Can You Get a Good 3D Printer for Kids Under $100? What You Get and What to Buy Instead
Yes, you can find a 3D printer for kids under $100, but it’s usually either a tiny printer with a 100 mm build area and no heated bed, or a used hobby machine that works best with an adult who likes fixing things.
What that money rarely gets you is an enclosure around the hot nozzle, an app a child can run on their own, and a library of models to print on day one. Most of the jump to the $200 to $300 range goes into those three things.
Below, we cover what’s actually for sale under $100 (and under $50), what to check on a used printer, and which printers a little higher up are worth saving for.
Quick Answer: Is a 3D Printer for Kids Under $100 Good Enough?
For a 13 year old who enjoys taking things apart, it often is. For a 6 year old who wants to print a dinosaur before lunch on Saturday, it usually isn’t, because the parent ends up doing most of the work.
The cheapest printers can turn out decent small prints. When Hackaday looked at the Easythreed X1, a printer sold for under $100, it found reasonable prints with the occasional disaster, a buggy slicer, and a bed that never warms up. Its verdict was that spending more is worth it.
What Can You Actually Buy Under $100?
If you’re hunting for the best 3D printer under $100, there are three ways in, and they feel very different once they’re on the kitchen table.
Mini Printers Sold as Toys
You’ll see these small, light printers in toy aisles and online listings. Most print in a space about 100 mm on each side and run slowly. A mini 3D printer for kids like this can make keychains and small figures, which is plenty for a first try.
Used Hobby Printers
Facebook Marketplace and eBay are full of older Creality Ender 3 machines and similar printers, often listed for less than $100. They print much bigger parts than a mini printer, and many have heated beds.
The catch is upkeep. On Reddit, owners point out that an older Ender 3 needs more tinkering to keep running than newer machines, and the bed usually has to be leveled by hand with four knobs and a sheet of paper.
Refurbished and Returned Printers
Now and then a brand sells refurbished or returned printers close to $100. These sit between new and used, and the seller matters a lot. Advice on buying refurbished electronics from InvestigateTV is to buy from the maker’s own refurbished store and check the warranty and return window before paying.
What About a 3D Printer for Kids Under $50?
We get asked this a lot, and the honest answer is that a new, working printer at this price is very rare. A used one sometimes turns up locally for $40 or $50, usually because its owner moved on to something newer.
For a child who’s never tried any of this, a 3D pen is the realistic new option under $50. It draws in plastic by hand, so it’s more of a craft tool than a printer, but it shows whether the interest is going to last.
What Do 3D Printers Under $100 Usually Lack?
None of this means a cheap printer is bad. It means that the parts which make printing easy for kids cost money, and they’re usually the first things cut.
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WHY THE PRICE JUMPS AFTER $100 Most of the extra money goes into the enclosure, the app, and the model library. You can see how that adds up across the AOSEED kids 3D printer lineup. |
An Enclosure Around the Hot Parts
Most printers under $100 have an open frame, so the nozzle (which runs at around 200°C) and the moving belts are right there for curious fingers. An enclosure won’t replace an adult in the room, but it does put a door between a child and the hot parts.
It may help with air, too. Research on printer emissions from UL’s Chemical Insights found that a ventilated enclosure cut particle levels by 99.7 percent, and the same team lists children among the groups most sensitive to those particles.
An App a Child Can Use Alone
Cheap printers usually expect you to prepare files on a computer in slicer software, then carry them over on a memory card. That’s fine for a teen. A 7 year old will need you sitting next to them every time.
Printers built for kids tend to swap that for a phone or tablet app, where a child picks a model and taps print. Our guide on how to choose a 3D printer for your child goes into what to look for in that app.
A Library of Models on Day One
Any printer can use free files from Printables or Thingiverse. The difference with a kids’ printer is that the models are already sorted and sized for the printer, so a child isn’t scrolling through thousands of projects made for adults to find a cat.
Leveling, Support, and Spare Parts
A failed first layer is one of the quickest ways to put a beginner off. Printers that level themselves avoid most of that, and so does a brand that sells spare nozzles and plates and answers emails, which matters more than it sounds in month three.
Buying a Used 3D Printer Under $100: What to Check
If the budget really is fixed at $100, a used printer gives you the most machine. A few checks before handing over cash will save you a lot of grief.
Watch It Print
Ask the seller to start a small print while you’re there, or to send a video of a print from the last day or two. A printer that powers on and moves around has not proved anything yet.
Look at the Nozzle, Belts, and Wiring
A crusty nozzle, slack belts, and a scratched or warped bed all need fixing. Walk away from any machine with wires held together by tape or home modifications to the power supply, since that’s the part you can’t easily check at a glance.
Add Up the Repairs First
A new nozzle, a new build surface, and a spool of filament can quickly close the gap between a used printer and a new one. Do that math before you make an offer, not after.
What You Get for $200 to $300 Instead
This is where a lot of families end up. For a closer look at the full list, see our pick of the best 3D printer under $300, since this article stops at the question of whether $100 is enough.
For Older Kids Who Like Tinkering
The Creality Ender 3 V3 SE and the Bambu Lab A1 Mini both sit around this band and level their own beds. The Ender prints in a large 220 by 220 by 250 mm space, and the A1 Mini in 180 mm on each side.
