Multicolor printers have skyrocketed in popularity in the last couple of years, but they’re usually expensive and wasteful. If you’re looking for a method to obtain multicolor prints on the cheap, rainbow filaments might be the perfect solution for you.
Rainbow filaments have been on the market for a few years now. Given the name, you would expect a filament featuring all seven rainbow hues: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. Some manufacturers, however, refer to any multicolor filament as “rainbow” regardless of the colors; we’ve even seen three-color gradient filaments advertised as “rainbow”.
In this article, we take a more restrictive stance. Below, we feature some of the best PLA and PETG filaments that feature the full spectrum of rainbow colors – or close enough to it. We’ll let you know what’s distinctive about the filament as well as what users are saying about them.
Let’s dive in!
Considerations
Not all rainbow filaments are equal. You’ll find, for example, a range of surface finishes and even novelty approaches like glow-in-the-dark rainbow. In addition to the aesthetic considerations, make sure to take a look at the color change frequency.
As we mentioned, these filaments feature seven hues that alternate throughout the spool. The color change frequency refers to the speed at which the spool transitions to a new color. Manufacturers often express this in terms of the number of meters you’ll need to print before seeing a new color. For this reason, the majority of rainbow filaments are best suited for big prints because these models use a lot of material, allowing for multiple color transitions throughout the print.
Printing all the colors on small models can be challenging. If you want to print small objects with these filaments, you definitely need to check out rainbow filaments with faster color changes. Increasing the infill percentage and printing multiple objects at once are also good ways to consume more material and cycle through the colors faster.
PLA & PETG
Sunlu
Sunlu’s rainbow filaments are a great option if you want to print small models. They’ve been upgraded to change color every 8 meters, which is approximately 24 grams of material.
You’ll find the classic seven-color rainbow in their regular PLA filament. Other multicolor options are available in both regular and silk PLA. Sunlu offers also a rainbow PETG, although only the 16-m color change option is available at the time of writing.
Sunlu’s PLA has a 4.3-star rating at Amazon based on over six thousand customer reviews. Reviews on Sunlu’s website are also pretty positive. For example, Christopher L shared that the rainbow PLA prints clean and has great colors.
PLA
- Color change distance: 8 m
- Size: 1.75 mm (1 kg)
- Recommend settings: Hot end 200-210 °C; heated bed 50-60 °C
- Price per kg: ~$28
PETG
- Color change distance: 16 m
- Size: 1.75 mm (1 kg)
- Recommend settings: Hot end 230-260 °C; heated bed 60-70 °C
- Price per kg: ~$25
Stronghero3D
Stronghero3D is a well-known brand in the field of 3D printing filaments and accessories. One of their rainbow filaments is made in silk PLA with a shiny touch that will really level up your prints. The colors are bright and vivid, with the hues reminiscent of candy.
A number of customers have praised the filament for its ease of printing and the appearance of the finished prints. Not everyone had such an easy go of it, though, and some tweaking may be needed to obtain the best results.
Stronghero3D also offers a rainbow PETG. Customers have mentioned that the colors are vibrant, but the color change is slow.
PLA
- Color change distance: 15 m
- Size: 1.75 mm (1 kg)
- Recommend settings: Hot end 195-215 °C; heated bed 0-50 °C
- Price per kg: ~$30
PETG
- Color change distance: Not specified
- Size: 1.75 mm (1 kg)
- Recommend settings: Hot end 220-230°C; heated bed 50-70 °C
- Price per kg: ~$30
Amolen
Amolen’s assortment offers many stunning multicolor filaments in different color combinations and in various finish and novelty options, including silk, matte, transparent, marble, glow-in-the-dark, as well as color changing. You’ll find rainbow colorways in a matte finish as well as a sparkly and shiny finish called “Galaxy”.
According to the company, the raw plastic used to create the filament is high quality, eco-friendly, and sourced from the US. Amolen also points out that the filament doesn’t bubble, jam, or warp when printed. One of the customer reviews reads “Simply gorgeous! Prints like a dream straight out of the box”. With a rating a 4.4-star rating at Amazon and 4.5 stars on their own site, many customers seem to agree.
If you need a rainbow PETG, Amolen has that too. The PETG version features the more classic colors of the rainbow, although customers have noted that the hues are not as vibrant as the ones shown by the company.
