Key Takeaways

• Depends on usage: More printing hours and larger prints use up resin faster.
• Average estimate: at 6.7 ml resin used per hour a 1L bottle will last 149 hours per liter, which is around 3-4 months for the average user.
• What can you print? 830 small miniatures, 30 keychains, 645 towns, 66 chess pieces, or 12 figurines.
• Tips to conserve resin: Optimize supports, drip excess resin, filter used resin, and hollow out models.

You may be confused: how many miniatures, or larger resin prints, can you get out of a bottle of resin?

Well, it depends.

But, I’ve created a calculator to help you estimate, and I’ve also gotten a fairly accurate estimate by averaging out a number of sample resin models and how much resin they used per hour, to help you estimate how many prints you’ll get.

This article helps you calculate exactly how long a 500ml, 1L, and 2L resin bottle will last, exactly how many of each type of resin print you’ll get, and some tips and tricks to make your resin bottles last longer.

How Long Does 1 Liter of Resin Last?

Based on an average resin STL printer usage of 6.7 ml per hour, a 1 liter bottle of resin will last a little over 149 hours, or just under a week of continuous use.

For an average user printing 10 hours a week, a 1 liter bottle of resin could last up to 15 weeks, or 3-4 months. 

If you want a more precise estimate, you can use our calculator below. Just add your estimated print time per week, your bottle size, and your amount of resin used per hour:

• A 1-liter bottle of resin will last around 149 hours, so if you use your 3D printer for 4 hours per week, this will last around 37 weeks, or 8-9 months.
• A 2-liter bottle will last 298 hours or just under 2 weeks of continuous usage, 6-8 months at 10 hours per week, and 16-18 months at 4 hours per week. 
• As for a 500 ml bottle of resin, these fall to 74.5 continuous hours (or roughly 3 days), 1-2 months at 10 hours per week, and 4-5 months at 4 hours per week.

However, this depends largely on how often the 3D printer is used, what’s being printed, the size of the prints, and the settings dialed into during the printing process. 

Furthermore, resin printing is different to FDM printing in that it cures entire layers at a time. So, for example, batch printing 15 minis consuming 18 ml overall (1.20ml each) takes as long as printing a single one of the same mini. This drastically increases the resin used, but maximizes print time so you end up with more of the finished product.

Nevertheless, an average gives a good idea of how far you can stretch a single 1 liter bottle of resin.

To obtain an average of 6.7 ml per hour, we fired up several popular prints in Lychee Slicer to get their estimated resin consumption and print time using default, standard settings:

Taking the average ml/hour of all five models gives us 6.7 ml/hour.

Again, this is a generalization, and only a broad estimate. 

Your resin consumption will likely change depending on the printer mode, settings like resolution and print speed, how many errors and failed prints you may have to tackle. 

But, based on these estimates, you would use up the following amounts of resin over time:

• 1 hour of printing uses 6.7 ml on average.
• 10 hours of uninterrupted printing uses 67 ml on average.
• 24 hours of uninterrupted printing uses 160.8 ml on average.
• 100 hours of uninterrupted printing uses 670 ml on average.
• 1 week of uninterrupted printing uses 1125.6 ml on average.

Taking all this into account, a 1-liter bottle of resin will last you anywhere from a week to 9 months, depending on the size of the prints, frequency of printing, and settings. 

Larger prints, such as large figurines, and batch prints, will consume far more ml/hour than smaller prints like individual miniatures.

How Much Can You Print With 1 L of Resin

Using 5 example resin STL files found online, you can print the between 12 of the largest model, to 830 of the smallest resin models:

With 1L of resin, you can print roughly 830 miniatures (if we take the Triarii mini mentioned above as a reference, using approx 1.2ml resin), 30 Death Trooper keychains, 645 AmeraLabs calibration towns, 66 chess bishop pieces, or 12 large Ranni figurines.

Generally, you will more likely get 150-250 28mm miniatures from a liter of resin, as this miniature we used for the example is probably smaller than average.

It’s important also to allow some leeway for errors caused by adhesion issues, poor slicing, and other issues that cause failed prints. As such, we recommend being conservative with your estimates.

Taking a different perspective, a single 1L bottle of resin can give you around 149 hours of uninterrupted printing, barring no print failures, spills, or otherwise wasted resin. 

A 500 ml bottle of resin will last roughly 74 hours of consistent printing, while a 2 l bottle pushes this up to just shy of 300 hours. 

It’s crucial to stress that these figures aren’t set in stone – usage will vary quite considerably depending on the printer, settings, print speed, and whether you’re using supports. However, it gives us a general idea of what to expect from a 1L, 500 ml, and 2L bottle of resin.

Factors That Affect How Long 3D Printer Resin Lasts

1. Optimize Supports
2. Let Resin Drip Off the Print/Plate Before Cleaning
3. Filter and Reuse Resin
4. Hollow Prints
5. Work Slowly and Methodically to Avoid Waste
6. How Much Resin Should I Use for a Print?

Now that we’ve established how much you can theoretically print from a bottle of resin, how do you make resin last longer? 

Here’s some factors you can optimize to get more resin prints out of each bottle.

1. Optimize Supports

Although supports are crucial, you can optimize them to save resin.

Print orientation is one key component of this. Slicing a model upright requires more supports, so try to angle it to only generate supports where needed. 

Many makers swear by a 45° angle for supports, though you may need to experiment to find a balance that saves resin, but retains enough support to prevent failed prints.

2. Let Resin Drip Off the Print/Plate Before Cleaning

With a freshly finished print sitting on the build plate, it can be tempting to scrape it off immediately to clean it in preparation for curing. 

But, it’s worth letting it sit for a few minutes to allow excess resin stuck to the print and plate to drip off back into the vat, then using a silicone spatula to remove as much as you can. 

Though you won’t get a huge amount of resin this way, it adds up over time, especially if you’re a heavy user.

3. Filter and Reuse Resin

After a print is finished and you’re returning used resin to the bottle, run it through a reusable mesh filter (these are cheap and available on sites like Amazon).

Sovol 3D Stainless Steel Funnel, Resin Filter Cup for SLA/DLP/LCD Resin 3D Printer

$7.99

Amazon here

We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

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These will filter out any residual semi-cured resin that could potentially cause issues when you reuse the resin for your next print. It’s also worth gently scraping the vat film to remove any semi-cured resin. 

As long as the used resin is free of residue, it’s as viable as bottle-fresh resin, so take these small steps to maximize how many prints you get from each bottle.

4. Hollow Prints

Always hollow out your models in your slicing software before printing. The interiors of models don’t need to be 100% filled with resin, especially as most resin prints are decorative.

Doing so will save vast amounts of resin over time. This won’t work for all types of prints, though. 

For smaller models, the savings tend to be minimal, and parts will benefit from the added structural integrity afforded by a filled-out interior, especially if they have thin peripheral walls and shells. In the same vein, it’s worth including holes in your prints to allow excess resin to run out, which, over time, saves resin.

5. Work Slowly and Methodically to Avoid Waste

Resin printing is messy, but you can avoid wasting resin by working slowly and methodically. Much of this comes down to having an appropriate workspace and not rushing through each step of the printing process. 

For example, something very common is to underestimate how fast resin flows, despite its viscosity, which can lead to spillages when you return resin to the bottle or pour it into the vat. The resin lost to overflows and splashes builds up over time, but if avoided, can stretch a 1L bottle of resin quite a bit further.

6. Use The Correct Amount of Resin Per Print

We recommend slicing your model and then checking the estimated resin the model will take to print.

From here, we recommend doubling or even quadrupling that amount to understand how much resin you’ll want to compensate for it moving about and shifting as the plate lifts and lowers. 

It’s always better to use more than not enough. As long as you’re not filling the vat tray to the brim, there’s really no harm to adding too much resin. Any unused resin can be filtered and reused so you’re not wasting any. 

We recommend filling up the vat tank about halfway for smaller prints, and to the maximum limit marked on the inside of the tray for larger prints. If the tank is looking a little empty halfway through a print, you can always pour in more resin.

Related articles:

• Resin vs FDM for 3D printing miniatures
• Best Budget-friendly Large Resin 3D Printers Today!
• Top Rated Water-Washable Resin Brands & Printing Guide
• ABS-Like / Tough Resins: Best Brands Reviewed
• We Reviewed The Best Wash and Cure & Resin Curing Stations In The Market
• Our List of The Top Rated Resin 3D Slicers For SLA, DLP & LCD
• The Top Glues For Resin Models
• How much can you 3D print per kilo of filament?
• Resin prints sticking to FEP instead of build plate: Fixes

Key Takeaways

• FDM filament costs: Ranges from $15 to $400 per kg, depending on material type and quality.
• Resin costs: Ranges from $20 to $200 per liter, depending on resin type and properties.
• SLS powder costs: Ranges from $100 to $250 per kg, depending on material type and performance.
• Extra costs: Includes filament dryer, storage, adhesive, glue, and other accessories.

When considering a dive into the world of 3D printers, we often gravitate towards the cost of the printer itself. But, it’s also important to consider the 3D printing materials costs. 

Beyond the printer’s initial cost, you’ll need to keep buying filament to support your printing. And, you’re planning on running a 3D printing business, it’s vital to know your filament costs.

Below is a table with a breakdown of the average cost of each material type. Prices fluctuate all the time, so these represent typical price ranges:

So, we’ve pieced together this article dedicated to 3D printer material cost, including how much is 3D printer filament. 

Keep reading for an in-depth guide to what affects each materials price, and our recommendations for the best filament or resin for the price to pick up in each category.

We’ll touch on all the most popular materials for the three main printing technologies:

• FDM
• SLA resin
• SLS powder

We have included the price range filament and resin type, the true cost of printing parts for specific applications, and how to improve printing performance with added extras like storage, adhesion aids, and more.

How Much Does the Material for a 3D Printer Cost?

FDM filament costs anywhere from $15/kilo for budget PLA, all the way to $400 for specialty PEEK filament. Resin costs between $20/kg for standard hobbyist resin through to up to $400 for specialty ceramic resin. Materials like PA-12 Nylon and PEEK powders used in SLS printers cost, on average, between $150 and $250/kg.

These figures represent the average volume, generally 1 kg of filament, resin, or powder and it’s possible to find a range of prices depending on quality, additives, properties, and intended application.

How Much Does Filament Cost for 3D Printing?

There are various filaments, including popular options like PLA, ABS, TPU, and PETG. A typical 1 kg spool of PLA can cost anywhere from $15 to $40, with ABS pushing the cost per spool to between $20 and $50, depending on the blend. PETG generally costs between $20 to $60 per spool, while TPU is the most expensive of the four with prices anywhere between $40 and $100 depending on the characteristics of the additives and formulation.

FDM Filament Costs – 3D Printer Plastic Price

For each filament, we’ve included both the price per spool and price per model, based on a selection of example models and how much filament they require.

While the variety of models, print settings, printers, and the use of supports all affect how much filament is required and, therefore, costs, we’re aiming for general estimates and averages, so expect a little variation when it comes to printing your own.

To get an average cost per model made on an FDM printer, we loaded three popular prints into Cura to get an estimate of how much filament they require:

• 3D Benchy – 16 grams
• Happy Pot – 221 grams
• Square Pencil Cup – 63 grams

As we breakdown the cost of each FDM filament below, we’ll also mention the cost for each of these three.

PLA Filament Costs

• How Much Does PLA Cost – $15 – $40 per 1 KG spool
• Cost per model – $0.24 per Benchy, $3.00 per Happy Pot, and $0.94 per Square Pencil Cup – using cheapest PLA option
• Best For – Decorative pieces, figurines, household items, rapid prototyping, low wear and tear toys, and other low stress applications

PLA is by far the most popular FDM filament if only because it is affordably priced and the easiest to use. A typical spool of PLA costs as low as $15, rising to anywhere up to $40 for specialist colors or formulas with additives to improve strength or durability, for example.

HatchBox PLA – Best Affordable Option

A low-cost option that doesn’t sacrifice quality. It’s a general-purpose PLA that plays well with most consumer printers. It’s also odorless, eco-friendly, and has low warp properties. A workhorse PLA that should serve you well.

MatterHackers Quantum PLA – Best Premium Option

• Price: Check latest price at Amazon here

While PLA is known for offering the broadest scope of colors, MatterHackers Quantum PLA takes this a step further with multi-color blends that add life to a variety of models. Depending on the model’s orientation, the visible color shifts, creating a unique effect, perfect for decorative or visual prints destined for display.

ABS

• How Much Does ABS Cost – $20 – $50 per 1 KG spool
• Cost per model – $0.32 per Benchy, $4.40 per Happy Pot, and $1.26 per Square Pencil Cup – using cheapest ABS option
• Best For – Durable toys, action figures, lego-like toys, rapid prototyping, electronic casing, RC cars, brackets, gears, covers, musical instruments, shells, dashboards, bumpers, phone cases

Second in popularity among makers to PLA, ABS is tougher, more durable filament usually called upon for parts and prints that require more resistance to wear and tear. Due to its properties, ABS is harder to work with, requiring a stable thermal environment to avoid issues such as warping during the printing process. 

Polymaker PolyLite ABS – Best Affordable Option

• Price: Check latest price at Amazon here

A low price meets quality, in what we consider one of the best budget ABS options on the market. Polymaker employs an in-house developed bulk-polymerized ABS resin, which mitigates volatility in the final formulation and keeps odors to a minimum.

MatterHackers PRO Series ABS – Best Premium Option

MatterHackers is known for producing high-quality filament, and its PRO Series ABS is no different. It’s designed for repeatable part production with a focus on producing high-quality functional parts where precision matters. 

Print results (with the right settings) deliver consistent results in both quality and dimensional accuracy. PRO Series ABS also comes in a wide range of colors, from classic black and white to more exotic greens and blues.

PETG

• How Much Does PETG Cost – $20 – $60 per 1 KG spool
• Cost per model – $0.32 per Benchy, $4.40 per Happy Pot, and $1.26 per Square Pencil Cup – using cheapest PETG option
• Best For – Engineering parts, electronic enclosures, phone cases, jewelry, wearables, waterproof parts, drones, functional prototypes, dentistry, containers, packaging, durable custom parts, tools, living hinges, protective gear

PETG is more durable than ABS and PLA, with also better flexibility, making it suitable for applications subject to heavy wear and tear, stresses, and impacts. It doesn’t smell when printing, resists chemicals and heat well, and is relatively easy to print, notably easier than ABS.

Polymaker PolyLite PETG – Best Affordable Option

• Price: Check latest price at Amazon here

Polymaker is among a handful of manufacturers with a flawless pedigree when it comes to filament. With a low tolerance and a reasonable price, Polymaker PolyLite PETG ticks all the boxes for those keen on an easy-to-use, reliable PETG with excellent material properties.

Prusament PETG – Best Premium Option

• Price: Check latest price at Amazon here

Durable and tough, Prusament PETG is a top choice for those with a bigger budget looking for a filament suited to parts subject to extreme stresses and wear and tear. 

Prusament’s formulation features low shrinkage and warping properties, and stands out for its glossy, smooth surface finish. Better yet, it boasts considerably lower water absorption qualities than typical low-cost PETG.

TPU

• How Much Does TPU Cost – $40 – $100 per 1 KG spool
• Cost per model – $0.64 per Benchy, $8.88 per Happy Pot, and $2.50 per Square Pencil Cup – using cheapest TPU option
• Best For – Watch straps, phone cases, wearables, shoes, cases, dampeners, sleeves, ties, toys, caster wheels, drive belts, sporting good, medical devices, automotive panels

TPU, or Thermoplastic Polyurethane, is a flexible filament that mimics the properties of rubber. It’s a tough, durable filament that’s also stretchy with excellent elongation and can absorb shocks, vibrations, and impacts. It’s also abrasion, chemical, and heat resistant.

MatterHackers MH Build Series TPU – Best Affordable Option

MatterHackers swoops in yet again with its budget MH Build Series to offer thrifty makers a TPU that won’t break the bank but is sure to perform reliably whatever your project. 

We particularly like MatterHackers MH Build Series TPU because it’s a highly flexible TPU, which translates to superb durability for the price and elongation properties that you’d be hard-pressed to exceed even with the most demanding, high-stress applications. As it’s a MatterHackers product, it also comes in a huge range of colors.

NinjaTek TPU – Best Premium Option

• Price: Check latest price at Amazon here

NinjaTek is all about offering choice, alongside premium quality that’s hard to fault in its TPU range. 

There are four different types – Cheetah, Armadillo, Eel, and NinjaFlex – distinguished by their Shore hardness to suit a variety of applications that require an uncompromising and decidedly professional flexible filament. 

All four types deliver everything you’d expect from quality TPU (flexibility, resistance to shocks, chemical resistance, great elongation, and so on) but expect to pay for the privilege.

