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The best gifts for someone with a 3D printer are the useful upgrades they probably don't own yet: digital calipers, a deburring tool, good flush cutters, a heat-set insert kit and a filament dryer. Filament makes a good gift too, if you know the material and colors they use. Save a new printer for someone who has asked for one.
Why tools beat gadgets. Many printers come with a scraper and hex keys and little else, so the hand tools that make every print easier are usually missing. They're also safe buys: a caliper or a deburring tool works with every printer and every filament, so you can't get the wrong one.
Safe to buy without asking
The links go to Amazon, where you can check the current price.
| Gift | Why it's a good one | A pick on Amazon |
|---|---|---|
| Digital calipers | They'll use them every week, and few printers come with a pair | NEIKO 01407A digital caliper |
| Deburring tool | Cleans the edges of every print in seconds | WORKPRO deburring tool |
| Flush cutters | Snips supports flush; good ones last for years | Hakko CHP-170 |
| Heat-set insert kit | Opens up projects with screws and metal threads | Preciva M3 insert kit |
| Filament dryer | Fixes the stringing that damp filament causes | SUNLU Filament Dryer S2 |
| Rotary tool | Sands, cuts and carves prints and props; the kit has 40 accessories | Dremel 4300 rotary tool kit |
If you only buy one, make it the calipers: the NEIKO 01407A reads to 0.01 mm, and measuring parts and holes is how you get prints that fit together first time. The Preciva heat-set insert kit is the most exciting of the five: it comes with a 60 W digital soldering iron, M3 insert tips, 130 brass inserts, 130 bolts and 100 nuts, so it's everything needed to start building things that screw together. The tools guide explains what each of these does.
Ask first
| Gift | What to find out |
|---|---|
| Filament | Which printer and diameter (almost always 1.75 mm), which material, and which colors they're low on |
| A new printer | Whether they want one, where it would go, and what they already own |
| A resin printer | Whether they have a ventilated space for it; resin needs gloves and fresh air |
Filament is the gift every printer owner uses up, but it has to match: the wrong diameter won't fit, and some materials need an enclosed printer. If you can't ask, a 1 kg spool of black or gray PLA in 1.75 mm is the safest guess, since most printers run it. The filament guide explains the materials.
For someone who makes props
Prop makers often spend as long finishing a print as printing it, so finishing supplies go a long way: sanding sponges, a paint set like the Army Painter Warpaints Fanatic starter set (11 paints, 18 ml each), and a tube of Rub 'n Buff Silver Leaf for worn-metal edges. Add small neodymium magnets (50 in a pack) for removable parts. The finishing guide shows how they fit together.
Big gifts
- A first printer: the Bambu Lab A1, sold as a ready-to-use printer for beginners, with a 256 mm build size, big enough for most hand props.
- A multi-color printer: the Bambu Lab A1 Mini Combo comes with the AMS lite for multi-color printing, on a smaller 180 mm bed.
- A resin printer, for fine detail: the ELEGOO Saturn 4 Ultra 16K with the Mercury Plus V3.0 wash and cure station, for someone with a ventilated space. The resin vs filament guide covers what it's good for.
The printer guide compares bed sizes if you're choosing between them.
For their shelf
Printed models deserve better than a windowsill. An acrylic display case keeps dust off a favorite figure or model, and battery puck lights with a remote light a shelf with no wiring; their listing includes a timer. The display guide has more ideas.
Stocking stuffers
Small, cheap and always used up: gel super glue, a precision knife with spare #11 blades, sanding sponges and magnets.
A free one. Point them at the PropBuilds print libraries: 88% of the files are free, from Rust to Star Wars, so the gift of a project to print costs nothing.
For a gamer who prints, our stocking stuffers for gamers guide includes a Rust facemask print file.
FAQ
What's a good gift for someone with a 3D printer?
A useful tool they don't have yet: digital calipers, a deburring tool, good flush cutters, a heat-set insert kit or a filament dryer. They're used on almost every print and rarely come in the box. Filament is a good gift too, if you know what they print with.
What should I get someone who just got a 3D printer?
The basic hand tools first: flush cutters for supports, a deburring tool for edges, digital calipers and a gel super glue. Then something to finish prints with, like sanding sponges and a paint set, if they want to make props or models.
Is a 3D printer a good gift?
For someone who's asked for one, yes, and ready-to-use printers have made it much easier to start; Bambu Lab sells the A1 as a ready-to-use printer for beginners and kids. For children, plan on adult supervision, because the nozzle and bed get hot. If they already print, ask before buying a second printer.
What are unique gifts for 3D printing enthusiasts?
Things that open up new kinds of projects: a heat-set insert kit for parts that screw together, magnets for parts that pop on and off, a multi-color printer, or a resin printer for tiny detail. Display gear like a case and battery lights shows off what they've made.
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Header photo: Digital Caliper Case Mitutoyo by s.e.b. on Printables, licensed CC-BY; cropped, with an overlay added.