There are a tons of large 3D printers available for purchase. Many of which can be pick up for under 500 dollars. Most of them are worth the asking price. However, not all of them will work out of the box without extensive work to get them up and running in a way that is consistent and reliable.

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Today we’re taking a detailed look at 10 large build 3D printers for under 500 dollars that are considerably reliable. In this article, we use the term setup and assembly, build size and build volume interchangeably because they mean the same thing essentially. This list is devised so that the printer with the smallest build size appear first, with last printer having the largest build volume.

Contents:

1. Creality Ender 5
2. Flyingbear Ghost
3. TEVO Tarantula Pro
4. JGAURORA A5s Large Size
5. TRONXY XY-3
6. Creality CR-10
7. Artillery Sidewinder X1
8. HE3D K280 Delta
9. TEVO Nereus
10. ANYCUBIC Chiron

 

1. Creality Ender 5

Print Size: 220*220*300mm

Print Size and Resolution

This printer is capable of producing fairly large prints suitable for most DIY home projects. With its 220*220*300-millimeter print area, it is able to produce models which are 8.6-inch-wide,11.8 inches tall, with a z depth (forward and back) of 8.6 inches.

Print resolution for the Ender 5 is 100 microns per layer. Which is typical for machines of this specification and price.

Quality and Design

The Ender 5 like the Ender 4 has a cube design for its frame. Some of the most notable benefits of cube core XY design is the ability to install sidewalls for printing temperature sensitive materials such as ABS. An enclosed printer provides much better control over the environmental elements, resulting in a better overall experience.

The cube shape also makes for a stronger structure which plays a key role on the performance of the printer. The bed moves on the Z axis (up and down only) with an overhead gantry powering the X and Y axis above. It is very apparent that this printer was designed with precision in mind.

The interface for this printer is the basic turn-dial LCD display common on the Ender series. It’s not the greatest in terms of usability and efficiency, but it gets the job done. That is the effects of cost cutting to yield a competitive price point.

Print Quality

The Ender series is well established when it comes to print quality in terms of entry level budget 3D printers.

Our first ever test print, was a small model of a dog which came on the SD Card that shipped with the printer. The print completed successfully without any hiccups. The quality of the print turned out quite flawlessly. Layer transition was spotless. The printer also did an awesome job on the multi part test print which tests printer’s performance with prints which require tight geometric dimensioning and tolerancing.  

After over a month of printing, we still saw no real problems that could be attributed to the printer. The Ender 5 is a winner when it comes to reliability and consistency of prints.

Setup

Everything needed for setting up this printer is provided in the box. All the items were neatly pack and protected with high density foam. It came with a USB drive with Cura, the slicing software provided by Creality. It also shipped with a generous spool of white PLA. Sample filament for test printing.

The instructions that came with this printer does its job. Everything was clearly illustrated, with detailed instructions on the install, as well as all the major functions involved in the printing process.

Much of this printer comes already preassemble from the factory. There are a handful of parts to be put together, but the entire process should only be about 30 to 40 minutes for most people. It took just a little over 35 minutes to have everything setup and ready for the first print job.

Price and Value Comparisons

This is a good printer for the price. The heat resistance of the magnetic bed that comes with the Ender 5 starts to fail above 80 degrees Fahrenheit (26 degrees Celsius). This is probably the easiest  part of the printer to upgrade and can done pretty affordably.

The build volume for the Ender 5 can be quite limiting to some. Especially compared to other printers in that space. There are many more printer in the price range with larger build volume and comparable quality as you will see below.

Moreover, if you can sacrifice a bit of build size for bigger savings on the price, we recommend checking out the Creality Ender 3, as it is only slightly smaller than the Ender 5 and comes at much smaller price point.

2. Flyingbear Ghost

Print Size: 230*230*210mm

Print Size and Resolution

The Flyingbear Ghost has print size of 230mm along X axis (left and right), 230mm on Y axis (front and back) and 210mm along the Z axis (up and down). Which means it can produce models which are 9 inches wide, 8.25 inches tall and another 9 inches of depth in the Y direction. Layer resolution is 0.05-0.3mm which is quite fine. The smaller this number the finer the details.