HIPS

• How Much Does HIPS Cost – $20 – $50 per 1 KG spool
• $0.32 per Benchy, $4.40 per Happy Pot, and $1.26 per Square Pencil Cup- using cheapest HIPS option
• Best For – Soluble supports that leave few blemishes and a crisp, clean surface finish when removed, toys, packaging, rapid prototyping, consumer products, mock-ups

HIPS is chiefly used as a soluble support material when printing ABS. This is because ABS and HIPS have similar temperature requirements, which makes them a good pairing. HIPS dissolves in Limonene and is also fairly durable, recyclable, food-safe, and non-toxic. 

Due to its high impact resistance and solid elasticity, HIPS can also be used as a primary material for toys, packaging, cases, and appliances.

eSun HIPS – Best Affordable Option

A favorite manufacturer among thrifty makers looking for a balance of price and quality, eSun joins the HIPS marketplace with arguably the most-value packed option for those looking for a reliable HIPS for support generation. 

It’s affordable, performs consistently, and leaves next to no marks on prints when dissolved. There’s also a huge range of colors to choose from should you want to dabble with HIPS as your primary material.

Zortrax Z-HIPS – Best Premium Option

The Zortrax name is synonymous with high-quality materials, and its Z-HIPS line-up is no different. It’s through and through a premium HIPS that can of course be used for supports, but really shines as a primary material. 

The finish quality is outstanding and each spool is tested against a stringent set of QA criteria to guarantee that every print comes out looking its best. At twice the price of more budget-oriented HIPS, Zortrax Z-HIPS’s cost makes it one for serious makers looking for the best quality HIPS around.

PVA

• How Much Does PVA Cost – $50 – $120 per 1 KG spool
• $0.80 per Benchy, $11 per Happy Pot, and $3.13 per Square Pencil Cup- using cheapest PVA option
• Best For – Soluble supports that pairs well with PLA prints

PVA, not to be confused with the glue found in classrooms across the globe, is a water soluble support material. It’s odorless, colorless, soft, and biodegradable making it one of the most environmentally-friendly materials around. 

Its ease of use makes it extremely popular for projects with steep overhangs, demanding angles, and long bridges. It creates no mess and leaves no blemishes or marks when dissolved, leaving a crisp, sharp finish on models.

Polymaker PolyDissolve S1 – Best Affordable Option

• Price: Check latest price at Amazon here

There’s no avoiding the high price that accompanies PVA, but with Polymaker PolyDissolve S1 you can make the hit a bit easier on the wallet at $60 a pop – cheap for PVA. Polymaker’s PVA is formulated to work well with PLA, but also TPU, and Nylon. It dissolves well, leaving no marks on print, exactly what you’d expect from PVA.

MatterHackers PRO Series PVA – Best Premium Option

At around $120 for a 1 KG spool, MatterHackers PRO Series PVA is expensive. So what do you get for the extra spend over a cheaper PVA option? The chief draw is excellent dimensional accuracy which helps reduce instances of clogging and oozing, resulting in an easier time printing PVA. As you’d expect from MatterHackers, the print results rarely falter and after dissolving the PVA leaves your print with a clean, crisp finish with no sign of there ever having been supports.

Nylon

• How Much Does Nylon Cost – $40 – $100 per 1 KG spool
• Cost per model – $0.64 per Benchy, $8.88 per Happy Pot, and $2.50 per Square Pencil Cup – using cheapest Nylon option
• Best For – Functional prototypes, engineering, design, tools, industrial models, architectural models, end-use parts

Nylon is a tough and durable filament suited for demanding projects that makes it as appealing to 3D printing applications as it is to the textile industry, for example. For all its strength properties, it remains reasonably affordable and versatile. Furthermore, it boasts superb resistance to temperature, friction, and impact.

Overture Easy Nylon – Best Affordable Option

• Price: Check latest price at Amazon here

Overture Easy Nylon is among the best low-cost Nylon options around, allowing for even those on a tight budget to experiment with this versatile filament. Overture hasn’t simply tacked on a low price, but also weaved in a formulation that’s beginner-friendly and designed to take some of the challenge out of Nylon. Anti-warping is the headline, which does wonders to eliminate one of Nylon’s biggest hurdles.

ColorFabb PA-CF Low Warp – Best Premium Option

• Price: Check latest price at Amazon here

ColorFabb PA-CF Low Warp features all the benefits of typical Nylon but with added durability and strength thanks to a special additive formulation that includes carbon fiber to shore up the tensile properties of printed parts and models. It’s additionally low warp, which eases the printing process. Great for functional parts where overall quality is a top criteria.

PEEK

• How Much Does PEEK Cost – $100 – $400 per 0.5 KG spool
• Cost per model – $1.60 per Benchy, $22.22 per Happy Pot, and $6.30 per Square Pencil Cup – using cheapest PEEK option
• Best For – Medical implants, engineering parts, aerospace components, engine parts

Of all the FDM filaments is the most professional and usually reserved for high-spec applications in the engineering, medical, performance automotive, and aerospace fields. Expect to pay at least $100, rising to $400 for a 0.5 KG spool.

3DXTech Thermax Peek – Best Option

A high-performance PEEK with superb thermal, chemical, and mechanical resistance. Designed for the most demanding applications.

PC

• How Much Does PC Cost – $40 – $100 per 1 KG spool
• Cost per model – $0.64 per Benchy, $8.88 per Happy Pot, and $2.50 per Square Pencil Cup – using cheapest PC option
• Best For – Optical glass, bulletproof glass, casings, protective gear, masks, shields, engineering, RC cars

PC, or Polycarbonate, is a high strength, temperature-resistant filament designed to withstand demanding applications and conditions. Prices generally start at around $40 per 1 KG, rising to $100 or a little higher for more premium options.

Polymaker PolyMax PC – Best Affordable Option

• Price: Check latest price at Amazon here

Much like other Polymaker filaments, PolyMax PC is formulated to be reliable but affordable, suitable for a variety of engineering applications all the way to hobbyist projects like RC cars. PolyMax features low warp properties and low odor.

Ultimaker PC Filament – Best Premium Option

Ultimaker PC Filament stands out for offering superb dimensional stability and overall strength, surpassing cheaper options for overall durability and resistance. The high price means it’s chiefly aimed at professionals and businesses working in demanding fields to make end-use parts, tools, and functional prototypes.

Composite Materials

• How Much Does Composite Cost – $30 – $500 per 1 KG spool
• Cost per model – $0.48 per Benchy, $6.66 per Happy Pot, and $1.89 per Square Pencil Cup – using cheapest composite material option
• Best For – All manner of applications

Composite materials take a standard FDM filament such as PLA and tweak the formula to include a second material to alter the properties of the material. These typically include making the filament stronger, more durable, or changing the finish quality. Expect to pay anywhere from $30 to $500 for premium options containing materials like carbon fiber.

Hatchbox Wood PLA – Best Affordable Option

Contains a mix of PLA with wood filler to create a unique wood-like finish on prints. At $30, it’s only slightly pricier than typical PLA. Hatchbox also offers carbon fiber, stone, silk, and metallic composite alternatives.

Kimya PEKK Carbon – Best Premium Option

The filament merges PEKK and carbon fiber for excellent rigidity and heat resistance making it suitable for use in engines, for example. At over $500 for 1 KG, it certainly doesn’t come cheap.

Extra Costs for 3D Printing Filament

• Filament dryer – $60 to $200. Popular models include the Sunlu Filament Dryer Box, eSun eBox, and Matterhackers PrintDry PRO.
• Filament storage – $50 to $180. Popular models include the Sunlu Dry Box and Matterhackers PrintDry Filament Drying System & Storage System.
• Adhesive and glue – Around $10. Popular options include Gorilla Glue, Pronto 100% Pure Acetone, and Genuine Henkel Loctite 406 Super Glue.

Resin Costs

We’ll apply the same approach for resin, aiming for both a per-bottle cost and per-model cost. To get an average cost per model made on a resin printer, we’ve taken three different print types and obtained their resin requirements by running them through Lychee:

• Death Trooper Keychain – 32.50 ml
• AmeraLabs Town Calibration Tool – 1.55 ml
• Chess Bishop – 15.16 ml
• Ranni Figurine – 80 ml
• Triarii Mini – 1.20 ml

Standard Resin

• How Much Does Standard Resin Cost – $20 – $50 per 1 liter bottle
• Cost per model – $0.66 per Death Trooper Keychain, $0.03 per AmeraLabs Town Calibration Tool, $0.30 per Chess Bishop, $1.60 Ranni Figurine per Ranni figurine, and $0.02 per Triarii Mini – using cheapest standard resin option
• Best For – General purpose resin prints, miniatures, figurines, decorative and displays pieces, tabletop gaming, terrain, wargaming

Standard resin used principally for general purpose resin parts and models, notably minis and figurines, costs anywhere from $20 for budget-oriented options, up to $50 for premium options.

Sunlu Standard Resin – Best Affordable Option

• Price: Check latest price at Amazon here

Sunlu Standard Resin offers the best quality to price value on the market. It’s a simple, no-frills resin that delivers consistent results thanks to low shrinkage properties, dimensional accuracy, and good rigidity.

Flexible Resin 

• How Much Does Flexible Resin Cost – $60 – $200 per 1 liter bottle
• Cost per model – $1.90 per Death Trooper Keychain, $0.09 per AmeraLabs Town Calibration Tool, $0.90 per Chess Bishop, $4.80 Ranni Figurine per Ranni figurine, and $0.07 per Triarii Mini – using cheapest flexible resin option
• Best For – Wearables, casing, buttons, seals, grips, handles, rapid prototypes, miniatures, functional parts

Flexible resin offers better elasticity and elongation on break that standard resin making it more durable. Typical prices for a 1 liter bottle of flexible resin start at around $60 rising to $200.

Siraya Tech Tenacious – Best Affordable Option

• Price: Check latest price at Amazon here

A big favorite among makers in the know, Siraya Tech Tenacious offers excellent flexible properties along with strength with parts reverting to their original shape after being bent, twisted, and compressed.

Formlabs Flexible Resin – Best Premium Option

Formlabs Flexible Resin is available in two varieties. Flexible 80A offers similar qualities to rubber with a soft feel, while Elastic 50A aims to match the properties of silicone with a soft feel and excellent flexibility. Both offer excellent details, low shrinkage properties, and easy printing.

Tough/ABS-Like Resin

• How Much Does Tough Resin Cost – $40 – $200 per 1 liter bottle
• Cost per model – $1.29 per Death Trooper Keychain, $0.06 per AmeraLabs Town Calibration Tool, $0.60 per Chess Bishop, $3.20 Ranni Figurine per Ranni figurine, and $0.05 per Triarii Mini – using cheapest tough resin option
• Best For – High stress parts and models, miniatures, low tolerance applications, engineering, functional prototyping

Tough or sometimes known as ABS-like resin has a formulation that blends standard resin with additives with properties similar to those of ABS. It is overall tougher, more durable, and less susceptible to snapping and breaking that typical resin. Prices for a 1 liter bottle start at $40, rising to $200 for premium tough resins.

Siraya Tech Fast ABS-Like Resin – Best Affordable Option

• Price: Check latest price at Amazon here

Matching the properties of ABS, Siraya Tech Fast ABS-Like Resin is a tough, durable resin than can withstand knocks and bumps and still remain intact. Unlike many tough resins, this is done without sacrificing complex details and all the rich features shine when this resin is primed and painted, making it a good option for minis subject to plenty of wear and tear.

Liqcreate Strong-X – Best Premium Option

Liqcreate Strong-X has a flexural strength of 135 MPa, making it the toughest consumer resin on the market. It’s strong, stiff, resistant to temperatures, and has low shrinkage properties, so it can be used for more demanding prokects like functional engineering, injection molding, and rapid prototyping.

8K Resin

• How Much Does 8K Resin Cost – $40 – $200 per 1 liter bottle
• Cost per model – $1.29 per Death Trooper Keychain, $0.06 per AmeraLabs Town Calibration Tool, $0.60 per Chess Bishop, $3.20 Ranni Figurine per Ranni figurine, and $0.05 per Triarii Mini – using cheapest 8K resin option
• Best For – High detail models, miniatures, figurines, decorative and display pieces

8K resin taps into the full potential of the latest advancement in resin printing tech, 8K LCD screens capable of the best details and complexity yet. They are compatible with 4K or even 2K printers but aren’t worth the extra cost unless you have an 8K machine. Prices start at $40.

Elegoo 8K Standard Resin – Best Affordable Option

• Price: Check latest price at Amazon here

Though designed for Elegoo Saturn 2 8K machines, this high detail resin works with all 8K printers. The highlight is the superb quality of the prints with fantastic detail, clear and crisp features, and flawless surface finish. It also exists in a water washable variant for easier clean-up.

Phrozen Aqua 8K Resin – Best Premium Option

• Price: Check latest price at Amazon here

Arguably the most detailed resin on the market today, Phrozen Aqua 8K Resin produces print to an extremely high standard with superb properties all round. This is the resin if you’re after the most detailed prints possible with a consumer resin printer.

Plant-Based/Eco Resin

• How Much Does Plant-Based/Eco Resin Resin Cost – $20 – $40 per 1 liter bottle
• Cost per model – $0.66 per Death Trooper Keychain, $0.03 per AmeraLabs Town Calibration Tool, $0.30 per Chess Bishop, $1.60 Ranni Figurine per Ranni figurine, and $0.02 per Triarii Mini – using cheapest Plant-Based/Eco Resin resin option
• Best For – General purpose resin printing and the same applications as standard resin

Plant-Based/Eco Resin is identical to standard resin, except that it’s formulated using plant-based products and additives. It is also more ecologically friendly. Prices start at $20, up to around $40.

Anycubic Plant-Based Resin – Best Affordable Option

• Price: Check latest price at Amazon here

Made from soybean oil and biodegradable with no toxic chemicals, Anycubic Plant-Based Resin delivers the same detail as standard resin and has excellent colors with a distinguishable pop to them. The resin also has a bit more flexibility than typical resin, which helps with durability.

Water Washable Resin

• How Much Does Water Washable Resin Cost – $20 – $40 per 1 liter bottle
• Cost per model – $0.66 per Death Trooper Keychain, $0.03 per AmeraLabs Town Calibration Tool, $0.30 per Chess Bishop, $1.60 Ranni Figurine per Ranni figurine, and $0.02 per Triarii Mini – using cheapest Water Washable Resin option
• Best For – General purpose resin printing and the same applications as standard resin

This resin distinguishes itself from standard resin for being washable with water rather than potentially harmful isopropyl alcohol. It still remains a toxic substance, but clean-up is significantly easier, making it ideal for beginners. Expect to pay between $20 to $40 for a 1 liter bottle.

Elegoo Water Washable Rapid Resin – Best Affordable Option

• Price: Check latest price at Amazon here

Elegoo Water Washable Rapid Resin is an affordable water washable resin that does exactly what it says on the tin. The water cleaning is efficient and as easy as IPA and there’s next to no difference with Elegoo standard resin, though it is noticeably more brittle.

SLS Powder Costs

PA 12 Nylon

• How Much Does PA 12 Nylon Cost – $100 – $150 per 1 kg
• Best For – prosthetics, hinges, housings, assemblies, engineering, automotive, aerospace

Nylon 12 is a tough, durable powder with abrasion and chemical resistance prized for the most demanding applications, including those in the engineering, automotive, and aerospace industries. Prices range from $100 to $150.

Formlabs Nylon PA 12 – Best Affordable Option

Formlabs Nylon PA 12 is among the more affordable Nylon 12 options on the market. It’s enhanced with glass to increase stiff and temperature resistance. Common applications include prototypes, end-user parts, and housings.

Sinterit PA12 Smooth V2 Fresh – Best Premium Option

A premium Nylon 12 option that stands out for exceptional surface resolution and finish as the name suggests. It also boasts high chemical resistance suited to structural and mechanical applications, end-use parts, and prototyping.

TPU/Flexibles

• How Much Does TPU/Flexibles Cost – $150 – $250 per 1 kg
• Best For – hoses, seal, footwear, prototyping, end-use products, car interior components, covers, industrial tools, pipes, sporting equipment

SLS powder TPU and flexibles share many of the same attributes as FDM flexibles – elasticity, rubber-like properties, deformation resilience, excellent elongation on break, and shock absorption. 1 kg costs between $150 and $250.

