Best Overall		Tactacam Reveal X-Pro		SEE IT	An excellent all-around cellular trail camera, with strong photo quality and LCD screen for easy setup.
Best app		Moultrie Mobile Edge PRO Cellular		SEE IT	The Moultrie Mobile app gives you lots of useful information along with your photos and videos.
Best budget		SpyPoint LM2		SEE IT	The LM2 is much more affordable than other comparable options.

If you take an interest in the goings on in natural areas, there’s no better way to snoop on Mother Nature’s micro dramas than with a cellular trail camera. These devices give you a set of ever-watching eyes in the wilderness, ready to snap a photo at the first sign of movement and text it directly to your phone. With a cellular trail camera, you won’t need to trek out to that stand of Aspen to get word that the mule deer have come to call. Instead, cellular trail cameras use motion sensing technology coupled with cell service to keep you connected even when sitting on your couch. Whether you’re monitoring the movements of a family of Night Heron, prepping for a deer hunt, or simply looking for an all-weather security camera, the best cellular trail cameras make for versatile tools that help you monitor the peripherals of your outdoor domain.

• Best overall: Tactacam Reveal X-Pro
• Best picture quality: Bushnell Cellucore 30
• Best for wet conditions: CREATIVE XP Cellular Trail Camera
• Best app: Moultrie Mobile Edge PRO Cellular
• Best budget: SpyPoint LM2

How we chose the best cellular trail cameras

To pick the best trail cameras, we examined a wide array of cameras from multiple makers. We looked for cameras that feature good motion detection and response time, crisp and detailed image quality, strong weather resistance, and easy-to-set-up cell service. Special features like GPS location data, and solid apps that actually helped ease of use were prioritized where we found them.

The best cellular trail cameras: Reviews and recommendations

Whether you are looking for a cellular trail camera to keep an eye on your property, plan for a hunt, or simply to enjoy the animals in your area, these cameras will provide quality results from afar.

Best overall: Tactacam Reveal X-Pro

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Specs

• Max photo resolution: 16 megapixels
• Max video resolution: 1080p
• Detection range: 96+ Feet
• Wireless carrier: AT&T, Verizon
• Dimensions: ‎9 x 5 x 3 inches

Pros

• Built-in GPS
• Durable IP66 waterproof rating
• LCD screen makes it easier to set up
• Three tiers of data plans

Cons

• Pricey for the unlimited photo data plan
• Lots of potential extra fees 

As a bit of a classic in the hunting and trail cam community, the Tactacam Reveal X-Pro is a natural choice to sit at the helm of any cellular trail camera best-of list. This HD trail camera delivers photos between eight and 16 megapixels with under half a second trigger times. The daytime detection range is roughly 96 feet, while the flash range at night is around 80 feet. And it can take videos up to 1080p. 

Photos and videos from the Reveal X-Pro are delivered over AT&T or Verizon LTE. Swapping networks is as simple as switching out SIM cards. Tactacam offers three levels of plans with additional add-ons. The basic LTE plan costs a below-average price yet will only deliver 250 low-definition photos a month. For unlimited photos, you’ll have to either order them through the app for a charge or upgrade to the top-tier plan, which costs more than twice as much. Also, HD photos and videos come at an additional fee, which can add up.

The Tactacam Reveal X-Pro is also compatible with an external solar panel, though you’ll have to buy that separately. We think the benefit of not having to worry about coming back to replace batteries makes the solar panel worth it. The camera is IP66 rated, so you don’t have to worry if it rains. And a small LCD screen makes it easy to ensure that your setup actually captures what you want before you head home.  All in all, Tactacam is one of the best cellular trail cameras. Its efficiency and quality make the slightly above-average monthly subscription cost worth it.

Best picture quality: Bushnell Cellucore 30

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Specs

• Max photo resolution: 30 megapixels
• Max video resolution: 1080p HD
• Detection range: 100 feet
• Wireless carrier: Verizon, AT&T
• Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.59 x 3.15 inches

Pros

• Fast 0.2-second trigger speed
• 30-megapixel photo resolution and 1080p video
• Built-in three-inch display
• Easy setup and app control

Cons

• Expensive

If image quality is your main priority, the Bushnell Cellucore 30 is the way to go. It is capable of clear, well-saturated 30-megapixel photos. It’s also able to record HD videos with audio. The Hybrid mode takes a full-resolution photo followed by a video each time the camera is triggered. Plus, the speedy 0.2-second trigger speed means that you won’t miss an animal, even if it is moving through the field of view quickly. 

This Bushnell cellular trail camera is ruggedly built and able to withstand the elements. The three-inch display on the camera makes getting it into position easy, and it’s protected by the cover.  It utilizes an infrared flash with six LEDs for a 100-foot range at night. The camera runs on 12 AA batteries and uses SD cards up to 32GB. 

You’ll get 30 days of free service, and then you can choose between AT&T or Verizon for a contract-free plan. There are two plan options: One with up to 2,000 monthly photo thumbnails, 10 monthly high-res images, and five monthly video downloads. Or, for $5 more, you can opt for an unlimited plan.

Best for wet conditions: CREATIVE XP Cellular Trail Camera

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Specs

• Max photo resolution: 12 megapixels
• Max video resolution: 1080p
• Detection range: 65 feet
• Wireless carrier: AT&T, T-Mobile
• Dimensions: 5.83 x 4.61 x 3.07 inches

Pros

• Easy to use cell hook-up
• Durable IP66 rating
• Fast 0.35s trigger speed
• Compatible with solar panels and bear cage

Cons

• Blurry photos at night
• Can take a few minutes for photos to arrive on your phone

Creative XP offers an impressively reliable trail camera. When you’re buying outdoor gear, a rugged build is usually front and foremost in your priorities. The Creative XP camera offers IP66 waterproofing that protects it from rain, snow, and dust. It also distinguishes itself with a wider-than-average operating temperature between -13 degrees and 140 degrees Fahrenheit. That means that this camera should be ready for most climates within the continental US.

As an actual camera, the Creative XP does a good job at day photography. Its camera is responsive and decently detailed, producing 12-megapixel photos and 1080p videos. Unfortunately, it falls behind some in regard to crisp nighttime photography, often yielding somewhat blurry shots at night. If night photography is a priority for you, look elsewhere. Otherwise, the Creative XP is an excellent trail camera able to withstand even the harshest environments.

Best app: Moultrie Mobile Edge PRO Cellular

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Specs

• Max photo resolution: 36 megapixels
• Max video resolution: 1080p
• Detection range: 100 feet
• Wireless Carrier: Verizon & AT&T
• Dimensions: ‎10.12 x 6.06 x 3.74 inches

Pros

• Automatically detects specific animals
• App provides lots of information with AI features
• Flexible subscription plan options
• On-board memory (no SD card required)

Cons

• Requires a subscription to take full advantage of features

The Moultrie Mobile Edge Pro Cellular sports a 36-megapixel camera with a lengthy 100-foot range. Moultrie’s app is free to download and offers a plethora of handy features, such as smart identification that can differentiate a buck from a deer. It also features False Trigger Elimination, which uses AI to identify species that you’re specifically targeting and only save photos of those species. It can even provide analytics on animal movements and detailed info on what’s happening in your neck of the woods. And you’ll get weather reports to better plan out your hunts.

Though the app is free, you will need to subscribe to a cellular plan through Moultrie to take advantage of some of the app and cameras’ capabilities. You can use the cameras without a plan but will then need to physically retrieve the photos instead of accessing them remotely from your phone. And while some may not love the idea of a recurring fee, Moultrie makes it very flexible. It offers three plan options and the ability to pay monthly or annually. In addition, there are no activation or cancelation fees, which means you can pay for the months during deer season and then cancel until next year.

Once you pay for the plan, you won’t be surprised by any extra premium features in the app. You get it all at no additional cost. And, unlike other cellular trail camera companies, Moultrie never deletes your files. They will always be there, even if you cancel your plan. If you are looking for a fleet of trail cameras that work together like a spy net, then Moultrie delivers a powerful product.

Best budget: SpyPoint LM2

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Specs

• Max photo resolution: 20 megapixels
• Max video resolution: N/A 
• Detection range: 90 feet
• Wireless carrier: Verizon, Nationwide
• Dimensions: 3.5 x 5 x 8 inches

Pros

• Free app option for up to 100 photos a month
• Paid subscription services cheaper than some of the competition
• 90-foot detection range with multi-shot mode
• Compact design

Cons

• Requires multiple subscriptions for multiple cameras
• No video capabilities

This compact, affordable trail camera complements its solid hardware with a robust mobile app. You can typically find a two-pack SpyPoint LM2 for cheaper than most other cellular trail cameras. Instead of a high up-front cost, this camera packs its frills into the included app. The 20-megapixel camera with a half-second trigger time doesn’t capitalize on high definition and speed the way some pricer cameras do, but with a 90-foot range, it delivers good enough images for the purpose.

Using LTE, the camera sends photos directly to you via the SpyPoint app. The service is far more affordable than some, offering a free plan with 100 photos and priced plans from 250 photos to unlimited. A secondary subscription service can reduce the price of running multiple cameras simultaneously. The app comes with some extras built in, such as species recognition, mapping, and weather. The camera also stamps photos with some app-included info, such as temperature and moon phase.

SpyPoint delivers a solid camera with the LM2. The line is further benefited by the available accessories, such as the SpyPoint SB-300S security case. It is also compatible with SpyPoint’s solar panel for those who want to keep well aware of their hunting tract.

What to consider when shopping for the best cellular trail cameras

Picture quality 

For most, picture quality is one of the most important factors when selecting a cellular trail camera. Your trail cam images won’t do much if you can’t clearly see the animal in the photo. However, the highest megapixel count doesn’t always translate to the best camera. A higher megapixel count will certainly help, but you’ll also want to check for image samples to see how clear they actually are.  

Night vision capabilities are another important aspect of trail camera quality, as subjects often arrive at night. Thus, you’ll want a camera with good infrared systems that emit and absorb radiation that’s not visible to the naked eye.

Battery life 

A cellular trail camera’s battery life can be a make-or-break factor for a trail camera, especially for those looking to install a trail camera in a remote location. You’ll want a camera that can hold a charge for months. Or, look for a camera that is compatible with solar panels to omit the need for subbing out batteries altogether. 

Cellular connection

Connection quality and availability among trail cameras vary, but all will require a subscription of some sort. Solid cellular plans ensure that a camera will be able to transmit photos of whatever wildlife comes its way. Some cameras offer dual SIM functionality and automatically pull from the strongest signal. Others will require you to choose a specific carrier, so you’ll want to take a look at coverage maps to ensure the location of your trail camera falls within the coverage range. 

It’s also important to consider the price of the data plan in the camera’s overall cost. You may be able to find a cheap trail camera, but some plans can cost well over a hundred dollars a year. Additionally, some plans may have lots of additional fees associated with them, such as an extra charge when you want high-resolution photos or videos. Be sure to read the fine print to know what you are getting into before hitting that buy button. 

Build quality 

Your trail camera is going to be outside, so a rugged build is another all-important factor. While all offer a certain level of protection against the elements, some cellular trail cameras are better. Be sure to check if the manufacturer provides any specific information on weatherproofing to ensure your camera will last. Knowing how and where to set up your trail camera can also help prolong the life of the device. 

