Here we list the best dual extruder 3d printers available in the market. Compared with pros and cons of each you’ll be able to select the best dual extruder 3d printer at the end of this guide.
The dual extruder 3d printer is really magical. Everyone who wants to buy a 3D printer has to make this choice! The single extruder or Dual? And of course you may have decided to go with dual head and that’s why you are here. Well, let’s take a look at why you need dual extrusion?
- Printing multiple colors simultaneously
With single extruder, the result is very monotonous. There are often beautiful objects that can be printed using 3D printers, but a monotonous color makes it really dull. Here comes dual extruder to the rescue! By varying colors, you can make a lot of combinations.
- Working with support material
In some cases, it is necessary to work with support material. In a dual extruder, a soluble material can be used as a support material and it is a lot faster and smoother than using single screw extruder.
- Printing different materials simultaneously
You can use different materials in the same object. For example a wooden sculpture with plastic base.
- Faster printing
In some cases, the printing will be faster than a single extruder print.
You can get dual extruder 3D printers by spending a few more bucks than single heads. So we list the best dual extruder 3D printer for home and commercial use.
The Best Dual Extruder 3D Printers
#1 Flashforge Creator Pro – Best Dual Extruder 3d Printer Under $1000
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Flash Forge, a Chinese manufacturer producing 3D printers, filaments, and accessories since 2011 has made great strides in recent years. With a monthly production of 5,000 3D printers, they are among the top 5 3D printer manufacturers. Flash Forge focuses more on the entry-level and middle-class segment of 3D printer market and with outlets in 36 different countries, both the brand and the customer base is growing quickly.
The Flash Forge Creator Pro is referred to as a duplicate because the device is very similar to the MakerBot Replicator 2X. But that’s not bad if you get it for nearly half the price of Replicator. Right?
Flash Forge Creator Pro comes with 2 rolls standard filament, although you can start printing right away, our experience so far is that the included roles are almost always of very poor quality. Because of that, your first printing quality might not be that great. It is advisable to always use a premium filament, you’ll see that the print quality is much improved.
The Creator Pro has an LCD screen on the front with a keypad, uses the firmware Sailfish, one of the most used firmware in the 3D printing industry. The build area of the Creator Pro is 227x148x150 mm (length/width/height) which is pretty average only.Flash Forge Creator Pro has a full metal body making it a solid device; the building platform is made of aluminum which is a hefty improvement over glass because it is a lot better and durable with repeated heating of the building platform. It also gives better construction with ABS filament.
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Despite the low price, the print quality is extremely good making this the best low-cost dual extruder 3D printer in the current market. The printing resolution is also average (0.1 mm to 0.5 mm) but a significant advantage is the open source design. Slicer software like ReplicatorG (supplied as standard) Cura and Simplify3D ensure a noteworthy improvement in print quality. You can connect the device via USB to a computer but it is also possible to print stand-alone using an SD card. The Creator Pro can handle most of the filaments like PLA, ABS, PVA, Nylon etc.
The Creator Pro is a stable and robust machine with good print quality at an attractive price.
The fact that the printer is almost entirely based on the MakerBot Replicator 2X, a much more expensive 3D printer with a good track record makes it more problem-free.
We highly recommend this dual extruder 3d printer especially to hobbyists, consumers and small businesses. Schools and organizations with a limited budget can use this 3D printer.
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#2 BIBO 3D Printer (BIBO 2 Touch Laser) – Newly Added
PROS
- It possesses dual extruder
- Multi-color printing is possible
- Metal frame for extra reliability
- Removable glass bed
- Support for multiple filaments
CONS
- Build space isn’t very large
- Unavailability of automatic bed leveling before the print starts
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Features & Specifications
Bibo Dual Extruder 3D printer which is also known as Bibo 2 comes with laser engraving capabilities and manufactured by Shaoxing Bibo Automatic Equipment Co., a company with headquarters in Shaoxing, Zhejiang province, China. You can find four versions of this 3D printer.
Laser engraving is one of the major feature of Bibo Dual Extruder 3D printer. You can engrave with this laser on paper, wood, cardboard, and also on a few of the plastic materials. 500 mW laser engraver is exhibited by the 3D printer that can easily be swapped out for the extruders when necessary. It easy to install and use.
Bibo comes with two nozzle cooling fans, one in the back of the machine and the other is installed in the front. It helps in providing precise print materials and the setting is easy to manage and can be controlled anytime during the print process.
