Resin 3D printers use SLA 3D printing, DLP or LCD technologies to create high-quality 3D models from a liquid resin photopolymer. Stereolithography was the first 3D technology invented, with the patent granted in 1986 and commercialized by 3D Systems in the late 1980s — and now in 2020 has evolved to become more effective and accessible than ever before, with superb resin 3D printers now available for just $200.
To complement our resin 3D printer buyer’s guide, you may wish afterwards to read our other resin 3D printing guides:
- There are subtle differences between DLP and SLA 3D printers, which we explain in our DLP vs SLA comparison guide.
- Once you’ve bought a resin printer you’ll need software to prepare your resin prints. Check out our guide to the best resin 3D slicers here.
- We also have a guide for if you are specifically looking for a low cost LCD 3D printer.
So what are the best resin 3D Printers of 2020?
The criteria used for choosing the best resin 3D printer including the following:
- Must be an LCD 3D printer, SLA 3D printer or a DLP 3D printer.
- SLA / DLP 3D printer cost: price/performance ratio was a key ranking factor.
- Must still be in production — you have to be able to buy the resin 3D printer online.
- Bonus points were attributed to printers available worldwide: we scoured not only US sites, but resin 3D printers you can buy in the UK, Australia, and all across Europe. Our readers hail from all corners from the glove, and do not want to frustrate anyone by recommending resin 3D printers that are not available outside a small area.
This is not intended to be an objective list, but an opinion piece. This guide is free from any sponsors and every printer featured here does so on merit — we have not been paid for any placement in this ranking. We stay independent by posting our guides with affiliate links, such as those on Amazon which we earn a commission on.
The Best Resin 3D printers 2020 for All Price Ranges
| Name and Brand | Resin 3D Printer Type | Max Print Area (mm) | Price | Best Price | Alternative Purchase Option |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anycubic Photon Zero | LCD | 95 x 54 x 150 | $219 | Gearbest here | Amazon here |
| QIDI Tech Shadow 5.5 S | LCD | 115 x 65 x 150 | $269 | Amazon here | Gearbest here |
| LONGER Orange 10 | LCD | 120 x 65 x 170 | $188 | Gearbest here | Amazon here |
| LONGER Orange 30 | LCD | 120 x 68 x 170 | $280-$300 | Amazon here | Gearbest here |
| ELEGOO Mars | LCD | 120 x 68 x 155 | $249+ | Amazon here | Gearbest here |
| AnyCubic Photon | LCD | 115 x 65 x 115 | $249+ | Amazon here | Gearbest here |
| Phrozen Sonic Mini | LCD | 119 x 66 x 130 | $249 | Amazon here | |
| AnyCubic Photon S | LCD | 115 x 65 x 165 | $409 to $460 | Amazon here | |
| Prusa SL1 | SLA | 120 x 68 x 150 | $1,399 / $1,699 | Prusa Store | |
| Peopoly Phenom | mSLA | 276 x 155 x 400 | $1,999 | Matterhackers here | |
| Uniz Slash Plus | LCD | 192 x 120 x 200 | $1,999 | Matterhackers here | |
| Zortrax Inkspire | LCD | 74 x 132 x 175 | $2,150 | Amazon here | |
| 3D Systems FabPro 1000 | DLP | 125 x 70 x 120 | $2,250 | Amazon here | |
| Formlabs Form 3 | SLA | 145 x 145 x 185 | $3,499 | Dyanmism here |
Part 1: Best Resin 3D Printers Under $1,000
Anycubic Photon Zero
- Price: $199 — Best price on Gearbest here / Also Available on Amazon here
- Maximum print volume: 95 x 54 x 150 mm
Following on from the success of the Photon and Photon S, the Anycubic Photon Zero is the lowest price and introductory cheap resin 3D printer by the Chinese company. It’s easy to set up and comes assembled, so you can start printing within 5 minutes of putting on the build platform and the resin vat.
Building on from the technology in the Photon and Photon S, for such a cheap 3D printer the Photon Zero exhibits great precision. The anti-aliasing system makes for smoother and far less granular prints, so you’ll barely be able to see the layers at all.
Additionally, the linear rail makes the Z-axis move more smoothly for more precise prints with a more consistent finish. The upgraded UV module is a nice touch, too, allowing for better distribution of the UV light for resin printing and enhancing precision.
