The world of miniature printing has taken on a life of its own thanks to the proliferations of some of the best printers as well as best 3D printing filaments out there.
You will of course need the best filaments to get the best possible miniature prints. Let us check for ourselves, the best filaments available today for all of your miniature needs.
Top Picks: Best Filament For Miniatures
1. Hatchbox PLA
The US-based 3D PLA filament maker Hatchbox offers one of the best quality PLA filaments out there at a pretty reasonable price. Its cost and quality are at par with the best filaments out there. This is why it is near perfect PLA filament for miniature use.
Overview
As a matter of fact, Hatchbox pla 3D print material has now gone on to become one of the best -selling filament on Amazon, at least as far as 3D printing filament is concerned. It is due to this very reason that there are thousands of highly satisfied user reviews on the Amazon website. It works well and gives good layer height.
Pros
- It has a unique blend of polymers
- If you want to print miniatures it is the deal filament for the job
- It is made of ecofriendly bio plastics
- Silky smooth finish with a highly reduced CO2 footprint
Cons
- Not as inexpensive as most other brands in the market
PLA Filament Diameter
1 75mm
Spool Weight
1 kg (2.2lbs)
Colors
Yellow, red, black, red, gold white, blue, purple, glow in the dark, and others that will work with the best 3D printer around
2. Overture PLA
Overture PLA 3D print filament has been designed from scratch to create a smooth as well as stable printing experience. It is made via a clog-free patent in order to guarantee smoothness while creating miniatures.
Overview
This pla 3D printer filament does not tangle easily and is user friendly. This is because it is very carefully checked for quality control issues before distribution. The line is always neat, tidy and completely tangles free when shipped. Its large inner diameter also makes feeding the filament into the printers a very smooth experience. It is good for printing minis and miniatures.
The Overture PLA filament is highly cost-effective and very reliable for most of the more common printers, such as Monoprice FlashForge MK3, Ender 3, and other popular design printers available out there.
Pros
- Vacuum sealed nylon re-sealable bag filled with desiccants
- This pla printer filament does not tangle easily and is user friendly
- No snapping, tangling and line breaking problems
Cons
- It is known to have under extrusion issues, especially with the Creality Ender 3
Spool Weight
1 kg (2.2lbs)
Filament Diameter
PLA filament 1 75mm
Colors
Black and white
3. Proto Pasta PLA
Proto Pasta PLA is often considered to be one of the best filaments out there by 3D printing gurus. As a matter of fact, the good people at Proto-pasta have been focused on overall material quality far more than most other like minded PLA filament makers in the market. You can use 3D PLA and ABS for different types of small scale things like figurines.
Overview
The filament can be heat-treated for extra stability and strength. It is expensive but worth the price due to its very high quality. It can also hold its shape at temperatures close to 200 °C. This carbon fiber PLA has been named Proto-pasta because it looks like pasta. It is a good candidate if you are looking for a filament for printing models. It can work in almost any FDM printer.
Pros
- It has a very strong and aromatic scent
- It can work well on high temperature unlike many other filaments
- Ideal for very high quality builds
Cons
- It is quite expensive
Spool Weight
500 grams (1.1 lbs.)
Filament Diameter
- 1 75 mm
Color
Black only
4. Prusament PLA
Prusa Research is globally renowned for their Prusa range of FDM printers. Apart from printers, they also have their very own line of proprietary corn starch 3D printing PLA filaments that are known as Prusament PLA.
Overview
Prusa’s strong quality assurance ensures top level premium 3D printer filament which is created thorough rigorous testing. The extreme precision of this product is also an important differentiating factor. As a matter of fact, Prusament 3D printer filaments boast of 0.02 mm precision.
This can be positively compared to the industry standard of 0.05 mm. Apart from that, they can also work well irrespective of low bed temperature.
For further quality control assurance, individual customers can now also inspect the exacting testing parameters of each and every 0 05mm nontoxic filament product at a different bed temperature.
They can do this by scanning the QR code present on every product and then trying to read the details online. You can check price on Amazon com of these 3D printing filaments for your FDM printer. You can buy it on Amazon.
Pros
- 0 2mm precision as compared to the .5 mm of standard miniature filaments so it can be used for detail oriented tasks
- Customers can use the QR code to check the testing parameters of the filament
- Stringent testing procedures are used before shipping
- Works best with Prusa 3D printers for miniatures
Cons
- It does not work as well when it is used with many other non Prusa manufactured 3D printers
Spool Weight
1kg (2.2lbs)
Filament Diameter
1.75mm
Color
Lime Green (Blend), black, red, pink, silver, blue, yellow, red, pearl, green, white and purple along with other blends.
5. ColorFabb PLA
ColorFabb PLA is one of the most reputable filament manufacturers around because of the demand for their excellent PLA product materials for making models.
Overview
The filament is built tough so that it would last longer and is way stronger and more durable than many other filaments for miniatures out there. It has very good layer adhesion properties and it is not prone to warping related issues tendencies. Just make sure that it is heated at the right temperature as per the instructions on your FDM printer.
The ColorFab people are very particular about quality control and their PLA filaments are top-notch. They have fantastic tolerances due to which they don’t clog or jam. They also pay strong attention to detail.
However, it is a very expensive brand, but quality does come at a price. This filament can give a very glossy finish for most food safe 3D printed objects. It is also heat resistant too and great for any printing process. You should get it if you want high detail levels for your prints.
