There are many new 3D printers out there, but the Kingroon KP3S Pro V2 in particular has been standing out for its great qualities and cost-effectiveness.

This is a printer that runs on Klipper with network interfaces that allow remote control, facilitating adjustments, and allowing more precise monitoring so that you don’t need to sit by the machine for those 8-hour prints.

Linear guides bring good stability to operate at higher speeds – a great differential when you need to make many parts, and the direct extrusion setup helps a lot with retraction and allows for printing flexible filaments. And if you’re just getting started, the automatic bed leveling system will be a great help to get a perfect first layer.

Despite not being the quietest of printers, it fulfills its role quite well when it comes to producing very detailed pieces and therefore it can help a lot with cosplay pieces at a good cost-results benefit. Even though it’s a relatively small printer, you can split objects and then glue everything together, and its flexible metal table will make things easy to remove.

• Price: ∼$300
• Build volume: 200 x 200 x 200 mm
• Features: Small and lightweight, quick assembly, high printing speed, automatic leveling, linear guides on all axes, flexible metallic build plate, active vibration compensation, all-metal direct extruder, integrated Wi-Fi
• Useful for: Small low-to-medium detail accessories, like bullets for a bandoleer, buttons, buckles, and details for clothes

Kingroon KP3S Pro V2

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There are those who think that Anycubic only makes resin printers. This is understandable; after all, they’re very popular for their print quality and robustness. So, you might be surprised to learn that the Kobra Max is worth checking out if you need to make large pieces for your fantasy outfit. With its massive print volume, it’s possible to make an entire piece at once for your arm or even a helmet, like Iron Man’s or the Mandalorian’s.

In addition to its huge and very well reinforced structure, this printer still has an automatic leveling system, stabilizer bars, a large color screen on the control panel, a construction plate made of carborundum glass, and can print at speeds of up to 180 mm/s. Even though it’s a big piece of equipment, it’s relatively easy to assemble and will be able to manage materials like PLA and TPU with its Bowden extruder.

• Price: ∼$490
• Build volume: 400 x 400 x 450 mm
• Features: Precision and speed printing, automatic leveling system, color touch screen with thumbnail display, wireless connectivity, 32-bit motherboard
• Useful for: Any cosplay piece that fits in the bed and benefits from being printing all at once or that’s best printed in as few parts as possible, like armor for legs and arms or shields

Anycubic Kobra Max Learn more

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Among many printer makers out there, Prusa is one of the most renowned in the field of 3D printing with its open-source machines. This means that anyone with the right knowledge can even change their programming if they want to. These printers were inspired by open-source models from the RepRap project, so naturally this printer gets attention due to all the freedom for modifications. It is possible, for example, to add a multi-material module to make colorful or more complex parts.

The MK4 is quite similar to its predecessors, however several parts have been updated to make this printer even more reliable and accurate, including UI features and improved safety triggers. What makes this printer a good choice for cosplay, in addition to the excellent quality of the printing itself, is the robust, easy-to-set-up, and flexible structure combined with an active community and the company’s support.

• Price: ∼$1,100
• Build volume: 250 x 210 x 220 mm
• Features: High accuracy and speed printing, automatic leveling system, color touch screen with thumbnail display, wireless connectivity, silent 32-bit motherboard
• Useful for: Any cosplay piece that is scalable to the build plate’s size or that can be split into parts, such as weapon components or props

Depending on your character, the piece for your outfit could be very complex or simply something so colorful that painting everything by hand would be a headache. To make a tougher, more detailed, or colorful garment all at once, you need a machine better equipped to handle everything you need to create the perfect suit, and that machine is the Lab X1 Carbon with the AMS module.

This incredible printer has features such as high printing speeds of up to 500 mm/s, a removable print bed with heating up to 110 ºC, a carbon air filter, advanced multi-material support, active vibration compensation, Wi-Fi connectivity, dual-bed automatic leveling, layer control, print flaw detection… In short, it’s not hard to understand why the manufacturer says that what drove the creation of the Carbon X1 is that “ hated 3D printing as much as loved it,” and they’ve definitely conceived a machine that has earned all the love.

• Price: ∼$1,630
• Build volume: 256 x 256 x 256 mm
• Features: Precision and high-speed printing, automatic leveling system, color touchscreen with thumbnail display, Wi-Fi connectivity, multi-material module
• Useful for: Complex, colorful parts or parts that require advanced materials like more complex armor details, medium-sized accessories such as handbags and swords

Bambu Lab X1 Carbon Learn more

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So far we’ve seen great printers capable of delivering larger and more voluminous parts, but even with good quality, filament printers can leave a little to be desired when compared to the accuracy that a resin printer can offer. Making the perfect cosplay outfit isn’t just a chore, it’s an art that demands attention to detail, and here you’ll have the hair-thin precision you need to make everyone’s jaws drop.

Don’t be fooled by its size: the Elegoo Mars 3 looks quite small but it manages to make pieces of up to 17 cm. Pieces that are very detailed because of its 4K resolution screen and minimum layer thickness that can be as little as 0.01 mm. Something else that sets this printer apart is the uniform light source provided by COB (Chip-on-Board) technology, leading to an accuracy of 35 microns in the XY-plane.

• Price: ∼$170
• Build volume: 143 x 89 x 175 mm
• Features: 4K monochrome LCD, COB lightning, fast print speed
• Useful for: Smaller parts that demand high-quality details like rings, brooches, or badges with character symbols

Elegoo Mars 3 Learn more

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If you have a little more budget and want to make bigger and even more detailed pieces, the Photon Mono M5s might be what you’re looking for. With an incredible 12K screen resolution, it can achieve up to 19-micron precision in the XY-plane and a 10-micron layer height, so even a lizard skin texture can be easily reproduced. While all other resin printers require platform leveling, the M5s is the first to not need it from the get-go.

As if all the above were not enough, this printer is still 3 times faster than its counterparts on the market, with a claimed average speed of 105 mm/h. Combine all this with its 200 x 218 x 123 mm print volume and you have a machine capable of making stunning pieces for your costume in the blink of an eye.

• Price: ∼$580
• Build volume: 200 x 123 x 218 mm
• Features: Wireless connectivity, 12K 10.1″ monochrome screen, fast printing, live status, resin detection (to complete prints)
• Useful for: Medium and small pieces that require a lot of delicate details, themed pendants, necklaces, wrist guards, and elbow pads

If your budget isn’t an issue and you need a printer capable of making whole parts like a helmet or shoulder pads, then the Sonic Mega 8K is definitely the printer for you! With a gigantic print volume, it can easily make large and very detailed parts in resin that are perfect for building armor or masks without needing to split them.

On the practical side, it boasts a print volume of 330 x 185 x 400 mm, up to 43 microns of resolution in the XY-plane, and a layer height of up to 0.01 mm. Its size is matched with a speed of 70 mm/h to create the perfect cosplay parts you need in no time. With this machine, you can say goodbye to those countless hours of gluing and finishing parts to make a bigger piece.

• Price: ∼$2,300
• Build volume: 330 x 185 x 400 mm
• Features: 8K 15″ monochrome screen, huge printing volume, pre-calibrated building plate
• Useful for: Medium and large pieces that need a lot of delicate details such as armor, accessories, face masks, and larger weapon parts such as blades and stocks

Phrozen Sonic Mega 8K Learn more

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