Best Options – SLS flexibles is a highly bespoke material and isn’t available off the shelf like FDM materials or resin. As such, individual quotes rather than fixed prices are common. With that in mind, here are several top performing SLS TPU/flexibles:

• Ultrasint TPU 88A
• PowderMonkeys TPU 80 and 50
• DuraForm TPU Elastomer

PEEK

• How Much Does PEEK Cost – $150 – $250 per 1 kg
• Best For – Automotive parts, housings, casings, exterior shells, and other demanding engineering, industrial, and aerospace applications

A high strength, lightweight material used almost exclusively for demanding applications. Prices start at around $150 for a 1 kg spool of PEEK SLS powder.

Related Articles:

• Best Resins for 3D Printers
• Best Glues for Resins
• Best Glues for 3D Prints
• Best Glues for PETG 3D Prints
• Best Wash and Cure & Resin Curing Stations

So, in this guide, we’ll walk you through the different types of resin and recommend the best resins for a range of applications available on the market today:

Best Budget Standard Resin	Best 8K Resin	Best Water Washable Pick
ANYCUBIC 3D Printer Resin, SLA UV-Curing Resin	Phrozen Aqua-Gray 8K 3D Printing Resin	ELEGOO Water Washable 3D Printer Resin
3DSourced Rating:	3DSourced Rating:	3DSourced Rating:
Primary Rating: 4.2	Primary Rating: 4.7	Primary Rating: 4.5
$21.99	$40.99$38.94	$26.99
Bottle Size: 500 g, 1 kg, 2 kg	Bottle Size: 1 kg	Bottle Size: 500 g, 1 kg
Color Options: White, PeachPuff, Aqua Blue, Black, Grey, Clear, Translucent Green	Color Options: Grey, Vanilla, Snow Grey, Red Clay	Color Options: White, Grey, Beige, Yellow, Green, Clear Blue, Red, Mint Green, Smoky Black, Black
Amazon here	Amazon here	Amazon here
Anycubic here		Elegoo here

Best Budget Standard Resin

ANYCUBIC 3D Printer Resin, SLA UV-Curing Resin

3DSourced Rating:

Primary Rating:

4.2

$21.99

Bottle Size:

500 g, 1 kg, 2 kg

Color Options:

White, PeachPuff, Aqua Blue, Black, Grey, Clear, Translucent Green

Amazon here

Anycubic here

Best 8K Resin

Phrozen Aqua-Gray 8K 3D Printing Resin

3DSourced Rating:

Primary Rating:

4.7

$40.99$38.94

Bottle Size:

1 kg

Color Options:

Grey, Vanilla, Snow Grey, Red Clay

Amazon here

Best Water Washable Pick

ELEGOO Water Washable 3D Printer Resin

3DSourced Rating:

Primary Rating:

4.5

$26.99

Bottle Size:

500 g, 1 kg

Color Options:

White, Grey, Beige, Yellow, Green, Clear Blue, Red, Mint Green, Smoky Black, Black

Amazon here

Elegoo here

If you’re new to resin printing, it can feel overwhelming trying to decipher the different types and understand the jargon, and whether a resin is suited to your project. We all want a resin we can rely on to bring our projects to fruition.

Best Standard Resins

1. Anycubic Colored UV Resin – Best General Purpose Resin

• Price: Check latest price at Amazon here
• Bottle Size: 500 g, 1 kg, 2 kg
• Colors: White, PeachPuff, Aqua Blue, Black, Grey, Clear, Translucent Green

Anycubic is known for producing some of the most enticing budget resin printers, and their Anycubic Standard Resin is no different. It combines a great price with a reliable, quality material fit for a range of general-purpose applications, including miniatures, figurines, ornamental pieces, and more.

Overall, the print results are hard to fault, and Anycubic standard resin rises to the occasion for all types of models. It may not offer the same level of detail as more premium resins, but the difference is only noticeable on closer inspection. Though fairly tough, the resin can be quite brittle, with a small elongation on break, which can cause features like limbs or weaponry to snap off quite easily on smaller models like minis.

These minor negatives are balanced out by consistent results, and, in our experience, very few print errors are attributable to the resin itself. Furthermore, support removal is both easy and relatively clean, with only the occasional blemish left on models that’s easily smoothed over in post-processing.

As far as resins go, Anycubic Colored UV Resin is slightly less smelly than comparable standard resins out there. For anyone who has run a resin printer for more than a few hours, less odorous fumes can make a huge difference – especially if you work in a tight work area or apartment.

Best Budget Standard Resin

ANYCUBIC 3D Printer Resin, SLA UV-Curing Resin

$21.99

Amazon here Anycubic here

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11/17/2025 08:01 am GMT

2. Sunlu Standard Resin – Best Cheap Resin

• Price: Check latest price at Amazon here
• Bottle Size: 500 g, 1 kg, 2 kg
• Colors: Black, Grey, Beige, Transparent, Transparent Green, Transparent Blue, Transparent Red, Dark Grey

Sunlu may not have the reputation of some of the resin world’s heavy hitters, but don’t let that put you off. Sunlu Standard Resin is somewhat of a silent hero for many makers out there, and not just because it’s incredibly affordable – often as low as $12 for a 500 ml bottle. Even a 2 kg bottle can cost as little as $35.

Price aside, Sunlu’s resin offers some of the best performance value on the market, with solid rigidity for what is a no-frills resin. Low shrinkage properties means it plays nicely with multi-part models that require gluing post-print, which makes it suitable for larger figurines, for example. Dimensional accuracy is solid as well, with decent detail for the price, though a little behind more expensive resins, but as expected in this price range.

Though possibly an inconsequential point for many, the shape of the bottom wins points. It’s designed for easy pouring, mitigating the risk of a messy accident. All the specifications and recommendations for exposure times, number of bottom layers, and so on are all listed on the front of the bottle for easy reference, which isn’t something we see all manufacturers do, though they should.

SUNLU 3D Printer Standard Resin

$13.99

Amazon here

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11/16/2025 01:02 pm GMT

Best Plant-Based, Eco Resins

3. Anycubic Plant-Based Resin – Best Environmentally-Friendly Resin

• Price: Check latest price at Amazon here
• Bottle Size: 500g, 1kg
• Colors: White, Black, Tran-Green, Grey, Pink, Yellow, Clear

For all its capacity to create stunning models and parts, resin remains harmful for both users and the environment. To lessen the environmental impact, Anycubic has formulated a plant-based resin. It is made of soybean oil and is fully biodegradable, with no VOCs, BPA, or other toxic chemicals to sour the composition.

This is all well and good, but what makes Anycubic Plant-Based Resin such a worthwhile investment is how well it mimics full-fat resin when it comes to the quality of the final products. It is on par with similar-priced value resins. Models come out bearing the heaps of detail we’ve come to expect from SLA resin printing. 

The colors are also extremely clean and tend to pop when they come off the print bed. The range of colors is also fairly decent for SLA resin. While many manufacturers stick to one or two, Anycubic offers seven different colors to choose from to suit your project’s needs.

Prints made using Anycubic Eco-Resin have a degree of flexibility which helps with durability. This added peace of mind that the model won’t immediately snap if accidentally dropped on the floor makes it a strong choice for medium-wear applications like tabletop gaming miniatures.

ANYCUBIC 3D Printer Plant-Based Resin

$19.99 $18.99

Amazon here

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11/17/2025 05:01 am GMT

Best Water-Washable Resin

4. Elegoo Water Washable Rapid Resin – Best Resin For Easy Cleaning

• Price: Check latest price at Amazon here
• Bottle Size: 500 g, 1 kg
• Colors: White, Grey, Beige, Yellow, Green, Clear Blue, Red, Mint Green, Smoky Black, Black

IPA is a nasty chemical. Whether the fumes or the irritation it causes when it touches the skin, it’s one of the more unpleasant aspects of resin printing. 

With its Water Washable Rapid Resin, Elegoo aims to remove IPA from the equation entirely – printed parts can be cleaned using simple water – while still maintaining the value and affordability found in its standard resin line-up. It also comes in a good range of colors, a welcome change from the one or two colors we’ve come to expect from more specialist resins.

And, put to the test, there’s no difference in terms of cleaning effectiveness versus standard resin and IPA. No residue or sticky areas – the water performs just as well as IPA to prepare prints for curing. The only downside is a slightly longer drying time. 

A further benefit of Elegoo’s water-washable resin is that it doesn’t carry the acrid smell of normal resin, great for tight workspaces or where ventilation isn’t quite what it should be. This also carries over the detail on offer here, with next to no difference to Elegoo standard resin, for example. 

But, this comes with a caveat – water-washable resin is more brittle and less durable than typical resin. As such, it isn’t well suited to small, intricately detailed prints such as miniatures. These can snap quite easily, especially when handled during a gaming session. As such, stick to larger parts like figurines, terrain, and other ornamental pieces.

Do note that despite the suggestion that the resin is less toxic than typical resin, it is just as harmful to both humans and the environment, especially if disposed of in municipal sewer systems. It is therefore important to cure any residual resin, whether on gloves, paper, or in the water used to clean the part as you would standard resin. The same safety precautions apply as well, so always wear gloves and eyewear when handling the resin.

Best Water Washable Pick

ELEGOO Water Washable 3D Printer Resin

$26.99

Amazon here

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11/16/2025 01:03 pm GMT

Best 8K Resin

5. Elegoo 8K Standard Resin – Best Value 8K Resin

• Price: Check latest price at Amazon here
• Bottle Size: 1 kg
• Colors: Space Grey

8K resin is designed to tap into the rich detail now possible with 8K resin 3D printers. Among the first to offer the resin is Elegoo, and though Elegoo 8K Standard Resin is chiefly geared toward Elegoo Saturn 2 8K machines, it is compatible with other 8K and even non-8K 3D printers.

The headline here is enhanced detail, clearer features, and a smoother surface finish. There’s a distinguishable crispness to printed parts and models that isn’t possible with typical resin. 

Dimensional accuracy is fantastic thanks to low shrinkage properties, and prints look nothing short of excellent. That said, to see this difference you’ll need to have a keen eye and really get up close to the model.

Elegoo 8K Standard Resin boasts low viscosity with a consistency that’s dense and not too far removed from mixed batter. This reduces flow, which makes handling it (pouring and removing) easier, but also extends the lifespan of the FEP film as it doesn’t adhere as tightly to the print bed as typical resin. 

Another benefit of low viscosity is that prints are easier to remove, but you may need to dial in settings to ensure solid first-layer adhesion. The same applies to supports, which have an almost flexible resin-like quality prior to curing as opposed to the stiff, dagger-like supports that invariably pierce nitrile gloves we expect from standard resin.

Elegoo 8K Resin also comes in a water-washable variant to make post-processing a little easier, though expect to pay an extra $10 per bottle for that extra convenience.

ELEGOO 8K Standard Photopolymer Resin

$14.99

Amazon here

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11/16/2025 11:02 am GMT

6. Phrozen Aqua 8K Resin – Best 8K Resin

• Price: Check latest price at Amazon here
• Bottle Size: 1 kg
• Colors: Grey, Vanilla, Snow Grey, Red Clay

Much like Elegoo, Phrozen has formulated its own version of 8K resin geared chiefly towards the Sonic Mini 8K and the Sonic Mighty 8K, but again, it is compatible with other 8K 3D printers. 

The focus is on rendering super-fine details to an extremely high standard, with excellent precision and dimensional accuracy, resulting in a clear improvement on standard resin. Printed parts take the detail up a level with clear and crisp details that would usually render with a blurred, softness on even 4K printers. If you’re looking for the pinnacle of resin details, Phrozen Aqua 8K Resin leads the charge.

Like Elegoo, low viscosity is part of the deal here, so easier print and support removal. But, where Phrozen veered off on its own path is with a low odor composition, an advantage given that printing with 8K resins prefer slower print speeds and, therefore, longer print times.

At $50 a bottle, Phrozen Aqua 8K Resin is slightly pricier than Elegoo’s offering, but you do get the choice of four different colors as opposed to Elegoo’s fixed Space Grey. If you already own an 8K machine and want the best quality available, Phrozen Aqua 8K Resin is the resin to go for.

Best 8K Resin

Phrozen Aqua-Gray 8K 3D Printing Resin

$40.99 $38.94

Amazon here

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11/16/2025 12:01 pm GMT

Best Flexible Resins

7. Siraya Tech Tenacious – Best Flexible Resin

• Price: Check latest price at Amazon here
• Bottle Size: 1 kg, 5 kg
• Colors: Clear, Obsidian Black

Siraya Tech Tenacious bundles in excellent strength properties suitable for functional parts, miniatures, and more. Print quality stands out for the high quality of the rendered features and details, and it’s a favorite among grassroots makers. 

It can be bent, twisted, compressed, and returns effortlessly to its original shape with no loss to the structural integrity of the part or breakages. Siraya Tech Tenacious is also a popular option for mixing with other resins to boost their overall durability and flexibility. 

This is especially the case among miniature makers looking to mitigate the brittleness of standard resin, which often causes models to break during gaming sessions or when transported. For example, you could mix Siraya Tech Tenacious with a standard resin, like Anycubic Colored UV Resin.

Compared to standard resin it’s expensive, but reasonably affordable when viewed alongside other specialist resins, especially flexibles designed for professional applications like engineering. As such, it’s a great middle-ground option for hobbyists looking for that sweet spot between flexibility and durability, though you are limited to only two colors.

Siraya Tech Tenacious 3D Printer Resin

$64.99 $46.14

Amazon here

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11/16/2025 01:02 pm GMT

8. Formlabs Flexible Resin – Best Premium Flexible Resin

• Price: Check price at Dynamism here
• Bottle Size: 1 kg
• Colors: Clear Transparent

Under the flexible umbrella, Formlabs has two types distinguished by their Shore Hardness. 

On one side we have Flexible 80A that is described as a ‘soft-touch material’ designed to match the qualities of rubber. It is well suited to more specialist applications that need a balance of rigidity and flexibility such as grips, handles, damping, and seals, which makes it a great option for hobbies like RC cars construction and end-use products or even engineering parts.

The other type is called Elastic 50A offers a silicone-like option for 3D printer enthusiasts and businesses. It’s also soft to the touch like the 80A type, but can withstand more flex, compression, and movement, returning to its original shape rapidly. Suitable applications include wearables, casings, and buttons, for example.

Formlabs is known for the unwavering quality of its products, and this carries over to its flexible resin line-up. The results are excellent with high levels of detail, low shrinkage, and few printing errors. 

It does come at a price, and, therefore, it is primarily aimed at professionals and not hobbyists. Ideally, you’ll want to pair it with a Formlabs machine, but Formlabs Flexible Resin works equally well with other brand machines.

Best ABS-Like/Tough Resins

9. Siraya Tech Fast ABS-Like Resin – Best Resin for Durable Miniatures

• Price: Check latest price at Amazon here
• Bottle Size: 1 kg, 5 kg
• Colors: Grey, Navy Grey, Creamy, White, Smoky Black, Green, Mecha White

Siraya Tech continues to make a name for itself among resin enthusiasts by producing yet another resin that avoids the typically brittle resin properties with their ABS-like resin. 

Mimicking the properties of FDM ABS, it’s a tough, durable resin that’s designed to take knocks and bumps yet retain its structural integrity. If you’re a tabletop gamer looking for a resin to create minis able to withstand the inevitable drops, electing to use Siraya Tech Fast ABS-Like Resin should significantly extend your models’ lifespan.

Though results vary depending on settings, the results are great when it comes to rendering complex details, especially when primed and painted, at which points the richness of the textures really comes out. This also extends to small prints like miniatures.

Another point to note is that Siraya Tech Fast ABS-Like Resin is slightly less pungent than typical resin, which again helps keep unpleasant odors down in confined spaces. As for the ‘Fast’ part of the titling, curing is marginally faster than typical resin, but we wouldn’t recommend this resin if speed is a top criterion when shopping for resin.

Siraya Tech Fast ABS-Like 3D Printer Resin

$36.99

Amazon here

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11/16/2025 01:02 pm GMT

10. Liqcreate Strong-X – Best Tough Resin

• Price: Check price at Matterhackers here
• Bottle Size: 250 g, 1 kg
• Colors: Grey

With a purported flexural strength of 135 MPa according to Liqcreate, Strong-X ranks among the toughest resins out. This remarkably positions it as a resin suitable for functional engineering projects, injection molding, and other heavy-duty applications – rather than the ornamental projects some associate with resin printing.

It’s stiff, strong, temperature resistant, and has low shrinkage. However, this focus on stiffness means it is by no means flexible with a very short elongation on break of between 4%-8%, so look to specialist flexible resins if you need a resin that snaps back after bearing heavy loads, bends, and flexing.

It’s also a versatile resin, and something that extends to printer compatibility with a broad light array wavelength of 385 – 405nm, making it suitable for not just consumer SLA printers but also more professionally-geared DLP machines.

A high price tag means it’s not one for the occasional maker, but one geared towards those demanding projects where durability is top of the list of required properties. $80 for a meager 250g may seem excessive, but if it fits your needs, it’s money well spent.