These numbers are not huge in comparison, but are significant considering the price and the intended use, which is at home printing by DIYs and hobbyists. 

Quality and Design

This printer has a full metal frame with acrylic paneling covering the sides and back. Perfect for those who are on the market for printer with large build volume and an enclose case for printing high heat and temperature sensitive materials like ABS and PETG.

The printer also has a lot going for it by beauty of its appearance. It gives off a very clean look with minimal exposed wires.

Notable Features

• A wide touchscreen LCD display that is very responsive and easy to use.
• Wireless printing – The Flyingbear Ghost is WiFi enabled. It can connect wirelessly to a home network. Print commands can be sent to the printer over WiFI.
• Glass print bed – very handy for printing different materials.  
• Power lost resume

Print Quality

We ran several tests for this printer out of the box and were quite happy with each one, though some of the prints had some very minor imperfections. The printer handled well at high speeds and with high detailed prints.

After a month of testing, overall, the Flyingbear Ghost’s print quality was consistent throughout. It had no issues printing larger models that required extended print times. It also performs well on models with moving parts, as well as miniatures. This printer had no problems printing ABS even though it only has partial enclosure.

Setup

All the main components for this printer came preassembled. The packaging was neatly packed in protective foam. The packaging came with tools, instruction manual, as well as a small spool of PLA filament.

The setup process was a breeze and actually fun. Flyingbear provides no written manual for the assembly of the printer. You’re instead directed to a step by step video instruction which guides you through the process. Some of the instruction we’re a bit confusing, but nothing too drastic. The entire assembly took about 3 hours.

Price and Value Comparisons

The Flyingbear Ghost is an awesome value for a few reasons.

1. You get a high-quality printer that will last a while
2. It can print both Abs and PLA quite flawlessly
3. It has a large enough build volume for most home applications.

With all that said, it’s hard to find a good printer that touches all the points mentioned above that is priced under 500 dollars.

3. TEVO Tarantula Pro

Print Size: 235*235*250mm

Print Size and Resolution

Tevo Tarantula has a print size of 235 *235 *250 mm. That means you can print a model that is 9.25 inches wide, 9.84-inch-tall, with 9.25 inches of depth (in the forward and back direction).

Layer resolution is 0.05mm-0.35mm which is excellent for fine and smooth quality prints.

Quality and Design

This printer just looks nice in general. But beyond that, it is actually a nice solid structure that can stand the test of time. The frame is made with aluminum making it strong and lightweight.

Plan on getting a glass bed for this printer as it come stock with bare aluminum print surface with a generic magnetic bed which doesn’t last. Plus, a glass bed will help increase this printer’s print size.

Notable Features

• This a quiet printer. Quieter than most laserjet printers.

Print Quality

The print quality for the Tevo Tarantula is excellent. The first test, the spool holder that is supplied as an STL file, printed without any issues and with great print quality.

The test print to check for dimensional accuracy was also a success. After one month of using the Tevo tarantula, its performance has been consistent. 

Setup

Proper packaging is critical for 3D printers, because they are very sensitive machines. One tiny kink or even a spec of dirt can through something off.

The Tevo Tarantula showed up in a very tidy packaging. It included the tool to complete the setup, a USB drive with some test models, Cura and some other software for slicing and generating the G-code.

The printer shipped with a tiny amount of PLA filament which is likely enough for one print. But it’s a good idea to have more filament on hand if you intend on using the printer right away. Which is a likely case since one of the test files on the USB drive is for a spool holder for the printer.

The setup instructions for this printer came on the USB drive. The instructions are nicely written with clear illustrations. Tevo also have instruction in video format making it very easy to follow.

This printer is a true DIY kit. There are a lot of assembly required to put this printer together.

Total setup time will run around 2 to 4 hours for most people. Which is not such a bad thing for a beginner getting started with 3D printing, as you will get a broad look of the inner workings of a 3D printer right out of the gate. Setting up the Tarantula should not be much more than a 5-hour project for a technically inclined beginner. And since there are step by step video instructions, it’s not at all a problem.

Price and Value Comparisons

As stated above, the Tevo Tarantula demands a great deal of time for setup, largely due to the competitive pricing of the printer. Buyers may want to consider other options if fiddling with small screws and components is indicative of trouble.

