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the fact that 3D printing pens are a relatively new innovation doesn’t help — not a lot of info out there. Having sampled a good number of them, here are ten best options to build an infinite variety of shapes and structures with ease

LIX PEN UV – Best 3D Pen For Professional Use

This tiny and smart 3D printing pen from LIX is a great choice for any artist looking to tap into their profession in a ground-breaking way. Unlike similar 3D pens in the same price range, LIX PEN UV has great potential. Designers, architects, or anyone interested in 3D printing can achieve great fete with this pen.

What I love about LIX brand is that they came out with a very forward-looking design in an attempt to disrupt the 3D printing pen market.

I bought my LIX PEN UV at a retail price of only $99 USD and it comes with several fabulous upgraded features from the previous model. This is actually cheaper compared to the previous model I tested. LIX says that this is because their advanced R&D process minimized production costs and they passed on the savings to the customer.

The internal components and structure of this 3D pen have been updated and reconstructed from the previous models, making it more durable and accommodative. You can use a wide range of filaments like fluorescent, translucent, or wood and metal-based plastic filaments.

The heating and pulling mechanisms for the LIX PEN UV have been streamlined to enhance stability, hence improving the flow of filament from insertion to extrusion points.

You’ll never experience clogging with this pen, thanks to the reconfigured evacuation system that eliminates plastic dust from the internal components.

I like beautiful and portable gadgets, and the manufacturer has done a great job in aesthetics by making the LIX PEN UV much shorter (by 15mm) than the previous models. It’s actually the tiniest circular 3D pen in the world today. The color range has also increased to include the new option of Gold as well as the standard Silver and Black.

The LIX Pen UV combines a great pen and a 3D printer in a single package, allowing you to create solid freestanding objects hassle free. The package comes with two packs of ABS filament containing 40 (20 cm long) rods each to get you started.

What I liked:

With its ridiculously small size, the 3D pen also offers great performance in a wide range of environments. It isn’t anything like the noisy counterparts out on the market, so I find it great when working in quiet environments like libraries or in the office.

Another noticeable characteristic is the fact that it comes with a USB cable for recharging, unlike many 3D pens that require a power brick for charging.

I’m always on the move, and I enjoy carrying the LIX PEN UV and just the USB Plug without having to worry running out of charge. If I can’t access electricity, I simply carry along my power bank and work wherever I go.

The LIX Pen UV is not only fun to play around with; I also find it extremely easy to use. Simply plug in the USB power cable to charge up the pen and start drawing.

What I did not like:

As much as I adore the tiny size and portability, it comes with limitations in terms of loading the filament. If I have to work on huge models that will take several hours to create, I have to stop to refill the filament. However, during my test, I tried a spool filament too and it works well for bigger projects. Using spool filament may void your warranty but it’s a risk you could take if you want to work continuously.

However, for tiny objects, it’s a great 3D pen to consider.Some customers were unhappy with the previous versiom of LIX PEN (see comments below). The new version appears to have fixed the issues previously reported by some users.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Extremely lightweight
• Easy to carry
• Easy to use
• Well-built and stylish
• Heats up and cools down the filament pretty fast

Cons

• Feels a little delicate
• A little pricy compared to other 3D pen (due to his aluminum finish probably)

7TECH 3D Printing Pen

The next up on our list is the 7TECH 3D Printing Pen. This pen was made to be easy to use and user-friendly. With that said, the company ensured us that the product will have an incredible silent operating mode. Additionally, the pen comes with several features that make this 3D printing pen, one of the best we have seen.

The 7TECH 3D printing pen has some advanced features that are welcomed add-ons. For instance, it comes with one of the best thermal controls we’ve seen. Also, the 3D printing pen notifies you about filament getting stuck.

Furthermore, if you hate super-fast or super-slow extrusion of many 3D pens, you don’t have to worry about this. The pen lets you control the extrusion according to your own preferred speed.

We only found two issues with this pen. Lack of supplied filaments and how hot the pen can get when it’s fully operational. Another thing to keep in mind is when you are operating the pen, the temperature can get incredibly high. The temperature can get to the extent where it may cause damage to your skin if you get in contact with it.

