3D Resin Printing : Best Model & Miniature Printer
I was an avid model and miniature painter before the days of 3D resin printers, so since that time you can be sure I’ve ploughed hundreds of hours into printing models of all sizes and shapes. As a hobby, it’s relaxing and rewarding, and we get out of it what we put in. That typically starts with the right choice of printer and this is probably my most extensive list. Shockingly I have NOT included DLPs here. I love the accuracy of them and personally I’m happy to adjust Antialiasing values to soften the super sharp pixels. But most painters prefer softer surfaces… so no DLPs here, but you'll find them listed HERE. There's also no Large printers as these are more a speciality item.
Here I’ve listed the resin printers that I feel are ideal for model and miniature work. I’ve personally owned and thoroughly tested each of them, and even ranked them in order of recommendation. Prices aren’t included as these change too frequently, but I have included convenient price links so you can check the money side of things out for yourself.
VogMan’s Models & Miniatures 3D Resin Printer Picks
| RANK | PRINTER | XY RES'N | PPI | SIZE | W x D x H | REVIEW | PRICE | COMMENTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elegoo Mars 4 Ultra 9K | 18 µm | 1411.1 | S | 153 x 78 x 165 mm |  |
8520 x 4320 pixels. This is the Mars on steroids. An incredible printer with amazing fine detail quality. The Mars 5 Ultra may have newer toys, but for the experienced user this is my preferred option. | |
| 2 | Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra 9K | 18 µm | 1411.1 | S | 153 x 78 x 165 mm | |
8520 x 4320 pixels. Every bit as good as the Mars 4 Ultra but with a fancy tilt mechanism and auto-plate levelling features. Ideal for a newbie to the hobby. | |
| 3 | Elegoo Mars 4 9K | 18 µm | 1411.1 | S | 153 x 78 x 175 mm | |
8520 x 4320 pixels. The Mars 4K is a formidable printer topped only by the Mars 4 Ultra, capable of very fine printing. | |
| 4 | Phrozen Sonic Mighty Revo 14K | 17 / 24 µm | 1408.7 | M | 223 x 126 x 235 mm | |
13320 x 5120 pixels. Probably the best printer Phrozen have made since the Mini 8K, this is an expensive machine, but its very well put together. It truly impressed me. | |
| 5 | Anycubic Photon Mono M5s Pro 14K | 17 / 24 µm | 1410.0 | M | 223 x 126 x 200 mm | |
13312 x 5120 pixels. Great detail over a large plate, this 14K really produces the results. | |
| 6 | Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra 12K | 19 / 24 µm | 1275.6 | M | 219 x 123 x 220 mm | |
11520 x 5120 pixels. Lots of innovation on this model getting the most from its 12K screen. | |
| 7 | Creality Halot Mage S 14K | 17 / 24 µm | 1408.8 | M | 223 x 126 x 230 mm | |
13320 x 5120 pixels. A step up from the Mage Pro, the print quality of this machine really impressed me, thanks to its 14K screen. | |
| 8 | Elegoo Saturn 3 12K | 19 / 24 µm | 1275.6 | M | 219 x 123 x 250 mm | |
11520 x 5120 pixels. A very impressive printer that, whilst lacking extra features, prints beautifully. | |
| 9 | Anycubic Photon Mono M5S 12K | 19 / 24 µm | 1275.6 | M | 218 x 123 x 200 mm | |
11520 x 5120 pixels. A large plate and 12K printing power, this almost equals the printing power of the Phrozen Mini 8K, but also comes with a self levelling build plate. | |
| 10 | Elegoo Saturn 3 Ultra 12K | 19 / 24 µm | 1275.6 | M | 219 x 123 x 260 mm | |
11520 x 5120 pixels. Accuracy with a larger built plate. For me an equal performance to the Phrozen Mini 8K, but much larger. | |
| 11 | Phrozen Sonic Mini 8K | 22 µm | 1152.7 | S | 165 x 72 x 180 mm | |
7500 x 3240 pixels. The first 8K and 22 micron. Incredible quality. | |
| 12 | Phrozen Sonic Mini 8KS | 22 µm | 1154.5 | S | 165 x 72 x 170 mm | |
7536 x 3240 pixels. A cheapened down version of the Mini 8K, but still packing a mighty punch. | |
| 13 | Uniformation GK3 Ultra 16K | 20 x 26 µm | 1210.8 | L | 300 x 160 x 300 mm | |
15120 x 6230 pixels. Take the GK2, increase it in size and give it even better print quality and you have the GK3 Ultra. Beyond a doubt the best printer in the Large range, it can produce fine enough detail to print just about anything. Check the description below my YouTube video as Uniformation often provide me with promotion codes. | |
| 14 | Anycubic Mono M7 Pro 14K | 17 / 25 µm | 1410.0 | M | 223 x 126 x 230 mm | |
13312 x 5120 pixels. This was a promising idea that never panned out IMO. In my review the resin pump didn't work and it's clear the heater could potentially contaminate different resins. But it prints great so it deserves some recognition. | |
| 15 | UniFormation GKtwo 8K | 29 µm | 855.2 | M | 228 x 128 x 245 mm | |
7680 x 4320 pixels. The first to include a resin heater, I really love this printer. | |
| 16 | Anycubic Photon M3 Premium 8K | 29 µm | 891.2 | M | 219 x 123 x 250 mm | |
7680 x 4320 pixels. With ball screw double threaded rods, the premium sold out initially within days of launch. | |
| 17 | Phrozen Sonic Mighty 8K | 29 µm | 891.2 | M | 218 x 123 x 235 mm | |
7680 x 4320 pixels. A great midranger with a very helpful UI. Just a tad expensive in comparison to others. | |
| 18 | Anycubic Photon M3 Plus 6K | 34 µm | 743.2 | M | 197 x 122 x 245 mm | |
5760 x 3600 pixels. Midrange quality print performance with an improved UI and the first Auto Resin filler I came across. | |
| 19 | Elegoo Saturn 2 3D 8K | 29 µm | 891.2 | M | 219 x 123 x 250 mm | |
7680 x 4320 pixels. Good price, good build and a great performer. | |
