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RustyRaptor

3D Printing PLA Filament Review, the good, bad and stringy

Updated: Jan 2, 2021



We recently did an article on 3D printing resins and that sparked a note from all the FDM printing fans out there. Well this article is for you, we ran the same general testing on a variety of 3D Filaments and here are our suggestions to get the best bang for your buck. Our results will probably surprise you, it did us.


Before we start, we are testing on a Prusa MK2s machine, running stock nozzle, and filament size at 1.75mm


Our TOP 5 list:


1. Prusament Filament- https://amzn.to/2X0b18q


We have updated our list for 2021 and some things have changed in the 3d printing world. This year our top of the list Filament has changed and we are excited to support Prusament. In the recent years Prusa has updated their filament offerings and created a high quality product. Using the correct temps and settings Prusament is a hard to beat filament option. We found this filament to be very constant in its results making it easy to keep your toys or products at a high quality. It may be a little more expensive than most of the brands on our list, but if your looking for a quality product this is your stop.


2. Matterhackers Pro Series Black- matthackers.com



What can you say about Matterhackers Pro Series filament that hasn’t already been said. This filament is fantastic, it’s easy to use, creates AMAZING prints, and is all around a nice filament. We ran it with printing temps of 210-215 and had identical models, with no stringing. Your probablu asking yourself, so why is it #2 on the list instead of #1? This is a great filament, but with great filament comes a great price. This is the most costly filament on our list, which is the reason we bumped it down to #2. We love it though and if it fits your budget needs, DO NOT HESITATE BUY IT NOW.


3. Hatchbox PLA- https://amzn.to/2xmuwyU


I’m sure you have heard of Hatchbox, and seen the reviews online. This is one of the most purchased 3D filaments on Amazon, and in most situations for a good reason. The price is great, quality tends to be consistent, and the filament prints pretty on par with comparable brands. We ran testing on hatchbox at 215 degrees and came out with great prints. The quality may not have been up to Matterhackers pro, but for the price difference you can’t complain. You can’t really go wrong with this brand, though out of the 3 rolls we had one roll did have cross overs causing the print to stop as it would not unroll from the spool. Sadly we have heard many cases of this happening, but if buying from Amazon it’s usually an easy return fix problem.


4. AIO Robotics- https://amzn.to/3f0HuDm



This filament really surprised us on our testing. We purchased two .05kg rolls for testing, and to be honest we had never heard of the brand before. When first opening the box the filament has a very bright and vivid coloring (green and yellow), which we were very happy with. The bend test on the filament showed that it was slightly brittle, but didn’t cause instant worry. We ran the normal print test and it seemed to run best for us at 215 degrees, bed at 55 degrees. The print came our very clean, which minimal stringing. The vivid colors continued over to the print leaving the final print very bright. We were overall happy with the rolls, but wish we would have found them in larger than .05kg sizing, as for longer prints this may be an issue. This is most certainly a brand you want to check out and give a shot on your next project.


5. Amazon Basic PLA- https://amzn.to/3d1m9aW



We tested Amazon Basic PLA mainly due to it’s rather affordable price. This filament coming in at under $20 for a roll has all the makings of a great deal, but does it stand up to the strains of 3D Printing? The Amazon Basic PLA lives up to its name, basic. The filament seemed to handle most models well, but didn’t stand out among the crowdz. The filament did seem to need a higher temp when printing to get clean lines, which isn’t really an issue, just something to be aware of when printing. We ran the filament at 220 and got clean placement and lay down. The filament is a great choice for a budget project and free shipping through Amazon is a huge plus. Great job Amazon.


Did your favorite filament make the list? Tell us your thoughts and suggestions in the comments below.



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