Advances in technology in recent years have brought many excellent tools that we can use to accomplish a wider variety of tasks with more convenience and efficiency. One of the most exciting technological advancements has come through the development of 3D printing technology into what it is today. The price point for 3D Delta printers has really come down so that they are now within reach of anyone who wants to explore the world of 3D creation!
Now hobbyists can create 3D objects for gaming, collecting, tool and model creation, decorative statues and planters and even tools!
Perfect for producing several objects at a quicker pace, there are plenty of options when you are looking for the best Delta 3D printer.
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If you are in a hurry and short of time, here is a glimpse of my top picks for the best Delta 3D printer:
- FLSUN Q5 Delta 3D Printer – Best Entry Level 3D Delta Printer
- FLSUN QQ-S
- Monoprice Delta PRO – Best Workhorse 3D Printer
- Frankensbox fx-800 3D Printer
- FLSUN Mini Delta 3D Printer
- Delta Go Smart Desktop 3D Printer
- HE3D K280 Delta DIY 3D Printer kit
- Monoprice 121666 Mini Delta 3D Printer
- Silhouette Alta Plus
- K200 Single Head Delta 3D Printer by HE3D
Best Delta 3D Printer Rated and Reviewed
Delta 3D printers operate using three arms that slide on three rails, using a trigonometric function that rotates the printer head at multiple angles. Because of their taller height, they are capable of printing much taller objects than a cartesian printer.
One of the advantages of a Delta 3D printer is the speed with which it prints. However, it’s a double-edged sword because sometimes fine detail may be sacrificed for speed.
Delta printers often come as ‘kits’ meaning, they are not ready to use right out of the box, and need some assembly before use, often requiring the user to have experience with 3D printers and the tweaking and upgrades to custom engineer the printer.
If you need help finding the ideal product, I can help you find the best delta 3D printer. In this guide, I rounded up some of the best products available in the market, along with reviews and a buying guide to help you make a well-informed decision.
1. FLSUN Q5 Delta 3D Printer <<Excellent entry-level 3D printer
The FLSUN Q5 Delta is a great performing entry-level 3D printer. It is capable of printing approximately 7.8 inch tall objects ( 200 x 200 mm area). It functions the best if you don’t run it at slow speed. My top recommendation is geared for the first time user and non-engineer expert.
- Lattice glass platform
- Self-leveling base with continuous calibration
- Touch screen control
- Highly rated by owners
- Low price point
- Resumes printing recovery if power breaks
- Durable Titan extruder
- Easy assembly with youtube videos
- 32 bit board
Our rating: 98%
2. FLSUN QQ-S – Great Delta printer for experienced users
The Flsun QQ-S comes 90% pre-assembled with an all-metal fuselage and stable structure. The platform is lattice glass which allows for firm gluing of the printed object during printing and easier removal after. An SD card with instructions and software is included. 31 inches high without a reel. You will need to open the base and change the voltage to 110 before using it for the first time, as it comes preset to 220 v. Customer support via Skype will help you out for questions. It has a large 200 x 200 print area. The FLSUN QQ-S comes highly rated by experienced users, and is the best choice for hobbyists and professionals who like to re-engineer and tinker with everything they own!
- 32 bit processor
- Titan extruder
- Very quiet running
- All metal structure
- Quick assembly
- Wi-Fi remote controller
- Double fan cooling system
- Ultra-high printing speed
- Not the best choice for beginners
Our rating: 95%
3. Delta Pro 3D Printer by Monoprice – Best workhorse 3D Delta Printer
The Delta 3D printer is a high-end delta 3D printer that offers a wide range of capabilities and applications and is capable of all day use. The 3D printer comes with an auto-leveling bed that relieves you of the painstaking task of calibrating the machine.
The device has a larger than average printing size and allows you to make most models without printing several parts separately. It significantly reduces time to do larger projects, and it is also a durable machine. Its all-metal construction ensures that it will not warp or shift around easily. It provides you an overall more precise machine with better results.
- Maintains constant temperature when printing
- Doesn’t require adjusting the ambient temperature in the area
- All-metal construction prevents warping
- High price point
- Offers a printing area of 270x300mm
Our Rating: 94% We’re docking a few points for the high price point
4. Frankensbox fx-800 3D Printer – Good beginner Delta printer
Probably the easiest to use Delta printer is the Frankensbox fx-800 as it comes all assembled and literally just plug-in and go right out of the box. It is pretty quiet, with 50 dB while working.
I really like the enclosed printing area, as there are a few little kids running around my studio….enough said!