| 20 | Anycubic Photon Mono 2 4K | 35 µm | 726.8 | S | 143 x 89 x 165 mm | |
4096 x 2560 pixels. The best budget 35 micron printer in my opinion. Great all-rounder. | |
| 20 | Elegoo Mars 5 4K | 35 µm | 725.7 | S | 143 x 89 x 150 mm | |
4098 x 2560 pixels. Elegoo's clever attempt to make an easy to use, low cost resin printer aimed at newcomers. I was very impressed. | |
| 21 | Anycubic Photon Mono X 6K | 34 µm | 743.2 | M | 197 x 122 x 245 mm | |
5760 x 3600 pixels. Quickly surpassed by another version, this printer is not easy to get hold off - but well worth it if you can. | |
| 22 | Anycubic Photon M3 4K | 40 µm | 634.7 | S | 164 x 102 x 180 mm | |
4096 x 2560 pixels. Why the M3 exists I don´t know. It fills the same hole as the Mono 2, but costs a bit more and prints slightly less well. Good it´s still a good printer. | |
| 23 | Elegoo Mars 3 Pro 4K | 35 µm | 725.7 | S | 143 x 90 x 175 mm | |
4098 x 2560 pixels. The Mars is just a great all rounder printer, loved by many. Me included. | |
| 24 | Creality Halot One Plus 4K | 40 µm | 635.0 | S | 172 x 102 x 160 mm | |
4320 x 2560 pixels. has their fans and this is a gorgeous looking printer, with a UI that takes a bit of getting used to. |
| The reasoning behind my ranking decisions has nothing to do with price. My ranking is based purely on ability and how well each printer impressed me. To understand the table headings properly, visit the listing at the bottom of the page. |
Yes, I know, it’s a big list. I recommend on a basis of quality, closely followed by affordability. Most of the time this means the more accurate printers appear higher in my listing than those with unnecessary toys. But with that said, I can’t help but be influenced by clever innovation, such as with the Uniformation GKtwo.
It’s my list, my thoughts, my opinions, so feel free to ignore it. But please remember I have personally owned and thoroughly tested all of the above, so I have no agenda. There are YouTuber’s who are paid to say nice things. Some even receive company shares I’m told. I get neither, which whilst it doesn’t help me pay any bills, it does mean I can speak as I find.
Newbies
If you’re a newbie to Resin based 3D printing, I’d encourage you firstly to ask is resin printing really for you? If you can assure yourself of this, then ask yourself how much money you want to gamble on that assessment being true.
I’ve come across a lot of people who’ve thrown themselves into the hobby only to find the smells and the mess just aren’t for them. As I hate to see people waste money, I tend to be cautious when advising first timers, recommending that they buy small and cheap initially. If they then discover that they enjoy the hobby, then great! There are plenty of upgrade options. But if they hate it, then they haven’t wasted too much money. In such situations the Standard range above is the ideal choice, but remember I tend to list according to ability, which obviously has a usual price increase knock-on. However, I have a Budget option which I'd strongly urge newbies to consider.
About the Price Links
Prices change so often I simply can't list them. So instead, I provide links to the Official Stores and Amazon. Some of these are affiliate links and clicking them will generate a few pennies for me if you make a purchase, but importantly this will not cost you any extra and it does not affect how I rank these printers. I don't play that game!
Resin
And don't forget you're going to need a lot of resin for these Large 3D printers. Check out my recommended resins!
Understanding the Table Headings
The headings on the Printers table are abreviated to save on space and that may lead to confusion. So below I list the headings and their full meaning.
| RANK | This is shortened from "My Ranking" and refers to how I personally list them, with 1 being the best, 2 the second best, etc | |
| PRINTER | The name of the printer, often incorporating the K value of the screen (e.g. 9K, etc). | |
| XY RES'N | Short for "XY Resolution" this refers to the calculated micron value usually quoted in sales gumph. The smaller the number, the better. To understand how this is calculated and what it really means, watch the video below. | |
| PPI | Short for "Pixels Per Inch" this figure generally isn't provided but essentially describes image clarity, wherein the greater the density of pixels, the greater the image definition will be. To understand how this is calculated and what it really means, watch the video below. | |
| SIZE | Refers to the overall size of the printer, i.e. S (Standard or Small), M (Medium) and L (Large). The bigger the printer, the bigger the prints that can be created. | |
| W x D x H | Width x Depth x Height measured in millimetres, and describing the maximum print area available. | |
| REVIEW | This is a link to my YouTube review. These are generally worth watching. | |
| PRICE | Prices change so often I simply can't list them. So instead, I provide links to the Official Stores and Amazon. Some of these are affiliate links and clicking them will generate a few pennies for me, but importantly this will not cost you any extra and it does not affect how I rank these printers. I don't play that game! | |
| COMMENTS | This is a very brief summary of my thoughts about the printer. There's not enough room for a full report, but watching the video should provide the rest. | |
| * | Note : "tba" is an abbreviation of To Be Advised, meaning the information should turn up eventually. |