Apart from the time-consuming setup, this is possibly the best printer in the 200-dollar price range on the market. You get a large build area on a quality printer for a great price.

 

4. JGAURORA A5s Large Size 

Print size: 305*305*320mm

Print Size and Resolution

The JGAURORA A5s (pronounced JG AURORA) is a fairly large 3D printer. The machine itself is 536*480*543mm. That is 21*18.8*21.3 inches. The size of this printer is definably apparent in the bulkiness and weight of this unit.

The print size is 305*305*320mm. Which is equivalent to 12 *12*12.6 inches. That is enormous compared to other printers in that price range.

Print resolution is 0.1-0.3mm layer thickness. Should be able to produce pristine prints without a problem.

Quality and Design

A5s is the new model to the previous A5 printer. The A5s has been beefed with new upgrades compared to the prior A5. This is a beautiful well design machine with some great accent pieces uplifting the look of the printer.

There are no dangling wires, the frame is made with all metal and is very sturdy. Everything is zeroed in so there are no potential shifts that can cause problems down the line. The only complaint is that the bed heats up rather slow compared to other printers. Perhaps not the best printer for areas with colder climates. Especially if it is intended for a garage. The slow heating issue can be easily resolved however. So that’s not a big problem.

Notable Features

• A very responsive color LCD touchscreen display which has many great features.
• Glass bed
• Print resume function – in case of power outage

Print Quality

The print quality was one of the highlights for the A5s. The precision and detail of the prints were great. It printed ABS without a problem. The glass bed worked great eliminating any adhesion issues.

After almost two months of using this printer, we’ve seen no inconsistencies in the performance of the printer. We have no complaints in terms of print quality. The prints are clean and layer resolutions are per specifications.

Setup

This printer arrived extremely well packaged. You must break through layers after layers of cardboard and foam before spotting a single component. Which is awesome because it is a really awful experience to receive a 3D printer package with damaged components inside. Which has happened in the past.

The JGAURORA A5s comes with a generous spool of PLA filament. It also shipped with an SD card with adapter, essential tools for assembly and some spare parts.

The instructions provided, which were on the SD card in video format were more than adequate to complete the assembly. The printer itself comes about 95 percent preassembled. In fact, the A5s is one of the easiest 3D printers we’ve ever assembled. The assembly process basically consisted of attaching the based with gantry (the z carriage) and a few other things. The assembly process will take about 20-30 minutes for most people.

Price and Value Comparisons

This is one of the best “quality” 3D printer for under 500 dollars with a large build area. Though you may be able to squeeze in some more build size from a 500-dollar budget, but we may be sacrificing quality and performance.

Also, those who are complete beginners to 3D printing may want to consider instead the JGAURORA A5. It has been out for a while and has a large community behind it. The A5 and A5S both has the same build size specification.

5. TRONXY XY-3

Print size: 310*310*330mm

Print Size and Resolution

This printer, the TRONXY XY-3 greatly resembles the Creality Ender 3. The design provides good build volume for a printer in that price range. The build size is 310*310*330mm or 12.2 * 12.2 * 12.9 in inches. This printer can easily handle the large print requirement one may have.

The print resolution for the XY-3 is 0.1mm-0.4mm per layer. Very typical for such a printer. The smaller that number the greater the detail and surface finish of the print.

Quality and Design

The overall design of the XY-3 provides good enough structural integrity for a durable and reliable printer. The all-aluminum metal frame is rigid and provides high heat resistance. The manufacture of this machine appears to have quality markers in place for building solid machines.  

The hot end and bed heat up fairly quickly. The bed leveling mechanism is manual. But that is to be expected with a printer of this sort. Plus, the level adjustment process is really simple with a twist of a few nobs. The design is perfect for upgrading components you want to improve.

Notable Features

The TRONXY XY-3 comes equipped with a touch screen color LCD display with a nice graphical interface. The graphical interface definitely makes this printer more user/beginner friendly. Day to day operations can also be more productive with the responsive and easy to use display.