Buyer’s Guide – How Do I Choose a Resin for My 3D Printer?

Wavelength Compatibility

Every resin printer is equipped with a UV light array that emit light onto the resin to cure layers, one at a time, eventually creating the final print. 

These arrays emit light at a specific wavelength – generally 405 nm for most consumer-grade printers. Make sure you buy resin that cures at the same wavelength that your printer emits. 

In general, most standard resins are formulated to cure at anywhere from 355 nm to 410 nm, so though there’s some leeway, double-check to avoid any nasty surprises and get steady, reliable results.

Strength

Resin is much more brittle than other 3D printing materials such as FDM filaments. 

While this won’t be an issue for ornamental pieces like figurines and miniatures, this can cause issues for functional applications where the part is subject to mechanical forces, wear and tear, and load bearing. 

If you need extra strength and durability, consider ABS-Like and Tough resin, specifically formulated with additives to improve their impact resistance, strength, and durability. A good starting point is Siraya Tech’s Tenacious, a well-loved resin in the community for applications that need extra durability and strength.

Odors and Fumes

Odors and fumes are an unavoidable by-product of resin 3D printing, but it’s possible to find resins formulated to release less acrid and sharp odors and fumes that are less toxic and prone to causing irritation. 

If you’re working in an area with poor ventilation, these are great options to limit exposure to harmful fumes. We recommend Elegoo Water Washable Rapid Resin if smells are a big concern.

Post-Processing

Depending on the chemical formulation, the curing time varies between resins. Some cure faster than others – a category known as rapid resins – which may be important if you’re on a deadline or rely on the sun to cure your prints rather than a wash and cure station. 

Check manufacturer recommendations to get a sense of how long it will take – in general standard resin requires anywhere from 10 to 15 minutes to cure properly. Elegoo Rapid Resin is highly recommended for those wanting a competitive price and quick curing times.

As for washing, most resins need to be bathed in isopropyl alcohol or an equivalent cleaner like Mean Green. However, more and more water-washable resins are hitting the market all the time. As the name suggests, these resins can be cleaned using water, which greatly reduces the risks of resin printing and you don’t need to handle IPA, which is arguably more harmful than the resin itself, especially if inhaled in large quantities. 

Again, Elegoo Water-Washable resins are among the best out there with great value tacked on for good measure. These include additives to remove some of the loss of strength and durability that usually happens when printing with water-soluble resins.

Color

Unlike a few years ago, when resin colors were limited to a select few, it’s now possible to buy resin in all manner of colors and shades. 

Though none is inherently better than the other, consider whether you’ll be painting your prints (especially miniatures, figurines, and other decorative pieces). 

If painting is on the cards, consider lighter shades, such as white, which will reduce the number of coats required. If you’re looking for the broadest range of colors, Elegoo’s standard resin leads the charge with one of the broadest ranges. It’s also competitively priced.

Brands

As with any consumer product, stick to well-known brands. Retailers like Amazon are awash with unknown brands offering too-good-to-be-true prices on resin, and you often get what you pay for – a poor-quality resin that rarely performs as well as name-brand alternatives. 

Look to brands like Anycubic, Elegoo, Flashforge, eSun, Formlabs, Siraya-Tech, Liqcreate, and Phrozen for peace of mind when buying.

Price

Typically, resin is available in 500 ml and 1-liter bottles, with the price adjusted according to the volume. For standard resin, prices go from as low as $20 for 500 ml to north of $80 for 1 liter of engineering-grade resin formulated for the most demanding applications.

There’s no right or wrong price. As long as you stick to a reputable brand, buy a volume that suits your project’s scope and size, and opt for the right type of resin, it’s hard to go wrong. It may also be worth exploring how much resin you need based on whether you’re a heavy user who prints daily or only a few times a month. 

For more details, check out our guide to how much you can print with 500 ml and 1 liter of resin.

What’s the difference between 3D printer resin and standard resin?

3D printer UV resin differs from traditional resin, which is used for casting and molding. Standard resin sets over time as it interacts with a curing agent, causing the resin to harden, and doesn’t require UV light to solidify like 3D printer resin does. 

However, the two types are similar in their potential hazardous properties:

• In its liquid form, 3D printing resin is an irritant that can damage skin, and produces toxic, pungent fumes. 
• Similarly, resin casting produces dust particles that can be responsible for respiratory issues. 
• These safety precautions and equipment apply to both methods: nitrile gloves, protective eyewear, and ventilation.

To further complicate matters, different 3D printing resin techniques employ different technologies – SLA, LCD, and DLP mainly. It’s therefore important to buy a resin that’s suited to your type of resin 3D printer. 

Fortunately, most consumer-grade printers for hobbyists are SLA resin printers, and retailers tend to focus on 3D printing resin for these machines rather than more niche alternatives.

But, even with 3D printing resin for SLA printers, there are different types. It’s important to understand what each one offers and for what type of applications they are suited. These include types like standard resin, water-washable resin, tough resin, draft resin, flexible resin, and 8K resin. 

Below, we’ll walk you through the most popular types of resin along with a few specialist types.

What Types of Resin Is Used for 3D Printing?

• Standard Resin – This is your basic resin, used for general-purpose resin 3D printing. If in doubt, this is the resin to start with and it tends to produce consistent results, but aren’t known for their durability or strength. Popular applications include decorative pieces and miniatures.
• Water-Washable Resin – Standard resin requires cleaning is abrasive, and expensive, isopropyl alcohol, to remove excess liquid resin. Water-washable resins remove the need to do this by making the resin soluble in water, cutting costs and making post-processing a little less daunting for beginners. This resin does come with some downsides, though, chiefly lower strength and durability, partly because they absorb ambient moisture, which makes them brittle. For more details, head to our dedicated guide to water-washable resins.
• Tough, ABS-Like Resin – As the name implies, Tough resins are designed to be more resilient and stronger than standard resin thanks to weaves in additives to classic resin chemical composition. Also known as ABS-like, these tough resins aim to match the surface finish and durability of ABS filament, favored for its high tensile strength. For a deeper dive into everything tough resins have to offer, check out our dedicated guide.
• Flexible Resin – Another resin with a clue in the name, flexible resins are designed to offer higher elasticity than other resin types. Among the benefits of this is better resistance to impact, hardness, and excellent durability even under heavy loads. Think resin that when cured takes on the properties of rubber. Our guide to flexible resins has more details.
• Plant-Based, Eco Resin – Plant-based resins are formulated exclusively from natural, renewable products, often oils extracted from corn, soybeans, sunflowers, algae, and other plants. The main appeal is that these are eco-friendly materials free of the chemicals and additives that make up standard resin. They are recyclable and biodegradable as a consequence and largely match the properties of standard resin. Low odor is another benefit. For more details, we have a dedicated guide.
• Draft Resin – Also known as rapid resin, draft resin is designed to cure much faster (especially larger layers) than typical general-purpose resin, vastly reducing print times, which makes them a popular option for rapid prototyping and product development applications. Overall strength and detail tend to take a hit, but these are acceptable compromises when iterating on a new product.
• 8K Resin – The latest and newest resin type to hit the market, 8K resin aims to make the most of the rapid shift to ever high resolution resin printers. Though largely identical to standard resin, they tend to produce finer details on machines with 8K resolutions, but won’t produce better results on 4K or 2K printers, though they’ll work swimmingly with non-8K SLA 3D printers. As a fairly new addition to the resin line-up, 8K resin is one to keep an eye on. As more and more manufacturers jump on the bandwagon, we should see prices drop to reasonable levels before long.
• Ceramic Resin – Prints made with ceramic resin are designed to be fired in a kiln once printed, taking on the same familiar feel and finish as typical ceramics. This works by combining ceramic with polymers, the latter burning off during the firing process. The results are prized for their wear, corrosion, and thermal resistance.
• Dental Resin – Dental resins are made for digital dentistry applications such as modeling, prototypes, crowns, bridges, mouthguards and other in-mouth dental products. As a specialty resin, dental resin tends to be expensive and only shines in dental applications.
• Engineering – This resin type is made for engineering applications such as product design, testing, prototyping, and functional parts thanks to properties that include high-tensile strength, rigidity, toughness, durability, and resistance to high temperatures. You’ll also find engineering resins that pivot the other way, offering elasticity and resistance similar to silicone and TPU for functional end products subject to heavy wear and tear.

FAQs

Related Articles:

• Best Glues for Resins
• Best Wash and Cure & Resin Curing Stations
• Best Resin 3D Printers
• Best Large Resin 3D Printers
• 3D Printing material Cost Guide

So, do you go for a flexible resin to prevent limbs and weapons snapping off when those inevitable knocks and drops come to pass?

What about 8K resin, which promises the best quality out there? Is it worth the extra money, or are you better sticking with more affordable standard resin?

Here’s our top recommendations for the best resins to use for 3D printing miniatures:

Water Washable Pick	Top Pick Overall	Premium Pick
ELEGOO 8K Water Washable Resin	Phrozen Aqua-Gray 8K 3D Printing Resin	Siraya Tech Cast 3D Print Resin Castable Resin
3DSourced Rating:	3DSourced Rating:	3DSourced Rating:
Primary Rating: 4.1	Primary Rating: 4.7	Primary Rating: 4.5
$30.99	$40.99$38.94	$45.99$39.09
Bottle Size: 1kg	Bottle Size: 1kg	Bottle Size: 1kg, 5kg
Color Options: Space grey, beige, black, clear green, clear red, grey, mint green, smoky black, white	Color Options: Grey, Vanilla, Snow Grey, Red Clay	Color Options: Clear, Obsidian Black
Amazon here	Amazon here	Amazon here
Elegoo here

Water Washable Pick

ELEGOO 8K Water Washable Resin

3DSourced Rating:

Primary Rating:

4.1

$30.99

Bottle Size:

1kg

Color Options:

Space grey, beige, black, clear green, clear red, grey, mint green, smoky black, white

Amazon here

Elegoo here

Top Pick Overall

Phrozen Aqua-Gray 8K 3D Printing Resin

3DSourced Rating:

Primary Rating:

4.7

$40.99$38.94

Bottle Size:

1kg

Color Options:

Grey, Vanilla, Snow Grey, Red Clay

Amazon here

Premium Pick

Siraya Tech Cast 3D Print Resin Castable Resin

3DSourced Rating:

Primary Rating:

4.5

$45.99$39.09

Bottle Size:

1kg, 5kg

Color Options:

Clear, Obsidian Black

Amazon here

It’s also key to consider what you plan to use your minis for! Are you planning to simply display your minis on a shelf to wow friends and visitors? Or, are they bound for the table and destined for heavy circulation at your weekly gaming sessions?

In this guide, we’ll walk you through a selection of the best resins for miniature printing. At this point, it’s worth noting that personal preference plays a big role here, and we do recommend testing out different resins if your budget allows. Doing so will give you a sense of the qualities of each and help you find that perfect match for your resin minis projects.

The Best Resins for Miniatures

1. Phrozen Aqua 8K Resin – Best 8K Resin for Miniatures

• Price: Check latest price on Amazon
• Bottle Size: 1 kg
• Colors: Grey, Vanilla, Snow Grey, Red Clay

Though you’ll need an 8K resin printer to tap into the full potential of Phrozen Aqua 8K Resin, the results speak for themselves. You can clearly see the quality differences vs standard resins, with better details, sharp features, and a tangible crispness to the print and surface finish. We’re looking at the most detailed and best-quality resin on the market today.

Phrozen Aqua 8K Resin achieves this partly due to the technology improvements of new 8K printers, but the resin’s formulation ensures superb dimensional accuracy and low shrinkage. The results are nothing short of excellent, especially with small miniatures that some lower-resolution resin printers sometimes fail to do justice.

That said, this is a resin for the most demanding maker, and if you don’t have a keen eye for detail, then it’s likely overkill, and standard resin may serve you just as well.

We also like Phrozen Aqua 8K Resin for its low viscosity. It’s a thick resin, similar to batter in many ways, which helps mitigate flow, an essential factor that makes pouring and removing it easier, Additionally, it’s much kinder to the FEP film on printers as the resin doesn’t stick quite as much as standard resin.

Further benefits of this viscosity is easier print removal, and supports snap off with little effort prior to curing. The supports bear a flexible quality, reducing the likelihood of the stiff supports you get with typical resin from piercing gloves, causing all kinds of trouble. 

It’s also worth noting that Phrozen’s 8K resin has a low-odor formulation, which helps given the longer print times needed to produce 8K-quality prints.

Priced at $50, Phrozen Aqua 8K Resin is among the more expensive 8K resins available. There are several color options, an improvement over the one-color offering of other 8K manufacturers.

Best 8K Resin

Phrozen Aqua-Gray 8K 3D Printing Resin

$40.99 $38.94

Amazon here

We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

11/16/2025 12:01 pm GMT

2. Elegoo Water Washable Rapid Resin – Best Cheap Water Washable Resin for Miniatures

• Price: Check latest price at Elegoo here / Amazon here
• Bottle Size: 500 g, 1 kg
• Colors: White, Grey, Beige, Yellow, Green, Clear Blue, Red, Mint Green, Smoky Black, Black

For all the quality and detail offered by resin printers, producing them is a messy business, and any steps to reduce exposure to strong chemicals helps. Here, we have one such solution – Elegoo Water Washable Rapid Resin.

As the name suggests, this resin is water-washable, allowing makers to clear prints fresh off the resin print bed using typical water rather than harsh isopropyl alcohol. Elegoo manages to offer this while keeping to the affordable prices we’ve come to expect from the company. 

Elegoo’s water-washable resin also scores points because it doesn’t emit the same strong smell as standard resin, which is great if you’re running a printer constantly throughout the day, or working in a confined space.

This also extends to the quality of the prints, which match those of any standard resin on the market. 

However, where water-washable resin falters is the overall durability of the prints. The cured resin is more brittle and prone to snapping and breaking, which makes for slightly less reliable miniatures, especially those used regularly. 

But, if you’re printing miniatures for display, then Elegoo Water Washable Rapid Resin’s easy cleaning benefits and high-quality details make it a strong choice.

ELEGOO 8K Water Washable Resin 405nm

$30.99

Amazon here Elegoo here

We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

11/16/2025 01:01 pm GMT

3. Siraya Tech Tenacious Flexible Resin – Best Flexible Resin for Miniatures

• Price: Check latest price at Amazon here
• Bottle Size: 1 kg, 5 kg
• Colors: Clear, Obsidian Black

Siraya Tech Tenacious is a flexible resin, designed to be more forgiving when bent, twisted, or compressed than typical resins – and regains its original shape rather than breaking as it would with brittle normal resin. 

This quality makes it particularly suited to miniatures bound for heavy use on the tabletop. A mini made with Tenacious resin can withstand a drop and even the clumsy hands of more passionate players.

Alongside flexibility, Siraya Tech Tenacious is also formulated to offer better strength than standard resin. A popular use of Tenacious is mixing it with standard resin to give it extra durability – this is just about the best mix for miniatures.

Siraya Tech’s asking price is markedly higher than more budget-oriented standard resins, but the extra spend is well worth it for the peace of mind of tough, flexible minis that won’t break at the first sight of strain. Furthermore, it’s more affordable than pricier specialist flexible resins, so it bridges the gap between a hobbyist budget and a high-quality resin.

It comes in only two colors, so not the best option for those not planning to prime and paint their minis.

4. Siraya Tech Fast ABS-Like Resin – Best Resin for Durable Miniatures

• Price: Check latest price on Amazon here
• Bottle Size: 1 kg, 5 kg
• Colors: Grey, Navy Grey, Creamy, White, Smoky Black, Green, Mecha White

Siraya Tech Fast ABS-Like Resin is a tough (or ABS-like resin) that prioritizes durability. Though not specifically designed for minis, the resin performs more than admirably when boosting models’ shelf-life. 

Though not 100% immune to accidental drops and bumps, the likelihood of its remaining intact and structural sound is vastly higher than miniatures made with standard brittle resin.

It does this without sacrificing detail or visual quality with nothing short of excellent results (print settings willing), especially when rendering more intricate and complex features. When primed and painted, the depth and richness of Siraya Tech Fast ABS-Like Resin’s textures come to the fore.

It also comes in a decent range of colors, making it suitable for non-painted miniatures if painting isn’t part of your plans.

Though not directly linked to miniature making, we’re also fond of Siraya Tech for cutting down on the pungent smells we usually expect from resin. This makes for a slightly more pleasant printing experience, especially when working in tight areas. 

Though the naming includes ‘Fast’, a reference to curing speed, the benefits aren’t much to write home about, so it’s best not to lean on Siraya Tech Fast ABS-Like Resin if you’re looking for substantially quicker cure times.