Special features

Additional features like GPS location, weather, and moon phase will appeal to some users, especially those who are using their cellular trail camera to plan for hunts. Some other cameras further make use of daisy chain connections to deliver photos from multiple cameras over one transmitter. 

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best cellular trail cameras

• Best overall: Tactacam Reveal X-Pro
• Best picture quality: Bushnell Cellucore 30
• Best for wet conditions: CREATIVE XP Cellular Trail Camera
• Best app: Moultrie Mobile Edge PRO Cellular
• Best budget: SpyPoint LM2

With rugged builds ready for myriad biomes, quick-triggering night vision, and cellular connections that keep you at home and animals comfy, cellular trail cameras are great investments for hunters, conservationists, and rural landowners. The best cellular trail cameras offer good cellular connections, high-quality photos and videos, and useful apps. If you need a pair of ever-watching eyes to monitor a tract of woods near you, you’ll find a friend in a stealthy cellular trail camera.

Why trust us

PopPhoto has a long history of delivering the opinions of some of the sharpest and most prolific camera dorks the world has to offer. Since 1937, we’ve been reviewing cameras, providing wisdom from well-known photographers, and generally just nerding out about all that goes into making great pictures. Our current crop of writers and editors have decades of professional photography and camera writing experience among them. Collectively, we’ve probably shot with just about every camera and lens combo you can imagine—as well as some obscure stuff you may not even know about. Remember the Casio Tryx folding camera? PopPhoto does.

We also get that buying a camera is a big decision, which is why we’re dedicated to helping folks choose the right one (or, in our case “ones”) for their needs. Case in point: Handing over top dollar for an expensive rig may leave you unsatisfied if it doesn’t fit your preferred shooting style. Sure, a $6,000 sports-oriented DSLR can capture landscapes, but do you really need to do it at 30 frames-per-second? No, you don’t.

The post The best cellular trail cameras of 2023 appeared first on Popular Photography.

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Best Overall		Creality Ender 3 S1		SEE IT	A great filament printer with good modability and a wide feature set.
Best Resin		ANYCUBIC Photon M3		SEE IT	A super detailed 4k resin printer.
Best For Home		ELEGOO Mars 3 Pro		SEE IT	Exceptional print quality with a product family that makes it great for your home.

Just a few years ago, 3D printers under $500 were simply toys. They weren’t very capable and they wasted more filament than they used correctly. That has changed in recent years, however, and now you can get a very capable machine for less than half a rack. You can even now buy great 3D printers for kids.

While there are (loosely) three main families of 3d printers out there, there are two which are widely available at the sub $500 price point. These are fused deposition modeling printers (FDM), which use thermoplastics in the form of filament, and stereolithographic printers (SLA), which use thermosetting plastics such as resin. Generally the more common FDM printers are better for larger projects, components, and prototyping, while SLA printers are better for intricate prints, figurines, and art pieces.

Maybe you’re after an FDM printer to prototype that perfect Hellboy mask to sell on your Etsy shop, or instead you might need an affordable SLA printer to craft a perfect rendering of the Drider Ranger Chief that will be causing havoc in your next D&D campaign. Either way the best 3d printers under $500 have the tools you need to get there.

• Best overall: Creality Ender 3 S1
• Best budget: Creality Ender-3
• Best resin: ANYCUBIC Photon M3
• Best for beginners: Voxelab Aries
• Best for home: ELEGOO Mars 3 Pro

How we chose the best 3D printers under $500

To ensure our list of the best 3d printers under $500 was as authoritative as possible, we researched numerous printers from leading manufacturers, diving deep into their specs and feature-sets and comparing them to the competition. We made sure to include a number of 3d printers for specific applications, including both SLA and FDM printers. Along the way we looked for a few specific criterias:

Versatility is always important in gadgets — especially those meant for creation. We prioritized printers that can handle more materials, and noted those that do a better job with this. On FDM models the temperature the extruder reaches is critical to this, and resultantly we noted max heat for each FDM. SLA printers also come with specific resin limitations, we also noted these.

Leveling is highly important, as a level print substrate makes for precise prints. We factored the leveling controls in all the printers we looked at. Where they included solid auto-leveling we highlighted it.

Print size defines the edges of your creative space. We noted the max print size of all the printers we featured, both in X and Y parameters as well as in Z. 

Precision translates into fewer flaws and mistakes in your print. We looked for printers that are capable of high levels of precision, for smooth forms without lines or ridges.

Assembly can make or break a printer experience — especially for those who are new to the game. We looked at how difficult all of the printers we featured are to assemble, as well as how much maintenance is required to keep them printing. 

The best 3D printers under $500: Reviews & Recommendations

Best overall: Creality Ender 3 S1

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Why It Made The Cut: Versatile, easy to set up, and upgradeable, this super precise FDM is capable of printing with a decent amount of materials, and offers an all-around solid print cycle.

Specs:

• Print technology: FDM
• Size: 19.2 x 17.8 x 24.5
• Build size: 8.6 x 8.6 x 10.2 inches
• Supported materials: PLA, TPU, PETG, ABS

Pros

• Solid precision
• 16 point automatic leveling
• Supports multiple slicing softwares including Cura
• Easy assembly
• Easily modded for laser engraving with presets

Cons

• Loud prints
• Some of the instructions are confusing

Where FDM printers are concerned, the Creality Ender 3 series has to have some of the best name recognition around, and the Creality Ender 3 S1 exemplifies the qualities that made the brand so famous. At the sub $500 price point it really doesn’t get much better than this. 

The S1 harnesses a few flawlessly designed features, and unifies them into a super-precise whole. The powerful extruder hits temps up to 500 degrees fahrenheit, and delivers a significant punch of pressure, even while it lightly moves across axes. It uses a geared Z-axis lift, with two motors. The system also offers an auto leveling bed. Altogether this means that the system is precise and versatile. It supports PLA, TPU, PETG, and ABS. 

With a decent sized build space, a versatile list of materials supported, good precision, and an auto-leveling bed, the Ender 3 S1 is about as good as it gets at the sub $500 price point. It’s worth real consideration for anyone looking for a good fused deposition.

Best budget: Creality Ender-3

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Why It Made The Cut: Probably the most famous starter 3d printer out there, this open sourced classic delivers lots of great basics, with a sensible design that’s easy to mod and expand on.

Specs:

• Print technology: FDM
• Size: 17.3 x 16.1 x 18.3 inches
• Build size: 8.7 x 8.7 x 9.8 inches
• Supported materials: PLA, TPU, ABS

Pros

• Easy to use
• Moddable
• Great community support
• Very affordable

Cons

• Requires manual leveling
• Noisy
• Assembly is involved and best use will require extra work

Released back in 2018, the Creality Ender-3 is to 3d printing what the Squier is to electric guitarists — ubiquitous, cheap, and trustworthy. The younger cousin to our best overall pick, the Ender-3 is a basic 3d printer that has everything most people need to get started, even if it’s missing some of the premium features and perfectly leveled components.

With a manual leveling tray that heats to 230 Fahrenheit, and a basic extruder that heats to 491 Fahrenheit, the Ender-3 might not be capable of dealing with the most advanced thermoplastics, but it’s certainly capable of handling the classics: PLA, TPU, and ABS, and even exceeds temps available in some higher-priced printers. It also sports a resume print function that will get it back online after interruptions, power outages, or filament shortages. 

The main downside of this printer is its involved assembly. While it can be assembled in about two hours, the process isn’t easy, and print quality will be improved when extra time and care is spent on correcting for imperfections. That said, the printers vast community support in online forums and potential for moddability is one of its selling points, and the printer’s open-sourced DIY ethos is also one of its strongest assets. At the end of the day if you treat your Ender-3 as a 3d printer building kit, rather than just a 3d printer, it can give you everything you need, including some of the quiet, and comfort you’ll find in premium contemporary machines that are priced far higher.

Best resin: ANYCUBIC Photon M3

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Why It Made The Cut: This simple to use plug-in SLA printer delivers consistent detailed prints with zero system print-errors, and its deep community support makes for easy adoption and troubleshooting.

Specs:

• Print technology: SLA
• Size: 16.7 x 10.6 x 10.1 inches
• Build size: 7.1 x 6.4 x 4.0 inches
• Supported materials: Resin

Pros

• Extremely precise 4k LCD print
• LCD control screen
• Wide user base for support
• Decent build size for price

Cons

• Requires manual leveling

4k prints — they offer better resolution, smoother texture, and greater detail, and if you’re after a 4k 3d LCD printer for your home or workshop, you can’t do much better than the ANYCUBIC Photon M3. The Photon offers slightly larger print sizes than the ELEGOO Mars 3 Pro. It’s a budget printer from a line of 3d printers that includes some true premium tech.

The Photon M3 features a textured checkerboard build plate for better adhesion, and pairs this feature with a high contrast 4k screen. One of its standout features is a LCD control screen on the front, that allows for greater control of the device. Speaking of control, the printer allows for adjustable UV power that makes it compatible with a (somewhat) wider range of resins, but check the UV rating on your resin choice before you buy anyway to make sure it’s supported. Finally, it also features a UV-blocking cover that filters out harmful light from the LCD exposure process. 

The Phonton M3 is a great choice for its deep user support network, excellent clarity, UV-blocking shield, and its controls with LCD panel. Whether it wins out over the ELEGOO is up to you, but its print quality is indisputably excellent for its moderate price.

Best for beginners: Voxelab Aries

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Why It Made The Cut: Built for beginners, the Voxelab is a great place to start (and graduate), with a supremely easy setup, relatively-easy manual-leveling, wifi, and simple controls.

Specs:

• Print technology: FDM
• Size: 16.69 x 15.98 x 18.46 inches
• Build size: 7.9 x 7.9 x 7.9 inches
• Supported materials: PLA, ABS, PETG

Pros

• Easy auto-leveling
• Simple to control with Wifi
• Voxelmaker software allows control of multiple printers simultaneously
• Arrives assembled

Cons

• Leveling requires manual inputs
• Loud and annoying sounds

For those who might be experiencing a little trepidation about getting into the 3d printing game, the Voxelab Aries is an easy front runner to help you get settled and explore. The printer’s namesake Aries might be the Greek god of war, but the Voxelab capitalizes on simple harmony. With an open box appearance, this printer ships pre-assembled, and pre-loaded with PLA filament, offering near plug-and-play performance.

While the Aries doesn’t feature true auto-leveling, it does make it easy on you, with simple knob adjustment and a 3 point leveling system — this is why the company advertises the device as “semi-auto leveling.” With a max extruder temp of 482 Fahrenheit the printer is capable of printing PLA, ABS, and PETG. Its textured glass bed heats to 212 Fahrenheit for decent adhesion. 

The real joy of this device is its simplicity and connectivity. The Aries uses Voxelmaker software that slices, and is capable of controlling multiple Voxelab printers. Setting adjustments are also easily configured via your computer. With its pre-assembled design, Wifi connectivity, and even 8 GB of internal memory, the Voxelab Aries is a great learners rig.

Best for home: ELEGOO Mars 3 Pro

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Why It Made The Cut: With exceptional resolution and detail, this SLA printer does wonders at detailed art prints.