Pros
- It can work on high end printers
- Very good quality control
- Excellent layer adhesion properties
- No warping issues
- Great for detail oriented models
Cons
- Its price range is a bit high and it out of the budget of many miniature model enthusiasts who make figurines.
6. Overture PETG Filament
This is the PETG version of the Overture PLA filament mentioned above. It has been designed from the ground up. Moreover, it has been manufactured with the help of a unique clog-free patented formula in order to guarantee both a smooth and stable 3D printing experience.
Overture PETG has been dried for at least 24 hours before it is well packed into individual vacuum sealed nylon re-sealable bags that are filled with desiccants to preserve its freshness.
Overview
This PETG 3D printer filament is very user friendly. This is because it has been mechanically winded and has also gone through very strict manual examinations as part of the QC process.
Overture PETG filament is highly cost-effective and very reliable for most of the more common printers, such as Monoprice FlashForge MK3, Ender 3, and many other popular design FDM printers available out there. It is ideal for many different kinds of miniatures and it can be used once you buy it on Amazon. If used correctly, it will provide a means of creating an excellent miniatures set.
Spool Weight
1 kg (2.2lbs)
Filament Diameter
PETG filament 1 75mm
Colors
While using it you will find that it is available in green, blue, white, black, brown, blue, gray, orange, pink, purple red and other different colors.
7. Hatchbox PETG 3D Printer Filament
Hatchbox is known for very good quality 3D FDM printer filaments that are also available at a pretty decent price. This is a good miniature making filament and it can create the best miniatures around.
Overview
Hatchbox PETG is wildly popular all over the world ever since it was first available on Amazon com and has quickly risen through the ranks to become the single number one filament maker and seller on the Amazon superstore, when it comes to 3D printing filament for miniatures.
The key reason here is that the Hatchbox 3D printer filament consists of various polymers and plastics. This best filament has been made of eco-friendly plastic based products with a highly reduced CO2 footprint. It is great for printing miniatures and figurines. If you want to make a figurine full of detail, you may use this filament. Just hook it up and start printing with high accuracy.
Pros
- Affordable and durable
- Ideal for miniature printing
- Ecofriendly
- Reduced emissions
- Vacuum sealed
- Great for figurines
- Strong customer support
- Very high accuracy
Cons
- Requires vey Extrusion/Nozzle Temperature 230°C – 260°C
PLA Filament Diameter
1 75mm
Spool Weight
1 kg (2.2lbs)
Colors
Yellow, blue black, white
8. Priline Wood Filament
Priline are justifiably proud of their wood filament. Miniature 3D prints made with Priline wood filaments look like they have been hand carved by a master carver.
You will need it if you want to build a really woodsy model. This is something that would be very difficult for a resin printer since it would require too much time to make. Furthermore, its accuracy is second to none. You will have to take the time and find and see how it works though
Overview
You will have to see the overall strength, toughness and realism of this filament to believe it. It is far better than the usual abs pla filaments that are commonly available in the market today. Best off all it does not take much time to make a figurine with it. It is a lot better than using sla material.
Pros
- Extremely realistic wood prints
- Perfect wooden miniatures
Cons
- It requires an extra nozzle of at least .6 mm otherwise it would be prone to clogging issues
Spool Weight
1kg (2.2lbs)
Filament Diameter
1.75mm
Color
Dark Wood and Light Wood
9. SainSmart TPU Filament
This TPU filament is both strong and durable and you can use it to make all types of useful items as well as miniature printing work.
Overview
With the right settings, TPU is both easy to print and has great bed adhesion and the filament does not warp. It works best Prusa i3, SainSmart x, Creality, WanHao Monoprice MakerSelect, & Qidi, and any other RepRap 3D printer for miniatures.
In all off the above it gives great 3D printed results. You should get it if you want good results
Pros
- You can use it for a variety of projects such as printing miniatures and watch bands and even phone cases.
- It can outlast most other filaments around when it comes to great printed results
Cons
- It has been known to give issues on FDM printers other the pre-approved ones
Spool Weight
0.8 kg
Filament Diameter
1.75mm
Colors
Teal, emerald, green, yellow, white, red, purple, pink, orange, violet, clear and black
10. Overture TPU Filament
Overture TPU 3D filament has been designed and manufactured in order to create the ultimate clog free experience when it comes to printing best miniatures in 3D. If you want to get something that wil last, this is it.
Overview
This TPU 3D printer filament is great for miniature 3D printing fans and is user friendly, even for newbies. It has a shore hardness of 95A.
Pros
- It can stretch up to 3 times its own size
- Unique clog free design
- Lifetime guarantee
Cons
Slightly more expensive than other TPU filaments
Spool Weight
1 kg (2.2lbs)
Filament Diameter
PLA filament 1 75mm
Colors
Gray, green, yellow, white, red, purple, pink, orange, and black
Which Filament Type Is Ideal For Painting Over?
PLA is considered to the best filament for making miniature models, It’s easy to use, forgiving, and can be made to look amazing once it is painted over.
Uses for Each Kind of Filament
- PLA is the best filament if you want to create models and paint them over
- TPU is highly stretchable and its models are built to last
- You can use PETG if you like to display your minis and models outdoors, most of the time.
Conclusion
In light of the above discussion we can conclude that all of these filaments are best in their respective domains. It is up to you to select which one you prefer over the others for your 3D printing miniatures projects.