When you purchase the Anycubic Photon Zero, also get the tool set and scraper, gloves, mask, USB drive and power adapter. Overall, it’s a great resin 3D printer for beginners, with a low cost, is simple to use and with adequate quality.
- We also recommend you purchase the Anycubic Wash and Cure Box to improve prints.
QIDI Tech Shadow 5.5 S
- Country based: China
- Resin 3D printer cost: starting at $269 — Best price on Gearbest here / Available on Amazon here
- Max build volume: 115 x 65 x 150 mm
QIDI (pronounced Chidi) make a number of impressive FDM printers such as the X-Pro — which features on our low cost 3D printer ranking as well as our dual extruder 3D printer buyer’s guide. The Shadow 5.5 S picks up where their FDM printers left off: high quality; low price.
As with most low cost LCD 3D printers, it features a 2K LCD screen with the ability to print at 47 microns. Efforts have been made to stabilize the Z axis — a problem for some past resin 3D printers — with a dual rail designed to keep the Z axis stable as the bottom descends during printing.
Upgraded for 2020, QIDI have installed a new double filtration system to make sure you don’t smell any bad odors. QIDI say the printer works well in making 3D printed jewelry, as well as for teaching and education.
Phrozen Sonic Mini
- Price: $249 — Available on Amazon here
- Max print volume: 119 x 66 x 130 mm
One of the best-selling low cost resin 3D printers currently, the Phrozen Sonic Mini mixes fast printing and curing speeds with good precision at a good price.
Phrozen have been in the resin 3D printing sector for a few years now, having first released the Phrozen Shuffle, before now releasing the Sonic Mini. The 2.8” touchscreen is easy to navigate, and the Chitubox resin 3D slicer that it works with will be familiar to many people already.
At 50mm/hour printing speed, it’s fast – noticeably more so than even the Anycubic Photon S. It’s also versatile, compatible with all third party LCD resins, as well as some DLP resins, and fairly accurate, with a minimum layer thickness of 0.01mm.
For the price, it’s an extremely interesting printer for those who prefer a fast 3D printer.
AnyCubic Photon
- Country based: China
- Price: $229 to $269 — Best price on Gearbest here / Available on Amazon here
- Build volume: 115 x 65 x 115 mm
Another cheap resin 3D printer option, Chinese manufacturer AnyCubic have created this highly rated DLP printer, featuring a decent 115 x 65 x 115 mm build volume. Unlike some cheap DLP 3D printers, the Photon comes pre-assembled, so you don’t need to build it yourself from a 3D printer kit.
Though it offers 2K resolution, it is important to remember that in this price range you cannot expect faultless quality and perfect printing. You mostly get what you pay for in stereolithography; the AnyCubic is no different — and SLA is known for being more precise and accurate than FDM 3D printing.
- We also have a more detailed comparison between SLA vs FDM 3D printing.
The Photon is an effective 3D printer for those who want scalable printing, too. This is because due to the LCD technologies involved, multiple parts can be printed at almost exactly the same speed as one single part, so if you have many parts to print then it’s ideal. So if you’ve ever thought about starting up an online 3D printing service to make a bit of extra cash, the AnyCubic Photon may be able to help with that.
LONGER Orange 30 / Orange 10
- Country based: China
- Orange 30 price: $280-$300 — Available on Amazon here ($299) / Best price on Gearbest here ($280)
- Orange 10 price: $188 to $210 — Best price on Gearbest here ($188) / Available on Amazon here ($199)
- Build volume: 120 x 65 x 170 mm (Orange 30); 98 x 55 x 140 mm (Orange 10)
Chinese company LONGER are another company quietly taking over the LCD 3D printer sector, and the new and improved LONGER 30 is again very good. It’s slightly bigger than its predecessor, the Orange 10, for those who need to make larger resin models, and has had the stability of the Z axis upgraded, to create higher quality parts. We picked both LONGER printers however as we feel they are both great low cost resin 3D printers.
Ironically, it quite literally is longer than any other printer in its price range. Most resin printers under $500 only have a Z axis of around 150 mm, with the Orange 30 able to print 20 mm higher models. So if size matters, this one’s for you.
They’re both also really simple to use, which is especially useful since lower cost resin printers are usually bought as a 3D printer for beginners. The touchscreen makes navigating menus a breeze, and you can either use their LongerWare resin 3D slicer or Chitubox.