Specs:

• Print technology: SLA
• Size: 8.93 x 8.93 x 17.28 inches
• Build size: 3.5 x 5.6 x 6.9 inches
• Supported materials: Resin

Pros

• High detail prints
• Consistent print quality
• 4k monochrome light
• Free Chitubox sample subscription

Cons

• Setup instructions aren’t the clearest

Resin prints offer resolution and detail that’s sure to wow anyone, whether it’s your Instagram followers cheering on your custom Warhammer figurines, or your mom when you print her that intricate new corn-cob skewer-set for the potluck. Whatever you’re printing, if it’s details that count, then you can’t do much better than the ELEGOO Mars 3 Pro.  

This 4k monochrome printer offers an ultra-high-resolution, taking advantage of super dense chip-on-board integrated LCDs, this translates to greater detail with fewer mistakes. It features heat dissipation software that will improve its longevity, and also boasts an improved release film that elevates it above preceding models. With a one year subscription to Chitubox shipped with the device you’ll have access to powerful SLA print software that delivers all the basics, plus options that will take even experienced 3d printmakers into the weeds. If Chitubox isn’t your thing, the Mars 3 Pro also works with Lychee Slicer. 

It’s when your Mars 3 Pro pairs with an ELEGOO Mini Air Purifier that it becomes a truly great kit for home use. Not many resin printer companies do as good of a job with air purifier accessories as ELEGOO, and it’s these types of health add-ons that can make your printer safe for use at home.

Related: Best 3D printers under $1000

Things to consider when shopping for the best 3D printers under $500

3D printers are inherently technical, and there’s a lot that goes into which one is right for you. These devices would have seemed like tech from “the future” in the 1950s or 60s. While 3D printers have gotten much more accessible in recent years, they’re still fairly complicated and involve a learning curve. Modern 3d printers link with your computer to slice 3d CAD models, process them, and then extrude the slices of the model into plastic (or another material), generating the model as a plastic form using one of a number of methods. 

Bill Masters filed the first US patent for a 3d printer process, and his inspiration for the tech is actually a pretty useful metaphor for understanding its process. Laying on the banks of the Chattanooga river one night, he imagined a star as a seed point, then that adding more and more stars, you could make whatever shape you’d like. He has also likened 3d printing to shooting “spit wads” through a straw: “When you shoot a lot of wads, they begin to take shape. If you can control the direction of the wads and the motion of the device shooting them, you can produce any desired shape.”

Printer type

There are several popular 3D printing technologies out there, that range in capabilities from light prototype creation with simple thermoplastics like ABS, to high end SLS machines (and beyond) that can print in advanced materials such as nylons, medical grade polymers, metals, and more. Some hyper advanced systems are now even able to bioprint cells.

Constrained by a $500 dollar price point, this article will only focus on simple FDM and SLA printers. Entry level SLS printers generally cost thousands of dollars more. When you’re shopping, consider your print goals when you decide between an FDM and SLA model.

FDM Printers

FDM printers make up the lion’s share of the printers found on the market. They deposit melted filament at precise coordinates on a flat tray. FDM stands for fused deposition modeling, though these systems are also sometimes known by another term, fused filament fabrication (FFF). Much like a glue gun, thermoplastic filament is superheated through a nozzle and deposited onto X,Y, and Z coordinates on a leveled bed. Generally FDM printers are visually recognizable as printing “down,” in that a nozzle deposits plastic downward onto a bed. FDM printers do a good job with simple prototyping, proof-of-concepts, and less complicated economical prints.

SLA Printers

SLA, or stereolithography printers are capable of far more intricate detail, and use LED lights or lasers to cure liquid resin and extrude it from a liquid bath. SLA process is known as photopolymerization. Unlike FDM printers SLAs recognizably print “up,” as the model is extruded upwards (visually pulled) from the uncured liquid-state plastic bath. SLA printers do a great job with detail, high-resolution prints, and functional prototypes.

Thermoplastics

FDM printers use thermoplastics. These common plastics are able to melt, take shape, and melt again, much as water can be frozen into a shape, thawed, and frozen again, making them recyclable and reusable. Unlike water, a thermoplastic’s properties will change slightly as they are repeatedly melted. Some of the common thermoplastics used in FDM printers include ABS, PLA, PETG, and Nylon. Though not every printer will be able to service a wide range (especially at the under $500 range). These plastics often have useful properties, PLA is biodegradable, while PETG can be food safe, and nylon is safe for long term skin contact.

Thermoset Plastics

SLA printers use thermosetting plastics, or thermosets. These plastics cure to a solid form, and cannot be remelted and reused, rather they decompose with heat. These resins offer greater precision than most thermoplastics. Resins come in many forms, including clear resins, high-rigidity resins, and flexible resins.

Process

Your 3d printer will connect with your computer. To print, use a CAD modeling software to create a design, then slice it with the help of your printer software. Generally the software will then bounce the files out to your printer over your line connection or wireless connection. The printer can then begin work.

Post-processing

Some materials require post-processing. Often SLA prints will require an isopropyl alcohol wash to remove uncured resin before sanding and finishing. Other post-print processes help to strengthen or otherwise improve the properties of the materials your printer uses. There are specific post-processing machines that work well with specific materials.

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best 3D printers under $500

When you invest in a 3d printer under $500, you invest in bringing your vision into physical form. These incredible devices extrude 3d prints from plastics with a few clicks of your mouse. Connect your SLA printer for detailed, high-resolution art prints, and strong prototypes with good rigidity. Plug in your FDM thermoplastic printer for large, affordable proof-of-concepts, or affordable accessories printed for your wardrobe. If you’re new to the game, the Voxelab Aries is the best option for beginners, coming pre-assembled and preloaded with filament, and offering easy Wifi connectivity with good controls. If you’re after exceptional detail for prints of figurines, or rigid prototypes, the ELEGOO Mars 3 Pro is an exceptional resin printer with excellent accuracy. If you want the most bang for your buck under $500, the Creality Ender 3 S1 is an amazing FDM printer that comes with some premium components such as an auto-leveler, and can be upgraded and modded into something that’s even more capable with a little work. Whatever you choose, expect great prints.

The post The best 3D printers under $500 appeared first on Popular Photography.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Best Overall		R QIDI X-Plus		SEE IT	Great prints with easy assembly.
Best Budget		Creality Ender-3 S1		SEE IT	An affordable hobbyists printer with some power-features.
Best Resin		ANYCUBIC Photon Mono X 6K		SEE IT	Exceptional high-res resin prints.

Load up the filament, transfer your slices … the best 3D printers under $1000 have all the tools that most makers will need to give form to their visions. You might be a hobbyist separately printing and carefully-painting each gargantuan wing of the great gold-dragon for your next D&D campaign. Maybe you’re printing a grip for your old film camera to make it more comfortable to hold. Or perhaps you’re creating a custom prop for a photoshoot for much less than the cost of buying it. Whatever your aims, the best 3D printers under $1000 should give you enough power to achieve them. If you want to go even cheaper, you can check out the best 3D printers for kids.

This article focuses on 3D printers at the high-hundreds price-point, which still hover below $1000. At this price point 3D printers get quite capable, delivering some really great features like auto-leveling trays, blistering extruders capable of working with wider sets of materials (such as nylon), extremely high-resolution resin prints, air-filtration, quieter operation, better-connectivity, and dual extruders. Read on for a look at some of the best 3D printers under $1000, and just what it is that makes them so.

• Best overall: R QIDI X-Plus
• Best resin: ANYCUBIC Photon Mono X 6K
• Best dual extruder: BIBO 3D Printer Dual Extruder
• Best kit: Original Prusa i3 MK3S+ kit
• Best budget: Creality Ender-3 S1

How we picked the best 3D printers under $1000

Because there’s so much that goes into great 3D printers there were a lot of features to factor when we were researching the five best. We researched numerous printers from multiple manufacturers, looking for the best feature sets, wherein all parts collaborate for a gestalt of function that’s the most useful for the makers of today. Along the way we looked for a few specific features which we detailed below:

Versatility is always nice. At the mid-level price point below $1000, we start seeing FDM printers that are capable of nylon and some more advanced thermoplastics. We also start seeing SLA printers that are capable of more. We noted this wherever it stood out.

Tray functions are so important to overall printer quality. We looked for printers with trays that get hot enough to keep your models well-secured. We also looked for printers that have auto-leveling functionality, or at least excellent semi-auto leveling. 

Extruder & LCD (or laser) quality is extremely important for 3D printing. Extruder quality plays a big role in which thermoplastics the printer can handle. Great extruders get hot, and are light enough to work well with the system. Different extruder dimensions also play into their use for different situations. Some systems even use two extruders. For SLA systems the LCD array (or laser) is extremely important in getting good print resolution and smooth forms. 

Overall precision is achieved through lots of factors, but we like to see FDM printers with a multi-column lift system. We looked for FDM printers that don’t leave lines, burrs, or slice edges visible on the sides of the print. We also looked for SLA printers that yield high-res prints with smooth curves.

Connectivity & slicing software can define the quality of your print experience just as much as some of the more mechanical components of your system. Wireless connection is always nice, and printers with a few gigabytes of internal storage also offer a boon. Compatibility with lots of slicing software or one especially good one is also important and we noted this.

User experience and assembly also cannot be overlooked. Some printers get loud — we mean infernal giant-water-bears crawling from the pit sort-of loud (do water-bears roar?). Where we found printers that deal well with sound and fumes, we highlighted them. We also noted the required assembly of each printer. Some want highly customizable printers that might require longer assembly but are capable of modding, but not all do.

The best 3D printers under $1000: Reviews & Recommendations

Best overall: R QIDI X-Plus

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Why It Made The Cut: An FDM printer with easily-serviceable standard parts, an optional auxiliary-extruder that enables it to print more technical materials, and outstanding customer service. 

Specs:

• Print technology: FDM
• Build size: 10.6 x 7.9 x 7.9 inches
• Supported materials: PLA, TPU, PETG, ABS, Nylon, PC, Carbon fiber, and more
• Best slicer software: QIDI Print Slicer (included free)

Pros

• Second extruder for technical-material free upon request
• Excellent customer service and support
• Very easy assembly & simple repair
• High res-smooth prints

Cons

• Manual bed leveling
• Wifi issues with non-QIDI software

Something of a plug-and-play machine, the R QIDI X-Plus is a highly capable FDM printer that has an expanded range of materials, possible via a free supplementary extruder. With easily repaired standard parts, and great customer support, it’s an easy best-overall choice for most.

Shipped from China, the semi-enclosed X-Plus takes hardly any set up. It comes with a standard extruder suitable for PLA, ABS, and TPU. A second technical-material extruder is also available with your purchase free of charge by request (which belies the companies communication-forward ethos), and is capable of materials like Nylon, PC, Carbon fiber, and more. To be clear, this second extruder is swappable, rather than supplementary, this isn’t a dual-extruder rig, and the second extruder won’t work in tandem with the standard. However, the technical nozzle is a nice touch, that firmly differentiates this machine from cheaper FDM’s in the sub-$500 price range. 

QIDI is all about customer support and easy repairs. Not only are the majority of the parts in this system standard and easily replaceable, but the majority of replacements are also easy to DIY, with included tools for most hardware in the system. QIDI offers exceptional customer service, with knowledgeable agents ready to send you repair parts as needed, and help troubleshoot issues.