Both have open frames and use standard slicer software, so we’d think of them as a budget 3D printer for beginners who are around 12 and up, with a parent close by.
For Younger Kids Who Mostly Want to Make Things
Printers built for children cost about the same but spend the money differently. The Toybox prints in a 70 by 80 by 90 mm area and has its own website of models. The Kidoodle MiniBox A1 adds a safety door and a 100 by 100 by 90 mm space.
Where the AOSEED X-MAKER JOY Fits
We designed the AOSEED X-MAKER JOY, our enclosed printer for ages 4 to 12, for families who want a printer built around kids. It currently sits in the $200 to $300 range. It prints in a 120 mm cube and runs from an app with thousands of models.
With the app’s AI tools, your child can turn a drawing or a photo into a printable design. You still load the filament, and there’s no heated bed, so it prints PLA only. As a beginner 3D printer for kids under 10, that trade is usually fine.
The Hidden Costs of a Cheap 3D Printer for Kids
The sticker price is only one part of it. Our breakdown of what a 3D printer really costs to own goes into the numbers, and the three costs below catch most families by surprise.
Filament
Kids tend to go through filament quickly, mostly on things they print twice in different colors. A spare spool or a small set, like our AOSEED filament set with four colors, is worth buying with the printer rather than a week later.
Spare Parts
Nozzles clog and build plates wear out. On a cheap printer, those parts can be hard to find, and a nozzle that has to ship from overseas means the printer sits unused for a couple of weeks.
Failed Prints and Your Time
Every failed print wastes plastic and an afternoon. A printer that needs adjusting every few days costs less to buy but more to live with, especially when the person adjusting it is you.
Is It Worth Saving Up for a Better Kids 3D Printer?
It depends on who’s going to use it and who’s going to fix it. If you’re torn between two of our own models, you can compare kids 3D printers side by side.
When Under $100 Makes Sense
A cheap or used printer makes sense for an older kid who enjoys the tinkering as much as the printing, or for a family that just wants to test the idea before spending more. In both cases, someone has to be happy to spend Saturday leveling a bed.
When It’s Worth Spending More
For a younger child who wants to pick a toy, print it, and play with it, saving up usually pays off. Our article on whether a kids 3D printer is worth it walks through the questions we’d ask first.
How Kids Can Try 3D Printing Without Buying a Printer
Check Your Local Library
Before spending anything, it’s worth checking your local library. In the Public Library Association’s 2020 survey of public library technology, 20 percent of libraries said they offered 3D printers.
Borrow One From a Library
A few university libraries even lend printers out. Arizona State’s library, for example, has Creality Ender 3 printers in its tech lending program, complete with a wagon to wheel one home.
Pay per Print for One Project
A 2020 study of 3D printing in public libraries found that using a library printer is relatively cheap for patrons. Online print services are another option for a single project, although they get expensive if your child wants to print every week.
Final Verdict: Buy Cheap, Buy Used, or Save Up?
A working 3D printer under $100 is real, and for a teen who likes to tinker, it can be a great start.
For a younger child, the most affordable 3D printer for kids is the one they keep using. The enclosure, the app, and the model library are usually what keep them printing after the first week.
If you decide to save up, you’ll find our printers, kits, and projects at AOSEED, where families start 3D printing together.
FAQs
Can you really buy a working 3D printer for under $100?
Yes. Mini printers sold as toys and used hobby printers both turn up under $100. Expect a small build area or some repair work, and check that the printer actually prints before you buy it.
What is the cheapest 3D printer that actually works?
A used printer like the Ender 3 is usually the cheapest one that prints well, often for well under $100. New, the cheapest working options are mini printers with a build area of about 100 mm.
Are 3D printers under $100 safe for children?
They can be used safely with an adult present, but most have an exposed hot nozzle and moving parts. Keep younger kids’ hands away while it runs, and print in a room with fresh air.
Is a used Ender 3 a good first 3D printer for kids?
It can be a good first printer for a teen who wants to learn how printers work. For a younger child, it’s usually frustrating, because it needs manual leveling, a computer for slicing, and regular adjustments.
What can kids make with a cheap mini 3D printer?
Keychains, small figures, name tags, game pieces, and simple school models all fit in a build area of about 100 mm. Anything bigger has to be printed in parts and glued together.
How much should parents spend on a child’s first 3D printer?
Most families end up in the $200 to $300 range for a younger child. Kids 9 and up who want a heated bed and a bigger print area can grow into something like our AOSEED X-MAKER for older kids, which costs more.
Are there good 3D printers for kids under $200?
A few general printers drop under $200 from time to time, and some have automatic leveling. Printers designed for children with an enclosure and an app usually cost a bit more, so compare features rather than price alone.
Is an enclosed 3D printer better for young children?
Yes. An enclosure keeps small hands away from the hot nozzle and moving parts, which matters most with young kids. An adult should still be nearby while it prints.
Further reading
3D Printed Puzzles for Kids by Age: 9 Projects From Shape Boards to Puzzle Boxes
15 Easy STEM Activities for Kids Using Things You Already Have
Is a 3D Printer a Good Gift for a Kid? A 10 Point Christmas Checklist for Age, Cost, and Space