The intensity and consistency in the LED lights responsible for curing the resin have been upgraded in the Orange 30. This makes for more consistent, accurate, and faster prints as the more intense light can cure the resin faster. Overall, it’s a good resin 3D printer for getting started.
ELEGOO Mars
- Country based: China
- Price: $230 — Best price on Gearbest here / Available on Amazon here
- Build volume: 120 x 68 x 155 mm
The Elegoo Mars is another low cost SLA 3D printer, like the Anycubic Photon, that shocked makers with how good it actually was. With LCD 3D printing becoming more affordable, more precise and faster, the Elegoo takes advantage of this to deliver a cheap resin printer that delivers in quality and consistency.
- Elegoo also sell some of the cheapest resins on the market, at around $35 per liter. You can buy them here.
Like the Anet N4 it features a 2K LCD projector, with a minimum layer height of just 0.01mm. The Elegoo Mars comes with its own 3D slicer software called CHITUBOX, and has a good maximum build volume of 120 x 68 x 155 mm. There have been complaints of it smelling, despite the closed chamber however, which is something to watch for.
Anycubic Photon S
- Country based: China
- Price: $409 to $500 — Available on Amazon here
- Build volume: 115 x 65 x 165 mm
The original Anycubic Photon was a sleeper hit. People saw the price and assumed it would have quality and reliability issues, but proved to be one of the most successful cheap resin 3D printers of the last year. The new and upgraded version, the Photon S, builds on that legacy, and is considerably upgraded.
We also recommend purchasing the Anycubic Wash and Cure Box.
- Anycubic resins start at around $20 for 500ml. You can buy them here.
In terms of build volume, only the Z axis is larger (165 mm vs 115), but the real progress is in the mechanics. The Photon S is built to be far more stable with its dual rail x axis, reducing vibrations. Vibrations and a lack of stability lead to worse surface finishes and generally lower quality, so this is a big upgrade. Moreover, Anycubic claim the Photon S’ double filtration system reduces the odors a few customers complained of with the original, so its safer and more pleasant to be in close proximity to.
Part 2: Best Desktop Resin 3D Printers (Between $1,000 and $3,000)
Prusa SL1
- Country based: Czechia
- Price: $1,399 as a 3D printer kit, $1,699 assembled
- Build volume: 120 x 68 x 150 mm
Prusa printers are known for being the best RepRap 3D printers. They’re so good that more than 150,000 have been sold, with founder Josef Prusa starting factories of his own printers just to make parts for more of them! Prusa-ception.
Now Prusa has moved into the SLA 3D printing sector, with the Prusa SL1 based on mSLA technologies: using LCD and LED panels to cure layers. As mentioned previously, this creates advantages in scalability — multiple parts can be created simultaneously with no extra time cost — and also precision.
As well as the printer, Prusa sell a washing and curing machine to aid with washing and curing prints, maximizing surface finish quality. The Prusa SL1 features a heavy aluminium body, designed to anchor the printer to the ground and make it more stable so printing is more accurate. I feel like the phrase “of course it’s good, it’s Prusa” is appropriate here.
Peopoly Phenom mSLA Printer
- Country based: Hong Kong
- Price: $1,999 — Available on Matterhackers here
- Build Volume: 276 x 155 x 400 mm
We previously included the Peopoly Moai on our list — a fantastic DIY SLA 3D printer kit. Now Peopoly are back with the Phenom, a serious upgrade that combines LCD and LED technologies.
The Peopoly Moai has a very large print volume for a resin 3D printer, at 276 x 155 x 400 mm, in addition to a 72 micron resolution. This virtually unheard of as resin printers typically have much smaller build volumes than FDM 3D printers. Peopoly recommend using their resins when 3D printing, which they sell for around $70 per liter.
Overall, it’s impressing the community and boasts massive build volume — time will tell if the Peopoly Phenom becomes the go-to low cost SLA 3D printer.
Uniz Slash Plus
- Price: $1,999 — Available on Matterhackers here
- Build volume: 192 x 120 x 200 mm
Known for incredibly quick resin 3D printing thanks to its patented liquid cooling technologies, the Uniz Slash Plus offers industrial-speed resin printing at accessible prices. You may have seen short videos showing a Uniz 3D printer creating entire resin models in seconds before your eyes before, with Uniz’s technology making it one of the fastest 3D printers in the world.