While the X-Plus doesn’t have the automatic leveling you might like at this price point, it does have a semi-auto, single-point quick-level system that is reliable and easy. It features QIDI Print Slicer software, that’s free to use with any QIDI system All-in-all, while this system might not be as appealing to hardcore tinkerers as some, those who want consistent quality with easy set-up, good customer support, and a wider than average range of available materials will love it. 

Best Resin: ANYCUBIC Photon Mono X 6K

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Why It Made The Cut: 6K LCDs mean better resolution than ever, with more detail and contrast, more build volume, and faster speeds.

Specs:

• Print technology: SLA
• Build size: 9.6 x 7.8 x 4.8 inches
• Supported materials: Resin
• Best slicer software: Anycubic Photon Workshop (free), ChiTuBox, Lychee, more

Pros

• Extreme print detail and resolution
• Great contrast
• Fast, at up to 1s / layer in some instances
• Great out of the box prints

Cons

• Poor connectivity options
• Very smelly

6K — that’s a lot of LCDs, and the ANYCUBIC Photon Mono X 6K leverages them all for extremely high-resolution prints with impeccable contrast. ANYCUBIC is one of the most popular lines of SLA resin printers, and the Photon Mono X is one of the most impressive dogs in the pack. 

With its 6K LCDs the Photon Mono X 6K uses a 9.25-inch monochrome LCD array, with 6% light transmittance, which means quicker printing. The machine is fast, and ANYCUBIC brags up to 1s / layer, in ideal circumstances. Its LCD’s deliver extreme contrast that’s noticeable, and the model sports a much larger build area than its cousins, at 9.6 x 7.8 x 4.8 inches.

ANYCUBIC is compatible with lots of great slicer software packs, from ChiTuBox, to Lychee, and offers the proprietary Anycubic Photon Workshop free of charge. Sadly, getting your slices to the printer is more difficult than it could be, as the printer’s Wifi is notoriously spotty. It’s built around its LCD screen control and SD card reader, meaning SD is the best way to play. Those who like to keep their SLA printer on a well-ventilated back porch will appreciate not having to keep their printer connected to a laptop, but those who want to set up a printer farm might groan. Otherwise, it’s a great buy, offering some of the best quality resin prints out there.

Best dxtruder: BIBO 3D Printer Dual Extruder

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Why It Made The Cut: Solid dual extruder support means lots of techniques you can’t get at with other FDM printers, plus WiFi and a touchscreen make it easy to use.

Specs:

• Print technology: FDM
• Build size: 8.4 x 7.3 x 6.3 inches
• Supported materials: ABS, PLA, Dissolvable filament (PVA, HIPS), TPU, PETG, Nylon, PC, Carbon fiber, and more
• Best slicer software: Repetier-Host, Cura, Simplify3D 

Pros

• Dual extruders
• Minimal easy assembly
• Wifi control
• Good customer support

Cons

• Difficult maintenance and usability
• Bed isn’t easy to level

If you’re moving up from a basic machine, the BIBO 3D’s dual extruders can open doors you didn’t even know were closed. These include printing dissolvable supports, printing with multiple colors, and 3D printing two duplicate objects simultaneously. But these dual extruders aren’t the BIBO 3D’s only bargaining chip. 

BIBO 3D does a good job with a wider range of materials. Beyond the standards like ABS and PLA, it prints more technical thermoplastics like flexible nylon, and carbon fiber. The system uses an easy touch-screen control panel to set up prints, and can also be controlled via Wifi, meaning you can control it from your phone. 

The machine does have a couple of blindspots. Its leveling control isn’t as intuitive as you would expect at the price point. The machine is also packed tight with features, with screws in odd places, and somewhat abstract engineering overall. These issues are offset by great customer service from the company, but they do make the machine’s usability somewhat less optimal than some of the competition. It’s a great option for tinkerers who want extra extruders and wider material possibilities, but in spite of its initial assembly, it may be more hands on than some want.

Best kit: Original Prusa i3 MK3S+ kit

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Why It Made The Cut: Taking a DIY ethos all the way, the Prusa i3 kit is open-sourced and powerful, with a state-of-the-art-extruder, exceptional leveling, wide filament support and more.

Specs:

• Print technology: FDM
• Build size: 9.84 × 8.3 × 8.3 inches
• Supported materials: PLA, PETG, ASA, ABS, PC (Polycarbonate), CPE, PVA / BVOH, PVB, HIPS, PP (Polypropylene), Flex, nGen, Nylon, Carbon filled, Woodfill
• Best slicer software: PrusaSlicer (proprietary), open source

Pros

• Mesh bed leveling details leveling for every print
• Excellent extruder that can handle an extra wide set of features
• Open source with strong user base for help with all sorts of mods and use cases
• Easy to remove prints

Cons

• Kit requires detailed and rigorous assembly
• Long lead-times for production, allow weeks before it arrives

You can’t get far into 3D printing turf without hearing the name Prusa, and it’s not hard to see why with the Original Prusa i3 MK3S+ kit (an assembled version is also available for a couple hundred more). This kit is a DIY maker’s dream, including some of the best tools in its class for 3D printing. 

There’s a few things that make the Prusa i3 special, but we’ll start with its basics. It features a state-of-the-art extruder, as well as an excellent filament monitor. The extruder can handle a much wider than average set of filaments, including the standards, as well as nice additions such as woodfill, and abrasive nylon carbon-fiber. The printer also features an excellent fully automatic bed-leveling system that checks your bed before every print. If that’s not enough, its removable spring steel-sheets make it easy to extract your finished print.

In the end the Prusa i3 is one of the best options out there at the under $1000 price-point, and debatably beats out our top overall pick, the R QIDI X-Plus. However, for the Prusa to reach its full potential this machine requires an operator and builder who rejoices in getting through the weeds that are a major part of its construction, and making it out the other side. This is a printer for tinkerers and DIY makers, and when it’s well understood and loved, it can do wonders.

Best budget: Creality Ender-3 S1

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Why It Made The Cut: Markedly more affordable than the rest of the printers on this list, the Ender-3 offers some pro level prototyping features, in an upgradeable build that’s priced for beginners.

Specs:

• Print technology: FDM
• Build size: 8.6 x 8.6 x 10.2 inches
• Supported materials: PLA, TPU, PETG, ABS
• Best slicer software: Open source (No preferred), Cura, Simplify3D, PrusaSlicer

Pros

• Open sourced and upgradeable
• Very precise extruder with dual lift
• 16 point auto level
• Easy assembly

Cons

• Loud prints
• Limited feature set compared to more expensive options

Our pick for the best 3d printer under $500, the Creality Ender-3 S1 is still worth a look, even if your possible budget could maybe allow for something pricier. Alongside Prusa, Creality’s Ender series is ever recognizable, and potentially the best known series for beginners. This open-source and expandable system gives you more room to print with than some systems that cost twice as much. With an extruder that hits 500 degrees Fahrenheit it’s also not that restrictive in comparison. Sure it won’t take care of more technical materials, but it does better than most, and if you’re new that might not matter.

One of the S1’s standout features is a 16 point auto-leveling system that makes sure your print bed is up to the challenge every time, it also features a removable spring steel-plate, a power-loss recovery feature, and a filament sensor. It delivers solid precision, with a dual-motor design.

While the S1 doesn’t have some of the top features found in models that retail closer to $1000, it’s still an exceptional hobbyist’s 3D printer that’s capable of doing a lot. It’s a great foundation that can be expanded on significantly with mods.

Things to consider when shopping for the best 3D printers under $1000

The best 3D printers under $1000 are stuffed full of tech, from their blistering-hot extruders, to their auto leveling trays, to WiFi, and 4k+ LCD arrays for curing liquid resin, Even the Bowden mechanism that’s often used to channel filament comes from an important invention for bicycle construction. With so many mechanical inventions and systems crammed into one device, 3D printers are inherently technical. Because of this, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with some parts of how the technology works before you buy. 

With the first functional 3D printers built in the 1980s, 3D printers didn’t begin to pervade the mass market until the 2000s. While a few inventors and scientists were concurrently working on different elements of technology that would be incorporated into the 3D printer systems of today, Bill Masters was the first inventor who filed a 3D printer patent. 

The inventor was camping on the banks of the Chattanooga river one night, staring up at the stars, when the idea came to him. He imagined using one star as a seed point, and then combining the other dots of starlight to create any shape he liked. His analogy for the additive manufacturing process that defines FDM printers of now, is great, likening the tech to “spit wads,” similar to the ones so many children familiarize themselves with at a day in the mall, “When you shoot a lot of wads, they begin to take shape. If you can control the direction of the wads and the motion of the device shooting them, you can produce any desired shape.” We love it.

3D Printer types

While there are numerous classes of 3D printers, there are three main families. These are fused deposition modeling (FDM), stereolithography (SLA), and selective laser sintering (SLS). Selective laser sintering uses a laser to fuse powdered material, which is distributed across a bed with a roller. SLS printers are capable of delivering strong functional prints that are sturdy enough for immediate incorporation into manufactured systems. However, the SLS process is very expensive, and is out of reach for most DIY tinkerers. The best 3D printers under $1000 in this article focus on FDM and SLA printers.

Fused deposition modeling

FDM printers are the most common and economical 3D printers on the market. These printers use a superheated nozzle to extrude filament downward onto a heated, leveled tray, building the model up slice-by-slice. FDM printers are suitable for quick prototyping, proof of concepts, and finished projects, and tend to be more economical and user-friendly. FDM printers usually also deliver a greater build area than SLA printers for the price.

Thermoplastics in FDM printers

FDM printers create objects out of thermoplastics. These common plastics have chemical properties that allow them to melt, form into a shape, and then melt again. These plastics are inherently recyclable, and many are quite cheap. The most common thermoplastics used in FDM printers include ABS, PLA, PETG, and TPU. Some also print nylon, and more. 

These thermoplastics have different properties, some are food safe, while others are biodegradable, others are non-toxic for skin contact. However, the manner in which thermoplastic deposits fuse is primarily mechanical, rather than chemical, which runs the risk of leaving voids (or open spaces) in the walls of the print, which leads to inferior structural integrity on the Z axis.

Stereolithography

SLA printers use a different process from FDM printers, whereby a laser, or LCD array cures resin in a liquid resin bath, and extrudes it upwards slice by slice. These printers fuse the print onto a heated tray, and lifts it, upside-down, from the liquid resin. They are capable of printing parts and models with greater structural integrity and detail. Because of their high print resolution, SLA printers are the go-to for most hobbyists looking to build intricate models and figurines.

Thermosets in SLA printers

SLA printers use thermosetting plastics (thermosets). These resins cure into shape, and cannot be heated to dissolve, rather, heat causes their decomposition. This means that thermosets are not recyclable. However, the curing process of resins give them superior structural integrity to thermoplastics, as the plastic chemically fuses, creating covalent bonds between molecules. These resins achieve prints with better detail, resolution, and strength. Thermoset variety is also wide, including clear resins, wiggly resins, high temp resins, and even dental grade resins. 