Some other useful features are:

1. Auto loading and unloading filament
2. Filament runout sensor
3. Heated bed
4. Print recovery after a power outage

Print Quality

The print quality and accuracy will be good enough for most project out of the box. For our test run, the print came out really clean. However, like most 3D printers, it may require some tweaking and configuring to get optimum print accuracy and low tolerances.

You are able to print rafts and support with this printer which are easily removed.

Setup

The printer came in medium-to-large size box weighing just around 26 pounds (11.8 kg). Not a big deal to hoist around for most. All components are neatly sorted and compartmentalized to prevent in transit damages and ease of access. All the necessary tools required to complete the assembly are provided (i.e., Allen wrench set, screw driver, socket wrench, ratchet etc.)

Package also include a scraper to help dislodge finish prints and to clean print bed. As well as a small amount of PLA filament for a test print or two and an easy peal magnetic pad for the print bed which eliminates non-adhesion and warped edged.

Setup process was straightforward enough to only take about half an hour to get up and running. The printer shipped 90 percent factory assembled. The installation process is basically attaching the four main pieces, the base to the z axis mounts, the control interface, the power supplies and connecting some plug and play harnesses.

For this simple setup, the instruction manual provided is more than adequate. Everything is labeled and the instructions worded in plain English. Not sure about the other languages provided. The most challenging part of the install is managing all the cables, making sure they’re not restricting any motion, as that would be damaging for both wire and the frame.

Price and Value Comparisons

This is an awesome printer for the price point and build volume. It does a good job with any material you through at it. There are a few things consider however.

The setup may require some tuning for best print quality which may not be ideal for most beginners. You may want to consider upgrading the bed surface with a glass mirror surface in the not too distant future. As the magnetic beds that comes with these printers tend to wear out and lose their effectiveness. You can pick a glass surface from your local hardware store very affordably.

The printer comes with many extras, like an 8Gig USB, MicroSD adapter for on the go storage and a USB cable to connect the printer to your computer, to name a few. The XY-3 is a great value for anyone looking for high volume printer for under $500.

6. Creality CR-10

 Print size: 300x300x400mm

Print Size and Resolution

This is the Creality CR10 Standard. Creality is no doubt one the leaders in the 3D printer manufacturing space. The CR10 series offers some of the largest build sizes around. The size of the printer after its all put together is 490*600*615 mm. That’s 19.2 inches by 23.6 inches by 24.2 inches. Which is rather big in comparison.

The CR10 is able to produce parts slightly smaller than its build area, with a build size of 300x300x400mm. That’s 11.8″ x 11.8″ x 15.8″. Which means it can spit out models as large as 11.8 inches wide, 15.8 inches tall with 11.8 inches of depth.

Quality and Design

The CR10 has a really simple design. The frame is constructed with all aluminum and is quite study to ensure superior print quality and longevity.

The blue stripping that are shown in the illustration above are for decorative purposes. We were able to remove them without a problem. The CR10 look very sleek in all black. 

Notable Features

• Very easy to assemble
• A reliable printer
• Large community support

Print Quality

The CR10 was able to produce unbelievable prints out of the box. There are some issues with printing ABS due to the open design.

Adding an enclosure around the printer for insulation solves the low temperature problem which is encountered with ABS materials. The print quality for this machine is near perfect. That goes for PLA, nylon and even flexible filaments.

Setup

The shipment was neatly package with density foam. The printer shipped with an micro SD card with an SD adapter along with some tools, USB cable to tether a computer or a raspberry pi for online printing, a small amount of filament and some spare parts.

The printer comes 90 percent preassembled from the factory. The instruction for setting up the printer are stored on the supplied SD card. The instructions were step by step and straightforward. This one of the easiest 3D printers to assemble, taking just about 20 minutes to get up and running.

Price and Value Comparisons

For our 500-dollar budget, the CR10 can produce some exceptionally large models with exquisite details. To scale any bigger than that, the price will jump quite drastically, almost doubling at the 800-dollar mark. And with that, the build size will almost double at 500*500*500mm. Suffice to say CR10 is more than large enough for most project.

