS, Nylon, TPE, TPU, PETG
Pros
Ideal for tall part production with 800mm z-axis height
Seamless workshop/small business workflow: 7” ergonomic touchscreen, accessible WiFi, 100-point auto-levelling system for fast calibration
Cons
Kit so needs to be assembled — rather than being plug’n’play
While the Modix Big 60 V3 pitches towards a large uniform build volume on all axes, the Modix Big 40 is all about giving makers and businesses extra height to produce tall parts and models.
To achieve this, it offers a 400 x 400 x 800 mm build volume. Even a 3D printer with 400 x 400 x 400 mm is considered large, but the Modix Big 40 doubles that again with higher z-axis.
The advantage is clear, with the Modix 40, you can print large pieces, such as leg prosthetics and towering prototypes, in a single print, removing the need to print in parts and assemble them post-print.
Turning to the Modix Big 60’s other specifications, it ships with Wi-Fi connectivity, 100-point mesh automatic bed leveling, a premium powder-coated laser cut chassis, and a 7′ inch touch screen.
Elsewhere it has a precise 40-micron minimum layer height, milled cast aluminum print bed, PEI print surface, and a proprietary Griffin print head consisting of a custom-made Bondtech extruder and an in-house developed hot end reaching up to 340°C with a heated bed to handle carbon fiber and other tough filaments.
Much like the Big 60 V3, the Modix Big 40 is all about options and additional upgrades, available when you order the printer. This suits small businesses with different needs and requirements, with upgrades including:
- An enclosure
- Second print head
- High-temperature nozzles
- An E3D Aero or E3D Volcano hot end
- Magnetic beds, casters, air filters, and more
Raise3D Pro2 & Pro2 Plus — Large Build Area 3D Printer for Small Businesses
- Pro2 Price: Check price on Amazon here / Dynamism Store here
- Pro2 Plus Price: Check price on Amazon here / Dynamism Store here
- Maximum build volume: 305 x 305 x 300 / 605 mm (300 mm for Pro2, 605 mm for Pro2 Plus)
Pros
Choice of standard or extra-large Pro2 Plus version
Excellent built-in analytics for in-depth real-time print analytics
Ideal prototyping 3D printer for industry
Cons
Newer versions are now available (but are more expensive)
Raise3D printers feature in our best 3D printer ranking as well as our best dual extruder 3D printer ranking — and for good reason.
It’s ideal for multi-material printing (for example, ABS with dissolvable HIPS supports) as well as standard large format printing — and we recommend it for any small business looking to print large prints and prototypes in-house.
Raise3D are a highly reputed 3D printing company whose printers are used by 3D printing services and small businesses as these large 3D printers can create big parts on demand. Expanded to a 605mm max part height, you should have no problems printing large structures with the Pro2 Plus.
For a closed build chamber (with better temperature control), even the Pro2’s build volume is huge. But the Pro2 Plus expands it further, doubling the maximum height you can print up to a whopping 605 mm.
Not only is this colossal 3D printer large, but both the Pro2 and Pro2 have strong reputations for being reliable workhorses. And even if you do have a problem, Raise3D has a California-based support team to help solve your problems.
Raise3D cleverly appeals to the customer segments in between consumers and professional printers, offering industrial-grade quality on their large-format 3D printers but at lower than industrial prices. The 7-inch touchscreen and features offered make it feel like a factory-grade machine, when in fact even the Pro2 Plus costs the same as the Ultimaker S5.
BCN3D Sigma D25 — Large Workhorse 3D Printer
- Price: $3,995 — Available on Dynamism Store here / Available on Matterhackers here
- Build volume: 420 x 300 x 200 mm
Pros
IDEX dual extruder for multi-material, multi-color, or duplicate print options
Very reliable and well-known workhorse
Cons
Not as large as some other options on this list
Another very effective fused deposition modeling printer, Spanish industrial 3D printer manufacturer BCN3D have outdone themselves with their latest iteration of the Sigma range, the Sigma D25.
Featuring a dual extruder and immense print volume at 420 x 300 x 200 mm, the Sigma D25 still stands out for reasons other than just being a 3D printer with a large print bed. It’s extraordinarily versatile, happily printing with 3D printer filaments ranging from ABS and PLA to HIPS, ASA, and more.