FAQs

Final thoughts regarding the best 3D printers under $1000

With so many features and advanced processes spun into one functional system, the best 3D printers under $1000 offer astounding feats of engineering, synergized to work together, to bring wildly powerful tools of creation into your workshop. They are used by everyone from design firms who might be prototyping a new invention, to hobbyists building a fleet of figurines. For the best DIY maker’s tool in its class, we recommend the Original Prusa i3 MK3S+ kit. If you’re looking for top notch resolution, you can’t go wrong with the ANYCUBIC Photon Mono X 6K, which is the best SLA 3D printer at its price point. If you want something that’s a little on the cheaper side, the Creality Ender-3 S1 is the best for beginners, and offers a large build space and solid tools. Finally, if ease of use is your prerogative, we recommend the R QIDI X-Plus, as the best overall 3D printer for most users — it might not offer as much tweakage potential as the Prusa i3, but with the X-Plus you’ll be printing great materials within two hours of the package arriving at your door.

The post The best 3D printers under $1000 in 2023 appeared first on Popular Photography.

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Best Overall		HP OfficeJet 250 All-in-One		SEE IT	A wonderful inkjet that balances quality, speed, and connectivity.
Best Budget		Brother MFC-J4335DW		SEE IT	Budget inkjet, with the works.
Best Photo Printer		Canon PIXMA PRO-200		SEE IT	Exceptional print quality on a photo printer.

With Apple AirPrint, printers can accept jobs from any compatible device without having to worry about installing software or drivers. Because of the Airprint’s enduring popularity, it’s possible to find printers of all sorts that are Airprint enabled. 

Airprint printers make connectivity easier than ever, while still delivering all of the best features you look for in a modern printer. Some high-speed models deliver nearly forty printed pages a minute. Others excel at meticulously colored photo-prints. Some even can still fax things if that’s something you have to do from time to time. Whether you’re after a slick photo printer for your home-office design-studio, an office sized workhorse, or an economical supertank, these are the best AirPrint printers. 

• Best Overall: HP OfficeJet 250 All-in-One
• Best Budget: Brother MFC-J4335DW INKvestment
• Best Photo Printer: Canon PIXMA PRO-200
• Best Laser Printer: Brother MFC-L3750CDW 
• Best Inkjet Printer: Epson EcoTank ET-3760

Things to consider when shopping for an AirPrint printer

Maybe it’s your first time buying a printer, maybe you’re upgrading the office now that more employees are coming back from work-from-home. Either way, when you’re shopping for a great AirPrint printer, you can still find most of the features you’d have looked for in a printer from the past. Before you buy, consider the features you need.

Speed

Modern printers can spit out pages with surprisingly quickness. However, while the average speed of printers has certainly come up since the days of Office Space, the fastest will still generally command premium price points. That’s especially when that extra-speed accompanies other premium features. Manufacturers indicate speed in PPM (pages per minute). Some fast laser printers will deliver speeds of around 40 PPM, while the best inkjet photo printers might top-out around 4 PPM or less. Generally printers that deliver the greatest detail and color-quality move significantly slower. Consider the speed you need, and how that speed stacks against the cost required to get there, as well as the potential sacrifice of investing in a road-runner of a printer. 

Print quality

Among printers, image quality varies from passable to impeccable. Top-quality inkjet photo printers can deliver superior quality prints with high color-realism, contrast, and precision. However, the top end of photo quality will always require a few sacrifices. The nicest photo printers don’t print as close to the same speeds achieved by volume-focused laser printers. They’re also expensive to buy and keep filled with ink. Consider whether photo print quality is important to you before you make a final selection.

Some will care little for photo print quality and instead opt for the crisp text quality achieved with laser printers. While a monochrome laser printer will never be able to compete with a dedicated inkjet photo-printer in terms of photo-quality, it may do a superior job on text (especially in volume). Consider your print goals when you consider whether a printer’s image quality is right for you. 

Cost among printers

One of the most important things to remember when you’re shopping for a printer is that a printer’s cost up-front is only a part of its total cost. Inkjet printers usually have a low upfront cost in comparison to laser printers. However, printer ink is one of the most expensive liquids on the planet. The toner powder used in laser printers is considerably cheaper. Toner also lasts far longer than ink does and won’t dry up between infrequent print jobs. This makes laser printers far more economical over the long term (when you print a lot), even if their upfront cost is higher. Supertank printers on the other hand represent a more affordable approach to ink printing, providing refillable ink-wells that can usually be refilled with generic inks. That’s a welcomed departure from the expensive brand-name inks that come in engineered plastic-cartridges which are par-for-the-course with most inkjet printers. 

Features, features, features

Scanners, copy functions, and faxing are a few of the common features on the best AirPrint printers. One device can handle an array of annoying tasks. Scanners are a huge help as well, and many great AirPrint printers feature scanners that scan at 600 DPI (dots per inch) or more. While scanner and printer combo can make copies, an easy copy function saves lots of time. Consider which features you need before you buy.

How we picked the best AirPrint printers

Methodology

We researched a wide selection of printers for this article, reading up on the product lines of the leading printer manufacturers, and examining numerous products from their listings. We then took a look at the best of each lineup and compared them to each other. As we dove into the specs on each printer we looked for a few important criteria, which we used to help us break them down, rank them, and to eventually categorize them into the categories we deemed most widely pertinent: 

PPM (prints per minute) and overall printing speed is always an important factor in what makes a printer great. While an inkjet printer designed for high-res photo printing will never keep up with a volume focused office laser printer, you should find a printer that matches your specific needs. Volume focused printers might deliver forty prints per minute, while photo-quality printers might deliver two. 

Build is important, and we took a look at each printer’s size and build quality. Sometimes a protruding control screen on an otherwise compact body can make a printer untenable for a specific office layout. We noted such design follies, as well as such things as exemplary build quality, extra large tanks, easy maintenance, and more.

Budget is crucial when choosing any product. Because of this, we aggregated approximate cost per-print for all the printers we featured. We factored this into our picks alongside each printer’s initial cost. Generally speaking the cost of a print is highest on a premium color inkjet, middle on a supertank, and less on a laser printer. If you print very little, the upfront cost could be more important, however if you print in high volume the cost per print will matter quite a lot. 

Print quality can include several different factors. Some photo-printers excel at color photo-prints. A monochrome laser-printer on the other hand might excel at crisp text. We noted the print quality of every printer we featured.

Features also contribute to the overall quality, and we factored and noted such features as scan-quality, copier, and the presence or absence of a fax function. 

The best AirPrint printers: Reviews & Recommendations

Best overall: HP OfficeJet 250 All-in-One

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Why it made the cut: This portable printer offers solid inkjet photo quality, with respectable print speeds, a portable size, good connectivity, a scanner, multiple print sizes, and more, 

Specs: 

• Type: Inkjet
• Size: 14.3 x 7.32 x 2.7 inches
• Approx PPM: Up to 10 black, up to 7 color (slower on battery)
• Features: Print, scan, copy 

Pros:

• Speedy inkjet prints
• Good photo quality
• External battery has good life approx 90 minutes
• 600 DPI sheet-feed scan

Cons:

• Pricey initial cost

The HP OfficeJet 250 All-in-One offers features you’d expect from a desktop device in a portable package. This battery-powered portable AirPrint printer offers much of the functionality you expect from a top quality printer into the fold in a mobile 14.3 x 7.32 x 2.7 inch frame. Despite its compact size, it still manages to fit in a 600 DPI sheet-feed scanner / copier combo. 

The OfficeJet 250 spits out B&W prints at 10 prints a minute, and 7 color prints in the same time frame. It runs slower on battery, but still hits a respectable 9 PPM printing black and white. Excellent photo-printing skills deliver high quality results commensurate with what you’d expect from an inkjet at this price point, making it a great AirPrint photo booth printer.

At 50 pages total volume, the printer has the feed volume you’ll need to take advantage of its speed. Guides help you adjust paper size, which can handle a respectable size range, between 3.5 inch cards, to 8.5 x 14 inch legal size. The printer’s also not just AirPrint, the HP Smart App ensures this printer is also easy to use for Windows and Android.

Best budget: Brother MFC-J4335DW INKvestment

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Why it made the cut: With scan, fax, and copy built right in, an affordable price, decent speed, and a sizable amount of ink shipped with the package, this budget AirPrint printer provides real savings.

Specs: 

• Type: Inkjet
• Size: 17.1 x 14.2 x 7.1 inches
• Approx PPM: Up to 20 black, up to 19 color
• Features: Print, scan, copy, fax 

Pros:

• Fast PPM for inkjet price-point
• Ships with a significant amount of ink
• Fax and scan built in
• Prints duplex

Cons:

• Ink refill costs aren’t the cheapest up front, though they last longer

Brother does budget well with the MFC-J4335DW INKvestment. While it’s not the cheapest AirPrint printer on the market, this reasonably priced all-in-one inkjet ships with a significant well of ink that Brother likes to claim will last most users a full year. How long it will last in practice will of course vary based on your needs, but it should amount to about 1000 prints. Ink refills are expensive upfront, but their deeper than average wells ensure they last for a long time.

For an inkjet the INKvestment does a good job with speed. It spits out about 20 pages per minute for both black and color ink, and can print duplex. Its paper handling is decent (though less than expansive), and is capable of prints as small as 3.5 x 5 inch photo paper, to legal. Sadly, the printer lacks photo quality. Photos printed on it are grainy, making this a poor choice for pro photographers.

All in all the INKvestment is a great budget option. While its photo quality is poor, its speed and features make up for this. The inclusion of a fax function and quality hinged-scanner that’s capable of dealing with books sweetens the deal. It’s a good buy for those who want features for an overall low investment.

Best Photo Printer: Canon PIXMA PRO-200

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Why It Made The Cut: Printing borderless photo prints with an 8-color dye based system in about a minute and a half, this wifi-AirPrint printer is an investment in image quality.

Specs: 

• Type: Inkjet
• Size: 25.2 x 15 x 7.9 inches (closed, trays extend(
• Approx PPM: A3 size prints in 90 seconds
• Features: File prep software

Pros:

• 8-color dye system yields higher color gamut
• Borderless print compatible
• Prints on multiple paper types including glossy and fine art from top feed and rear manual
• Canon’s included layout app helps you set up more complex print jobs

Cons:

• No scan or fax
• Expensive inks can sometimes be hard to find
• Expensive and somewhat slow for regular prints

Giving itself wholly to photo-prints, the Canon PIXMA PRO-200 sets its focus on image quality. Using an 8-dye color system, this canon AirPrint printer delivers rich prints with higher than average color-gamut and realism.

While the PIXMA doesn’t have a scanner or fax machine built in, it makes up for this with dedicated photo features. Using the included Canon layout app, the printer offers highly adjustable controls, and can even print borderless. Thanks to a top feed and a rear manual feed, the system processes multiple paper grades, from glossy to fine art, and handles sizes up to 19 x 39 inches on manual.

The PIXMA PRO-200 doesn’t aim for versatility; adopters will have to make some sacrifices. Its print speed aims for quality rather than brevity, and serves up standard print sizes in about a minute and a half with borders. Its cost will also require some commitment. This is no entry-level printer, and it only gets pricier with time as the 8-ink cartridges will all require periodic replacement. Also, it should be noted that Canon went through a shortage of replacement ink-cartridges for the PIXMA PRO series in 2021 (blamed on the pandemic). This issue has gone away, but it bears consideration for anyone investing in the line. Replacement inks can be found here. All in all, it’s a great printer for photographers or digital artists who want impeccable control over their prints.

Best Laser Printer: Brother MFC-L3750CDW 

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Why It Made The Cut: This all-in-one system pumps out a respectable 25 pages a minute, prints duplex, features a 50 page automatic feeder, and more.