 

7. Artillery Sidewinder X1

Print size: 300 x 300 x 400 mm

Print Size and Resolution

Artillery (now Evnovo) Sidewinder X1, is no doubt a fierce contender for the Creality CR10. The build volume for the X1 is the same as the CR10 at:300 x 300 x 400 mm. That’s 11.81 x 11.81 x 15.75 inches. Meaning you can print models that are 11.81 inches wide, 15.75 inches tall, with 11.81 inches of depth.

Layer resolution is 0.1mm which makes for large prints with very smooth finishes.

Quality and Design

The XI is one sleek printer. The design is an open frame made with all aluminum. The messy wiring common in other popular 3D printers has been replace with ribbon cables giving the X1 a clean and tidy look.  This printer is equipped with quite a few cool features. One of which is a color touchscreen LCD controls.

Notable Features

• This printer is super quiet.
• Bed heats up super-fast
• Responsive touch screen color LCD display

Print Quality

The print quality for the Sidewinder X1 was pretty amazing surprisingly. The layer accuracy was near perfect. The XI did an awesome job on the dimensional accuracy test.

A note worth mentioning is that both the belt on X and Y carriage required some tensioning. Which we caught earlier during the setup process. A loose belt will cause inaccurate prints.

Setup

The instruction manual provided with this printer is nicely illustrated and very straightforward. The printer shipped with plenty of spare parts in case something breaks down the road. Some of the spare parts are some spare ribbon cables and some spare rollers for the X axis. The package also included a USB flash drive, USB cable, a spool of PLA filament, some tools  

Like the CR10, this printer was a breeze to assemble. Just connect the two main assemblies, the base and gantry with a few bolts and you’re done. The installation took about 10 minutes to complete.

Price and Value Comparisons

The Sidewinder X1 is a great alternative for the CR10. They’re both great printers with a large build size. The CR10 has a bigger userbase and more established reputation than the X1. Which means more upgrades and feedback will be available from the community.

Apart from that, the decision will fork out in terms of who has the biggest sales and anesthetics. Which printer will look best in your shop counter or office? Answer is arguably either one. However, the X1 is clearly an awesome looking printer.

8. HE3D K280 Delta

Print size: 280*600mm

Print Size and Resolution

We can’t talk about large size printers without including the K280 Delta. This printer is huge, although the bulk of the size of this printer is only in its height. The printer itself is 1120 mm tall 430 mm wide. That’s 44 inches tall and 16.9 inches wide. This printer is almost 4 feet tall (3.66 ft).

Printing size is 280*600mm. Which means this printer can produce prints which are 11 inches wide and 23.62 inches tall.

Quality and Design

The K280 Delta has a triangular open frame design. This printer is perfect for very tall cylindrical prints, likes vases, shafts and long boards. The frame is aluminum. This printer is a sturdy build. However, the sheer size of the printer can introduce some instability when printing large models at high speeds. A problem which can be remedied by adding some reinforcements along the joints of the printer.

Notable Features

• Auto level prob
• Updateable mainboard

Print Quality

The print quality for k280 is great without any special tuning required. Which is very surprising for a printer that size. 

Setup

The printer arrived nicely packed with all the different components individually packaged in their own boxes. That gave the assembly process a neat and organized flow. The package includes tools to complete the setup, SD card with some models you can print and a ton of spare parts.

The instruction manual is nicely illustrated though thorough and clear instructions can be lacking for beginners. So, if you are beginner and after a large printer, we recommend checking out some alternatives.

If you absolutely must have this printer for its enormous build size, we recommend you find someone who knows about 3D printers and set aside enough time to setup the printer.

You can find live assembly videos to guide through the setup process better than the instructions. The K280 is DIY kit, so there are many steps involved in completing the setup process. The assembly is not difficult and should take no more than about 4 to 6 hours to complete. Its the calibration and configuration that may slow the progress to completing the first print from this printer.

Price and Value Comparisons

This is a great printer for large volume printing if you have experience with 3D printers and are able to upgrade, customized and overall this printer. Again, we do not recommend this printer for beginners.

The overall value you get from this printer is too great to ignore. The parts are cheap and low quality. But so is price for the printer in most cases. With some easy modification and upgrades, this printer can be the best large volume printer in your arsenal.