The maximum spool size it will hold is 25kg, so you will need to wind a larger spool onto the 25kg empty spool or create an external spool support stand (there are many free patterns online to print this).
- Wi-Fi
- Sleek design
- Fully enclosed working area for great safety
- USB
- No platform head needed
- Great customer support in USA
- Included software will work with standard 3D format files
- SD Card Slot: Print from iOS & Android devices, PC, Mac or included SD card
- Excellent Print Quality: Smooth, accurate, high resolution
- 1-Year Warranty with USA-Based Support
Our rating: 92%
5. FLSUN Mini Delta 3d Printer
For a small table top sized printer, the FLSUN Mini Delta still prints at a fairly large 260 x 260 x 370mm size. It comes preassembled and ready to go for easy setup. There are great online support groups for FLSUN where you can find answers to questions, adjustments and upgrade ad-on advice and lots of great information sharing.
- Full metal frame
- Wi-Fi capable
- Touch screen controls
- Well rated by owners
- Continuous resume printing if interrupted
- Very quiet running
Our rating: 91%
6. Delta Go Smart Desktop 3D Printer
The Delta Go Smart Desktop is a fun small sized 3D printer that comes with a 1 year commercial subscription to Autodesk Fusion 360. It comes fully assembled and ready to go right out of the box, so it is ideal for non-engineering types of users. It comes with software for slicing models for 3D printing.
- Automatic bed leveling
- Build dimensions of 4.5 inches diameter x 6 inches height. (115 x 154 mm)
- Up to 100 micron resolution
- Powder coated steel and anodized aluminum construction
- Small compact size of 8.5 inches diameter x 16 inches tall
- File types supported are STL, OBJ, and AMF
Our rating: 86%
7. HE3D K280 Delta DIY 3D Printer kit -Tallest 3D Delta printer
The HE3D K280 has an impressively large printing area and is capable of printing taller objects than most 3D printers. The amount of adjustments, tweaks and changes needed to make this printer work flawlessly means that it is unsuitable for beginners. If you are familiar with the software and upgrade ad-ons that typically improve 3D printers, then this may be a good choice for you.
- Great customer support
- Sturdy frame support
- 8 bit ,2560 chip motherboard
- Users report that using Marlin firmware works best
- Mixed review from owners
Our rating: 85%
8. Monoprice 121666 Mini Delta 3D Printer
The Monoprice 121666 comes fully assembled and ready to use right out of the box. It self-calibrates, so you don’t need to level the bedplate. The print bed and extrusion nozzle heat with a wide range of temperatures which makes switching to different filament specialty types easy. Because this is a small printer, the print size is really small!
- Steel and black anodized aluminum frame
- Wi-Fi capable or USB
- A resolution of up to 50 microns
- PLA & ABS Filament Supported
- Will use open-sourced software
- Heated bedplate
- No off switch!
- Mixed reviews by owners
Our rating: 82%
9. Silhouette Alta Plus
A good choice for crafters, the Silhouette Alta Plus has a cooling fan and uses standard 1.75 mm nonproprietary PLA filament. Also included is a free one month subscription to the Silhouette Desing Store for downloading digital file designs. Silhouette company makes digital cutting machines for paper and fabric crafting (I’ve used them for years and love the flexibility to create my own designs). Unfortunately, the customer support is wanting. 24 inches tall.
- Supported file types are STL and OBJ and studio
- Mixed reviews by owners
- Silhouette software download
Our rating: 75%
10. K200 Single Head Delta 3D Printer by HE3D
The K200 Single Head Delta 3D Printer by HE3D is a simpler product by the brand that gives you one of the most typical-looking 3D printers. It is a machine that is easy to construct, provides a high-quality result, and it comes with an inexpensive price tag.
It has an all-metal frame that makes it firm and free from warping The pulley system with four wheels provides it the mobility it needs for the printhead to get the job done. Most other 3D printers work with three wheels in their pulley system, the four wheels on this model give you more accuracy.
- Respectable printing size of 200x300mm
- Comes with an auto-leveling feature
- Has a more accurate four-wheeled pulley system
- Less than ideal customer ratings
Our Rating: 73% We’re docking it a few points for low reviews from some owners
Things to Consider While Buying the Best Delta 3D Printer
As you can see, there are several options available when it comes to finding the best delta 3D printer. Each of the products is incredibly useful as a reliable and speedy machine to make 3D printed objects. However, they have a few differentiating qualities that can make it a little challenging to decide which one to go for. This is why in this section of the article, I’m going to take a closer look at Delta 3D printers, so you can have an easier time deciding which product you want to buy.