Siraya Tech Cast 3D Print Resin Castable Resin

$45.99 $39.09

Amazon here

We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

11/17/2025 08:02 am GMT

What Type of Resin Is Best for Miniatures?

Pinting miniatures requires both quality and durability, and the best resin for printing miniatures falls into one of these categories, or ideally both. 

Standard Resin

Among the most prized resins for miniatures we have standard resin. This is your affordable, general-purpose resin designed to render parts with excellent levels of detail, but it tends to be brittle and prone to breaking under stress.

Flexible Resin

Tabletop enthusiasts and miniature makers also often turn to what are called flexible resins. As the name implies, these resins have a chemical formulation that gives cured parts a degree of flexibility. 

This means they can bend, flex, and stretch much further than standard resin before breaking. The benefits are clear for miniatures – if you accidentally drop a mini onto the floor, flexible resin is far less likely to break or snap.

Tough, ABS-Like Resin

In an attempt to match the toughness of FDM ABS filament, tough resins are designed to take a knock and still live to fight on the tabletop another day. 

Alongside toughness, these resins also elect to weave in excellent stiffness, resistance to impact, and a degree of flexibility (though not quite on par with flexible resins) in their chemical formulations.

8K Resin

The most recent addition to the resin type lineup, 8K resin is designed to tap into the high-detail capabilities of 8K 3D printers and produce high-quality resin miniatures. 

Though results vary depending on factors like the quality of the STL file and print settings, the general result is a noticeable and visual improvement in the overall quality of minis, especially fine details, smoothness, and surface finish. 

Like standard resin, 8K resin remains relatively brittle, so it’s better suited to ornamental minis than the rough-and-tumble of the tabletop.

General Tips and Tricks for 3D Printing Resin Miniatures

Choosing the Right Printer

There’s no right or wrong printer for printing miniatures. By their capacity to render details at far higher details than FDM printers, all resin printers theoretically have the capacity to create good quality miniatures. If you want better detail, look to get a 4K or even 8K resin printer, and we have written further about the best 3D printers for miniatures.

Protective Equipment

Resin is nasty stuff that can harm humans and the environment. It’s vital to take the necessary precautions while handling resin and dispose of it correctly. 

Wear nitrile gloves (and ideally protective eyewear) at all times, clean up any spillages, and make sure to cure all and any resin, including residue on paper towels, gloves, and the like before disposing of it, even so-called plant-based and water washable resin. 

Here’s a quick list of what you’ll need:

• A well-ventilated and organized workspace
• Paper towels, and lots of them
• Nitrile gloves
• Protective eyewear
• Isopropyl alcohol
• Scraper for removing prints from the build plate
• Tubs for washing prints (or a wash and cure station)
• Mats or trays to keep resin contained when cutting off supports or otherwise handling uncured prints
• A funnel and metal filter for pouring unused resin back into the bottle

Miniature STL Models

Though with some work, most STL files can lead to good quality miniatures, we highly recommend that beginners start with pre-prepared models where the designer has already set up supports, drain holes, hollowing, and orientation. This makes your first few minis easier to create, setting you up for success moving forward. We have also written about some cool resin models with STL files you can download.

Print Slow

Resin printers are already slower than FDM printers (except if you’re printing in batches), but miniatures benefit greatly from slower print speeds, especially if you’re using an 8K printer and 8K resin. It’s important to accept that getting the best miniatures with a resin 3D printer takes time, and a little patience can yield superb results.

Experiment With Slicer Settings

Once you’ve found a resin slicer you’re comfortable using (Lychee, Chitubox are both great options), look to experiment with settings, especially if you’re struggling with print failures. Exposure times, lift speed, anti-aliasing, layer height, and bottom exposure time are a good starting point, though work in small increments for the best results.

Post-Processing

Though a deep dive into post-processing minis is beyond the scope of this article, it’s a vital step in bringing to life your models. Washing and curing are the first step, but with miniatures the magic comes when you sand, prime, and paint the minis. For more information, check out our dedicated guide to how to wash and cure prints.

Differences With 3D Printing Resin Miniatures

A question on the lips of novice miniature makers is why are 3D printing miniatures different from normal resin prints? Another popular question is do miniatures really need different resin? 

Both valid questions, and the answers come down to how miniatures are used, and their functional use in the context of war and tabletop gaming. These aren’t simply ornamental pieces confined to a display case or shelf, but are handled, moved, knocked, and transported regularly. 

They are subject to far more potential wear and tear than, say, a figurine or a diorama. This means that they require more durability and overall strength than standard resin, which tends to be brittle and far more likely to break when handled or dropped. 

Durability, or ruggedness, can either come from overall strength, rigidity, and stiffness, or from flexibility. The former makes them less likely to snap or break. The latter allows 3D printed minis to bend out of shape to a certain degree to absorb shocks and loads and then return to their original form.

Another factor that sets miniatures apart is a desire for crisp details to bring out all the intricate features and complexity of the models. Resin printers far outclass their FDM counterparts in terms of quality, but with the right resin, such as 8K resin, it’s possible to get even better results. With the right resin, miniatures can become the star of any tabletop session, especially if the printing process is followed up by meticulous post-processing, priming, and painting.

Arguably, the better quality is visually there but may not be immediately apparent to the average person, who may struggle to spot the difference between standard resin and high-detail 8K resin. 

For purest, the jump in quality is often worth hunting down specialist resins and the extra expense. If you’re starting out your mini 3D printing journey, it’s worth experimenting with more affordable flex, tough, or even standard resins to learn the skills required to produce the best 3D printed miniatures before electing to use pricier premium 3D printing resins.

Related articles:

• Best Resins for 3D Printers
• Best 3D Printers for Miniatures
• Best Resin 3D Printers
• How to Design and 3D Print Miniatures
• Is 3D Printing Miniatures Cheaper?
• Resin vs FDM for 3D Printing Miniatures
• Best Filaments for Miniatures

Post-processing resins is something of a divisive part of 3D printing. Many enjoy the hands-on treating, washing, curing, and painting to be an enjoyable process, while others (including myself) find it tedious and irritating.

Top pick	Great Alternatuve
Elegoo Water-Washable Rapid Resin	Anycubic Water-Wash Resin+
Primary Rating: 4.7	Primary Rating: 4.5
$18.99	$54/2kg
Elegoo here	Anycubic here
Amazon here	Amazon here

Top pick

Elegoo Water-Washable Rapid Resin

Primary Rating:

4.7

$18.99

Elegoo here

Amazon here

Great Alternatuve

Anycubic Water-Wash Resin+

Primary Rating:

4.5

$54/2kg

Anycubic here

Amazon here

Usually, resin prints require a post-curing system of sanding, painting, and even glossing to look their best. This normally requires alcohol, resin cleaner, sandpaper, and way more work than many of us would like.

It’s tempting to just stick your prints under the tap and call it a day, but since most resins will be damaged by water (especially hard/heavily calcified water), this is not an ideal post-processing method.

This is without even mentioning the damage non-water-washable resins can do to your plumbing. Standard resin fragments damage your pipes over time and can cause some serious issues for your home.

But exactly what is water-washable resin? How much easier does it really make post-curing care? And what are the best and most reliable brands? We’re going to answer all of these questions today.

What is Water-Washable Resin?

Normally, 3D printing resins contain volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) that react badly with water, usually marking them or even just outright damaging the prints even after they’ve cured.

Water-washable resins are 3D printing materials that don’t include these chemicals, and so are completely safe to wash in good old H20.

With good quality water-washable resins, you’ll find a simple run and scrub with any clean water. While this isn’t the only treatment it will need (you may still need to sand and paint, depending on your project), it eliminates the need for complex – and often dangerous – chemical solutions that you’d normally need to get a good finish.

This is great news for those of you who are either sick of fiddling with alcohol solutions or foul-smelling irritants to get your prints spick and span.

Please note that water-washable resins are toxic and can be harmful to the environment and aquatic life. Always make sure the resin is properly cured and avoid washing it under a kitchen tap.

Water-wash resin should be washed in a basin. For proper water disposal please consult your area’s chemical waste system.

Water-Washable vs. Standard Resins: Key Differences

On the surface, water-washable resin may seem like standard resins that are simply easier to clean, but this is not the case.

Cost

Water-washable resins cost more than standard resins, but only on the surface. Without the need for extra chemicals for post-processing, using water-washable resins will save you money in the long run.

A 250ml bottle of isopropyl alcohol usually costs around $7-10, while a 1kg bottle of water-wash resin from Anycubic only costs $5 more than their standard colored UV resin.

Even if you have other uses for isopropyl alcohol in your home, it’s easy to see how this can be cost-effective in the long run if you go for water-washable resin as your new norm.

Odor

A common complaint of resin printing is that it often gives off a bad smell. While many companies have worked hard to reduce the odor of their products, resin printing will naturally produce fumes that can really stink up a room.

Not only are these fumes unpleasant, they are also toxic, which is why we recommend printing in a well-ventilated space.

The reduced chemical dependency of water-washable resins makes them naturally less odorous, which is great news if you have a particularly sensitive nose. This advantage is doubled when you consider that you won’t need to use similarly strong-smelling chemicals while post-processing.

Be advised, though, that water-washable resin fumes are still toxic, and cautious measures should still be taken while printing to protect your air quality and respiratory health.

Durability

The most common complaint with water-washable resins is that they tend to be more brittle and less durable than the more chemically complex standard UV resins, which is bad news for those of you who need sturdy prints that can withstand rougher treatment.

This isn’t much of a downside if you’re looking to make purely decorative pieces, but is a problem if you’re making miniatures for board and tabletop games like Warhammer or Dungeons and Dragons, which are picked up and moved around often.

If you are planning on using your resin prints as toys or active game pieces, you may find unwelcome breakage far more common when using water-washable resins.

How to Dispose of Water-Washable Resin

Water-wash resin is more environmentally friendly than standard resins because it doesn’t rely on harmful VOCs. However, this does not mean it’s 100% environmentally sound.

You should avoid running water-washable resin prints under a standard faucet because the runoff still poses a threat to aquatic life.

Any used prints or leftover water should be disposed of in your usual plastic waste only after being completely cured and dried. Any uncured resin prints or water contamination will remain an environmental hazard even after disposal.

Please note that these steps and warnings apply to all brands of water-washable resins listed below. All resins are hazardous to both you and the environment and should be handled and disposed of with care.

Performance Review: Are Water-Washable Resins Any Good?

One of the nicer side effects of using water-washable resins is perhaps an accidental one. Because they’re designed to be less chemically dependent, spillages and unwanted globs of resin are far easier to clean than those of standard resins.

Printing-wise, standard 3D printing resins do have a subtle, yet noticeable, advantage in print quality. If you’re looking for extremely high-resolution prints and smoother finishes (admittedly with much more work) then you’ll want to go for standard resins over water-washable kinds.

That’s not to say that water-washable resins do not still produce high-quality prints, they’re just not quite as capable as their standard counterparts of particularly high precision, at least not yet.

In essence, while you will get a clean, high-quality print easily with water-washable resin, it still won’t be quite the same resolution you’d expect to get with standard resins and the added necessary elbow grease that comes with them.

How to Print with Water-Washable Resins

Water-washable resins can be printed at your usual printer settings, though many have reported a lessened exposure time is necessary when compared to standard resins.

The best settings for using water-washable resin with a standard LCD printer seem to be as follows:

• Layer Height: 0.025 – 0.05mm
• Wavelength: 395 – 405nm
• Normal Exposure Time: 5 – 8s
• Bottom Exposure Time: 40 – 60s

When in doubt, always check your chosen manufacturer’s recommendations. But stick with these general settings and you should be fine.

Exposure time will depend on the strength of you light source, and layer height will similarly depend on your printer’s capabilities. So don’t be afraid to tweak these settings to find what works best for you and your printer.

Despite being safer than most other resins, you should still take the normal precautions. This includes gloves, and protective eye and mouth guards if necessary. Resins should also be kept well away from children and pets.

Remember, just because it’s safe to wash with water, doesn’t mean it’s safe to handle. Avoid all direct contact with skin until your prints are fully cured and avoid contact with your skin and mouth even afterward.

With what water-washable resin is and how to use it now under your cap, let’s take a look at some of the best places to get your resin and why.

Best Water-Washable Resin Brands for 3D Printing

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Elegoo Water-Washable Rapid Resin and Water-Washable 8K Resin

• Price: Check latest price at Elegoo here / Check price on Amazon here
• Wavelength: 405nm
• Bottom Exposure: 60s
• Normal Exposure: 8s
• Colors Available: White, Gray, Black, Beige, Yellow, Clear Green, Clear Blue, Clear Red, Mint Green, Smoky Black

Elegoo’s water-washable resins are some of the most popular on the market. Boasting the same high precision and low shrinkage as many of their other affordable materials, their water-washable resin promises a hassle-free printing experience with impressive results.

This offering of water-washable resins lives up to Elegoo’s reputation for offering an impressive range of color options. Personally, I adore the clear red, but there is something to be said for the subtle yet appealing beige, which is not a common resin color.

At the time of writing, Elegoo has also got an 8K water-washable resin available for pre-order. While it seems its release is upcoming, the specs remain elusive.

Nonetheless, it seems designed to combat one of the biggest disadvantages of water-washable resins, the slight dip in resolution.

While we don’t know firsthand yet, this looks to be a promising addition to Elegoo’s line and the dream of many resin printing enthusiasts out there. Having the quality and resolution of a standard resin print without the tedium of chemical-based post-processing is something I know I’m willing to wait in line for!

As a VOC-free compound, their water-washable resin promises to be relatively hazard-free, though standard precautions should still apply when handling it.

eSun water-washable resin

• Price: Check price on Amazon here
• Wavelength: 395 – 405nm
• Bottom Exposure: 30 – 60s
• Colors Available: Beige, Black, White, Gray, Blue, Red, Yellow, Clear, Transparent Green, Transparent Red

eSun may be one of the most expensive water-washable resins on this list, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t still worth your time.

With a great color selection (including the clear red I’m quite partial to), and a tenure in reliable resins, it’s a good first step for those of you who want a small amount of resin to give a test run.

Be warned, however, that while eSun does have vibrant colors on offer as well as a good customer support network, its water-washable resin is unfortunately known to be quite brittle. This means it’s only really ideal for decorative projects and little else.

The main reason to go for eSun is for its easy printability, needing little – if any – tweaks to your settings depending on your printer’s capabilities and UV strength. Though that is not to say it’s ideal for beginners, as many people noted needing to take extra careful precautions to ensure good print quality like cautious handling.

Anycubic Water-Wash Resin+

• Price: Check latest price at Anycubic here / Amazon here
• Wavelength: 365 – 405nm
• Colors Available: White, Black, Gray, Clear, Aqua Blue

Anycubic and Elegoo are commonly compared resin manufacturers, known mainly for high quality, low shrinkage, and affordability.

Anycubic may not have the most impressive (read, largely boring) color availability, but it makes up for this with high compatibility. Anycubic’s Water-Wash Resin+ will work with just about any LCD printer, as it doesn’t need particularly high UV specs to properly print and cure.

As a part of their Resin+ line, Anycubic’s offering to the water-washable resin lineup assures great, high-quality prints with the kind of resolution you’d struggle to replicate in cheaper brands. This is good news for those of you who don’t want to sacrifice high-resolution prints for water-washability.

Boasting a naturally low odor, Water-Wash Resin+ is also a comfortable resin to use if you happen to have a small workspace, though you should still make sure you have a proper ventilation setup.

Anycubic is also known for durable resins, and its water-washable resin is no exception. It is less brittle than many water-washable resins, meaning it should be ideal for making board game pieces and other projects that require movement and transport.

While we can’t promise they still won’t break, Anycubic should be your go-to if you want a water-washable resin that holds up almost as well as standard resin options.

Anycubic is also available in cheaper (but less cost-effective) 500g bottles for $23, making it an ideal purchase if you’re just looking to test the waters (pun intended).

Phrozen

• Price: Check price on Amazon here
• Colors Available: Model Gray and Rapid Black

If you want a beginner-friendly resin and don’t mind low color variation, then Phrozen is the brand for you. Their water-washable resin is durable, easy to print with standard resin settings, and virtually odorless.

Despite its relatively higher price (now that their 250g bottles are no longer available), Phrozon is still one of the more popular water-washable resins on the market today due to their low viscosity and ease-of-use.

If you’re a newbie to resin printing in general and don’t mind doing the coloring yourself, then Phrozon is the right choice for you.

Sainsmart

• Price: Check price on Amazon here
• Wavelength: 405nm
• Bottom Exposure: 30s
• Normal Exposure: 6-10s
• Colors Available: Clear and Gray

Speaking of brands that make up for their lack of color variety with excellent usability, Sainsmart’s water-washable resin is a highly precise, low viscosity resin that shouldn’t let any beginner or veteran down.