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With that said, we realized that the supplied filament wasn’t enough. However, companies throw these in for royalty. All in all, the 7TECH 3D Printing Pen is one of the finest 3D printing pens we have used and is one of the top 3D pens in this list.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Easy to use for newcomers and veteran artists.
• The pen is lightweight and rather slim. A welcome addition.
• The 7TECH 3D printing pen comes with an advanced unclogging system which prevents the filament from clogging after cooling down.
• There is an aluminum spatula included that protects your fingers from the hot nozzle.
• The 1 year warranty is an additional bonus.

Cons

• The operating temperature can get unbearable.
• This pen is not easy to use. (Not for a Newbie or Kid)
• The supplied filaments are not enough.

MYNT3D Professional Printing 3D Pen – Best Ergonomics

Next, we have the MYNT3D Professional Printing 3D Pen, as far as my experience is concerned with this 3D pen, I personally find this extremely satisfying, and easy to use. 3D pens are supposed to be lightweight in order to ensure proper ergonomics and an easy using experience. You do not want a 3D pen that is heavy, and cannot be used properly because of that. As far as the ergonomics are concerned, this pen is not easy to beat thanks to the lightweight and solid construction, as well as the shape of the pen itself.

The pen also comes with a small OLED screen that displays various modes that you might want to use on the 3D pen; while most users might consider this as a gimmick and nothing more, I think it is a nice addition and should make its way into more 3D pens in the future. The pen also allows you to adjust the speed as well as the temperature to ensure proper control over how the plastic is melted.

The nozzle can easily be removed to ensure that you can clean it after a thorough use; the difficulty behind nozzle removal is something that plagues many 3D pens, luckily, the issue is not here on the MYNT3D pen, because the nozzle can be detached for those who are looking to clean the pen itself.I should mention that the 3D pen supports both PLA, and ABS plastic filaments; these filaments can be found in variety of colours in the market, and even some textured material ones if you want the extra flare. As far as the user experience is concerned, the learning curve is certainly there, but practice can make you adept at it in no time.

The one issue I have is that the instruction manual that comes with the pen is vague at best, and for those who are going to rely on the instruction manual, it might be a bit difficult. To tackle this, there are comprehensive tutorials available on the internet that you can use at your will. Other than that, it is hard to say that the MYNT 3D Professional Printing 3D Pen does anything wrong. It is the best 3D pen for professionals, that is because it provides you with great ergonomics, and the OLED display is very useful, not to forget that the nozzle can be removed for thorough cleaning to avoid any other incidents.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Provides great user experience.
• OLED screen is a great addition.
• The ergonomics are amazing.
• Supports both PLA and ABS filaments.
• The nozzle can be removed for cleaning.

Cons

• The instruction manual could have used a bit more depth.

DigiHero 3D Pen – Best 3D Pen for Kids

If you are looking a 3D pen for a kid it is important that the 3D pen you are buying is safe to use and does not have a steep learning curve.

Most of the 3D pens that I have reviewed so far failed on that; however, the DigiHero 3D pen caught my attention because it is a 3D pen that markets itself safe for children. Is it really safe for children? I wanted to test and find out.

Right out of the box, you will realise by the design and construction of the pen that it caters to children; the pen is lightweight. On top of that, you get 12 PLA filaments of random colours in the box, each 10 feet long. In addition to that, DigiHero also includes a removal tool to remove the filament that is not in use, a penholder, and a wall charger that charges your pen using a micro USB.

So far so good, but what about the performance? Well, as I expected, the performance is what you would want in a 3D pen for kids. The pen lacks more of the advanced features like the removal of nozzle, or a mechanism that can prevents the plastic from jamming when cold. These are the features that we have come to expect from many 3D printers in the market, but that is understandable, especially when you consider the price of the pen.

Honestly though, as far as the proper user experience goes, advanced users are not going to enjoy using DigiHero. But when you see how the pen is being marketed, or priced, it’s clear that this pen is not intended for advanced users. However, it is sad to see that despite being advertised as a pen for kids, safety features such as prevention of the ink getting jammed, or the pen stopping operation when it reaches a threshold temperature.

It is a great 3D pen for kids, but other than that, the pen feels incomplete due to the cheap construction material that is necessary in modern 3D pens, and have a demand of their own.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Great value for money.
• Comes with 12 PLA filaments that are a nice addition.
• It is easy and simple to use for kids.

Cons

• The pen has a cheaper construction as compared to others.