- Uniz resins are available here.
As well as its speed, the Uniz Slash Plus is easy to use and navigate, with its own resin 3D slicer, and with the large 8.9 inch 2K LCD it is capable of excellent accuracy. This is shown in the up to 20 micron accuracy, with XY precision of 75 microns.
This makes the Uniz Slash Plus the ideal resin 3D printer for fast and accurate resin model production, such as in the creation of dental or other medical models, and in general rapid prototyping and manufacturing. Small businesses will love the speed the Uniz Slash Plus allows them to iterate at, and any committed makers with the money to spend on a Slash will enjoy creating high quality resin parts at home.
Zortrax Inkspire
- Country based: Poland
- Price: $2,150 — Available on Amazon here
- Build volume: 74 x 132 x 175 mm
Zortrax are another well-known desktop FDM 3D printer brand who have pivoted and entered the SLA 3D printing market in recent times. Joining names such as Prusa, XYZprinting and Sharebot, Zortrax have released their own resin printer, making use of new and innovative UV LCD technologies that make resin printing more accurate and faster.
- Zortrax make their own resins, which are available here.
As with all Zortrax 3D printers, the Inkspire focuses on high quality printing. It features a 50 micron XY resolution and a minimum layer height of 25 microns, good enough for even the most serious of makers. The Inkspire also features a 4″, easy-to-use touchscreen and can be connected to via WiFi, Ethernet or USB.
3D Systems FabPro 1000
- Country based: USA.
- Price: $2,250 — Available on Amazon here
- Build Volume: 125 x 70 x 120 mm.
American industrial 3D printer company 3D Systems are the original 3D printing company, having been established in the late 1980s to commercialize Stereolithography. Since then, 3D Systems have gone a long way in tweaking their resin3D printers and now sell the FabPro 1000, their lowest price printer at under $3,000.
Though its build volume is no larger than some far cheaper resin printers, this DLP 3D printer more than makes up for it with its performance. Its high quality and accurate printing capabilities (XY resolution of 65 microns) and laser thickness of 30 microns mean it is ideal for the dental and 3D printed jewelry industries. If you’re looking for a sturdy 3D printer capable of creating wax molds for Lost Wax Casting or other industrial tasks, the FabPro 1000 is perfect for you.
- 3D Systems have a reputation for quality, and sell a number of high quality 3D printer resins too. They can be found here.
It’s also worth noting that 3D Systems also sell a 3D scanner range. Therefore, if you’re looking to scan some of your favorite objects to then recreate with the FabPro 1000, 3D Systems have got you covered.
Part 3: Professional Resin 3D Printers ($3,000+)
Formlabs Form 3
- Country based: USA
- Price: $3,499 — Available on Dynamism Store here
- Build Volume: 145 x 145 x 185 mm
Formlabs have become a huge name in the 3D printing industry since their original Kickstarter campaign in 2012. The US 3D printer company sell the Form 3 SLA 3D printer for $3,499, and it has since become very popular in the dental and jewelry industries.
The Form 3 comes with a huge variety of new features. It comes with new LFS technology advantages as well as a new Light Processing Unit (LPU) leading to improved surface finishes on prints, as well as better layer registrations. The Form 2 was already fantastic, and these added features elevate the Form 3 to a whole new dimension of SLA 3D printing.
Additionally, the Formlabs Form 3 has an automated resin system and uses smart cartridges which automatically fills the resin vat. In addition, it has a scanning system for the resin tray after each layer, and automatically adjusts based on the type of resin used. Furthermore, its got a fantastic touch screen and can be operated remotely via a WiFi connection.
This SLA 3D printer has a very nice print volume of 145 x 145 x 185 mm, and is extremely precise with 25 micron XY resolution. In addition to this nice print area, the Formlabs Form 3 is compatible with a large amount of resins which Formlabs also sell. For those looking for third party resins that are compatible with Formlabs printers, here is a great place to start.
Formlabs have cemented themselves as leaders in Stereolithography with the Form 3. It has universal rave reviews, and is used extensively in the dental sector. What’s more; Formlabs also sell an SLS 3D printer, the Fuse 1.
See also:
- Top 10 SLS 3D printers
- 20 Metal 3D Printers Innovating in 2020
- Top 15 Dual Extruder 3D Printers
- 3DSourced’s Overall Top 20 Best 3D Printers 2020
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