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3D Printer Filament Tier List

Welcome to the ultimate guide for choosing the right 3D printer filament. This tier list is curated to help you identify the best filaments for your projects. Each filament is categorized based on its properties, ease of printing, and applications.

Table of Contents

Long story short:

Top 5 Best 3D Printer Filaments (Bambu Labs P1S)

Based on versatility, ease of print, and reasonable price, here are the five best filaments for your Bambu Labs P1S:

  1. PCTG (Polycyclohexylene Terephthalate Glycol-Modified)

    • Versatility: Highly impact-resistant and durable.
    • Ease of Print: Low warping, easy to print.
    • Reasonable Price: More expensive than PETG but worth it for its performance.
    • Ideal Uses: High-stress functional prototypes, mechanical parts, and household items.

  2. CFPLA (Carbon Fiber PLA)

    • Versatility: Stiff, strong, and dimensionally stable.
    • Ease of Print: Prints like regular PLA.
    • Reasonable Price: Slightly more expensive than standard PLA.
    • Ideal Uses: Functional parts, engineering prototypes, and aesthetic prints.

  3. PETG (Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol-Modified)

    • Versatility: Suitable for a wide range of projects.
    • Ease of Print: Slightly more challenging than PLA but still straightforward.
    • Reasonable Price: Affordable and widely available.
    • Ideal Uses: Enclosures, household items, and mechanical parts.

  4. ASA (Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate)

    • Versatility: UV-resistant and weather-resistant.
    • Ease of Print: Prints like ABS but with less warping.
    • Reasonable Price: Moderately priced, comparable to ABS.
    • Ideal Uses: Outdoor projects, enclosures, automotive parts.

  5. Tough PLA

    • Versatility: Improved impact resistance over standard PLA.
    • Ease of Print: Prints like regular PLA.
    • Reasonable Price: Slightly more expensive than standard PLA.
    • Ideal Uses: Prototypes, mechanical parts, and household items.

Tier List Overview

  • S Tier: The best filaments that you should design your projects around whenever possible.
  • A Tier: Excellent filaments with minor drawbacks that make them slightly less universal than S Tier.
  • B Tier: Solid filaments that are highly useful but have specific limitations.
  • C Tier: Situational filaments that excel in specific use cases but aren't versatile.
  • F Tier: Filaments to avoid unless you have very specific requirements.

Tier Definitions

  • S Tier (Superb): Best in class; prioritize using these filaments.
  • A Tier (Excellent): Great choice but not universally applicable.
  • B Tier (Good): Decent filaments for specific projects.
  • C Tier (Average): Niche use cases, sub-optimal for general purposes.
  • F Tier (Fail): Generally avoid unless absolutely necessary.

Filament Tier List Table

Tier Abbr. Full Name Description / Use Case
S PLA+ Tough PLA Improved version of PLA, higher impact resistance, great all-purpose.
S CFPLA Carbon Fiber PLA Stiffer, crisper details, matte finish.
S CFPTG Carbon Fiber PETG Stiff, heat-resistant, durable. Ideal for functional prototypes.
S PCTG Polycyclohexylene Terephthalate Glycol-Modified Heat-resistant, versatile, easy to print. Perfect for high-stress applications.
S PETG Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol-Modified Versatile, durable, and transparent.
S TPU Thermoplastic Polyurethane Extremely tough, flexible, great for protective gear and hinges.
S GFPA Glass-Filled Nylon Extremely tough, high strength, high impact resistance, ideal for mechanical parts.
A PLA Polylactic Acid Affordable, easy to print, fast. Excellent for basic prototyping.
A ASA Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate Weather-resistant, UV-resistant, ideal for outdoor projects.
A CFPC Carbon Fiber Polycarbonate High strength, stiff, abrasion-resistant.
A PSU Polysulfone High heat resistance, sterilizable, useful for medical applications.
A PEI Polyetherimide High strength, heat-resistant, chemical-resistant.
A CFPA6 Carbon Fiber PA6 Nylon Lightweight, high-strength, impact-resistant.
A PCBT Polycarbonate Butylene Terephthalate High heat resistance, versatile, low warping.
A SEBS Styrene Ethylene Butylene Styrene Stretchy, flexible, and smooth to print.
B WoodPLA Wood-Filled PLA Natural finish, suitable for decorative projects.
B SilkPLA Silk PLA High-gloss, aesthetic prints. Ideal for showpieces.
B ABS Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene Strong, impact-resistant, affordable. Great for mechanical parts.
B PET Polyethylene Terephthalate Heat-resistant, stiff. High-performance engineering polymer.
B HIPS High Impact Polystyrene Support material, low density, wearable devices.
B PA6 Polyamide 6 (Nylon 6) Impact-resistant, high-strength. Ideal for durable mechanical parts.
B GFPP Glass-Filled Polypropylene Lightweight, durable, and suitable for industrial machinery.
C PA12 Polyamide 12 (Nylon 12) High temperature resistance, strong layer adhesion.
C CFPA12 Carbon Fiber PA12 Nylon Stiffer, but harder to print than PA6.
C PC Polycarbonate Transparent, strong, heat-resistant.
C POM Polyoxymethylene (Acetal) Low friction, chemical-resistant, hard to print.
C PMMA Polymethyl Methacrylate (Acrylic) Transparent, UV-resistant, outdoor projects.
C OBC Olefin Block Copolymers Semi-flexible, versatile, but tricky bed adhesion.
C PPS Polyphenylene Sulfide Chemical-resistant, high temperature stability.
C PEC Polyether Ketone Ketone Heat-resistant, chemical-resistant, strong.
C PACF Carbon Fiber PA6 Nylon Strong but challenging to print.
C Peak Polyether Ether Ketone Exceptional strength, chemical resistance, tough but expensive.
F TPE Thermoplastic Elastomer Very stretchy but difficult to print and often deforms.
F PVDF Polyvinylidene Fluoride Chemical-resistant but decomposes into toxic fumes.
F PP Polypropylene Extremely tough but warps heavily and has poor bed adhesion.
F HDPE High-Density Polyethylene Lightweight but warps and splits easily.
F TPI Thermoplastic Polyimide High temperature resistance but impossible to print.
F PVB Polyvinyl Butyral Alcohol-soluble, vapor smoothing, but sticky and weak.
F Palm Polyoxymethylene (Acetal, Delrin) Low friction, but highly toxic, impossible to print.
F Ultem Polyetherimide (Ultem 9085) High temperature, chemical resistance, but weaker than 1010.

