Best Large 3D Printer in 2024: Top Large FDM Printer Picks

The Artillery Sidewinder X1 V4 isn’t just one of the best hobbyists-level large 3D printers available, but one of the best 3D printers around. Along with its immense 300 mm x 300 mm x 400 mm build volume, Artillery has also incorporated a direct drive E3D Titan Aero Volcano-style hot-end nozzle into this powerhouse of a 3D printer.

The Sidewinder X1 V4 is in its element when tackling larger projects with bulky infills and thick layers and does so at great speeds (up to 150mm/s), especially considering the Sidewinder X1 V4 is an FDM 3D printer.  With a heated bed and 100-micron layer resolution, the Artillery Sidewinder X1 V4 can handle a good range of materials like PLA, ABS, TPU, and Flexibles. We found that the Sidewinder X1 V4 is best paired with PLA: with top-tier print quality that is consistently excellent for the operating price.

All that said, the Artillery Sidewinder X1 V4 isn’t impervious to the odd issue and imperfection (no printer is): the spool holder detracts from what is an otherwise stellar offering from Artillery. Different spool sizes require a tedious set of adjustments to fit in the holder, wasted time that adds up if you’re partial to jumping between brands and sizes. No automatic leveling is also disappointing, and can make large-scale printing somewhat tedious. These are the only gripes we had with the Sidewinder X1 V4, however, and it remains our best large-volume 3D printer!

Boasting a monstrous 400 mm x 400mm x 450 mm build volume, the Anycubic Chiron rubs shoulders with the Artillery Sidewinder X1 as one of the best large 3D printers. Unless you’ve lofty plans to print out furniture, this printer has enough printing space to create virtually anything a hobbyist maker can conjure up.

The build volume is the headline here, but Anycubic hasn’t skimped on the other features, and this is as you’d expect given the asking price. Leading the charge is Anycubic’s proprietary and much-lauded Ultrabase Pro print bed: which ensures strong adhesion to materials as they print, reduces instances of warping, and allows for easy removal of finished prints. Other specifications include 50-300-micron layer resolution, 20-100mm/s print speeds, and a rapidly-heating bed.

Automatic bed leveling should be a boon for beginners fearful that mismanaged manual calibration may sour their printing experience. While the Anycubic Chiron packages in a 25 point automatic bed leveling system that makes tweaks in real-time to ensure reliable printing performance, the system requires an involved setup process that creeps uncomfortably close to what you’d expect from a printer with manual bed leveling. The process is far from insurmountable, but first-timers should be wary that it’s more hands-on than Anycubic suggests in the marketing material.

The Anycubic Mega X is another top choice from Anycubic, and sits as a great middle ground in large-format 3D printing. A 300mm x 300mm x 305mm build volume provides ample space to work with, and this translates well to printing performance as Anycubic Mega X shows itself capable with most of the best filament types. A layer resolution range from 50 to 300 microns and 20-100mm/s print speed lend themselves well to all types of projects, from rapid prototyping to smaller intricate designs.

We were also impressed by the ease of assembly. Anycubic has done well to adopt an almost modular approach, and the assembly comes down to attaching a few wires and inserting a dozen screws. Once assembled, the Anycubic Mega X’s all-metal chassis sees it firmly planted on any surface with next to no movement or vibrations to disrupt the printing process, even with the print head whizzing about mid-print.

Our issues with the Anycubic Mega X don’t center on performance but the absence of quality of life features. It has no automatic bed leveling (although the large format manual leveling knob is a welcome touch) nor Wi-Fi connectivity and tends to pump out quite a din when printing. As negatives go, we’d much rather contend with these than shoddy print quality, clogging, or failures, so take these are nitpicking rather than deal breakers.

The Tronxy X5SA stands out from the crowd for proposing not just a huge 330 mm x 330 mm x 400 mm build volume, but a heated bed and semi-automatic bed leveling, all for under $300. Packing a great selection of top-of-the-range features such as filament run-out detection and power outage protection, the X5SA does a lot with a little and gives you plenty of space for your designs.

The X5SA’s DIY-style kit assembly favors more seasoned printers or novices ready to get their hands dirty and familiarize themselves with the inner workings of a 3D printer. This isn’t a plug-and-print printer by any stretch of the imagination, but is great for enthusiasts on the hunt for a bargain. Feature-wise, the printer has a dual Z-axis rod design within its aluminum chassis, making for decent printing speeds and acceleration. With plenty of filament options from PLA to PVC, you’ll have tremendous designs in any material you need.

Print performance is a mixed bag, which isn’t too surprising at this price point. The automated leveling still requires some human input, and there is a learning curve with this 3D printer: it takes some fine-tuning and practice to get the best results. Though the X5SA involves more work than pre-assembled, factory-calibrated 3D printers, this affordable and versatile large 3D printer mingles with the best of them at a highly competitive price.