How a Delta 3D Printer Works
Delta 3D printers and standard Cartesian-style printers have many similar moving parts. Both types of machines also use similar filaments, both standard and exotic. However, Delta 3D printers are made for faster work using heavy motors and extruders that are fixed on the sides and top of the machine.
The tool head on these printers is significantly lighter and minimal to allow the printer to maintain precision and accuracy at higher speeds. Delta 3D printers use a trigonometric system to plot the points which are translated to specific angles for each of the three articulating arms.
Due to the nature of the mechanism, these printers are typically taller and have a narrower base compared to other standard 3D printers. While these can print objects much faster, they also have limitations when it comes to size.
Pros and Cons of Delta 3D Printers
On the surface, delta 3D printers seem excellent alternatives to the typical Cartesian-style 3D printers. However, there are a few pros and cons you should be aware of while you are looking for the best delta 3D printer to ensure you are making the right decision.
Pros
- They are much faster than your typical 3D printer. Each of the articulating arms in a delta 3D printer has a separate motor powering it, allowing it to move the print head quickly across the three axes. The print head is very lightweight and minimal to allow more agility and faster movement. The Bowden extruder is a standard inclusion in Delta 3D printers to remove much of the moving parts away from the print head. Having the articulating arms and lighter printhead also allows delta 3D printers to eliminate Cartesian-style 3D printers’ speed limit. The best Delta 3D printers can give you speeds of up to five times faster than Cartesian-style counterparts.
- Ideal for making tall models or products. Due to the way delta 3D printers operate, the platform they have is limited to the area of movement between the articulating arms. This is not a substantially large area, and it limits the horizontal movement of these printers. To compensate for the lack of substantial horizontal area, these printers are made taller. The arms of a delta 3D printer can move up and down along its column-like body to create taller and detailed models and figurines.
Cons
- Speaking of tall models, the lack of horizontal area in the base makes the base relatively smaller than standard Cartesian-stye 3D printers. If you are working exclusively with a delta 3D printer and need to make a wider model, you may have to split the model into pieces that you will print out individually and join them. It adds more steps but can provide you quick results.
- Delta 3D printers are generally quite versatile, but they exclusively use Bowden extruders. These extruders optimize the rapid movement of the arms because they are the only extruder that can operate effectively in such a narrow area. While the Bowden extruder helps these machines operate at a faster speed, it comes with a drawback. If you plan on using flexible filaments, these can be prone to deforming within the extruder assembly. The Bowder extruder extends the filament’s path between the nozzles and the gears, increasing the chances of deformation for the filament. This can lead to problems with effectively extruding the filament, or possibly a clogged nozzle.
FAQs for the Best Delta 3D Printer
Q. What materials does a Delta 3D printer use?
There are various types of materials used by delta 3D printers, including:
- PLA
- ABS
- TPU
- WOOD
- PVA
- Nylon
- PP
- HIPS
- Flexible TPE/TPU
The choice of material depends on the brand and the printer.
Q. Is there a brand reputed to making the best Delta 3D printers?
- While there are several brands making excellent products in the market, Monoprice and FLSUN have established themselves as one of the primary providers when it comes to the best Delta 3D printers in the market.
Q. Is a Delta 3D printer efficient to use?
- One of the many advantages of delta 3D printers is their efficiency and speed. The construction of these 3D printers allows them to tackle work faster and do more work in less time. Delta 3D printers primarily have a design optimized for quicker production. Several models run very quietly as well, which is sometimes the deciding factor if you live in an apartment or have sleeping family nearby.
Tips, inspiration and useful extras
Let’s face it, we are the pioneers in a new era of technology! That comes with a lot of questions, experimenting and failures along the way, but this textbook can help you minimize all that!
Updated in 2020, this book will help make you an expert in 3D printing and answer just about any question you can think of.
Rustark 42 Piece 3D Print Tool Kit
If your work station or studio is just starting out, you may not have the tools you’ll need for your 3D printing experience. Here’s a starter set of useful tools!
And for those engineer inventors in your house (you or otherwise!) here’s a book of projects to get you inspired and off and running:
>Check Price On Amazon<<
Mechanical engineer geeks will love this free tutorial and free files:
Useful things to create from 2020
Check out my other articles on 3D printing for in-depth reviews and instruction
How Long Does 3D Printing Take?
Best Glow In The Dark Filament for 3D Printing
Best 3D Printers for Miniatures
Conclusion
There are various choices for Delta 3D Printers, and each product brings something unique to the table. It all becomes a matter of tallying the features and specifications against your requirements. Between the list of reviews for my top picks when it comes to the best delta 3D printer and my buying guide, I’m confident that you can find the perfect fit to suit your needs.