Sainsmart promises low-odor and low-fume printing, making it a safe option for those of you with less room in your workspaces, and its high compatibility ensures that just about any LCD printer can handle it with ease.

With very low exposure time, you won’t need a powerful machine to get good, high-precision results.

While not quite on the same level as Anycubic’s Water-Wash Resin+ or Elegoo’s upcoming 8K, you can rest easy knowing you’ll get high-resolution prints without needing to fiddle around with alcohol solutions and resin cleaners.

To add to the beginner-friendliness, Sainsmart has some of the most clearly outlined directions and advice I’ve seen in quite some time. Even complete newbies should have no trouble getting excellent water-washable prints with these directions, so newcomers need not be intimidated by Sainsmart’s impressive offering here.

Related articles:

• Large Resin 3D Printers Guide
• Best Resin 3D Printers
• Flexible resins
• Tough resin brands
• Plant-based resins
• Best UV lights for curing resin
• How to Clean and Cure 3D Resin Prints

3D printing companies and enthusiasts alike are opening themselves up more and more to these changes, and so there’s recently been a huge focus on eco-friendly resins.

In FDM, recyclable or biodegradable filaments have come about – and so we’ll look at some of the best plant-based resins available today, and how you can be more environmentally friendly with resin 3D printing, and how they work.

What is Plant-Based/Eco-Friendly Resin?

Plant-based resins are 3D printer resins that are made primarily from oils. These oils come from soybeans and corn in most cases, but can also come from sunflowers, whey, potatoes, beets, and even algae.

By creating 3D printer resin with plants, we end up with eco-friendly materials that are recyclable, biodegradable, and ready to make the high-resolution print projects you know and love.

Plant-Based vs Standard Resins: The Differences

Standard 3D printer resins are made with a variety of chemical compounds to achieve the look, color, and properties ideal for printing with resin. Like many plastics, these polymers are often toxic made using non-eco-friendly methods that leave them unrecyclable and hazardous to both the environment and your health.

Typical SLA resins pose the same danger to the environment as plastic. Through irresponsible disposal and misuse, they are a real threat to the planet and are generally considered to be toxic waste in the worst of cases.

This is why environmentally friendly ‘bio-resins’ are becoming more and more popular and widely available as they’re now much easier to find on online marketplaces and have costs comparable with standard UV resins. Not only are the plants from which they’re made found in abundance, but they’re also fairly cheap to produce.

It wasn’t that long ago that eco-friendly resins were a niche market, hard to find and often expensive. Now, these resins are found in most marketplaces by well-known brands, and often for a price similar to that of more traditional materials.

In essence, plant-based resins are an excellent substitute for standard resins with basically no downsides aside from occasionally being slightly more expensive. Aside from that, you’ll find the same top-quality as many other resins on the market, meaning nothing has been sacrificed for greener, more eco-conscious printing.

As of writing, these bio-resins are only really available in standard resin form, meaning you’re not likely to find ABS-like or particularly tough ‘treated’ resins on the market just yet. But we’ve got high hopes for the ever-greener-looking future!

Are Eco-Resins 100% Environmentally Friendly?

Despite eco-friendly resins being a great step forward, the sad answer to this question is no. The ‘plant-based’ nature of eco resins is only the tip of the iceberg, as currently the plant oils they’re made from only make up around half of the total composition.

While still a viable, safer, and far more eco-friendly alternative to standard resins, eco-resins still have a long way to go before they can be considered 100% environmentally sound.

Don’t be discouraged, though, the lowest quantity of these oils I could find in any given resin was 45% soybean oil in Anycubic’s plant-based eco-resin. This is still a heck of an improvement over the typical compounds we’ve all been using for years.

How to 3D Print with Eco-Resin

You can treat eco-resins as standard resins in terms of printer settings. The two are functionally identical, and thus carry some of the same risks.

In the same way that you can use plant-based resins with your 3D printer just like normal resins, you should also keep up the same safety precautions you’ve hopefully been using thus far.

These precautions include using a well-ventilated space for your printing, as well as wearing protective gloves, masks, and even eyewear if you’re particularly worried.

Are Plant-Based Resins Toxic?

Make no mistake, all resins are toxic when uncured. The toxicity and general hazards vary from brand to brand, and plant-based resins are not without their dangers.

Depending on what they’re made from, even plant-based resins can irritate the skin and eyes, and even cause respiratory damage if not handled with care before and during printing.

Just like how you still wouldn’t ingest plant-based resins, you should still be careful when using them. Resins, even plant-based ones, should never come into direct contact with the skin until fully cured, and even then you should still avoid contact with your eyes and mouth.

Research into potential medical applications of plant-based resins has been conducted, but even that hasn’t proven to be fully safe or even consistent when using the purest of currently available compounds.

Now that you know all the basics (and warnings) of using plant-based resins, the main problem now is which brand to choose. Here we’ll look at some of the best and most reliable bio-resins on the market today, and which you should go for.

Because readily available plant-based resins are still a fairly new concept, there isn’t quite as much choice out there as there are for other types like water-washable and ABS-like resins, so be sure to choose wisely!

Best Plant-Based Resins

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Anycubic Eco-Resin

• Price: Check price on Amazon here / Also available at Anycubic here
• Available Colors: White, Black, Translucent Green, Gray, Pink, Yellow, Clear

Anycubic offers one of the most extensive ranges of 3D printer resins, one of which is, naturally, their soybean oil-based Eco-Resin.

With its low shrinkage, high compatibility, impressive quality, and natural biodegradability, it’s easy to see why Anycubic’s affordably priced eco-resin is at the top of many people’s lists.

While the range of colors available isn’t quite as exciting as their standard resin or Resin+ lines, they do offer quite a bit of variety, including the ever-popular (and frankly my favorite) translucent green.

While Anycubic’s resins are known for their low odor, their plant-based resin goes a step further, taking advantage of their own formula to further remove the unpleasant smells from their plant-based resin, which is already naturally low on the stink scale.

Anycubic also doesn’t sacrifice print quality and resolution for environmental friendliness, and is a great resin to go for if you want top-quality prints while maintaining a clearer conscience.

Anycubic is also a model of affordability. While originally around $70 per kilogram (0.9L), it will now only set you back around half that at $36. Compare this to their standard resin price of $32/kg, and you can see it’s one heck of a deal.

Elegoo Plant-Based Resin

• Price: Check price on Amazon here
• Available Colors: White, Black, Gray, Clear Green, Translucent

Like Anycubic, Elegoo resins are known for their high resolution, print quality, color variation, and affordability.

Elegoo’s plant-based resin is fast-curing and has very low emission rates, making it one of the safest bio-resins on this list without you having to take any extra steps. Don’t be fooled, though, remember that there’s no such thing as a fully non-toxic resin (yet).

With similarly low shrinkage, color variation, and print quality to Anycubic’s eco-resin, the main reason to go for Elegoo here is its price.

Sold in bottles as small as 500g, it’s a great under-$20 option if you either don’t want to buy much at once, or are just looking to test out plant-based resin for yourself before committing to it as a regular-use material.

As for color options, there aren’t quite as many to choose from as their standard resins, which are known to be numerous at around 10 colors for each standard resin. If you’re looking for vibrant projects, I recommend the clear green. It’s vibrant, brilliant, and quite eye-catching.

Of course, you could also opt for their translucent resins for some cool unique projects too. Though these recommendations are coming from a writer who’s getting a little sick of white and gray, so you don’t have to take these recommendations as gospel.

Be advised that while Elegoo does advertise their eco-friendly resin as being low-irritant and virtually odor-free, I still absolutely recommend taking the usual precautions we mentioned above like good ventilation, protective gloves, and generally careful handling

Siraya Tech Plant-Based Eco-Friendly Resin

• Price: Check price on Amazon here
• Available Colors:  Gray, Obsidian Black

While the most expensive (even if only marginally) and more boringly colored plant-based resin on this list, the lesser-known Siraya Tech’s eco-friendly resin is still very much worth a look.

As well as being low-odor and fast-curing like its competitors, Siraya is very easy to clean, needing very little post-processing for some insanely high-quality results.

Of course, due to its extremely limited color options, you will need to properly treat and paint your projects if you want them to stand out.

The key to Siraya’s plant-based resin is how insanely easy it is to use. Advertised as being perfect for students, educators, or just straight-up beginners, it’s a pretty great option if you’re still new to 3D printing or are looking to start out with plant-based resins on the right foot.

Overall, Siraya Tech is a good, hassle-free, environmentally-friendly resin that won’t disappoint and offers a great toe-dipping experience for those of you unsure of where to begin.

It’s also highly compatible and should work just fine with any resin printer, eliminating the guesswork for those of you who’ve had trouble finding compatible materials in the past.

This beginner-friendliness is further proven by Siraya Tech’s excellent support network, which is keen to hear from users and answer their questions as clearly as possible. All in all, this is the plant-based resin for you if you happen to need a helping hand in learning or teaching about eco-friendly resins as well as just resins in general.

Related posts:

• Recycling 3D Printer Filaments
• Best Elegoo 3D Printers
• Strongest 3D printer resins
• Best flexible resins
• Coolest resin prints and resin 3D printer files

For more practical prints with durable materials, people turn to stronger FDM printing filaments like ABS and TPU. With high tensile strength and impact resistance, they’re preferred for prototyping and parts manufacturing.

However, resins aren’t the one-trick pony they once were, and now tough and ABS-like resins are making resin prints more durable and better for more practical applications.

Shore Hardness

Strong resins are measured using the Shore hardness scale, effectively the measurement of an object’s flexibility and impact resistance. Flexible resins also score higher than standard resins on this scale.

These measurements start with Shore 00, which includes particularly soft and spongy things like gummy sweets and rubber bands. Shore A measures from pencil erasers to rubber shoe soles, and Shore D is on the harder end of the spectrum with particularly sturdy materials like truck tires and shopping cart wheels.

While there are other measures of Shore hardness, we’ll only be looking at these three.

As you’d expect, particularly strong resins are on the higher end of the Shore scale. Elegoo’s ABS-like resin, for example, has a Shore hardness of 75 D, placing its strength between that of a shopping cart wheel and a hard hat.

This level of hardness is what you should expect from strong resins. Compared to ABS’ average Shore hardness of D 100, the highest measurement on the Shore scale, you can see why these resins are known as ABS-like.

In essence, strong resins are a lot tougher than their standard counterparts, but are still not quite as sturdy as standard ABS filaments.

Tensile Strength

Tensile strength is the measure of how much weight and force something can withstand before fracturing or breaking. This force is measured in PSI (Pounds per Square Inch) and gives us a good idea of how durable tough resins are.

Tensile strength itself is measured using MPa (Megapascal) units, which indicate how much force any particular material can withstand. Structured steel has a tensile strength rating of around 400-420 MPa, meaning it’s capable of withstanding up to around 60,000 – 70,000 PSI.

This should give you a good indication of how these measurements work, as well as why punching a sizable dent in a steel door or wall is a common visual example of a superhero’s strength.

Typically, ABS has an average tensile strength of 40 – 57 MPa, and tough resins surprisingly average out around the same, capping out at around 55 MPa.

This means that, while tough resins aren’t as hard as ABS, they’re capable of withstanding around the same amount of force and impact. Effectively, when it comes to overall tensile strength, ABS and ABS-like resins are highly comparable.

Compare this to standard UV resin’s tensile strength of around 20 – 25 MPa, and you’ll see that tough ABS-like resins are over twice as strong as their garden variety counterparts.

Young’s Modulus

Young’s modulus is the final, and perhaps least important measurement we’ll cover today. Effectively a measure of elasticity, Young’s modulus uses GPa (Gigapascal) and KSI (kilopounds per square inch) units to measure the amount of stress with which something can be pulled or strained before it snaps.

To make it easier to understand when compared to tensile strength, I’ll be converting these to the MPa and PSI that we’ve looked at already.

Steel averages at 200000 MPa which, when added to what we already know of its MPa, shows just how durable it is even under the intense constant strain of up to 29 million PSI.

Standard ABS filament has a maximum of around 2.9 MPa. Once again comparing this to Elegoo’s ABS-like resin, which caps at 2.385 MPa according to their website, we can see that ABS-like resins are comparable in elasticity and strain-resistance with standard ABS filaments.

What are Tough Resins Used For?

Where most standard UV resins are only good for decorative prints, tough resins have a much wider range of practical uses.

Generally speaking, ABS-like resins are great for making prototypes and parts that need to have high impact resistance but don’t necessarily need to be that flexible.

Belt buckles and clasps are a great example of such applications, since they need to be flexible enough to be pushed in and out, but also strong enough to withstand the force being applied on a regular basis.

Tough resins are also used for clock parts and other mechanisms that need to withstand constant movement. Just be advised that even tough resins are brittle if printed too thinly, so they aren’t ideal for smaller parts.

The recommended minimum wall thickness for most ABS-like resins is 1 – 2mm, which is a lot thicker than the standard minimum thickness of around 0.1mm.

Thinner prints made with even the toughest resins will still break easily with too much pressure, and so are generally suitable for only larger projects that require durability without being hard as rock.

Effectively, these stronger resins are good for parts and repairs for things like shoe heels, which need the consistency of strong rubber and the toughness of ABS.

ABS-like resins aren’t indestructible, however, and aren’t comparable to industry-grade materials, so don’t expect to repair your car or anything. That said, those of you interested in DIY and mechanical engineering will find strong resins incredibly useful.

How to Print Tough Resins

Tough resins are relatively simple to print if you’re used to using standard UV resins.

Ideal printer settings differ somewhat depending on your chosen brand, so you should always consult the manufacturer’s recommendations for the best settings before getting to work.

If you’re still in any doubt, we recommend a layer thickness of no less than 50 microns and an exposure time of 40 seconds.

Post-processing tough resin prints isn’t any more tedious than usual post-cure treatment with isopropyl alcohol. Just be sure to let any excess resin cure before disposing of it with your usual plastic waste.

Safety

ABS-like resins are no more dangerous than standard UV resins, so your normal safety precautions should be taken.

Wearing protective gloves and eyewear is recommended, as is a well-ventilated workspace so you avoid breathing in any harmful fumes. While most tough resins do not contain carcinogenic material, the fumes while printing are still harmful to respiratory health.

Be sure to avoid direct contact with the skin until your strong resin is fully cured, and avoid contact with the eyes even afterward.

Now we’re going to look at some of the best tough resins available and why they’re ideal if you want a strong ABS-like resin for your practical printing needs.

Best ABS-Like Tough Resins

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Elegoo ABS-Like Resin – Affordable and Colorful Strong Resins

• Price: Check price on Amazon here / Available at Elegoo here
• Shore Hardness: 75D
• Tensile Strength: 30 – 52 MPa
• Young’s Module: 2.385 MPa
• Available Colors: Gray, White, Yellow, Blue, Beige, Translucent, Clear Red, Clear Blue, Clear Green, Mint Green, Smoky Black

Elegoo host an impressive range of resins, offering just about everything from water-washable to plant-based resin alternatives to standard materials.

Their ABS-like resin is a tough and versatile resin that’s incredibly affordable, and so ideal for household use. Those of you looking to make good, highly durable prints at home and on a budget should look no further.

One of the key benefits of Elegoo’s ABS-like resin is its color variety, which is found in most of its resins. Available in a much wider range of colors than most other resin manufacturers, it’s ideal if you’re looking to expand your creative horizons and make something eye-catching as well as tough.

These options don’t come at the cost of general strength, as Elegoo’s ABS-like resin lives up to its name by being comparable with standard ABS in tensile strength and elasticity.

It’s also available in 500g bottles for only $19 if you only want to test out ABS-like resins or are otherwise working with a very limited budget.

Anycubic ABS-Like Resin+ – Ideal for Hobbyists

• Price: Check price on Amazon here / Available at Anycubic here
• Wavelength: 365-405nm
• Tensile Strength: 35 – 55 MPa
• Available Colors: White, Black, Gray, Aqua Blue, Beige, Transparent, Transparent Green

While slightly more expensive than Elegoo’s tough resin, Anycubic’s own offering is in its Resin+ line, meaning it’s been upgraded to have lower shrinkage, better resolution, and a longer shelf life than most kinds of standard UV resins.

Those of you who don’t print often or only have a few small projects in mind for now will be happy to know that Anycubic’s ABS-like Resin+ can last up to 18 months if stored properly, which is pretty impressive compared to the usual 12-month window.

Anycubic is also one of the safest strong resins around, as it contains only 75% of the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) found in their normal resin line. This means that the fumes emitted while printing are less harmful than those of standard resins.

However, this doesn’t mean it’s 100% safe, and we still recommend a well-ventilated workspace so you don’t damage your respiratory health.

