Cheap 3D Filament – Good or Bad?

by Jake | Last Updated: July 5, 2021
Cheap Filament

Wondering if there are PLA filaments you can buy at a very cheap cost for your 3D printer? There are several available brands of PLA filament for sale that are pretty good quality. PLA ( Polylactic Acid) which can also be referred to as thermoplastic polyester is well-known printing material for 3D printers (as you probably know). It is mostly preferred for making 3D printed parts and accessories without having to deal with ABS or PETG. When compared to other 3D printing materials,  the following will list will be cheaper in price.

Cheapest 3D Filament

Cheap 3D filament may not be worth it if you dislike nozzle clogs which are headaches waiting to happen. It should be taken into consideration that several cheapest 3D printer filaments are usually of poor quality. There are different reasons it is inferior to print with cheap PLA filaments. Ensure you should know how they can affect your printers.

3D Printing

One of the common problems associated with the use of a cheap 3D printer filament is clogging.  It can cause nozzle clogs because of the inclusion of foreign particles. These particles are often difficult to be found. The consequence of this can either be uneven and low-quality prints or complete damage to the 3D printer due to the abrasions in the thermal isolator.

Based on the exposure of your 3D printer to the risk of damage, a cheap 3d filament may eventually make you spend more later after your initial purchase. The use of a low-quality filament has the tendency of consuming more of your time. Besides, poor results will make you reprint. And to do the adjustment, you may have to dry the filament to remove moisture or try to remove a clog from the nozzle.

Best Cheap 3D filaments

1.    Overture  PLA Filament

Overture Filament

An overture PLA filament is one of the well-known 3D printing filaments you can see on the market. Are you looking for one of the cheapest 3D printer filaments?  this is a great choice right now based on its affordability, high quality, and compatibility with almost all 3D printers. It is safe, odor-free, and eco-friendly.

Unlike several cheapest filaments, overture PLA filaments are completely clog-free, bubble-free, and tangle-free. With this type of PLA filament that is based on its stunning features and specifications, users are guaranteed a smooth, stable, and professional printing experience.

The several selling points of this filament other than the price include:

  • The net weight is approximately 4.4 lbs ( 2kg).
  • The tolerance is a crisp 1.75mm PLA filament diameter with an incredible dimensional accuracy of +/- 0.05mm.
  • The recommended print temperature is 190°C – 220°C (374℉- 428℉) and the heated bed temp of 25°C – 60°C (77℉ 140℉) just like some other PLA filaments.

Pros

  • This product is cheaper when compared to other similar opinions
  • It is durable
  • It has a stable diameter which prevents any problems that relate to the uneven print surface.
  • When placed side-by-side with Amazon Basics filament, it is considered better by several users.
  • It is reviewed as a product that is easy to set up and works excellently without any requirement of major tuning and adjusting to achieve better print.
  • As a user, you don’t need to worry about clogs and jams with this PLA filament. This is because it has a consistent quality. In fact, some customers see it as the best cheap filament.

Cons

  • There have been various reports from different customers that the best printing capability of this specific kind of filament is around 195. 200 may still be ok, but it may make some narrow sections shine.  For this PLA filament, the unpredictability of over 205 may occur which may lead to some smearing.
  • With this filament, zone colors will appear nicer than others. Several users have reviewed the white as the most difficult, while the blue appears nicely.

2.    Amazon Basics

Amazon Basic Filament

An Amazon Basics filament is a perfect solution for those seeking a cheap 3D printer filament. This filament is a product from the global company ” Amazon” which is very popular for how reliable their products are.

As one of their available products,  An Amazon Basics filament is a filament specifically made from well-known PLA materials and for 3D printers. Its design is meant to reduce jamming and made suitable for several standard 3D printers. You may want to check the reel size for compatibility. 

The several selling points of this filament other than the price include:

  • The weight of the products is approximately 2.2 pounds with the measurement of 9.2 by 8.3 by 3 inches (LxWxH).
  • The tolerance is a crisp 1.75mm PLA filament diameter with an incredible dimensional accuracy of +/- 0.05mm. To make it more convenient,  the spool is built with an integrated indicator, showing the rest of the percentage and approximate length of the material.
  • The recommended print temperature is 190°C – 220°C (374℉- 428℉) and the heated bed temp of 45°C – 55°C  just like some other PLA filaments.