However, this is no standard dual extruder — instead, BCN3D’s IDEX (independent dual extruder) system allows each of the extruders to move independently, vastly speeding up part production for similar parts, as well as allowing for multi-material printing and soluble filament printing, such as PVA.
Perhaps most impressively, the Sigma’s duplication and mirror modes capitalize on its dual extruder to enhance the scalability of part production. Duplication mode prints identical models simultaneously, while mirror mode prints mirror designs to speed up part production.
The D25 has also been upgraded with a stainless steel frame to anchor down the X and Y axes and improve print quality and features E3D hotends and Bondtech extruders for extremely reliable and high-quality printing. It’s a large enclosed 3D printer- ideal for printing ABS and other high-temp filaments with a stable thermal environment.
The 5-inch touchscreen makes the Sigma D25 a very simple-to-use large-format 3D printer, with fantastic 50-micron minimum layer heights and very precise XY and Z resolutions for intricate part printing.
- For more information on resolutions, we have a guide to resolutions in 3D printing.
Moreover, Sigma D25 is a BCN3D printer that now has WiFi printing capabilities as well as USB and SD card printing, and even updates itself automatically with the latest firmware for the latest developments.
Ultimaker S5 — Extremely precise large format 3D printer
- Price: $5,995 — Available on Dynamism Store here / Available on Matterhackers here
- Maximum build volume: 330 x 240 x 300 mm
Pros
The gold standard in high-quality desktop FDM 3D printing
Excellent, best-in-class precision and accuracy
Fits well into an existing workflow: Ultimaker offer software products for industrial needs and 3D printer factories
Cons
Not as large as some cheaper alternatives
The follow-up to the acclaimed Ultimaker 3, the Ultimaker S5 is the Dutch company’s launch into a higher price range, more industrial printer.
A large build volume 3D printer, the S5 is geared towards a more professional and industrial clientele, expanding the build volume and focusing on the scalability of rapid prototyping.
Though more expensive than its predecessor, clocking in at just under $6K, Ultimaker are not struggling for clients. The printer is said to be used by Volkswagen, showing just how highly rated Ultimaker’s printers are. It’s the best 300mm 3D printer around – though you may require larger build volumes than 330 x 240 x 300 mm offers.
While not enormous, the sheer precision, quality and reliability still earn it a place as one of the best large 3D printer ranges for professional prints. Its broad material compatibility is a plus (Ultimaker sell their own brand of high-temperature materials) for printing large objects in PP, CPE, Nylon, PC, and more.
BigRep Studio G2 — Gigantic 3D Printer!
- Price: requires a quote
- Build volume: 1000 x 500 x 500 mm
This behemoth is a huge 3D printer, one of the many immense beasts that German manufacturer BigRep sells to their industrial clientele. It’s quite possibly the largest FDM printer you’ll come across.
Used for prototyping and in the medical, automotive, and aerospace sectors, the BigRep Studio weighs in at over a quarter of a ton owing to its massive build volume.
BigRep sells a number of custom materials for use in their large 3D printers, including commonly used printer filaments like PLA and PETG, as well as more niche materials such as flexible filaments, HT, and HS. The advanced air filtration system, completely enclosed build area, and tool steel nozzle makes it perfect for 3D printing carbon fiber filaments, ASA, and Polyamides like Nylon.
The Studio G2 works seamlessly with BigRep’s Blade 3D printer software, prints up to 100mm/s, and can print with up to 0.1mm minimum layer heights.
*One of our trusted partners will be in touch following a quote request.
Concept Laser X Line 2000R — Largest 3D printer in the world
- Price: request a quote
- Build volume: 800 x 400 x 500 mm
One of the world’s largest 3D printers and also one of the world’s most expensive, the Concept Laser X Line 2000R uses Direct Metal Laser Sintering to print strong and accurate metal parts, and costs millions. However, this machine is such an engineering feat that we felt compelled to include it, with large print volumes exponentially harder to achieve with metal 3D printing technologies.
Undoubtedly a leader in its sector — and you can also check out our metal 3D printer ranking — the ability to create metal parts up to 800 x 400 x 500 mm in size is an invaluable asset. If you’re not a billion-dollar company then you’re unlikely to buy one, but this machine is a lock-in for our large 3D printer list, able to print metal structures at sizes never achieved prior.
*One of our trusted partners will be in touch following a quote request.