ABS-like Resin+ is also one of the more flexible resins on this list. With high tensile strength added to its impressive elasticity, it’s one of the better options for making things like belt clasps or other wearable designs.

Siraya Tech Fast ABS-like Resin – Fast Curing and Easy Post-Processing

• Price: Check price on Amazon here
• Available Colors: Gray, Navy Gray, Creamy, White, Smoky Black, Green, Mecha White

What Siraya Tech lacks in color variation it makes up for in, as its name suggests, speed. Boasting a very low exposure time of only around 2.6 seconds. Not only that, but it’s also the quickest and easiest option for strong resins on this list for post-curing.

Customers report excellent post-processing results with even their navy gray option having an impressive shine and smooth surface even with vigorous scrubbing.

Speaking of scrubbing, this ABS-like resin is the least brittle of the bunch, making it ideal for thinner walls and smaller parts. Though it’s important to remember that to still print with a minimum thickness of 1mm.

This strong resin is perfect for smaller parts or miniatures that you want to keep in good condition and in one piece with constant movement, like board game pieces.

Formlabs Tough and Durable Resins – The Professional’s Choice

• Price: ~$200/L — Full selection available at Dynamism here
• Tensile Strength: Up to 65 MPa
• Available Colors: Gray Only

While few household resins can be compared to industrial-quality materials, Formlabs selection of tough resins is ideal for those of you with more professional uses in mind.

They have three varieties of some of the strongest SLA resins around, so we’re going to briefly break each one down here from weakest to strongest.

Note that Formlabs also offers rigid resins for $220-300, though its applications are limited due to their lack of elasticity, so instead we’ll be looking at their more ABS-like resins that are both impact resistant and flexible.

Formlabs Durable Resin

Of the three, Formlabs durable resin is the most elastic, and can be bent and pulled more than most tough resins before breaking.

This makes it ideal for prototyping smaller, squeezable parts and prototypes that need to be both pliable and highly impact resistant like pistons and door jams.

Formlabs Tough 1500 Resin

The tough 1500 resin is, like the durable resin, more pliable and elastic than most strong resins on the market. It’s slightly stiffer than its predecessor, though, which makes it more ideal for parts that need to stay rigid but also need a little flexibility.

The main reason to get the tough 1500 resin is that it’s certified for prolonged skin contact after being fully cured. This makes it a great choice for wearable items like glass frames and watch straps.

Formlabs Tough 2000 Resin

One of the strongest resins out there, and the closest of the three to ABS, the tough 2000 resin has incredibly high tensile strength up to 65 MPa, which is actually higher than standard ABS.

If you’re looking to make professional-grade parts for prototyping, Formlabs tough 2000 resin is as strong as you’ll get for its price, and is invaluable as a resin that’s stronger than we thought resin could be even just a few years ago.

Related Posts:

• The Best Wash and Cure & Resin Curing Stations
• The Best Resin 3D Printers
• The 3D Printing Materials Encyclopedia – FDM, Resins, SLS & Metals
• The strongest types of 3D printer resin

But that doesn’t mean different resin types can’t have different properties. Some are brittle, some are reinforced, and some are flexible resins.

Afforable Option	Premium Option
Anycubic Flexible Tough Resin	Formlabs Flexible and Elastic Resins
Primary Rating: 4.5	Primary Rating: 4.7
$60/kg	$204/L
Anycubic here	Dynamism here

Afforable Option

Anycubic Flexible Tough Resin

Primary Rating:

4.5

$60/kg

Anycubic here

Premium Option

Formlabs Flexible and Elastic Resins

Primary Rating:

4.7

$204/L

Dynamism here

Flexible resins (sometimes misspelled as ‘flexable resins’) are resins that you can bend and press easily even after curing. This unique attribute gives them a variety of uses outside of simple decorations.

Here we’re going to look at the best flexible resins and brands, how they work, what you can use them for, and the best places to get them.

What is Flexible Resin?

A standard resin’s firmness comes down to its Shore hardness, which is basically a measure of a particular material’s elasticity. The lower the shore hardness, the more flexible the resin.

Before the advent of flexible resins, you would have had to turn to FDM printing, specifically TPU filament, for the best chance of a tough yet flexible 3D print.

In the last five years, flexible resins have been more popular and better compounded, meaning we now have a good selection of flexible resins today.

Shore Hardness and Flexible Resins: A Brief Overview

Shore 00 usually refers to softer materials like hair gels and elastic, Shore D is the other end of the scale, measuring hard rubbers like shoe heels and car tires through harder plastics like those used to make hard hats.

Shore A is the middle of the scale, overlapping the upper end of Shore 00 hardness (comparable to a standard eraser) and the lower end of Shore D (vehicle tire treads).

Where a particular flexible resin falls on this scale differs between manufacturers. Typically, flexible resins are on the higher end of Shore A (lower end of Shore D). Siraya Tech’s flexible resin, for example, is Shore D 65, meaning it’s about as hard as a standard shopping cart wheel.

This means you should expect your flexible resin to have the consistency of a pencil eraser, a car tire, or – at its hardest – a rubber shoe heel. This impact resistance makes flexible resins quite durable, as they will ‘bounce’ on impact rather than break.

Are Flexible Resins Like Rubber?

Standard 3D printing resins have a relatively high shore hardness, meaning they’re rigid and will break before they bend. Flexible resin, on the other hand, is much lower on the Shore scale, making it easy to bend without losing much, if any, sturdiness or strength.

It’s important to note that flexible does not mean stretchy, it simply means prints can be temporarily manipulated and are generally impact-resistant.

So you won’t be able to 3D print a stress ball with flexible resins by just making a sphere, for example, you’ll need to print a meshed orb to get that fully squashable feel.

While flexible resins do have a sort of elasticity to them, the hardest of even flexible resins won’t ‘squish’ in your hands, as it were, and so are closer to the flexibility you’d expect from hard rubber than from a rubber band.

This distinction is important to note if you’ve got your heart set on making something softer than, say, a watch strap.

Is Flexible Resin Safe?

Flexible resins don’t pose any more dangers than your standard 3D printing resins. This means you’ll be perfectly fine as long as you follow standard safety precautions when 3D printing.

Always be sure that the uncured resin doesn’t come in direct contact with your skin or eyes by wearing protective gloves. Ensuring good ventilation in your workspace while printing will help you avoid breathing potentially toxic fumes.

Always make sure your flexible resin is fully cured before touching it directly, and always follow the safety instructions given to you by your chosen manufacturer.

Environmentally speaking, flexible resins are hazardous to marine life, so never dispose of leftover resins in standard plumbing. To properly throw out your flexible resin, be sure to fully cure it and any liquids you’ve washed it in before throwing it out with your usual plastic waste.

How to 3D Print with Flexible Resins

Flexible resins are harder to use than your standard UV resins. Due to their elasticity, flexible resins are more finicky compared to your usual resin printing affair, and are harder to pry from your build plate.

Think of it this way: a well inflated basketball is a lot easier to hold steady than a filled water balloon. And it’s the unsteadiness that comes with bendiness that means you’ll need to change up your usual printing routine when using flexible resins.

While the recommended printer settings will change depending on your chosen manufacturer and your 3D printer, you may need to do a little trial and error yourself to get the best results for you.

In general, flexible resins have longer curing times than standard resins, so being a little more patient will go a long way when using these materials.

The main thing to keep in mind is that, like rubber, flexible resins will go back to their initial shape if bent out of it.

Have you ever scrunched up a rubber band and dropped it on the table? If so, you’ll know that it finds a way back to its usual circular shape. Because of this, you need to be sure to have your design be the exact shape you want it to stay once printed.

Flexibility may bring thoughts of string or leather belts, which will normally sit and stay in whatever shape you’ve left them in, but that’s not the case for flexible resins.

While flexible properties have practical uses, you’ll want to make sure your print doesn’t become unusable because it keeps trying to revert to the wrong shape.

What are Flexible 3D Prints Used For?

Unlike other resins, flexible resins aren’t very good for decorative applications. They aren’t as capable of finer details or thinner prints as normal resins, and so are mainly used for practical applications.

This makes them very useful compared to standard resins, and are highly sought after as a result.

The most common application is prototyping. Flexible resin’s durability makes it ideal for testing high-impact parts needed in vehicle repair and maintenance.

On the less mechanical side, flexible resins are great for cobbling as well. Rubber shoe soles need to withstand frequent weight and impact without losing durability or cracking, making flexible resins invaluable as cheap alternatives to standard shoe repair.

Flexible resins are also excellent for wearable items like scuba goggles, which need to be strong enough to be watertight, but comfortable enough to be worn.

With all of this in mind, let’s take a look at some of the best places to buy flexible resins and why they’re ideal.

Best Flexible Resins

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Anycubic Flexible Tough Resin

• Price: $60/kg – Available at Anycubic here / Available at Amazon here
• Wavelength: 365 – 405nm
• Shore Hardness: Shore D 76
• Available Colors: White, Black, Gray, Clear, and Translucent Green

As its name suggests, Anycubic’s flexible tough resin prides itself on flexibility that won’t break while bending. With high tensile strength and enhanced durability, it’s a top choice for those of you who want to make reliable parts that literally won’t crack under pressure.

Along with this robustness comes Anycubic’s promise that it’s just as high-quality as its other resins. With low shrinkage and high accuracy, this is a flexible resin ideal for model and mechanical parts that need to withstand repeated impacts like mechanical parts and wearable items.

It can also handle mechanical pressure, making it great for parts in moving projects like clocks. However, its relatively high Shore hardness does mean that it’s not ideal for more bendable projects like watch straps or belts.

As a flexible resin, it’s capable of the same kind of detailing as standard resins or Anycubic’s own Resin+, but its rigidity and flexibility combine to make a sturdy resin that’s ideal for more practical applications than decorative ones.

Anycubic also has a better color selection for its flexible resin than most other manufacturers, which is good news if you don’t like being restricted to dull or dark colors.

Anycubic offers one of the strongest flexible resins on this list, ideal for professionals who need to make or prototype good, reliable parts that need to withstand constant impact. It’s also one of the cheapest flexible resins available, which is great for those of you on a budget who don’t mind their flexible resins being a little harder than most.

• Read more: Anycubic vs Elegoo resins

Formlabs Flexible and Elastic Resins

• Price: $204/L – Available at Dynamism here
• Shore Hardness: Shore A 80
• Available Colors: Clear Only

Formlabs’ flexible resin might be on the more expensive end of the scale, but it’s definitely designed for professional applications. Water-tight masks and parts will be able to take advantage of its lower Shore hardness when compared to Anycubic, making it softer and more malleable.

That’s not to say it will squish, however, as a Shore A 80 hardness means it’s roughly as rigid as a rubber shoe heel. While this is ideal for standard prototyping and part repairs, it doesn’t have the same impact resistance as something in the D range.

If you’re looking for something more bendable, though, Formlabs also offers an elastic resin, with a Shore hardness of 50 A, making it only slightly harder than a standard pencil eraser.

While ‘elastic’ is a bit of a misnomer, it may still prove useful to those of you looking for something a little softer than most flexible resins on the market.

Siraya Tech Tenacious Flexible Resin

• Price: Check price on Amazon here
• Wavelength: 405nm
• Recommended Printer Temperature: 25℃ at least
• Shore Hardness: Shore D 65
• Available Colors: Clear and Obsidian Black

Siraya Tech’s boldly named Tenacious flexible resin is a resin that balances tensile strength and flexibility quite impressively, especially at such a low price.

While most flexible resins aren’t designed for thinner parts and projects, Siraya Tech’s Tenacious resin lives up to its name by being both flexible and tough. Bendable up to 180 degrees without breaking, this flexible resin is perfect for fasteners like watch straps and belts.

Its post-cure Shore hardness shows it to be just harder than a shopping cart wheel, which puts it somewhere between the relatively soft Formlabs flexible resin, and Anycubic’s flexible tough resin. So if you found Anycubic to be too tough and Formlabs too soft, then Siraya Tech’s Tenacious resin should be just right.

While the color selection may be lacking, the clear version is quite easy to dye. So don’t be discouraged if you’re set on the Tenacious resin but would rather have more hues to choose from.

Photocentric Flexible UV160TR

• Price: $80/L – Available at Matterhackers here
• Shore Hardness: Shore A 86
• Available Colors: Clear Only

Photocentric’s flexible resin may not have a flashy name like all the others, but it doesn’t really need one. This easily-dyed flexible resin is highly compatible with most resin printers and offers impressive elasticity and tensile strength.

Ideal for things like shoe repair and handlebar grips, it’s sturdy enough to withstand high impacts and frequent movement while being tougher than many others.

For example, Photocentric can be rotated up to around 200 degrees before breaking, making it stronger than Siraya Tech, albeit more expensive.

For a flexible resin, its Shore hardness is fairly average, meaning it’s not so soft that it would be unreliable in mechanical parts, but not so hard that it’s difficult to work with.

When it comes to post-processing, however, it is a little more finicky. If you normally use alcohol solutions to clean up your resin prints, you’ll be disappointed to hear that Photocentric’s flexible resin does not react well to this with some users reporting it ‘melting’.

To be safe, wash it with clean warm water instead. Normally, this wouldn’t be ideal for high-resolution resin prints, but it’s not too much of a downside here as flexible resins aren’t generally capable of the resolution standard prints are anyway.

If you’re a professional who wants to ensure thorough research before adding to your cart, then you’ll be happy to know that all details of the well-tested UV160TR flexible resin are available in this PDF.

PrimaCreator Flexible Resin

• Price: ~$90/kg – Available at Prusa store here
• Shore Hardness: Shore D 65
• Available Colors: Clear Only

Available from trusted 3D printing provider Prusa, PrimaCreator flexible resin is ideal for beginners due to its easy printability and no-nonsense post-processing.

Unlike many other manufacturers, PrimaCreator is quite upfront about the fact that its flexible resin’s resolution is significantly worse than those of standard UV resins. It makes up for this with robust tensile strength and easy usability.

Post-processing with standard alcohol solutions won’t ruin prints made from this flexible resin like it would with Photocentric’s brand. This means you won’t need to take any extra or special precautions than you would with normal resin printing.

It’s quite hard for a flexible resin, and isn’t as durable as other brands, but it’s still highly impact-resistant and fast-curing. While still highly compatible, it’s designed to be used best with Prusa resin printers, so it’s mainly for those of you with brand loyalty, or who just already happen to own – or are already interested in purchasing – a Prusa printer.

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• The strongest resin brands
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Here we’re going to look at two different resins from well-known resin 3D printing companies Anycubic and Elegoo, to give you a good idea of which one you should choose.

Specifically, we’ll look at odor, safety, color options, material variety, price, and general performance between the two.

Selecting which 3D printer resin is right for you is important. No one wants to be let down with failed prints or sub-par materials or other disadvantages. Even if you trust and love your resin 3D printer, it doesn’t mean the company you bought it from manufactures quality materials.

So, we’ll run through the major factors for Anycubic’s resin range, and Elegoo’s to help you pick which is best for you.

Elegoo vs Anycubic Resin — An Overview

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While we will be looking over the particulars later, here we’ll look at the key features of Elegoo and Anycubic resins at a glance.

Both Anycubic and Elegoo resins are affordable and reliable resins, so while either one is a good choice, the main differences are color variety and available range of materials, all of which we’ll look at today to help you make your decision.

Elegoo Resin

• Price: Check latest price at Elegoo here / Amazon here
• Colors: 11 color options
• Resin range: mostly geared towards hobbyists

Elegoo resins are simple, no-nonsense resins that are compatible with just about any resin 3D printer.

Their standard resins come in a wide variety of colors from white, red, green, and even translucent, and they offer a plant-based resin for anyone looking to be more eco-friendly with their 3D printing.

As an affordable 3D printing manufacturer, Elegoo often has sales on their resins that bring the prices under $20 for 500g bottles of standard colored resins, which is a very difficult price to beat. This includes their run-of-the-mill photopolymer resin, their plant-based resin, and even their highly sought-after water washable resins.

Overall, opting for an Elegoo resin won’t leave you disappointed in price or quality, and their wide range of available colors is great news for those of you who are sick of the white and gray options many of us had to start with.

The key reason many people go for Elegoo resins is their low odor. Where many types of resin tend to stink up the room, Elegoo has managed to adapt its formula to be both relatively odor-free and have a surprisingly long shelf life of up to 12 months if stored correctly.

Anycubic Resin

• Price: Check latest price at Anycubic here / Amazon here
• Colors: 7 color options
• Resin range: professional and hobbyist resin options

Anycubic has a surprisingly extensive variety of resins for both personal and professional use. As a very well-known and trusted manufacturer, you’ve likely heard of them and their resins before.

