The 10 Best Resin 3D Printers in 2024

The Elegoo Mars 3 is the latest resin 3D printer from Elegoo and the first in the Mars series with a monochrome 4K LCD. It is a significant improvement over the previous generations of Mars 3D printers, specifically its direct predecessor, the Elegoo Mars 2.

The Mars 3 sports a unique design reminiscent of the 90s iMacs. The improved design comes with a better heat dissipation system for the UV light, improved release (FEP) film, and an upgraded UV array. Its XY resolution is now 35 μm, instead of the previous gen’s 50 μm.

At its release, the Mars 3 only supported Chitubox Slicer, leading to a controversy with resin 3D printer users. But, following the backlash, Elegoo has released an SDK that allows for the use of the popular Lychee slicer with the Mars 3. This means that you can take advantage of Lychee’s features as well, such as its superior support material generation.

Included with the purchase of the Mars 3 is a year-long license for the Chitubox Pro slicer, valued at $169. So regardless of what your slicing needs are, you have plenty of options.

With its 143 x 90 x 175 mm build volume, the Elegoo Mars 3 lets you print 37% bigger objects than you could with the Mars 2. This is an impressive feat, given that this 3D resin printer still has a compact footprint.

The improved set of features and better print quality under $400 make the Elegoo Mars 3 in our opinion the overall best resin 3D printer you can buy right now. If you’re a beginner or a seasoned hobbyist, the Mars 3 is likely to fulfill your needs.

The Prusa SL1S speed resin 3D printer was released to upgrade the original Prusa SL1. The SL1S dramatically improves printing speeds, build quality, and overall print quality.

It features a 2K monochrome LCD screen that cures resin layers within 1.4 seconds. The body of the SL1S is entirely made up of aluminum to provide rigidity to the machine and reduce any vibrations. The unique tilting vat mechanism in the SL1S, too, according to Prusa, is 2X faster than the conventional bed lifting and prevents layer shifts as well.

The SL1S comes with Wi-Fi and LAN for improved connectivity and a rear-mounted carbon filter that reduces the odors and fumes of 3D printer resin. This is an essential feature if you plan on resin 3D printing day in day out.

When you combine the SL1S with Prusa’s CW1S washing and curing station, you have an almost unbeatable resin 3D printing solution.

At the price point of $2000, the Prusa SL1S is not for everyone. However, if time is money for you and you want a 3D printer that prints reliably and delivers great-looking 3D prints every time, the Prusa SL1S is the best addition to your resin printing workflow.

The Anycubic Photon Mono is the least expensive monochrome resin 3D printer in Anycubic’s lineup. The highlighting factor of the Photon Mono, other than its low price, is its 2K monochrome LCD screen.

The 6” 2K monochrome LCD lets it 3D print up to 3x faster than the original Photon printer, and Anycubic claims that the new screen lasts up to 4x longer when compared to an RGB screen. Its other features include a quick to replace FEP film, top cover detection, and a sturdy Z-axis that provides stability while printing.

Overall, the Photon Mono is an excellent package in many aspects and delivers a great print quality considering it’s a sub $200 resin 3D printer. It is definitely not the most polished resin 3D printer, but for someone who’s on a budget or looking to get into resin printing for cheap, the Photon Mono certainly gives you a great bang for your buck.

The Formlabs Form 3+ is the newest addition in the Form 3 lineup from Formlabs. It was released at CES 2022 and comes with subtle improvements over the previous Form 3 to enhance the printing experience.

On the hardware side, Form 3+ now has an improved Light Processing Unit (LPU) that enables it to print up to 20-40% faster than the previous gen. Formlabs have optimized the first layer performance on Form 3+, resulting in a saving of 5-15 minutes in the first few layers of the model.

You still get support for 30+ materials that are finely tuned to print perfectly on Form 3+. This resin 3D printer also features a new quick-release build platform and optimized light-touch supports for extra ease of use.

The Form 3+ is meant to be an industrial resin 3D printer, and it excels at being one. It has a smooth workflow, excellent company support, and delivers excellent printing quality every time.

If you have the money to spend and are looking for a reliable high-end resin 3D printer, Form 3+ is the machine for you. Do keep in mind that unlike with the Prusa SL1S, with the Form 3+ you are locked into using Formlabs’ proprietary resins.

The Phrozen Sonic Mini 8K is one of the few 8K resin 3D printers you can buy right now. The unique thing about the Sonic Mini 8K is its high resolution of 22 μm in the XY plane, unheard of in the consumer resin 3D printers space.

In comparison, most resin 3D printers have a standard XY resolution of 50 μm. The Mini 8K achieves this exceptional detail thanks to its 8K, 7.1” mono LCD screen. The high resolution comes in handy when printing extremely detailed and small pieces with intricate designs.