Pros

  • It is cost-effective.
  • It is designed to reduce jamming in the machine.
  • It provides a versatile application range.

Cons

  • The product does not make provision for a suitable temperature limit.
  • The way users respond to it is low when compared to other options.

3.    Inland PLA

Blue Inland PLA

Inland PLA filament is considered the best cheap filament spool that falls under $20 per stool that you can see today. It’s a product with fairly consistent diameters and great quality. If you are looking for a suitable filament to buy,  this is undoubtedly a great choice. Inland PLA filament is characterized by around 30 colors of PLA and ABS

Inland PLA filament is made by eSUN ( a large Chinese manufacturer of 3D printer filament). If you seek the best place to get this filament cheap, Micro Center is one of the major resellers of the product in its highest quality.

The several selling points of this filament other than the price include:

  • The tolerance is a crisp 1.75mm filament diameter with great dimensional accuracy of +/- 0.05mm. To achieve more convenience,  the spool is built with an integrated indicator, showing the rest of the percentage and approximate length of the material.
  • The net weight is approximately 2.20 lbs ( 1kg).
  • Recommended print temperature is 215°C – 230°C (419℉- 446℉)
  • Characterized by mini.al warping/little to no odor/ no heating bed required
  • Compatible with the majority of 3D printers, ideal for cosmetic prints,  desk toys, prototypes,  food safety levels, low-stress applications,  and other custom products.
  • Its quality is premium with a guaranteed ultimate satisfaction.

Pros

  • Great for large projects
  • It’s affordable
  • High cylindrical tolerance
  • Can withstand higher temperatures

Cons

  • Not as great as other options,  particularly  Hatchbox
  • Not too reliable
  • Needs a heated platform
  • Needs a slower speed between 50 to 75% average speed.

4.    3D Solutech Real Black 3D Printer PLA Filament

3D Solutech Purple

3D Solutech product is a single PLA filament with greater qualities, reasonable price, and awesome flexibility. Its printing process is clean and smooth. To ensure the 3D printing project appears soft and delicate all the time, a high-purity Polylactic-acid masterbatch is used.

3D Solutech is characterized by triple barrel color enriching tech. Based on the level of its richness which is three times deeper than regular filaments,  having an enhanced color saturation is made possible. Interestingly,  it’s designed after testing over 30 of the well-known 3D printers on the market. This, therefore, makes it the best suitable spool size for most 3D printers on the market.

The several selling points of this filament other than the price include:

  • The net weight is approximately 2.2lbs (1.0kg)
  • The tolerance is a crisp 1.75mm filament spool diameter with a dimensional accuracy of +/- 0.03mm.
  • Recommended print temperature is at 190°C – 220°C. No heated bed is needed.

Pros

  • Doesn’t produce any odor
  • A 90-day hassle-free return offer is provided
  • Doesn’t produce residue or bubbles like regular cheap PLA filament options
  • Capable of working with 3D printers that don’t require any heated bed
  • High Compatibility
  • Ultra-smooth outputs
  • Tangle-less technology

Cons

  • Under-extrusion is not too good
  • Loose spool winding
  • Bad adhesion

Is Cheap 3D Filament Worth it?

final thoughts

The piece has been able to unveil some of the cheapest PLA filaments you can come across on the market for your 3D printing. You deserve the best and in fact the best is not in any way farfetched.  You may want to check out our website to view the best PLA filaments. This is because you can limit several challenges with inferior and cheap filament when you make good research on it and then buy high-quality filament from merchants you can trust.

You should know you can easily make use of superior filament when it is stored properly.  All users have to do is to insert the filament spool into their 3D printer and watch the machine work on their intended design.

As a user of PLA filament, what you need to understand is that if you want to save your money over the long run, it is important that you spend it on your 3D printer by going for the proper ones.

Note: The best PLA filaments are the quality ones that that are capable of reducing the possibilities of moisture or foreign particles that cause issues. When you decide to select filaments, try to always remember that the quality of the printed objects is determined by the filament that created them.

.