9. TEVO Nereus

Print size: 320x320x400mm

Print Size and Resolution

The TEVO Nereus is much like the TEVO tornado with the Nereus having a slightly larger build size. This is a rather larger printer coming in at 537 by 587 by 624 millimeters. That’s 21.1 by 23.1 by 24.5 inches.

Print size for the Nereus is 320x320x400mm max. That’s is 12.5 by 12.5 by 15.7 inches. Which means this printer will printer model the size of horse. I mean models which are as big as 12.5 inches wide and 15.7 inches tall with 12.5 inches of depth.

It also provides a nice range of layer thickness: 0.1-0.36mm. For a variety of finishes for different applications.

Quality and Design

Like the prior TEVO products, this printer looks great. It has a sturdy all aluminum frame with all wires and electronics nicely concealed inside a case at the very base of the printer.

Notable Features

• Color LCD touchscreen
• WIFI connectivity – Allow users to print wirelessly over their WIFI network.
• Filament out detection

Print Quality

This is a great printer for those looking for something to work right out of the box. The print quality for the Nereus was to par with the rest of the printers on this list. We successful printed the test print that came on the SD card on the first try and it came out near perfect.

We test it for dimensional accuracy, it performed marvelously. Does a great with detailed prints, mechanical prints and printing that takes long hours to complete. After over two months of using this printer, the reliability remains unchanged.

Setup

You can expect the typical spotless packaging from Tevo. All the main and secondary components are individually packaged and labeled. It includes various tool to complete the assembly, SD card, cleaning pins and some spare parts.

The written instruction manual could not have been any better. It is thorough and clearly illustrated with high resolution photos. There is also a assembly instructions in video format. This printer comes 90 percent preassembled from the factory. It is a two step build process which consists off attaching the base with gantry (the top part the printer) and some other small components for the heat bed and the hot end.

Price and Value Comparisons

The TEVO Nereus is a really nice large build volume printer for an affordable price. The build size is slightly bigger the CR10. It is ones of the largest build sizes you’ll find for this type of printer and in that price range.

10. ANYCUBIC Chiron

Print size: 400x400x450mm

Print Size and Resolution

The Anycubic Chiron has the largest print size for printers under 500 dollars. The Chiron is huge. Careful consideration for desktop placement may be required. The printer is 651 by 612 by 720 millimeter(mm). That’s 25.6 by 24.0 by 28.3 inches. That’s 25.6 inches wide, 28.3 inches tall with 24.0-inch depth. 

The build size is a massive 400x400x450mm. That’s 15.75 inches by 15.75 inches by 17.72 inch. This printer print objects 15.75 inches wide, 17.72 inches tall with 15.75 inches of depth.

Layer resolution for the Chiron is 0.1- 0.4 mm. The printer also came with different nozzle sizes allowing for many different configurations for different finishes and print dimensions.

Quality and Design

The design for Chiron is very clean and simple. The frame made with bulky aluminum providing a very strong and stable build. All wiring and electronics are nicely house inside casing at the base of the printer. Everything about this printer is solid, almost like a printer designed for industrial use.

One possible drawback for this printer is that the fans can be a bit noisy. But the noise is to par with many of the other popular printers and can be improved with some easy upgrade.

Notable Features

• Color LCD touchscreen
• Computer aided leveling system
• Ultra-base pro bed – Excellent surface for adhesion. Prints are also release easily once the bed is cooled.

Print Quality

After many test prints and many months of using the Anycubic Chiron, the print performance has been admirable. This printer handles quite well with PLA, Flexible filament as well as ABS.

Prints mechanical parts with tight tolerances well. We’ve completed several large prints which took over 8 hours to print, each print was a success.

Setup

The package included tools for setting up, print removal tool, 1kg of filament, spare parts and a few other things. The printer shipped in a nicely contained box with foam cushion protecting the components.

This is another two step build process like the ones we’ve seen in the previous printers above. 90 to 95 percent of this printer came already preassembled from the factory.

Assembly is simple and takes no more than about 10-20 minutes.

Price and Value Comparisons

This printer offers ones the best value for our 500-dollar budget. This is a quality printer with an enormous print size. Anycubic is also known for providing excellent technical support for its customers.