Specs: 

• Type: Laser
• Size: 16.1 x 19 x 16.1 inches
• Approx PPM: 25
• Features: Scan, copy, fax

Pros:

• High res scanner
• Decent speed with large auto feeder tray and duplex printing

Cons:

• No duplex scan or fax
• Somewhat pricey

The Brother MFC-L3750CDW is accessible and capable enough to handle all office tasks. This true all-in-one laser printer comes with a powerful high-res scanner (19200 dpi), a capable fax machine, and the print function a modern office needs. It’s also very easy to set up and connect. 

The machine handles relatively high-volume printing well, with an auto feeder that holds fifty sheets, and a total input paper-capacity of 250. It churns out a respectable 25 prints a minute in black and white or color, and prints duplex automatically.

The machine does have a couple faults. Duplex scanning and faxing would be a nice feature in a machine at this price point. Brother’s toner is also quite pricey, and equipping this machine with off-brand toner can be prohibitively difficult, as the machine likes to automatically reject it. 

Best Inkjet Printer: Epson EcoTank ET-3760

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Why It Made The Cut: Affordable and versatile, this supertank printer is capable of dazzling prints, and allows you to do away with expensive ink cartridges.

Specs: 

• Type: Inkjet
• Size: 14.8 x 13.7 x 9.1 inches
• Approx PPM: 15 black, 8 color
• Features: Scan, Copy

Pros:

• Refill with cheaper bottled inks rather than expensive cartridges
• Nice photo print quality
• Reduces cartridge waste

Cons:

• No fax
• Not as fast as some, and less good at volume than many office size printers

For many, supertank printers are a breath of fresh air in the world of expensive printer inks and toners, and the Epson EcoTank ET-3760 does supertank printing extremely well. This AirPrint-enabled printer will save you hundreds. Equipped with large refillable ink tanks, the EcoTank will cost you less per-print, and reduce cartridge waste — all without sacrificing print quality.

The EcoTank doesn’t skimp on functionality. It features a high-res scanner that hits up to 9600 dpi interpolated. The printer’s print speed isn’t a racetrack star, but it’s nothing to sniff at either, delivering 15 black & white or 8 color pages a minute, which should be more than enough for smaller offices. This is facilitated by a 30 sheet auto feeder.

The printer does have a few limitations however. Its max paper size is 8.5 x 47.2 inches, and its paper requirements are relatively strict (mostly Epson name brand basics), meaning it’s not capable of truly-deep custom print jobs. Still with an impressive amount of ink included in the package (Epson claims two years, but this will vary), decent quality prints for text and photos, easy connectivity, and some of the most affordable ink refills out there, this is a truly capable printer.

FAQs

Final Thoughts

AirPrint printers offer all of the features and tech-functions of modern day printers with a simplified connection process. The best AirPrint printers have other great features, such as high speed printing, exceptional photo fidelity, super-tank ink loading, excellent scanners, and fax functionality built right in. If you’re looking for a state of the art photo printer for borderless art prints, the Canon PIXMA PRO-200 is an excellent AirPrint photo printer for the discerning digital artist. For a great office-grade laser printer with AirPrint the Brother MFC-L3750CDW is worth consideration, with its 25 ppm duplex print speeds and crisp color treatment. The Epson EcoTank ET-3760 on the other hand is our personal favorite, with its refillable ink tanks that will save you money and cut down on printer cartridge waste. Finally, the HP OfficeJet 250 All-in-One is our pick for the best overall, and is a great choice if you’re looking for a mobile printer with AirPrint. 

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Best for business		Dell P2418HT 24IN IPS		SEE IT	Great features and good media delivery across the board.
Best Budget		ASUS VT168HR		SEE IT	Stripped down TN touchscreen for controls and business applications.
Best overall		Wacom Cintiq Pro 16		SEE IT	Immaculate screen, and excellent drawing and design tools in a pen / touch tablet.

Touch screen monitors add an entirely different dynamic to your computer usage. Most of us are fairly adept with a mouse and keyboard, but screens with touch capability add a different dimension and new functionality beyond the typical input devices. Today’s touchscreen monitors deliver a type of tactile control that has been honed for technological generations. They allow users to scroll with a finger swipe, resize with a pinch, and sign your signature with a pen. They often deliver high resolution, precise color gamuts, and impressive refresh rates, all while supplying a simple intuitive interface. Whether you’re a photographer looking for great computer screens to help you with photo editing and collage, a business professional who’s looking for large computer monitors for presentations, or simply a touch oriented person who wants a new way to play, read on for the best touchscreen monitors of 2023.

• Best overall: Wacom Cintiq Pro 16
• Best for business: Dell P2418HT 24IN IPS
• Best 27 Inch: Planar Helium PCT2785 27″
• Best Portable: ViewSonic TD2230
• Best Budget: ASUS VT168HR

Things to consider when shopping for a touchscreen computer monitor

Before you dive into the touch screen market, there are some features and terms you should understand. Doing so ensures that you find the right touchscreen monitor that’s right for your needs.

Screen Type

There are three main groups of LCD screen type used in touch screen monitors. IPS monitors (in plane switching) have great color reproduction and clarity at all viewing angles, they use LCD crystals positioned horizontally to the viewing plane. TN or twisted nematic monitors on the other hand, are less consistent across the whole screen surface, but are cheaper to produce and refresh faster. TN monitors are only really a thing to seek out if you’re looking for an affordable high-speed gaming monitor, or a monitor for a POS or business setting. VA, or vertical alignment monitors, use a technology that’s more often used in television, which involves LCD crystals that are perpendicular to the viewing plane, rather than parallel — as is found in IPS. Vertical alignment monitors are a decent choice in a touch screen monitor, even if IPS is generally the gold standard.

Touch tech in your PC monitor

For the purpose of this list we highlighted premium capacitive touch monitors with ten finger touch. This is the same type of touch response used in a smartphone, and doesn’t require you to apply pressure to the screen. The other type of touch technology, called resistive touch, is used in screens aimed at the public, such as ATM machines, but doesn’t allow multiple points of touch. 

Color gamut and precision in monitors for computers

IPS panels are capable of quite impressive color displays with wide gamuts and good sensitivity, and touch screen monitors should be no different. Monitors designed for photographers and designers will generally cover a wide color gamut that covers most or all of the standard web color space, titled sRGB, and deliver some coverage of other color spaces, including AdobeRGB, and DCI-P3. 

Color accuracy is slightly more complicated. Manufacturers sometimes offer a Delta-E value, often written ΔE <X. This indicates how closely the display recreates the colors indicated by the graphics card. A Delta-E value of around 2 is outstanding, and a Delta-E of less than 1 is superb. Because not all touch screen monitors are made for designers and creative purposes, these values aren’t always obviously advertised. 

Computer screens and resolution

Gone are the days where 1080p HD ruled the space. However, touchscreens generally prioritize other technologies rather than high resolution. Most touchscreen monitors are 1080p HD. None on this list stray toward 4K or even WQHD. Some larger HD touchscreen monitors actually use a 1080p design with larger pixels, keeping the same pixel count on a 27 inch screen rather than a 22 inch. When researching your future touchscreen monitor, consider the resolution and sharpness you need.

Refresh rate

Designers might care about Delta-E, but for the competitive gamers it’s all about Hz and response time. Refresh rate determines how fast a screen refreshes. This is notated with Hz. A high refresh rate ensures that competitive gamers get that high frame rate they need to keep ahead of the action. 60 Hz is standard and totally fine for most common tasks. Hight-end and  dedicated gaming screens usually start at 120 Hz. Premium gaming screens can hit 360 Hz. Response time dictates how fast pixels change from black to white, or one gray to another. 5 milliseconds (ms) is a good rate for a gaming monitor, though premium gaming monitors can hit sub 1 ms. 

How we chose the best touch screen monitors

Methodology

We wanted our list of the best touch screen monitors to be as authoritative as possible. As a digital artist and tech reviewer, I use and review many screens. Currently I own multiple touch screen devices. It’s an important part of my workflow, whether I’m editing in Google Docs with my fingers and a pen, drawing in photoshop, or piecing together collages with my fingers in Procreate. To assemble this list, we researched numerous touch screens from leading manufacturers, perusing the spec sheets, and stacking them up against the competition, and compared them to the monitors and screens we know and use daily. We evaluated a few criteria to make our final choices:

Image quality doesn’t need to be stifled with touch screen tech. Theoretically touch screen IPS displays are capable of much the same image quality, resolution, and color quality as regular IPS screens. In practice this isn’t always the case. Touch technology takes money, and this means that touch screen monitors often don’t also put the premium on image quality. There aren’t many 4K touch screen monitors on the market. Because of this we highlighted the instances where touch screen monitors do achieve really good screen quality.

Form factor is always important, but when a product is designed to be used for tactile manipulation, this is more important than ever. We noted how each product worked as a touchable, tactile device. For a device to be reliable as touch-tech it needs to be sturdy, responsive, and positionable. We prioritized monitors that fold, sit flat, and can be positioned on angles.

Connectivity is ever important in the modern era, and yet many touch screen monitors suffer here. Don’t expect lots of thunderbolt ports, or necessarily more generic USB-C hubs. Still wherever we found it we highlighted monitors with versatile connectivity.

Budget varies when it comes to touch screen monitors. As touch screen tech is pricey in itself, touch screen monitors are often somewhat pricier than other monitors with equivalent feature sets. We looked for monitors that don’t skimp on features and cost significantly more, while highlighting a few that make sure to put the premium on a value price point.

Size is a bit more limited in the touch screen market. If you’re looking for large computer monitors, the largest touch screens designed for standard home use are about 27 inches.

The best touch screen monitors: Reviews & Recommendations

Best overall: Wacom Cintiq Pro 16

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Why It Made The Cut: With top-grade wide-gamut color and a powerful stylus, the Wacom Cintiq Pro drawing tablet easily has the best color and screen quality on the touch-screen market.

Specs:

• Screen type: IPS
• Size: 16
• Native resolution: 4K (3840 x 2160 pixels)

Pros:

• Exceptional 98% AdobeRGB with 8-bit color
• Decent 300 nit brightness with 1000:1 contrast
• Excellent pen response with smooth control and buttons
• 4K screen

Cons:

• Expensive
• Slow response and refresh for gaming

Wacom has been the industry leader in stylus and touchscreen art-tablets for years, and the Wacom Cintiq Pro 16 represents one of their biggest achievements yet. It delivers a vibrant, 4K screen with exceptional stylus support. The Cintiq Pro 16 is fully responsive to touch and pen, and … very beautiful. While monitors and drawing tablets have traditionally been classified as different categories of tech, they have slowly been inching closer and closer together over the years, until now, when crossover products such as the touch screen computer Microsoft Surface Pro havely largely rendered the category-differences moot.

There are only two functions that the Cintiq Pro 16 doesn’t perform well that the other monitor’s on this list do a good job with. Unlike other monitors, the Wacom is designed to be manipulated on your desk surface, either at an angle or flat, this helps with touch functionality, as well as giving you a natural surface for its electromagnetic pen. Those who want traditional mounted touch screen monitors should stay away. Its screen refresh time and pixel response is also slower than gamers will want. These differences make the Wacom good at what it is, a drawing-tablet with an immaculate touch-display built right in. 

