The Best 3D Printers for Kids, Teens & Families

Not anymore! Modern printers like the Bambu Lab A1 Mini and Toybox feature one-click printing and auto-calibration. The hardest part used to be leveling the bed—now it's automatic. That said, there's still a learning curve with design software, but thousands of free pre-made designs are available.

PLA (Polylactic Acid) is the safest and easiest option. It's made from corn starch, prints at lower temperatures, and produces minimal fumes. Avoid ABS for indoor family use—it requires higher temps and produces more significant emissions.

A standard 1kg spool of PLA runs $15-25 and can produce dozens of small prints or several larger ones. Figure about $0.50-2.00 per average print. The Toybox uses proprietary spools at a premium (~$30/500g), but offers better safety integration.

Most modern printers work with a smartphone app for basic operation. For custom designs, a computer running free software like Tinkercad or the included slicer software is helpful but not required for getting started.

Small toys and figures take 30 minutes to 2 hours. Larger projects can take 8-24 hours. The Bambu Lab printers are notably faster than budget options—a print that takes 3 hours on an Ender might take 1 hour on a P1S.

Budget printers can be quite loud (50-60 dB). The Bambu Lab printers are notably quieter (45 dB), and enclosed printers muffle sound further. Most families run longer prints overnight or while at school.