Anycubic resins mainly deal in toughness and durability, and that’s not even specifying their Flexible Tough resin. They have good bed adhesion which makes them easy to pry from your printer with minimal risk of bending or damage, and are praised for their high-resolution prints.

While more expensive on average than Elegoo resins, the price difference is negligible for their more standard resins.

Like Elegoo, Anycubic resins are highly compatible with most resin 3D printers. While they don’t offer as much color variety as Elegoo resins, Anycubic makes up for this with stronger, more resilient prints that don’t sacrifice quality for rigidity.

Anycubic resins are also relatively odorless, arguably more than Elegoo. While neither option should require the use of a clothespin, Anycubic is the better option if you have a particularly sensitive sense of smell.

Now that you have a general idea of what both Elegoo and Anycubic resins offer, let’s take a closer look and the particulars of each to help you get an even clearer picture of what you’ll be getting into with each.

Smell/Safety

Winner: Anycubic

Many 3D printer resins have a frankly obnoxious smell, especially while printing. Because of this, many manufacturers have made waves in perfecting their formulas to reduce this problem. Both Elegoo and Anycubic are examples of such manufacturers.

This is linked largely to their toxicity. Unpleasant smells are generally how our bodies warn us to not get too close (or worse, consume) something that would do us no favors. The same goes for resins.

Annoying as these unpleasant odors are, the worse the smell, the more toxic the fumes.

Fortunately, both Anycubic and Elegoo resins are low-odor and are much better for air quality. This is especially good news if you happen to work in an enclosed or otherwise poorly ventilated space.

Despite low-odor being a key feature of both, Anycubic is more odorless than Elegoo, even if only slightly. While this means there’s little difference between the two, Anycubic is the marginally better option if you’re particularly sensitive to smells or are understandably worried about the air quality of your workspace.

Color Choice

Winner: Elegoo

While it may be possible to create a masterpiece with a single color, there’s a reason most painters have palettes. Color variety is important for creativity, and it’s always good to have plenty of options even if you’re only buying one bottle.

While both Anycubic and Elegoo resins come with a choice of colors, Elegoo has noticeably more options. Looking at their standard resins alone, Anycubic offers a choice of 7 colors while Elegoo offers 11, which includes clear resins.

The differences here are also noticeable in other kinds of resins each offers. Elegoo’s water-washable resin has 10 colors to choose from, while Anycubic only offers 5. That’s not to say Anycubic resin has worse color choices, there simply isn’t as much of a range, which can be a dealbreaker for many.

If you want more options when it comes to the hue of your prints, Elegoo is the superior choice regardless of what specific kind of resin you’re looking for.

Price

Winner: Elegoo

Cost is often a deciding factor when choosing between different brands, and you’ll be happy to know that both Elgoo and Anycubic resins are highly affordable.

Overall, Elegoo resin is the cheaper option, with their standard, water-wash, plant-based, and even ABS-like resins costing less than $20 per 500g. Compare this to Anycubic’s standard resin starting at exactly $20 per 500g, and you’ve got a clear winner in terms of cost.

However, the price difference between the two isn’t so simple. The cost of $20 stated above is for Anycubic’s Resin+, which boasts higher viscosity, better resolution, and a longer shelf life of 18 months (compared to Elegoo resin’s 12 months).

In fact, Anycubic offers their colored resins at $16 per 500g, a very similar cost to Elegoo’s $16.15. The only reason Elegoo really wins here is that Anycubic’s standard colored UV resin is only available in 1kg bottles for $32, meaning Elegoo is still the better choice if you’re on a budget.

Environmental Friendliness

Winner: Tie

Environmental concerns are more common than ever these days, and many people are opting for more plant-based and ecologically-friendly materials.

Both Elegoo and Anycubic offer plant-based resins that promise the same great quality prints with more eco-conscious ingredients like soybeans.

Elegoo’s plant-based resin is a newer addition to their collection, meaning Anycubic have had more time to create an odor-free, biodegradable, and safe version. Though both are praised for low shrinkage, high compatibility, and great quality prints you’d expect from any good resin.

Whichever you choose, you can feel confident that you’ll be getting a truly eco-friendly resin at an astoundingly great price. While I personally recommend Anycubic for this race due to its longer tenure in environmentally friendly options, Elegoo is an equally good choice in its own right.

So just like before, which one you go for may come down to price. Again, Anycubic only offers their ‘eco-resin’ in 1kg bottles for $36, while Elegoo offers 500g bottles for around $19 for 500g.

Material Options

Winner: Anycubic

Like with color, having a good range of choices for what kind of resin you want is important when it comes to narrowing down exactly which resin you’ll add to your cart. While a larger range does mean a little more research, it’s good to have different choices.

Elegoo’s range focuses entirely on personal, home-based 3D printing, while Anycubic resins also allow for professional applications like their castable resin for dental work.

If you’re reading this as a hobbyist, then this likely makes little difference to you. Both Elegoo and Anycubic resins are available as standard color, plant-based, and water-washable variants at competing prices.

Anycubic, however, offers more choice with their Resin+, castable and non-castable resins for professionals, Flexible Tough resin, and resins specializing in translucence, making them the clear winner in material variety.

Performance

Winner: Tie

The very reason we’re comparing the particulars of both Anycubic and Elegoo resins is because, on the surface, they’re both equally reliable and high-quality options for anyone looking for great 3D prints at an affordable price.

Both Elegoo and Anycubic offer low odor, low shrinkage, and great printer compatibility in their resins. All-in-all, they’re pretty great, but only really if you’re focusing on their standard resins.

While I’m considering performance in both to come out as a tie, it’s worth mentioning that Anycubic does offer their Resin+, which is an upgrade to their standard resins that boasts better print quality, higher durability, and longer shelf life.

Anycubic’s resins are also tougher than Elegoo’s on average, making them easier to work with and post-process. However, Elegoo makes up for this with faster hardening times, which is better for those of you who don’t like to wait around.

In general, I personally recommend Anycubic over Elegoo if general performance is your main priority, though I must say I’m confident you’ll be disappointed in neither.

Related articles:

• The best resin 3D printers for miniatures
• Strongest 3D printer resins compared
• Best flexible resin
• Best Anycubic 3D Printers
• Best Elegoo 3D Printers
• Best resin 3D prints – coolest resin 3D printer files and STLs

But, it does produce much higher resolution prints with finer details and features than FDM filaments, so it’s no wonder makers and businesses favor it for decorative, artistic, and prototyping parts.

Best Budget ABS-Like Resin	Best Flexible Resin	Best Engineering Resin
eSUN Hard-Tough Resin	Liqcreate Flexible X	BASF Ultracur3d Rigid RG35
3DSourced Rating:	3DSourced Rating:	3DSourced Rating:
Primary Rating: 4.3	Primary Rating: 4.7	Primary Rating: 4.5
$23.74$22.55	$65-155	$119
Amazon here	MatterHackers here	MatterhHackers here

Best Budget ABS-Like Resin

eSUN Hard-Tough Resin

3DSourced Rating:

Primary Rating:

4.3

$23.74$22.55

Amazon here

Best Flexible Resin

Liqcreate Flexible X

3DSourced Rating:

Primary Rating:

4.7

$65-155

MatterHackers here

Best Engineering Resin

BASF Ultracur3d Rigid RG35

3DSourced Rating:

Primary Rating:

4.5

$119

MatterhHackers here

For projects requiring extra resin toughness, there’s a growing trend of offering more durable and stronger 3D printer resin among manufacturers.

In this guide, we’ll explore the strongest 3D printer resins, how strong they are, and the applications they best suit.

The Strongest 3D Printer Resins

1. ABS-Like Tough Resin

ABS-Like resin is a catch-all term used for what we’ll call the more standard type of robust 3D printer resin. As the name implies, it pulls in some of the properties of ABS: shatter-proof, decent levels of detail, impact-resistant, and heat-resistant.

If we compare ABS-like resin vs standard resin, ABS-like is a strong option for all types of durable resin 3D printing projects where a downgrade in overall surface finish and detail is acceptable.

Recommended ABS-Like resins:

• Peopoly Moai Tough Resin: Available in clear color and suitable for SLA printers, Peopoly Moai is a strong resin that can take a beating. It’s among the lowest-cost options out there, so one for those that want the benefits of tough resin without the high prices.
• eSun Hard-Tough Resin: Designed to work with LCD printers, eSun’s tough resin boasts a higher toughness impact resistance than typical ABS-like resing. It works particularly well for durable parts that benefit from a rugged material. It also has strong mechanical properties and can sustain drilling without any structural damage.

2. Flexible Resin

Flexible resin offers more elasticity than standard resin, approaching the properties of rubber and FDM flexible materials like TPU.

Printed parts are firm and have a high elongation at break percentage. They can be bent and easily pulled out of shape without breaking or shattering. Due to its elastic properties, flexible resin offers excellent impact and shatter resistance, much like rubber.

A sure-fire sign of a flexible resin is its transparent quality. Shore Hardness, a measure of a material’s overall hardness, is generally used to indicate the flexibility of the resin, usually around 80A.

Recommended flexible resins:

• Formlabs Flexible 80A: An elastomeric resin, Flexible 80A offers superb flexibility for a resin along with stiff shape retaining properties that resembles rubber. It bounces back when pressed, and offers a soft-to-the-touch surface finish.
• Liqcreate Flexible X: As the marketing blurb notes, Flexible-X is soft, flexible, and elastic with excellent rebound properties thrown in for good measure. It can elongate up to 160% and is compatible with all types of resin printers – SLA, LCD, MSLA, DLP.
• Siraya Tech Tenacious Flexible Resin: Siraya Tech Tenacious Flexible Resin stands out for its high impact resistance and flexible properties. According to Siraya, a part printed with the resin can withstand being bent 180° without snapping or shattering.
• PrimaCreator Value Flex Resin: PrimaCreator Value Flex Resin is a great option for those looking for an affordable tough flexible resin. It has an elongation at break of 130% and excels at bringing out details.

3. Engineering Resin

Engineering resin is a name given to a group of tough resins with different properties destined for professional, usually engineering-based applications with a hefty price tag in tow.

Popular variants include tough resins similar to ABS-like, flexible resins, strong and rigid resins with high thermal and chemical resistance, and reinforced resins.

These are chiefly designed for product development, prototyping, rugged end-use parts, housings, enclosures, jigs, fixtures, connectors, robotics, medical devices, turbines, fan blades, electrical casings, automotive housings, and more.

Recommended Engineering 3D Printer Resin:

• Liqcreate Strong-X: An incredibly tough and strong resin, the Liqcreate Strong-X boasts one of the best tensile strengths on the market at 84 MPa. It’s stiff, heat resistant, and is compatible with SLA, MSLA, and DLP resin 3D printers. It’s also well-priced for an engineering resin.
• BASF Ultracur3D Rigid RG35: BASF Ultracur3D Rigid RG35 offers superb rigidity and durability while also being reasonably flexible. It’s also moisture resistant and has a solid 49 MPa tensile strength.
• Formlabs Tough 4000 Resin: Formlabs Tough 4000 Resin aims to offer both stiffness and precision through a glass reinforced composition. This results in a polished finish, while also being resistant to deformation over time.

4. Biocompatible Resin

Biocompatible resin is designed to meet medical standards for prolonged skin contact, making them popular in fields such as dentistry and other prosthetic-producing medical fields. The properties of biocompatible resin are generally identical to standard tough resin with high tensile strength.

Some biocompatible resins emphasize resistance to fluids, fractures, shattering, wear and tear, heat (for sterilization purposes), and chemicals to ensure they retain their structure and shape when in contact with fluids, skin, and high temperatures.

Common applications include dental models and retainers, anatomical models, splints, wearable technology, surgical tools, laboratory jigs, fixtures, tools, and other medical devices.

Recommended Biocompatible Resin:

• B9Creations BioRes: A durable, impact resistant resin, B9Creations BioRes is designed for prolonged skin contact, making it suitable for dental and medical applications. At $320 a bottle, it doesn’t come cheap, though.
• Loctite 3D MED413 HDT60 Tough: Loctite 3D MED413 HDT60 Tough targets medical applications thanks to ISO 10993-5 & -10 standard biocompatibility. It’s designed to retain all its properties at body temperature. Other features include a smooth surface finish and solid tensile properties. Common applications include hearing aids and medical equipment components.

5. Speciality Resins

Specialty resins boast special properties alongside the toughest expected from strong resins that make them useful for specific applications. They tend to carry a hefty price tag due to their more complex formulas, reaching hundreds of dollars per bottle.

High-temperature resins can sustain air, fluid, and gas flows at high temperatures for applications such as mounts, fixtures, molds, inserts, and housings.

ESD resin is also considered a Speciality resin and is designed for parts used alongside electrical components. They are typically static-dissipative: trays, end-use components, prototypes, tools, and fixtures.

Others include magnetic resin, chemical resistant resin, and monomer-free resin.

Recommended Speciality Resin:

• Formlabs ESD Resin: Formlabs ESD Resin is designed for parts sitting alongside electrical components and circuitry. Applications include, static-dissipative parts and enclosure for electronics.
• 3Dresyn MH Magnet Holder: 3Dresyn MH Magnet Holder is an ultra-tough and rigid resin designed to latch onto magnetic surfaces.
• Liqcreate Composite-X: One of the strongest resins on the market, Liqcreate Composite-X boasts an 85 MPa tensile strength thanks to a formula that includes reinforced nano-micro composites. It works in SLA, MSLA, LCD, and DLP resin printers. Other attributes include chemical resistance and low shrinkage.

Tough Resin Applications

• Wearables
• Prototypes
• Gadgets and products subject to wear and tear
• End-use parts
• Aerospace
• Automotive
• Machinery components
• Dental applications
• Jewelry
• RC model parts
• Hinges
• Joints
• Shatter-resistant parts
• Seat belt clasps
• Enclosures

Resin Strength Explained

Tough resins exist to tap into the coveted high-quality detail and precision of resin but also provide resistance against wear and tear, stress, impacts, compression, and strain. This makes it particularly beneficial for applications with low tolerance and high compliance, such as engineering and functional prototyping.

Just how strong is the strongest resin for 3D printing? And is resin stronger than FDM filament?

Here’s a breakdown of the average tensile strength – a measure used to signal the max stress or weight material can sustain – of standard resin, the strongest 3D printer resin, and some popular FDM filament types, ABS and PLA.

• ABS – 32 MPa
• PLA – 28 MPa
• Standard Resin – 20 MPa
• Tough Resin – 40-50 MPa on average up to 170 MPa for the strongest SLA resin

It’s important to note that these represent averages. Tensile strength and the perceived toughness can vary drastically based on the quality of the filament, layer height, and the structure of the printed part.

But, for a general understanding of how materials differ, these give us a good idea of how much stronger tough resin is than standard resin. Resin print strength is substantially improved when using tough variants.

Strong Resin Pros & Cons

FAQs

What Is the Strongest 3D Printer Resin?

The strongest 3D printer resin currently available is Liqcreate’s Composite-X. It features a tensile strength of up to 85 MPa when UV and thermally cured properly, which is roughly four that of typical resin. This toughness is chiefly due to the use of reinforced nano-micro composite that makes it suitable for applications such as functional, rapid prototyping, industrial uses, and wind tunnel testing.

Which Resin Is the Strongest?

The strongest resin is typically engineering resin, formulated for high stress and strain applications, and aims to match the strength of injection-molded plastics. Alongside tensile strength, engineering resin tends to offer better chemical resistance and stiffness than typical 3D printing resin.

Second to engineering resin for toughness is ABS-like resin, which takes many of the tougher qualities of ABS to deliver durable, shatterproof, impact-resistant 3D printer parts. It’s also possible to buy tough resins that weave in some of the elasticity usually found in flexible materials. These aim to match the properties of rubber with excellent rebound performance, elongate at break, and smooth surface finish.

Can Resin Prints Be Strong?

Yes, resin prints, specifically tough resin, can indeed be strong, at least compared to what we’d usually expect from the material, which is typically fragile and breaks easily. If you want to create stronger resin prints, look to ABS-like tough resin, engineering resin, and flexible resin. These are available with up to four times the tensile strength of standard 3D printing resin.

Aside from using strong 3D printer resin, other factors can boost a part or model’s strength. These include using larger layer heights, employing supports during printing, and adhering to the proper, manufacturer-recommended washing and curing process. For the best results, we recommend adhering strictly to manufacturer-recommended temperature settings and cure times.

Other related articles:

• Large Resin 3D Printers
• Best Resin 3D Printers
• DIY Resin SLA 3D Printers
• Best 3D Printers
• Anycubic vs Elegoo resin comparison
• Resin curing UV light buyer’s guide
• Coolest resin 3D prints (with STL files you can download)