The Cintiq Pro has one of the best screens on the market. It delivers 98% AdobeRGB, which is a significantly larger color gamut than sRGB, meaning you’ll see colors that not even a Macbook Pro can display. Its 4K resolution is beautiful and crisp, delivering extremely detailed images. It isn’t all that fast, with a 30 ms response, but unless you’re gaming, this shouldn’t be a problem. 

Because Wacom comes from a line of drawing tablets, rather than monitors, the Cintiq Pro 16 is an unconventional choice for a list of the best touch screen monitors. However, it’s hard to argue with the specs, especially when they handily beat out all of the competition. If you work in photo-editing, graphic design, or illustration, the Cintiq Pro is the best for work, even if it’s expensive, plus it works with Apple computers, unlike many traditional touch screen monitors. It should be noted that because it doesn’t achieve a vertical position, it is probably best as a second monitor, particularly when paired with a great graphic design or photo editing monitor. For more on the Cintiq Pro, read my review here.

Best for business: Dell P2418HT 24IN IPS

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Why It Made The Cut: Great image quality, easy touch controls, a solid anti glare coating, and an intuitive repositionable stand all work together to make this IPS Dell screen an easy pick. 

Specs:

• Screen type: IPS
• Size: 24 inch
• Native resolution: 1200 x 1080p, 60 Hz

Pros:

• Decent brightness
• Anti glare screen
• Stand folds nicely from traditional desktop to angled touch
• Decent color for a business class monitor after calibration

Cons:

• Plastic monitor surface doesn’t feel as sturdy as it could and gets smudges

A solid business-class monitor, the Dell P2418HT 24IN IPS delivers well on all fronts, offering impressive touch controls, as well as decent color and brightness. Perhaps the most immediate appeal to this monitor is its impressive folding stand, which intuitively transitions from a classic monitor position to an angled tabletop touch screen surface. 

The monitor’s plastic screen uses an anti-glare coating, and pumps out about 250 nits of brightness. It’s responsive to touch, and intuitive. The plastic coating is both a perk and a detractor, and will appeal to some more than others. While the anti-glare coating is a nice feature, the screen smudges easily, and feels less sturdy than glass. 

Across the rest of the specs, the Dell P2418HT does a good enough job to be the best 24 inch touch monitor out there. It has decent color that exceeds many business class monitors, even if it falls short of what’s on offer with most design or photo-focused monitors. Its HD resolution does a good job on the IPS screen, and its refresh rate makes it a viable choice for gamers who still want touch. All in all, the Dell does almost all of it right, in a way that makes it the most widely appealing touch-screen around, even if it doesn’t excel at the particulars to secure specific niches.

Best 27-inch: Planar Helium PCT2785 27″

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Why It Made The Cut: With a large screen, decent color, a webcam, and more, this is a great touch screen monitor for home offices that easily converts between flat and vertical alignments.

Specs:

• Screen type: IPS
• Size: 27 inches diagonal, 23.54 x 13.24 (H x V) inches
• Native resolution: 1200 x 1080p

Pros:

• Large size screen
• Decent brightness about 300 nits with touch screen
• Webcam

Cons:

• Middling color
• Pixel count is small for the size

As monitors go, the Planar Helium PCT2785 27″ is the best for productivity for most people. It’s also a great choice for a second touch screen monitor for school. With a big bright screen that pumps out about 300 nits, its HD IPS screen is big enough to wow.

The monitor uses capacitive touch with ten points of manipulation.It also comes with a 720p webcam, speakers, and an audio in/out, plus two USB-A 3.0 jacks. Best of all, its stand easily transitions between vertical and flat positions, so you can use touch how you like to.

It has to be noted that this monitor is a bit tricky with its sizing, it is 27 inches diagonal, rather than horizontal. Factor that into your decision before you buy, still 23.54 inches is large — large enough in fact that the HD resolution looks a little pixelated. All in all, it’s a decent large touch screen monitor that does a good job at whatever you throw at it. 

Best portable: ViewSonic TD2230

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Why It Made The Cut: A rugged, mobile design accompanies super-hard glass, a better than average refresh rate, and a simple-to-use folding screen.

Specs:

• Screen type: IPS
• Size: 22 inches
• Native resolution: 1200 x 1080p

Pros:

• Rugged enough to trust with portability
• 76 Hz refresh rate
• Good connectivity with DisplayPort

Cons:

• Not the best color

Billed for use in retail environments and setting up in the field, the ViewSonic TD2230 is a great choice for those who move around a lot. It sports an extra-hard 7H glass screen and solid overall ruggedness. Its stand offers easy conversions between vertical alignments and flat. 

While the screen isn’t the most vibrant out there, it does have some decent features. It offers a 76 hertz refresh rate that’s better than average among touch screens. Its IPS panel sports an HD resolution, that looks a little pixelated on the monitor’s larger size, but won’t bug most users. It’s also easy to connect on, with a DisplayPort connection, two USB-A ports, a USB-B, HDMI, and audio In & Out. 

All in all, the ViewSonic is a good choice if you’re looking for a moderately large touch screen monitor you can take on the go for presentations, or set up as a workstation at a retail establishment, it’s also the best as a second monitor. 

Best budget: ASUS VT168HR

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Why It Made The Cut: Great for use as a POS machine, as a monitor for multiple cameras, or as an easy touch control station, this twisted nematic monitor crams a lot of great features into a highly affordable touchscreen body.

Specs:

• Screen type: TN
• Size: 15.6 inches
• Native resolution: 1366 x 768 p, 60 Hz

Pros:

• Affordable price point
• Flicker free, with low blue light
• Wall mountable

Cons:

• Low resolution
• TN screen doesn’t have reliable color across it
• No speakers

Sometimes a utilitarian, budget monitor is just what you need. The ASUS VT168HR doesn’t come with frills, but if you’re looking for the basics delivered with reliable touch, then this ASUS TN monitor might be just right for your business.

Make no mistake, the VT168HR’s screen isn’t going to wow you with media. With a resolution of only 1366 x 768, it doesn’t hit HD definition, and you’ll notice. It doesn’t have speakers, and its color is also nothing impressive. Instead of great visuals and sound, the VT168HR focuses on utilitarian function. It’s one of the cheapest monitors out there, but its TN screen still comes with flicker-free tech that reduces eye strain, and a filter that cancels out blue light. Its touch screen is responsive, and it connects via HDMI and VGA. This monitor is a good choice for businesses that need a reliable basic monitor for security cameras, POS, spreadsheets, or a second touch-screen monitor to supplement a main monitor. It’s not a monitor to brag about, but it could be the best small display for specific touch applications.

FAQs

Final Thoughts

If you’re looking to add a whole new dimension to the control of your computer, consider a touch screen monitor. Touch screen monitors provide tactile control over your digital world, making for a great desktop monitor or a great portable controller. If you’re after the best 27-inch monitor, the Planar Helium PCT2785 27″ is about as good at touch as 27 inch monitors get. If you’re a creative, the pricey Wacom Cintiq Pro 16 is the top choice, and does about everything you need from a touch computer monitor, even if it comes from a family of drawing tablets (It also has the best screen quality out there). If it’s a desktop monitor for less, the ASUS VT168HR is a stripped down display that is rugged and affordable enough for business applications, like POS, and security monitoring. Finally, the Dell P2418HT 24IN IPS is the best touch screen monitor for most users, with its solid media delivery and good response.

The post Best touchscreen monitors of 2023 appeared first on Popular Photography.

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Best overall		HP OfficeJet Pro 9015e		SEE IT	A great all-in-one pigment printer.
Best sublimation		Epson EcoTank ET-3760		SEE IT	A supertank printer that runs heat transfers, and can also print sublimation.
Best laser		Brother HL-L2320D Mono		SEE IT	A mono black and white printer for simple heat transfer designs.

Under your desk or next to your film scanner, the best printers for heat transfers might look like innocuous, simple home printers. That’s because at root they are. These multifaceted printers can bring your graphics and photos to life on all sorts of merchandise and crafts. That includes everything from custom tee-shirts for touring-bands, to middle-school soccer-team logos on coffee mugs. You could even make totes branded with your home botanical-company’s fiddle-leaf-fig logo. However, these printers aren’t purpose built for heat transfers, most are classic office and home printers that will work just as well for printing paper media. Some even feature great perks, like scanners, faxers, and good connectivity options.

The printers we featured in this article can all run heat transfer paper. Heat transfers are simple. Once you have a design, send it to your printer, either an inkjet or laser, which will apply your image onto the coated surface of a sheet of heat transfer paper. This paper is then taped into place on the material you wish to transfer onto, and heated and pressed with a dedicated heat-press device or home iron. The heat will then cause the waxy coating to lift off the paper and bond the image onto the surface (such as a tee shirt). On this list we included one printer that can also run sublimation inks, which use a similar, if slightly different process.

If you’re ready to get busy with photo or graphic printing, read on for the tea on the best printers for heat transfers.

• Best overall: HP OfficeJet Pro 9015e
• Best for professionals: Epson Expression Photo HD XP-15000
• Best sublimation: Epson EcoTank ET-3760
• Best laser: Brother HL-L2320D Mono
• Best budget: Epson Workforce WF-2860

Things to consider when shopping for the best printers for heat transfers

Before you buy your first printer for heat transfers, it’s a good idea to get familiar with what the technology is, how it works, and what’s right for you.

Printer type

As with most home printers, heat transfer printers fall into two basic categories, these are inkjet printers and laser printers. Supertank printers are a subset of inkjet printers. Sublimation printers are usually inkjet printers which are loaded with sublimation inks.

Inkjet printers

The majority of the printers on this list are inkjet printers. These printers use liquid dyes or pigments, which are sprayed onto paper. Often, these printers use four colors, cyan, magenta, yellow, and black (CMYK). However higher grade photo printers will sometimes add extra shades of ink for richer and more specialized hues. Since inkjet printers are relatively straightforward in their design, their initial price is often cheaper than that of a laser printer. However, the dye and pigment inks they use can be very expensive over the long term. Since most inkjet printers don’t heat the paper that they print on, they are more often compatible with heat-transfer papers, and are thus a wider-used choice for heat transfer printing.

Supertank printers

Supertank printers are inkjet printers which use more economical refillable ink wells. They often hold more ink, and use lower cost inks. Many are compatible with the specific inks required for sublimation printing.

Laser printers

Rather than spraying ink onto paper, laser printers use powdered toner. This toner is applied to paper using a laser. Since this toner is a powder, it has the advantage of not drying up. Toner will generally last much longer than ink and generally proves to be more economical in the long term.

Printer transfer paper

Printer paper is generally designed for either laser or inkjet printers and usually is not cross compatible. Remember this when you buy. Paper compatibility also varies substantially by brand. It’s worth being exacting in your research before you buy.