Filament Descriptions

S Tier Filaments

  • Tough PLA: A variant of PLA with added polybutylene terephthalate (PBT). It is tougher than standard PLA, offering higher impact resistance while remaining easy to print.

  • Carbon Fiber PLA (CFPLA): Features carbon fiber additives that improve stiffness and provide a matte finish. Ideal for engineering prototypes.

  • Carbon Fiber PETG (CFPTG): Combines the durability and heat resistance of PETG with carbon fiber reinforcement. Ideal for high-stress parts.

  • Polycyclohexylene Terephthalate Glycol-Modified (PCTG): Offers greater chemical resistance, impact resistance, and printability than PETG.

  • Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol-Modified (PETG): A versatile filament that provides good strength, chemical resistance, and transparency.

  • Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU): A highly flexible filament that remains durable and resistant to tearing.

  • Glass-Filled Nylon (GFPA): Extremely tough, high strength, high impact resistance. Ideal for mechanical parts in chainsaws, handguns, and heavy-duty machinery.

A Tier Filaments

  • Polylactic Acid (PLA): The most common and beginner-friendly filament. Affordable and easy to print.

  • Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate (ASA): UV-resistant, weather-resistant, suitable for outdoor projects.

  • Carbon Fiber Polycarbonate (CFPC): A carbon fiber-filled polycarbonate offering superior stiffness and heat resistance.

  • Polysulfone (PSU): High-temperature resistant, sterilizable, suitable for medical applications.

  • Polyetherimide (PEI): High heat resistance, strength, and chemical resistance.

  • Carbon Fiber PA6 Nylon (CFPA6): Lightweight, high-strength, impact-resistant.

  • Polycarbonate Butylene Terephthalate (PCBT): Offers superior surface quality, low warping, and versatile printability.

  • Styrene Ethylene Butylene Styrene (SEBS): A flexible, stretchy filament that combines the properties of TPE and ABS.

B Tier Filaments

  • Wood-Filled PLA (WoodPLA): PLA mixed with wood fibers that produce a natural finish.

  • Silk PLA: PLA variant with a glossy finish, suitable for aesthetic prints.

  • Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS): Durable and affordable. Great for mechanical parts.

  • Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET): Heat-resistant, stiff. High-performance engineering polymer.

  • High Impact Polystyrene (HIPS): Support material, low density, wearable devices.

  • Polyamide 6 (Nylon 6, PA6): Impact-resistant, high-strength. Ideal for durable mechanical parts.

  • Glass-Filled Polypropylene (GFPP): Lightweight, durable, and suitable for industrial machinery.

C Tier Filaments

  • Polyamide 12 (Nylon 12, PA12): Offers high temperature resistance and improved layer adhesion.

  • Carbon Fiber PA12 Nylon (CFPA12): Stiffer, but harder to print than PA6.

  • Polycarbonate (PC): Transparent, strong, and heat-resistant.

  • Polyoxymethylene (Acetal, POM): Low-friction, chemical-resistant, but challenging to print.

  • Polymethyl Methacrylate (Acrylic, PMMA): Transparent, UV-resistant, outdoor projects.

  • Olefin Block Copolymers (OBC): Semi-flexible, versatile, but tricky bed adhesion.

  • Polyphenylene Sulfide (PPS): Chemical-resistant, high temperature stability.

  • Polyether Ketone Ketone (PEC): Heat-resistant, chemical-resistant, strong.

  • Carbon Fiber PA6 Nylon (PACF): Strong but challenging to print.

  • Polyether Ether Ketone (Peak): Exceptional strength, chemical resistance, tough but expensive.

F Tier Filaments

  • Thermoplastic Elastomer (TPE): Very stretchy but difficult to print and often deforms.

  • Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF): Chemical-resistant but decomposes into toxic fumes.

  • Polypropylene (PP): Lightweight and tough, but warps heavily and has poor bed adhesion.

  • High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE): Lightweight, but warps and splits easily.

  • Thermoplastic Polyimide (TPI): High temperature resistance but impossible to print.

  • Polyvinyl Butyral (PVB): Alcohol-soluble, suitable for vapor smoothing but weak.

  • Polyoxymethylene (Palm, Delrin): Low friction, but highly toxic, impossible to print.

  • Polyetherimide (Ultem 9085): High temperature resistance but weaker than 1010.

Feel free to contribute, suggest improvements, and fork this repository!

**Created by 0xBerto