The best 3D pens: model and design in 3D

The best 3D pens take your creations from 2D sketches on paper to fully realised 3D sculptures. Many use plastic, though there are some that can use other materials, to help artists old and young quickly build 3D models and sculptures.

Right now, we rate the MYNT3D Pro 3D Printing Pen as the best 3D pen overall, but I’ve researched and compared it against a wide range of other available options, considering factors like price, design and functionality.

3D pens are a great, no-skill no-stress means medium that will see you conjuring your creations out of thin air. If you want to go further with analogue design, also see our roundup of the best laser cutters and our list of the best 3D printers.

The quick list

• Back to the top ⤴

The best 3D pens in full

Best 3D pen overall

Lightweight and ergonomic, the MYNT3D Pro is easy to hold and use. The modular nozzle design is easy to replace, so mistakes won't put it out of action. And experienced hands will appreciate its sophisticated features. All this makes it, in my eyes, the best 3D pen on sale today.

You can adjust the speed and flow of the plastic filament for finer control. You can also make fine tweaks to its temperature, in one-degree increments. And there's even a OLED display to monitor this, too. Plus it's super-flexible. Unlike many other 3D pens, the MYNT3D Pro supports a range of filament types: not just ABS and PLA, but according to the makers MYNT3D, any thermoplastic. "If it is 1.75mm and melts between 140-230° C, then it will work in the MYNT3D Pen", it claims. That could mean, for example, filaments infused with wood or bronze.

The pen is USB powered, so you can do some 3D drawing while you're away from a wall socket, by hooking it up to a plug adapter, laptop or one of the best power banks, as long as they have at least 2A output. The only downside is that it's quite expensive, and probably overkill for beginners and kids, but it does represent the best overall 3D pen by features and price.

Best 3D pen for beginners

Never used a 3D pen before? Then we recommend the 3Doodler Flow. It has a beautifully ergonomic design that's easy to use, even for first-timers. More experienced hands will enjoy using this too, with its integrated LCD screen, plus dual speed and temperature controls giving you a nice degree of control.

This pen can work with a wide variety of 1.75mm plastic filaments and supports PLA, ABS and wood. You get eight different colour filaments included with this package, as well as a comprehensive guidebook. We've not had hands-on with this model, but it's the next generation of the 3Doodler Create+, which we praised for coming with everything you need to get started; it's much the same case with the 3Doodler Flow.

The wealth of materials and guides included with the 3Doodle Flow make this great for getting started if you've never used one of these crafty tools before. Once you get started you can upgrade to the 3Doodler PRO+ below, which takes the same brand's tech and steps it up a level.

Best pro 3D pen

The 3Doodler PRO+ is one of the few 3D pens aimed at artists and professional crafters. It can make use of a number of filament types other pens on my list can't offer, including wood, copper and bronze materials.

This 3D pen offers a little more control over the flow temperature and flow rate to others on my list. The 3Doodler PRO+ features a variable fan speed control to handle how and when materials cool and harden, which is essential for complex sculptures and artworks. The pen itself is beautifully finished in carbon fibre and comes with an LCD display to monitor your settings. Overall this feels a step above other 3D pens. It would be No.1, but it's probably overkill for most people. Its intended audience, though, will love it.

If you're an artist or work in architecture, engineering and design, the 3Doodler PRO+ would be a good addition to your studio. It's a step up from other 3D pens so takes a little longer to grasp and get used to, but the results are fantastic.

Best value 3D pen

Watching the pennies? Then check out the MYNT3D Super 3D Pen, which represents excellent value. It's similar to the Pro model (No.1 on my list), with the same gearbox and replaceable nozzle design. And yet at time of press, it was a lot cheaper.

There's a reason for that, of course. Here, you don't get the OLED display, or the temperature adjustment feature. Instead, a temperature adjustment screw lets you switch between the correct temperatures for ABS and PLA, but you're limited to those two materials.

However, it's still a great 3D pen and represents excellent value, which is easy to use in practice. Plus you get a stylus, three colours of ABS plastic and a 100-240V AC 50 / 60Hz adapter in the box. So overall, this 3D pen is excellent value.