Using a linear projection LED module, the Mini 8K enhances the light uniformity. This results in sharper-looking 3D prints. The use of a frosted build platform and dual linear rails further enhance the print stability and reduce the number of unsuccessful 3D prints.

The Sonic Mini 8K is the first in what will probably be a long line of 8K resin 3D printers. If print resolution and quality are of utmost importance to you, you are unlikely to be disappointed with it.

The Peopoly Phenom L is an exception in the conventionally small-sized resin 3D printer space. With a build volume that’s enough to 3D print an entire helmet in one go, it’s sufficient to say that the Phenom L is one of the largest consumer-level resin 3D printers.

The Phenom L’s total build volume is 345.6 x 194.4 x 400 mm. To support such a massive print volume, Peopoly has equipped it with a 4K LCD. Because of its large build platform this only gives an XY resolution of 90 μm. This may seem like a significant drop from 50 μm, but the difference is hardly noticeable in the real world.

Peopoly has designed the Phenom L to be modular and easily upgradeable in the future. It ensures that you have the latest parts updated with the current standards. If you print a lot of large-sized props, end-use components or run small batches of resin 3D printed pieces, the Phenom L is likely to be the best resin 3D printer for you.

The Phrozen Sonic Mini 4K brings a 4K monochrome LCD screen to the Phrozen Sonic family, giving the 3D printer an edge over its predecessor- the Sonic Mini.

The 6.1” 4K LCD mono display on the Mini 4K has a pixel density of 772 PPI, resulting in an impressive 35 μm high resolution in the XY plane. It translates to sharper intricate models and a 3D printer that easily reproduces fine details. Its metal resin vat and slightly inclined build plate top to drip off the resin are some of the other welcome changes in the Mini 4K.

It supports Chitubox, Phrozen’s version of Formware, as well as Lychee Slicer. There are finely tuned default profiles available for the Mini 4K in all these slicers, making it easy for beginners to begin resin printing right away.

The 4K quality and low price point, combined with the ease of use of the Mini 4K, make it a good choice for beginners and amateur users to dip their toes in resin 3D printing.

The Photon Mono X 6K is the highest resolution resin 3D printer from Anycubic. It packs in an impressive 6K screen giving the 3D printer an excellent 34 μm XY resolution.

Its 9.25” 6K mono LCD screen also offers a 350:1 high contrast ratio. This translates to highly detailed resin 3D prints that have sharper corners and edges. The newer screen also has a higher light transmittance rate at 6%, resulting in faster curing times and increased printing speeds.

This resin printer comes with an anti-scratch protective layer on the FEP film for increased protection and an improved UV light array. The Mono X 6K is now also compatible with a wide variety of resins thanks to its optimized light power regulation.

The Mono X 6K falls in a sweet spot between 4K and 8K resin 3D printers and offers great value at its price. The improved resolution and large build volume deliver excellent printing quality and make it a good choice for both hobbyists and semi-professional resin 3D printer users.

The Elegoo Saturn is a large format 4K resin 3D printer from Elegoo aimed towards users who want an affordable large print volume resin 3D printer. With its 192 x 120 x 200 mm build volume and sub-$500 price, the Saturn checks both those boxes.

It comes an 8.9” 4K mono LCD which outputs a 50 μm XY resolution and cures a single layer in just under 2 seconds. The Z-axis has a dual linear guideway for increased stability and smooth motion during the printing process. An aluminum resin vat and a metal body add to the Saturn’s long-term durability.

On the user experience side, the Elegoo Saturn has an ethernet port to send your 3D files over LAN. It also has full Chitubox Slicer support and is compatible with the Mercury Plus washing and curing station for easy post-processing.

The Elegoo Saturn’s large print bed and high-res screen are its main highlights. It is an excellent fit if you’re on a budget and want a resin 3D printer that can print large-sized objects in one go, without having to sacrifice too much detail on small-sized models.

Resin 3D prints require post-processing which involves washing and curing them. The Elegoo Mercury Plus is a dedicated post-processing unit for resin printers to wash, clean, and cure your resin models.

The Mercury Plus is a 2 in 1 solution that combines washing and curing in a single unit. It comes with a washing bucket to wash your models. You can clean the models in the bucket using the cleaning basket or directly suspend the model with the build platform.

To aid in the curing process, the Mercury Plus comes with a rotating turntable which ensures that the UV lights evenly cure all the areas of your resin model. As a safety feature, Elegoo has included a top-lid sensor that automatically switches off the UV light if the lid is opened.

The Mercury Plus is cheap, easy to use, saves space, and removes the biggest hassles associated with post-processing resin 3D printers. It is equally suited for beginners, hobbyists, and seasoned professionals.