Best Mid Range 3D Printers (Under £1000)

Back in March, we published an article listing the best budget 3D printers. This contained 3D printers that cost under £400, were perfect for beginners and still offered decent print quality. Due to popular demand, we have curated a list of the best mid-range 3D printers that are available to buy today at Technology Outlet.

All the 3D printers that you will see in this list are priced between £400-£1000.

When it comes to buying a 3D printer, the general rule is that you get what you pay for. The more you pay, the more you can expect the printer to be user-friendly and have better print quality. There are of course exceptions to the rule, but for now, let's focus on the good printers.

In no particular order, here are some of the best mid-range 3D printers you can buy between £400 and £1000 in 2018:

*prices are correct as of the time of writing this article.

Copymaster3D

Copymaster3D is a new brand of 3D printer that launched at the end of August 2018. Designed in the UK, it has an extensive list of features that make this a very good option to consider, despite it not yet being a very well known brand.

The Copymaster 3D is available in 3 models:

Copymaster 3D 300 - £499
Copymaster 3D 400 - £599
Copymaster 3D 500 - £699

The model numbers refer to the printer's biggest selling point - the build size with the 500 having an enormous 500 x 500 x 500mm area. You can't underestimate how much of a difference this makes to what projects you can print. It's often difficult to go back to a smaller printer when you use one as big as this.

The Copymaster 3D can also print with flexible filament as standard without having to upgrade or modify the extruder head. The aluminium frame increases stability and precision during the printing process. The no filament sensor is a really useful feature. The printer automatically pauses when it detects that the filament has run out, which can save a lot of print jobs. It also comes with a flexible, magnetic and removable heated print bed as standard with a diamond black glass print surface upgrade available for more consistent results.

JGAurora A5

£499

The JGAurora A3 featured in our best budget 3D printers list so it comes as no surprise that the JGAurora A5 features on the best mid-range 3D printers list as well.

It's hard to argue that the JGAurora A5 is one of the best looking 3D printers out right now. The frame and the full-colour touchscreen give it a very elegant and modern design and the all-metal construction makes the A5 a very premium feeling product. It is very quick and easy to set up and the overall build and print quality is fantastic for the price. It also comes with a heated print bed.

Flashforge Inventor II

£598.80

The Flashforge Inventor II is a smart, safe, reliable and portable desktop 3D printer and the enclosed cube design make this one of the best 3D printers to use in schools and classrooms. The enclosed design makes it relatively quiet compared to other printers and it makes it difficult for anyone to get too close to the hot moving parts when the printer is in use. The air filter that comes included also gets rid of potentially harmful fumes.

The touchscreen is very straightforward and intuitive to use making it perfect for beginners. It even has an onboard camera so you can check up on your print remotely. Like the previous printers, the Inventor II has a filament detection feature and will alert you when the filament has run out.

The print size is quite small at just 140 x150 x 140mm, which is significantly less than the other printers on this list. An advantage of this though is that it makes the Inventor II is more portable.

Flashforge Creator Pro 2017

£795

The Flashforge Creator Pro 2017 has a solid metal frame that wraps all around the enclosed chamber. The dual extruder set up allows you to use two filaments at once so prints can be finished faster and you can do multicolour print jobs. Print quality is very good and consistent, but it does require very precise bed levelling. Once you get the settings right, it is a great printer.

It has a relatively small build size at 230 x 150 x 155mm, which is still slightly bigger than the Inventor II. It can also be quite noisy when in use, despite the enclosed design. Many are also critical of the Flashprint software that comes with the printer and resort to using 3rd party solutions like Simplify3D.

Overall though, the Creator Pro is a fantastic printer, especially for the more experienced user.

Panospace One

£499.98

The Panospace One did not pick up much traction when it launched last year, which is surprising since it is a nice, compact 3D printer. It has a very attractive and unique design. The printer arrives fully assembled so you can get started pretty much straight away. The colour touchscreen is a nice feature to have as you navigate around Panospace's proprietary software, Panobuilder, which is generally easy to use. The overall print speed and quality is decent for the price, but others on the list are much better in that department.

It has a small build size of 150 x 150 x 150mm and prints with just PLA filament, which may put some people off, but this is ideal for beginners. If you're looking for your first 3D printer, then the quick set up and ease of use makes the Panospace One a very capable option.

Flashforge Dreamer

£795

The Flashforge Dreamer has been around for a few years now, but it still holds up to the newer competition. The dual extruder printer prints quickly and is highly precise and produces excellent quality prints. It can also print with a wide range of filaments including PLA, ABS, PVA, HIPS and more. The 3.5-inch touchscreen is also nice to use.

A common trend about the 3D printers with enclosed designs is the smaller build size. The Flashforge Dreamer is no exception and has a build volume of just 230 x 150 x 150mm. Many have also joked that the Dreamer looks a bit like a microwave. It also uses the Flashforge's Flashprint software, which not many people are keen on as mentioned before.

Overall though, the Flashforge Dreamer is a great all-round 3D printer for beginners and intermediate users alike.

Honsmaker Bessen Plus

£949

Like the Panospace, the Honsmaker Bessen Plus is a solid 3D printer that many in the industry are not aware of. It is a taller version of the regular Honsmaker Bessen model and boasts a bigger build size of 190 x 170 x 450mm.

It has an attractive metal frame and an enclosed design with sizeable windows so you can keep an eye on your prints as they go along. It can print with PLA, ABS, HIPS and other types of filament and the print quality itself is of good standard and detail. The Bessen Plus also has a patented nozzle design that ensures precise and smooth extrusion and reduces the risk of the nozzle getting jammed.
 

There is no shortage of good mid-range 3D printers in the £400-£1000 price range. There are so many brands that are offering high performance at affordable prices, which is a great thing for consumers because not only is there a lot of choice, but the competition keeps prices down.

All of the 3D printers featured on this list are available to buy right now. Want to see more? Discover the rest of our great range of 3D printers. And if you need some filament for your new 3D printer, then be sure to check out our selection of premium 3D filament.