There’s no shortage of new resin 3D printers in all shapes and sizes entering an already bustling marketplace. All feature one common hurdle: properly handling the yucky business that is resin. Thankfully, companies have branched out to offer accessories and products that take the mess out of resin 3D printing. At least a bit.
This is where washing and curing stations come in. If you want to make 3D printing with resin as easy and clean as can be, two-in-one washing and curing stations are the solution you’re looking for. Forget getting your hands dirty swilling prints around in a bucket of IPA, and say goodbye to leaving your prints out in the sun to cure – these mighty machines deal with both so that you can focus on 3D printing.
But in a market flooded with new models every year, how do you figure out which is best? To help, we’ve put together our top recommendations for the best wash & cure stations currently available.
The Best Washing & Curing Stations
Top Pick: Anycubic Wash & Cure Plus
Anycubic’s Wash & Cure Plus is a large-sized all-in-one device. The station comes with a washing bucket capable of holding up to 8500 ml of liquid. If you are a fan of washing prints together with the print plate, you get about 192 x 120 x 235 mm of volume, while the washing basket provides a lofty 192 x 120 x 290 mm for your models to be lowered into the IPA vortex. According to Anycubic, any print plates of printers up 8.9-inch in screen size should fit. We even used it to wash models of Anycubic’s massive M3 Max, although we sometimes had to upend and re-wash them for full coverage.
After submerging prints sufficiently, you can take out the container, seal it off, and pop in the turntable for an overall curing volume of ⌀190 x 245 mm. The Wash & Cure Plus does not provide LED stripes beneath the turntable but instead comes with a reflective sheet to be placed underneath. As the LED bracket in the back has a tiltable top, you can blast UV rays directly onto the model’s top as well as the mirror underneath it.
A simple button press lets you switch between modes and, with the rotary knob, you can set a timer for up to an hour. In curing mode, lid removal detection keeps your eyes safe from UV rays. Should you lift the cover during curing, the process will automatically stop.
The Wash & Cure Plus is a great addition to any resin workspace — especially if you are short on room. With all things combined in one, the Plus’ footprint is a reasonable 290 x 270 x 479 mm, while providing enough room to wash and cure even large models o batches in one go. It is currently available for around $250.
Budget Pick: Elegoo Mercury X
The Mercury X is Elegoo’s take on the washing and curing of resin prints. However, unlike most setups, which are typically all-in-one solutions, Elegoo opts for two standalone machines. This does allow you to wash and cure models simultaneously but, naturally, also takes up double the space.
The washing bucket comes with a rubber-sealed snap-on lid and holds up to 8000 ml of liquid. You can either place your prints in the provided washing basket or directly hang your print plate via the bracket. A turbine at the tank’s bottom provides the necessary swirl. According to Elegoo, the bracket can hold print plates of printers with up to 9.1-inches in screen size meaning the likes of Elegoo’s Mars 3 or Saturn S (unfortunately not the Saturn 2) and similar-sized printers out there should all fit snuggly. There is a maximum cleaning volume of 201 x 124 x 255 mm when using the basket and 180 x 120 x 150 mm with the platform.
The UV curing machine touts a 360-degree automatically rotating curing platform with a ⌀200 x 260mm curing size. Prints are blasted with UV lights from two vertical poles with LEDs in the back, as well as an LED strip beneath the turning table, to ensure the models are toasted from all sides.
Both devices are operated via a rotary knob, which allows you to start and adjust the washing or curing cycle with the flick of a finger, which is pretty handy given the fact that your digits will most likely be covered in a yucky resin IPA blend. You can set a timer with a maximum of 30 minutes and let the device do the rest.
Taking up double the workspace might be too cumbersome for some users, but not having to constantly switch back and forth between the washing and curing setup also makes post-processing a lot more convenient, in our book. You can get your hands on this bundle for about $170, which is quite the bargain.
Upgrade Pick: Creality UW-02
If you need a 2-in-1 machine with a bit more room to place larger models in, cast your eyes upon Creality’s latest version of a washing and curing device, the UW-02.
With a 200 x 160 x 240 mm washing volume, the UW-02 holds enough space to clean large models and is compatible with all 10.1-inch and smaller resin 3D printers on the market. So, prints of the Halot-One Plus, but also the likes of the Elegoo Saturn 2 or Phrozen’s Mighty 8K, should find themselves submerged within the basket. The UW-02 also features a fixture to mount the build plate too, although this will most likely only fit Creality’s own print plates. The holder’s height is adjustable, though, so the casket does not have to be completely filled, which can come in handy as the total capacity of up to 9500 ml requires quite a bit of cleaning agent.
What’s more, the UW-02’s user interface lets you choose between three different washing speeds. Especially if delicate models are in the tumbler, this should prevent them from being whirled around by the magnetic fan and intricate breaking parts off.
To cure your prints, simply remove the tank and place the models on the rotary table. The UW-02 offers ⌀200 x 300 mm of curing capacity. Similar to the Wash & Cure, Plus, the UW-02 also cures via a single bracket with 24 LEDs in the back and a reflective sticker underneath the turntable. Instead of the rotary knob, you get a bunch of buttons to tap on, letting you set speed, intensity, and different cure intervals for up to 30 minutes. Also, if you lift the lid during curing, the machine will automatically stop.
The Creality UW-02 will set you back $219 – a great cost-value option for those working with large format printers and models.
Other Machines
Like with resin 3D printers, the 2-in-1 post-processing market is stacked with options. For this guide, we focused on the larger end of the spectrum with machines that can be used with medium-sized resin 3D printers such as the Elegoo Saturn 2, Anycubic M3 Plus, or Phrozen’s Mighty 8K.
If you have a normal-sized resin 3D printer, the likes of an Elegoo Mars 3, you could also opt for one of the more compact sized wash & cure machines such as the Anycubic Wash & Cure, Creality UW-01, or the Elegoo Mercury Plus . Ask yourself if you plan to upgrade your resin printer in the foreseeable future, though. Shelling out a bit of extra cash for some volume headroom now might save you the trouble of buying a new post-processing system, too.
If you’re already on the large side of resin 3D printing, you might have a hard time finding an all-in-one machine that actually fits some of the larger models coming off your build plate. Unfortunately, wash & cure machines for the uber-large 3D printers such as the Phrozen Mega 8K, Anycubic’s M3 Max, or the Elegoo Jupiter have not yet surfaced. Depending on the size of your models, you can use one of the above-mentioned or resort to a DIY setup. A large bucket of IPA and a UV lamp can do the trick just as well — albeit with a bit more manual labor required.
An alternative to washing your prints is using ultrasonic cleaners. Typically deployed to clean jewelry, they can also be used to clean your resin 3D prints. If you’ve got a resin 3D printer with a larger-than-average print volume, getting a large ultrasonic cleaner is one of the best options to get those prints squeaky clean. However, an important safety reminder is that you do not use IPA in ultrasonic cleaners, which rids you of the alcohol stench and also tends to give the best cleaning results.
What's changed?
Below you will find a changelog. We’ll be keeping track of all the machines that have been removed and those that have replaced them here so you can easily see our past top picks.
Update – October 10, 2022: We have completely revamped this guide and are solely focusing on 2-in-1 machines now. For this, we have scoured the web, debated amongst the team, and tested a fair few ourselves to come up with our top three. There are many ways to wash and cure your prints, from manually soaking and blasting them with UV light to curing stations and even ultrasonic cleaners but, as these wash & cure stations do combine everything into one relatively affordable unit, it is generally the most convenient way of post-processing.
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