Tips for Large-Format 3D Printing
Keep time in mind
It’s important to remember how long it takes to print these enormous parts. In rapid prototyping, it’s common to leave your printer running overnight and come back to it the next day, but if you’re printing a 50 x 50 cm prototype with a 0.4mm nozzle and small-ish layer heights, it could take several days to print.
A natural solution is to replace the standard 0.4mm nozzle that comes on most large-scale 3D printers with a larger (0.8-1.2mm) nozzle. Then, if printing larger layer heights (200 – 400 microns) you massively increase print speed.
However, this opens another can of worms. Less powerful hotends can struggle to melt such a large amount of filament quick enough to extrude in time, so you may want to upgrade your hotend to print without issue. We have a guide to some great hotends here.
Is it worth buying a large 3D printer, or using a 3D printing service instead?
This is another question you should ask yourself. If you’re only planning on printing a few prototypes for the year, you might find it advantageous to instead outsource your printing needs to an external service.
It’ll be more expensive than if you were to just pay for the materials to print yourself, but if you don’t have much use for the large-scale 3D printer, it’ll sit there collecting dust in your workshop for the rest of the year.
This is a simple value judgment — do you think you’ll use it enough?
The answer could even be to keep/buy a standard smaller 3D printer, use that for day-to-day prototyping, and if you have an enormous printer project, outsource those. We have a ranking of some of the best 3D printing services.
1 big 3D printer, or multiple smaller printers for many small parts
A common line of thought is that buying one large 3D printer gives you the capacity to print many smaller parts simultaneously.
This is true, but not necessarily efficient. Yes, you can print 10-20 small pieces at the same time on a large 3D printer, but it’ll take 20 times as long as you could have printed these parts on 20 desktop 3D printers. So, if you’re planning on printing many small parts, consider instead going with a 3D printer farm.
That said, the best 3D printer for large objects is certainly one with a big print volume – it’s a hassle gluing multiple parts together, and affects the final part’s strength.
Large 3D Printer Applications
- Large, single-part prototypes — for parts where surface finish is important, and where assembling multiple parts post-print would make this difficult. Also when time is not an issue it’s less hassle to just print one large part over time.
- TV and movie props, and cosplays — Redditors have shown extensions they’ve made to their enormous 3D printers to print large cosplay parts, and the TV & film industry have begun using 3D printing for props and other appliances for sets.
- Furniture — increasingly, large volume 3D printers are being used in similar ways to 4×8 CNC routers to create furniture like chairs, stools, and tables. We cover a variety of ways to do this in our feature story on 3D printed furniture.
Large 3D Printer FAQs
What’s the Biggest 3D Printer You Can Buy?
The largest 3D printer you can currently buy is the Massivit 10000. It offers a massive 1420 x 1110 x 1500 mm build volume and is roughly the size of a small room.
What 3D Printer Has the Biggest Bed Size?
The Massivit 10000 has a 1420 x 1110 x 1500 mm build volume, followed closely by the Industry Magnum, which has a 1500 x 1200 x 1200 mm build volume. Other notable mentions include the CreatBot F1000 with a 1000 x 1000 x 1000 mm build volume, and the BigRep Pro, which has a 1000 x 1000 x 1000 build volume.
How Much Does a Huge 3D Printer Cost?
A consumer-grade 3D printer with an ultra large-format build volume can cost as low as $600, such as the Anycubic Kobra Max and Ender 5 Plus. For an industrial-grade printer, prices sort well into the thousands of dollars, with some, such as the Industry Magnum, costing well above $100,000.
What Is the Biggest 3D Printer Out There and What Does It Print?
The biggest 3D printer out there is the Massivit 10000. It can print custom molds, tools, mandrels, jigs, fixtures, and plugs for the marine, rail, automotive, construction, sporting, and aerospace industries.
If you enjoyed this ranking, you may also be interested in:
- Our ranking of the best small 3D printers
- The best dual extruder 3D printers
- The best 3D pens
- How much does a 3D printer cost to buy and maintain?
- The best commercial 3D printers
- The best 3D printers for small businesses
- Best 3D printers for $5000
- 500x500x500mm 3D printers
- Nylon 3D printer buyer’s guide
- Sovol SVO3 vs Anycubic Kobra Plus/Max vs Ender 5 plus