Best Dual Extruder 3D Printer in 2022
Single extruder printing packs in hours of fun and is a marvelous way for newcomers to get to grips with the nuances of carrying a clever design idea from the drawing board to a fully-fledged 3D part. For many, it’s more than enough for all their printing needs.
If you’ve dabbled with single extruder machines, hit somewhat of a creative roadblock, and want to take your printing to the next level, then dual extruder 3D printers are the next logical step. Two extruders inject versatility into the printing process by using multiple colors, multiple materials, and the support structures necessary for more elaborate and ambitious designs.
Choosing the right dual extruder 3D printer can be tricky due to an ever-swelling roster of options from manufacturers big and small. Specifications, brands, features – all these can blend into an incomprehensible jumble that can have you second-guessing whether you’ve made the right choice.
Below, we’ve recommended some of the best dual extruder 3D printers out there, covering popular designs, features, and budgets, to help ease the buying process.
Products at a Glance
Best Dual Extruder 3D Printer in 2022
- 100 micron resolution
- Dual nozzle
- Heated aluminum bed
- Sturdy metal frame
- 227 mm x 148 mm x 150 mm build volume
- Tempered glass build plate
- 2-in-1-out dual extruder hot end
- 280 mm x 240 mm x 300 mm build volume
- TMC2208 Silent Board
- Availability and shipping costs
- Dual nozzle
- CNC machined aluminum heated bed and magnetic build plate
- Fully enclosed print chamber
- 50 micron resolution
- Ease of use
- Small 230 mm x 150 mm x 150 mm build volume
- Dual nozzle
- Heated bed
- Laser engraving
- Fully enclosed print chamber
- Small build volume
- Poor touch screen user interface
- Slightly pricey
- 2-in-1 single nozzle dual extruder setup
- ‘Mix-color’ blending
- 255 mm x 255 mm x 255 mm build volume
- 100 micron resolution
- Modular three-step assembly
- Optional auto-bed leveling
- Poor instructions
What is the purpose of dual extruder 3D printer?
A dual extruder printer expands your 3D printing efforts both in terms of the number of different materials you can use as well as making multicolored creations a possibility. It also allows you to create ‘supports’ for your 3D creations that are rounded in nature simultaneously to ensure no warping or breakage.
Essentially, a dual extruder 3D printer opens up far more possibilities than a single extruder 3D printer allowing you to create more complex models that could also be stronger depending on the mixture of filaments you use.
Are dual extruders worth it?
If you’re looking to make multi-colored or more complex 3D prints, a dual extruder 3D printer is certainly worth the extra cash you’ll need to spend. It’ll make your life a whole lot easier and open up more possibilities for more interesting and aesthetically pleasing models.
However, for the more casual user, a single extruder 3D printer could be enough for your requirements, especially if you’re wanting single color creations or miniatures ready for painting. If you think this might change in the future, it’s down to you whether you want to spend that bit extra now and have more functionality at your disposal, or simply wait until you’re at the point when it’s absolutely necessary.
Do dual extruders print faster?
Dual extruder 3D printers don’t technically print any faster than single extruder variants as they both follow the same process but it could save you a chunk of time in other areas.
Having those dual extruders speeds up the process significantly when you look at setup and replacing filaments. This is simply due to the fact that you have two spools at your disposal thus allowing you to leave the machine running rather than having to go in and add more filament. This can be particularly advantageous when it comes to multicolored 3D printing as with a single extruder machine you’d have to finish one color then put the next filament hue in but with a dual setup, you can put both on at the start and away you go.
Can the Ender 3 do dual extrusion?
Yes, the Creality Ender 3 3D printer can in fact do dual extrusion but this doesn’t come with the stock version of the machine. If you want a dual extrusion version of the Ender 3, you’re going to have to do a little work to get it going.
First, you’ll have to obviously buy the parts necessary to add another extruder to the Ender 3 setup but in addition to that, you’ll also have to replace the actual control board as the stock one simply doesn’t have the capabilities to do the job.
If you have an Ender 3, it could certainly be well worth the upgrade if you want to take advantage of dual extrusion as it’ll be less expensive than going out and purchasing a whole new 3D printer and you’ll already be familiar with how it operates.
Our Verdict
When weighing up the merits of dual extruder 3D printers, it’s difficult to overlook the FlashForge Creator Pro. Ease of use mixes with superb print quality and plenty of desirable features such as a fully enclosed print chamber and heated build plate. If in doubt, the FlashForge Creator Pro is a sure bet.
While the Sovol may not have the reputation of offerings from manufacturers like FlashForge and Prusa, the upgraded and improved Sovol SV02 is an affordable, single nozzle dual extruder 3D printer capable of producing immaculate multi-color prints.
Jumping to dual nozzle dual extruder 3D printers, we highly recommend the Qidi Tech X-Pro. The simplicity of use makes it a strong choice for beginners, while advanced makers can tinker with the printer to create excellent multi-color and multi-filament prints.
The BIBO Dual Extruder 3D Printer takes the much-loved ABS-friendly fully enclosed print chamber design and pairs it with a versatile dual nozzle setup and even a laser engraving module. Not the most pleasing to look, it has to be said, but a workhorse nevertheless.
Lastly, the Geeetech A20M ticks all the boxes for those looking to maximize the money while still having all the color mixing capabilities of a dual extruder 3D printer.
Don’t hesitate to chime in with any questions, concerns, or recommendations in the comments section below.