3DPrinterAdvice.comUpdated December 2025

3D Printing Guides

Expert advice, honest comparisons, and practical guides to help you print better.

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Buying Guides

Best picks for specific needs and budgets

Buying Guide

Best 3D Printer UK 2025: Complete Buying Guide

Find the best 3D printer for your needs. FDM and resin printers compared across all budgets with real UK pricing and availability.

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Buying Guide

Best 3D Printer for Beginners UK 2025

New to 3D printing? These beginner-friendly printers deliver great results without the frustration. Complete UK buying guide with pricing.

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Buying Guide

Best 3D Printer Under £500 UK 2025

Quality 3D printing under £500. From budget Creality to reliable Prusa, find the best printer for your money with UK pricing.

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Buying Guide

Best 3D Printer Upgrades: What Actually Makes a Difference

Not all upgrades are equal. These modifications actually improve print quality, reliability, and speed for Creality, Prusa, and Ender printers.

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Buying Guide

Best Resin 3D Printer UK 2025: Complete Guide

Find the best resin printer for miniatures, jewelry, and detailed models. We compare MSLA printers with UK pricing and safety tips.

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How-To Guides

Learn techniques and troubleshooting

How-To

Complete 3D Printing Troubleshooting Guide UK 2025

Fix stringing, warping, poor adhesion, and all common 3D printing problems. Visual troubleshooting guide with UK-specific solutions and parts.

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How-To

Finding and Using Free STL Files: Beginner Guide to 3D Model Libraries

Find quality free STL files for 3D printing. Compare Thingiverse, Printables, MyMiniFactory. Learn to evaluate models and avoid broken files.

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How-To

Designing for 3D Printing: Beginner Guide to Tinkercad and Fusion 360

Learn 3D design for printing. Tinkercad vs Fusion 360 comparison, first project ideas, and printability principles explained.

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How-To

Improving Print Quality: Layer Lines, Surface Finish, and Top Layer Settings

Get smoother 3D prints. Reduce layer lines, improve surface finish, perfect top layers. Layer height, ironing, and post-processing explained.

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How-To

50 Functional 3D Prints for Home, Workshop & Repairs

Practical 3D printing projects that solve real problems. Organization, repairs, workshop tools, and household fixes with free STL sources.

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How-To

3D Printer Calibration: Temperature, Retraction, and Flow Rate Guide

Calibrate your 3D printer properly. Step-by-step temperature towers, retraction tests, flow rate, and e-steps calibration for better prints.

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How-To

Bed Leveling Guide: Perfect First Layer Every Time

Master bed leveling for perfect prints. Step-by-step guide for manual leveling, auto bed leveling setup, and troubleshooting.

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How-To

Complete Slicing Software Guide for Beginners: Cura & PrusaSlicer

Learn slicing software from scratch. Step-by-step Cura and PrusaSlicer guide for 3D printing beginners with settings explained simply.

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How-To

Layer Adhesion and Warping: Complete Troubleshooting Guide

Fix poor layer adhesion and warping in 3D prints. Temperature, cooling, and environmental factors explained with UK-specific solutions.

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How-To

Multi-Color 3D Printing: Manual Filament Swaps and AMS/MMU Systems

Print in multiple colors. Manual filament change technique, Bambu AMS vs Prusa MMU comparison, and realistic expectations explained.

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How-To

Wet Filament: How to Identify, Dry, and Store Filament Properly UK

Fix wet filament problems in UK climate. Identify moisture symptoms, dry filament properly, and storage solutions for British humidity.

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How-To

Understanding Your First Prints: What Calibration Cubes & Benchies Tell You

Learn what calibration cubes, Benchies, and test prints reveal about your 3D printer. Interpret results and diagnose problems.

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How-To

3D Printer Maintenance Guide: Keep Your Printer Running

Prevent failures and extend printer life with proper maintenance. What to check weekly, monthly, and annually for reliable printing.

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How-To

Resin Printing Safety Guide: Essential Precautions

Print resin safely at home. Complete guide to ventilation, PPE, cleanup, and safe disposal for UK resin 3D printer users.

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How-To

3D Printing Running Costs UK: Electricity, Filament, and Maintenance Budget

Calculate 3D printing costs UK. Electricity rates, filament prices, maintenance budget, and realistic cost per print explained.

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How-To

Your First 3D Print: What to Expect and How to Succeed

Your first 3D print will teach you more than any guide. Here is how to set yourself up for success and troubleshoot common issues.

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How-To

Filament Storage Guide: Keep Your Filament Dry

Moisture ruins filament and prints. Learn proper storage techniques, drying methods, and when filament needs replacing for UK climate.

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Comparisons

Head-to-head comparisons of technologies and materials

Comparison

FDM vs Resin 3D Printer: Which Should You Buy?

FDM or resin printer - which is right for you? We compare cost, detail, materials, and use cases to help you decide.

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Comparison

PLA vs PETG vs ABS: Which Filament Should You Use?

Choose the right filament for your prints. We compare PLA, PETG, and ABS for strength, ease of printing, and best use cases.

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Comparison

Creality Ender 3 Comparison: V2 vs V3 SE vs V3 KE

Compare the Ender 3 lineup. From budget V3 SE to high-speed V3 KE, find which Ender 3 variant suits your needs and budget.

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Comparison

Build Plate Surfaces Compared: PEI vs Glass vs Textured (Which to Choose)

Compare 3D printer build plates: PEI, glass, textured, magnetic. Adhesion, release, durability, and material compatibility explained.

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Comparison

Direct Drive vs Bowden Extruder: Which is Better?

Understand the difference between direct drive and Bowden extruders. Which delivers better print quality and flexibility?

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Setup Guides

Complete setup guides for different experience levels

Setup Guide

3D Printer Setup Guide: First Steps for Beginners

Set up your first 3D printer correctly. From assembly to first print, this complete guide gets you printing successfully.

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Setup Guide

UK Home 3D Printing: Workspace Setup, Safety, and Ventilation

Set up 3D printer safely in UK home. Ventilation requirements, fire safety, noise considerations, and rental property solutions.

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Setup Guide

Your First 90 Days with a 3D Printer: Complete Journey Guide

Week-by-week progression plan for new 3D printer owners. From first print to advanced techniques with calibration schedule and project milestones.

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