PLA Matte
- Color change distance: Not specified
- Size: 1.75 mm (1 kg)
- Recommend settings: Hot end 190-230 °C; heated bed 30-65 °C
- Price per kg: ~$30
PLA Galaxy
- Color change distance: Not specified
- Size: 1.75 mm (1 kg)
- Recommend settings: Hot end 210-230 °C; heated bed 30-65 °C
- Price per kg: ~$36
PETG
- Color change distance: Not specified
- Size: 1.75 mm (1 kg)
- Recommend settings: Hot end 220-230 °C; heated bed 50-70 °C
- Price per kg: ~$30
IEMAI
IEMAI produces 3D printers as well as filaments that feature an awesome ±0.02 mm tolerance. Although you’ll primarily find engineering-grade materials in their catalog, the company also offers some aesthetic filaments, such as a transparent rainbow PETG.
There are some mixed opinions about IEMAI’s filament, though. On the one hand, makers report that the filament prints great and that the stringing is manageable.
On the other, there seems to be some inconsistencies in color. Some customers have received spools with darker colors, while others report vibrant colors, so it might depend on the production batch. Further, customers have shared that the color transitions are slow, so it might not be the best choice for small models.
- Color change distance: Not specified
- Size: 1.75 mm (1 kg)
- Recommend settings: Hot end 220-260 °C; heated bed 60-80 °C
- Price per kg: ~$26
PLA Only
Polymaker
If you’re looking for the most unique rainbow filament on the list, here you have it! One of the colorways for Polymaker’s Panchroma Luminous PLA combines a cool rainbow gradient with a glow-in-the-dark effect. Charge the printed part with UV light, then put it in a dark environment – that’s when the magic happens.
It’s important to note that glow-in-the-dark filaments are abrasive, so you’ll need a proper setup to print this kind of filament. You’ll want to use a hardened steel nozzle to avoid premature degradation.
Also, beware if you’re thinking using this filament, or any glow-in-the-dark filament, in Bambu Lab AMS! Multiple users reported problems and damage to the AMS. One of the customers recommends skipping the AMS altogether and just using a spool rack for this filament instead.
Polymaker’s Luminous PLA is quite appreciated by makers, with 4.3 stars at Amazon and 4.7 on Polymaker’s website. Many customers praise the filament’s ease of printing, although a few struggled with bed adhesion. In a comprehensive review of the filament, one maker praised the quality of the print and noted that the glow is intense.
In fact, many praise the length of the glow, just make sure to charge it for enough time. For example, a customer got 5 hours of glow after charging the print in sunlight for an hour.
Besides Luminous Rainbow, there’s also a rainbow colorway in their Panchroma Gradient Satin, Gradient Matte, and Gradient Translucent PLA filaments.
- Color change distance: ~8.5 m, but manufacturer states ~160 g for entire cycle of colors
- Size: 1.75 mm (1 kg)
- Recommend settings: Hot end 190-230 °C; heated bed 25-60 °C
- Price per kg: ~$35
eSun
eSun has an extensive filament catalog with quite a few multicolor offerings. Their PLA-Silk Rainbow series includes six different colorways, including a classic seven-color rainbow. Thanks to the silk finish, the colors are also very eye-catching.
The filament is highly rated: 4.3 stars with over a thousand reviews at Amazon and 4.8 stars on eSun’s own website. Across both sites, the majority of customers are satisfied with the filament, but many note that the color change is slow and suggest printing large models with this filament. Even on taller prints, it’s unlikely the full color gradient will appear in the print.
You might want to keep an eye out on the color transitions, too. A maker’s review reads, “Printed well on my Bambu Lab A1 Mini, though I do wish it had more gradient between colors.” Judging from the makes posted in the reviews, some show gradual color transitions, while others don’t. There may be variation in the gradient used for different colorways.
- Color change distance: 15-20 m
- Size: 1.75 mm (1 kg)
- Recommend settings: Hot end 190-230 °C; heated bed 45-60 °C
- Price per kg: ~$29
Flashforge
Flashforge is a popular manufacturer of 3D printers, including the recently announced multicolor-capable AD5X. The company also produces filament, and you’ll find various multicolor options in their regular, silk, high-speed, and glow-in-the-dark PLA.
The closest to a seven-color rainbow is Flashforge’s rainbow silk PLA. Multiple customers have said that the color transition is slow, but most are satisifed with the filament’s print quality. One even suggested some print settings to help fellow makers out, noting that 215 °C for the hot end and 60 °C for the bed should give the best results.
- Color change distance: Not specified
- Size: 1.75 mm (1 kg)
- Recommend settings: Hot end 190-240 °C; heated bed 25-60 °C
- Price per kg: ~$28
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