Best 3D pen for kids

The 3Doodler Essentials Start+ is my clear choice as the best 3D pen for children. Adhering to strict safety standards, it's designed with no hot parts, which means the pen nozzle and plastic can be touched without risk of burning. That makes it a safe choice for kids aged six and upwards.

It's also easy for kids to use, as the controls have been kept purposely simple. As with all 3Doodler pens, you can only use the company's own range of filaments, but you do get 72 strands to get you going, in eight colours (this is more than you used to get a year or so ago). Each strand offers 60 inches' worth of 3D printing, so that will get you pretty far before you need to buy more.

3Doodler has a good reputation in the 3D pen market, and this one has been designed for kids, and the brand has a good supply of fun filaments themed around 'fire and ice', 'stars and stripes' and more; so a lot of fun to be had.

Best 3D pen for sugar craft

Here's a new and fun use of 3D pen tech from Polaroid (which used to make a lot of 3D pens but has gradually cut back). The Polaroid CandyPlay 3D Pen is designed to craft candy designs, from sweets to cake toppings, but also for complex sugar craft creations. If you've watched Bake Off or Is It Cake and want to test your food art skills, this is a neat gadget.

It works by heating up the supplied sugar-free candy cartridges (you get 48 with the 3D pen and replacement packs can be bought from Polaroid and Amazon) and then slowly building candy-sculptures as you would with a traditional 3D pen using plastics.

Naturally there are some drawbacks, for one being a candy-powered device it can get sticky and the nozzle and innards are prone to gluing up - so regular cleaning it a must. Sugar heats at a higher temperature to the filaments of standard 3D pens, so you it can take a while to reach the consistency needed, find for adults but kids could get impatient. Regardless, the Polaroid CandyPlay 3D Pen is a fun, novel and artsy use of 3D pen tech.

FAQs

How to choose the best 3D pen

The first thing to consider when buying a 3D pen is the price. Most 3D pens come in below $100 / £100, with good entry-level 3D pens costing around $45 / £40. Some pro grade 3D pens like the 3Doodler PRO+, designed for complex art or Archviz, can go as high as $200 / £200.

It's worth considering what you need, as a 3D pen around $50 / £50 will be good quality for perfect for most projects. (The 3Doodler PRO+ has advanced features like a powerful, adjustable fan and can use wood and metal materials that not everyone needs.)

Beyond that, here are a number of other factors to take into account:

• Comfort I've selected 3D pens in my list that have a modern ergonomic design, with the heat nozzle protected from the handle. Also consider the size and weight of the 3D pen, I've included these measurements in my reviews above for each entry.
• Constant plastic flow To make the best models you need a solid, steady plastic extrusion flow which comes from consistent heating.
• Controls The 3D pens on my list all offer a degree of control over the flow of plastic, and the more you pay generally the better the control options. Simple 3D pens will have a Start / Stop but the better ones on my list will enable real time temperature changes as well, ensuring more detail in your models.
• Reliability Good 3D pens these days are made to be easily cleaned, some on my list come with detachable nozzles, for example. This is something to look for, as an easy-clean pen will last you longer and filament lines will be more consistent.
• Replaceable nozzles Some of the best 3D pens offer replaceable, interchangable nozzles; not only for cleaning but for adjusting the size of the filament to switch from broad 'filler' lines to build a model to thinner detail lines.
• Wide mix of filaments Ideally you want a 3D pen that can work with any filament on the market regardless of brand, but some, particularly those aimed at kids for safety, will require you to use a brand's particular filament. Most 3D pens on my list can use any filament, but one or two are locked into a brand's preferred type.
• Widely compatible filament: Most 3D pens are compatible with lots of different brands of filament, but some require uniquely designed plastic that has special features, or locks you into buying from the same company. A 3D pen that can work with a range of materials and brands is better.

How we test the best 3D pens

Where possible I like to get hands-on and test a 3D pen myself. I own an old Polaroid 3D pen (a present) and love it. I've used our own reviews where possible, as well as referencing reviews from 3D World magazine; a title with over 20 years experience in all things 3D. If we've not reviewed a particular model because it's new or hard to source I've referenced experts online, on YouTube and from our sister tech websites, TechRadar and Tom's Guide.