Dye vs pigment

When you’re selecting goodprinters for heat transfers it’s important to consider whether you want a printer that features dye or pigment-based inks. Dye inks are water-soluble, while pigment inks are not. This means that generally dye inks are less color-fast than pigment inks, meaning that the color will fade from these inks with washing more quickly.  Dye inks are more common than pigment-inks, and most lower cost inkjet printers use dye-inks exclusively, or use dye-based colored-ink paired with a pigment black-ink. If you want excellent color-fastness and longevity in your inkjet prints, look for a pigment printer, this is especially pertinent for those looking to heat-transfer onto tee-shirts, or other frequently washed garments

Sublimation printers

Sublimation is a different process from heat-transfer printing. Still, the two processes are so similar that it’s a good idea to understand the differences and benefits of both before settling on a printer and process. Sublimation printing uses specific sublimation inks. When heated, these inks turn from a solid into a gas, and then settle back into a solid. This process works best on polyester-fabric and poly-coated surfaces, where the ink transfers to the polyester fiber or poly-coat. Unlike heat-transfer prints, which leave a tangible layer coating your print, sublimation prints do not. Like heat-transfers, sublimation prints do still require a heat transfer device. 

Heat press

Whether you’re working with dedicated inkjet heat-transfer paper, laser-print paper, or even a sublimation printer, you’ll need a heat-transfer device. A good option is the TUSY Heat Press Machine. While some basic print transfers will only require a home clothes-iron and ironing board, a dedicated heat press will usually do a better job. These heat presses can cost over $100, and it’s worth factoring this cost into your budget before you buy your printer.

How we chose the best printers for heat transfers

Methodology

We wanted to ensure that our guide to the best printers for heat transfers was as informative as possible. We researched numerous printers from multiple manufacturers and evaluated them based on their ability to print heat transfers. For each, we checked the specs and compared them to leading alternatives, looking at the various inks and papers available for each, and contrasting them to the printers we follow. Along the way a few criterias stood out as most pertinent:

Budget is always a factor when you’re investing in any type of tech. When you’re just starting out with heat-transfer printing the cost of a printer isn’t the only factor, there’s also the heat-transfer device, heat-transfer paper, materials to print on, and inks. Because there’s so much to buy we made sure to pick out solid printers that are as economical as possible. We noted our justifications for our pricier picks. It’s also important to remember that some printers which might be cheaper up front will cost more in the long run, and vice-versa. When you’re shopping for printers it’s especially important to consider operational costs.

Print speed, which is usually notated as PPM (pages per minute) is a factor for those who are looking to scale their print operation. We highlighted the speed of all our picks. 

Printer type and pertinent print-method says a lot about the quality of print you’ll get from your heat-transfer, such as its color-fastness, material-type, and more. We included numerous inkjet printers on this list as well as one laser printer, and one supertank sublimation printer.

Features can make or break a printer. Some of the printers on this list are versatile enough for daily office or home use, while still doing a great job with heat-transfer prints. We noted when printers include all-in-one feature sets that deliver nice perks like scanners, copying, and faxing.

The best printers for heat transfers: Reviews & Recommendations

Best overall: HP OfficeJet Pro 9015e

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Why it made the cut: With solid print speeds, easy management and connectivity, and an overall easy-to-use build, this home-office classic is an excellent printer for heat transfers.

Specs:

• Type: Inkjet: pigment
• Approx PPM: 22 black, 18 color
• Connection: Wifi, USB
• Features: Scan, copy, fax, print, duplex print and duplex scan

Pros:

• Versatile for all types of prints and lots of papers
• Good speeds
• Easy connectivity

Cons:

• Some of the Smart Task functionality is buggy

You don’t have to be a technician to get good heat-transfer prints from the HP OfficeJet Pro 9015e. One of the most notable home inkjets out right now, the 9015e uses water-resistant pigment inks, and will do just as well for heat transfers as it will for the myriad other tasks you’d expect from a home printer. Featuring a speedy 22 pages a minute with black ink, and 18 with color, this printer will also pump your heat transfers out in no time, so you can move on to production.

With easy Wifi connectivity and Airprint, the 9015e works with your tablets, phones, and Mac devices, just as well as your Windows PC, meaning you can bounce your illustrations or logos out of your Procreate iPad session, and print them on heat transfer paper without a hitch. The all-in-one feature set, which includes fax, copy, and scan, is also a great feature for a heat-transfer printer, as it allows you to easily scan designs.

All in all, the 9015e is a standout printer for heat transfers thanks to its pigment ink support, quick printing speeds, all-in-one feature set, and good connectivity.

Best for professionals: Epson Expression Photo HD XP-15000

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Why it made the cut: Using premium pigment inks that won’t run in the wash, this photo printer is great for heat-transfer media, and also includes great art-focused features like large-media borderless printing, 2-sided printing, and good connectivity.

Specs:

• Type: Inkjet: pigment
• Approx PPM: 9 ppm
• Connection: Wifi, ethernet
• Features: Borderless printing, 2-sided printing

Pros:

• Beautiful photo prints
• Does a great job with heat-transfer media
• Can be used for screen-print media
• Borderless prints are nice

Cons:

• Can streak
• Requires a good bit of maintenance and printer head cleaning
• Expensive ink

This one’s for the photographers and illustrators. The Epson Expression Photo HD XP-15000 is a powerful printer for art studios and print shops. Billed as a photo printer, its high-grade pigment inks will work just as well for your illustrations, drawings, and graphics, and won’t bleed in the wash.

The XP-15000 is a true multimedia printer. It offers a roomy 13″ X 19″ max print size with borderless printing, and auto-duplex (two sided). It does a great job with heat transfer paper. Some have even had luck running the printer with technically-unsupported sublimation inks, however, we don’t necessarily recommend this, as we haven’t tried it ourselves, and it is not suggested by Epson. The XP-15000 should only be used with aftermarket sublimation ink-cartons with caution and research, as it might void the warranty, and might break your machine.

The XP-15000 comes with impressive graphic delivery, but that comes with a cost. The system’s premium pigment ink is expensive, and these inks also do have a propensity for streaking and running, especially on more challenging media. The printer will also require somewhat more maintenance than some, needing occasional cleaning of the printer-heads and nozzles. Still, with brilliant prints, and lots of paper media at your finger-tips, the XP-15000 will make itself useful to your studio practice even when you’re not using it for heat transfers.

Best sublimation: Epson EcoTank ET-3760

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Why it made the cut: With refillable ink-wells, this versatile supertank printer is capable of dazzling photo prints, and runs on sublimation inks well.

Specs:

• Type: Inkjet: dye, sublimation
• Approx PPM: 15 black, 8 color
• Connection: Wifi, Airprint, USB, ethernet
• Features: Scan, copy

Pros:

• Does a good job with sublimation inks
• Good photo quality
• Refillable ink wells save money over the long term
• Good connectivity

Cons:

• No touch screen, controls can be unintuitive
• No scan to USB

We gotta give it up for supertank printers, and the Epson EcoTank ET-3760 is one of the best and most accessible on today’s market. This printer is modern, with great Airprint and Wifi connectivity, a solid scanner, and decent speeds. By default it runs on affordable refillable-wells of CMYK dye-ink with a pigment-black, and can print on heat-transfer paper. However, it really shines when it’s converted to sublimation.

Supertanks are known for their cost saving benefits, eschewing the need for pricy printer cartridges, and instead allowing you to simply squirt in replacement ink. However some, such as this ET-3760, can easily be converted into sublimation printers. Simply buy compatible sublimation inks with your printer purchase and load those into the printer’s wells instead of the traditional dye inks, and you’ll be running sublimation prints in no-time. These inks transition from a solid to a gas, and sublimate onto the fabric of tees, becoming solid once more and bonding to the fabric permanently. Many prefer sublimation prints to heat-transfer prints, as sublimation is usually more permanent.

As both a great sublimation printer and heat-transfer printer, there’s a lot to love in the EcoTank. However, its ample connectivity options do come with some difficulties. Focusing on Airprint and Wifi, the printer can require some troubleshooting on trickier connections, and doesn’t offer easy USB fallbacks like a scan to USB function. It will require more troubleshooting than simpler devices. Still, its benefits easily make up for this, and all-in-all it’s a great buy. 

Best laser: Brother HL-L2320D Mono

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Why it made the cut: This mono laser printer pumps out volumes of prints at high speeds, making it a great choice for those working in black and white graphics.

Specs:

• Type: Laser: toner
• Approx PPM: 30 mono
• Connection: USB only
• Features: Duplex printing

Pros:

• Cheap
• Very fast printing
• Crisp black print designs

Cons:

• Only prints black
• No scanner, and no wifi connections

Sometimes basic is best. The Brother HL-L2320D Mono is a heat-transfer printer that shines for its simplicity. This super-fast mono-laser printer is a solid option for those working in black-and-white who want a printer that’s affordable both in the long-term and short. 

This Brother printer is mono only. For many that might be an immediate turn-off, but for designers who work exclusively in logos and text, it has its applications. With speeds of up to 30 PPM it’s an extremely fast laser printer that moves paper well. It’s also highly affordable, with a hefty budget starting price point, it will also save money over the long term on refills of black toner. 

Without a scanner or Wifi connectivity, and no color, the Brother HL-L2320D is not for everyone. However, what it does, it does very well, and because of this it’s one of the best value options out there.

Best budget: Epson Workforce WF-2860

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Why it made the cut: This affordably priced inkjet does a decent job with all the printer basics, and runs heat-transfer paper elegantly, even if it will only allow for dye inks.

Specs:

• Type: Inkjet: dye
• Approx PPM: 14 black, 7 color
• Connection: 2.4GHz WIFI
• Features: Scan, copy, fax

Pros:

• Cheap
• Decent speeds
• All-in-one features include scan and fax

Cons:

• Ink runs out quickly and is expensive
• Connection issues and runs best on 2.4GHz Wifi

If you’re after a budget device that will take care of your heat-transfer needs, the Epson Workforce WF-2860 will check those boxes all day. The dye-based ink delivers decent image quality that’s easy to transfer to handbags, coffee cups, and canvas. 

The Epson Workforce is an all in one printer that includes scanning, copying, and faxing in its repertoire, and connects via 2.4GHz Wifi and ethernet. It prints at decent speeds, pumping out up to 14 pages a minute of black prints, and seven colored. As an office printer, you’ll love the Workforce’s wide range of functions, even when you’re not printing heat-press designs. 

The printer does have come with a few issues. The Workforce’s dye inks are expensive, and the replacements tend to run out quite quickly. Dye inks also aren’t as color-fast as pigment inks. However, though the machine technically requires Epson Genuine Cartridges, you may be able to get away with off-brand replacements. The printer also has some issues with connectivity, requiring 2.4GHz Wifi, and having issues on 5G connections. 

This budget pick is worth it for those looking for a printer for occasional heat-transfers, and who also want the nice extra features that are included: like a scanner and fax. The savings it affords might not be worth it for those looking to rely on this printer for a business.

FAQs

Final Thoughts

Skip outsourcing your tee-shirt prints to online services. With the best printers for heat transfers, you’ll be making great custom gear and crafts in your space. These printers enable you to print your designs onto heat-transfer paper, and then press them onto shirts, mugs, totes, and more. Check out the Epson EcoTank ET-3760 if you’re looking for a decent supertank heat-transfer printer that can also convert to a sublimation printer. If you want to get your feet wet with heat transfer printing but can’t spend hundreds, the Epson Workforce WF-2860 is a good pick that runs decent dye-based prints on transfer paper, and also features a scanner. Finally, the HP OfficeJet Pro 9015e has the most well-rounded feature set for heat-transfers out there, printing vibrant color-fast pigment-ink, with easy connectivity, and a scanner and faxer built right in. When you make your printer selection, don’t forget to pick up a great heat press machine as well, like the TUSY Heat Press Machine. 

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