Unimaginable strength to the printing possibilities of a 3D printer is done with the help of Dual extruders. It helps for two tone and even multi-material prints. Due to the separate nozzles, the cross contamination between filaments are minimal. While comparing to others Bibo are highly stable and offer unmatched precision to the 3D printed objects and the use of direct drive extruder technology Bibo helps to stop the bending of filament inside the transmission tube.
Further it comes with a removable glass bed, print resume following a power cut, full-color touchscreen interface and quality of life improvements come in filament-out detection.
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Bibo comes with filament detection technology which helps to avoid losing prints due to run out of filament during a print. Filament detection technology helps the printer would pause and save the work until you reload the filament and automatically start from where it was paused.
It features a dot-matrix LCD screen with scroll wheel knob and with an easy interface one can make use of this display to the fullest. It has a built volume of 214 x 180 x 160 mm and features a closed metal sheet frame with acrylic lid and door, which should keep the build chamber safely.
In the case of connectivity, the 3D printer can be connected to a smartphone or a laptop using the WIFI controls. Recommended softwares are Repetier-Host, Cura, Simplify3D etc.
Two materials can be simultaneously print at a point of time and It supports a lot of materials such as ABS, PLA, Dissolvable filament (HIPS), Flexible filament (TPU) and others.
Specifications
- Brand:Bibo
- Model:BIBO (Maker/Touch/Laser)
- Assembly:Available as kit or pre-assembled
- Build volume:214 x 186 x 160 mm
- Layer Height:0.05 mm
- Frame:Aluminum
- Nozzle Quantity:Two
- Nozzle diameter:4mm
- print temperature:270
- Nozzle diameter:75mm
- Connectivity:Wi-Fi, SD Card, USB
- XY-axis positioning accuracy:011mm
- Z-axis positioning accuracy:0025mm
- Voltage:100-240V
- Product weight:13 kg
- Package weight:6 kg
- Size:467 x 357 x 374 mm
- Size of package:540 x 430 x 480 mm
Conclusion
One of the highly rated product in 3D printer category with excellent print quality, offers great print speed, printing of complex geometries and very difficult designs with great speed, practicability etc makes it very popular among users from different niches. Our rating is 8 out of 10.
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#3 Geeetech A20M – Best Dual Extruder 3d Printer Under $500
Incredibly affordable dual extrusion 3D printer Geeetech A20M, which comes with a build volume of 255 x 255 x 255 mm and a slew of intriguing features.
PROS
- The printer saves money through modularized extruder wiring.
- Its engraving accuracy is 0.1mm.
- A10M came with an open source control board which helps you to modify the firmware and tinker according to your need. Same goes for A20M also.
CONS
- No offline memory card printing support, which is a silly downside but helps in critical moments.
Bottomline
Geeetech A20M is an upgraded version of Geeetech A20. Geeetech A10M is a dual nozzle 3d printer which looks very beautiful with excellent features and it quickly becoming one of the go-to options when it comes to affordable dual extrusion 3D printers.
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The printer looks beautiful and minimal with the rails are V-shaped and made with aluminum alloy profile. The wheel and rail system at every axis reduce operation noise and provide a quiet 3d printing environment and ensures smooth movement. Geeetech A20M 3D printer offers four essential modes: single color, dual color, graded color, and mixed color. Geeetech A20M utilizes just a single nozzle, enabling users to mix colors or create gradient patterns within their prints, instead of using two independent extruders.
The printing bed attached to the left side is mounted over a control box and works as a basement. To the right side, there is another box, the display attached to it. The overall printer is consuming less space, possible to set it just anywhere and compact in design. A10M is able to enhance the dissipation of heat, reducing the risk of clogging or leaking and improving the overall print quality with the help of 360-degree ventilation fan system. The Geeetech A10M comes with a heated printed bed, inspired from Anycubic Ultrabase, which is made from silicone carbide glass and covered with a microporous surface, improving first layer adhesion and making it easier to remove finished prints.
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The printer offers multicolor printing following the dual extruder principal and A20M uses two extruders consist of two different color filament. This helps to build an object with two colors but these types of printers are available in the market.
The most impressive feature I found on it that, it offers very accurate printing, with fine texture and able to shape complex contour. And most importantly, the angle profiles are very sharp and it provides a smooth surface. You will glad to know that its printing accuracy is 0.1mm.
It is super easy to assemble because the whole system is separated into several modules. The individual modules are the aluminum frame, the bed, the control box with a screen and the two extruder. You just have to screwed up this part are you are done.
EasyPrint 3D is the app offered by Geeetech an this is free and available for Windows, Mac, and Linux. So the work flow is just like this, Go the app on your phone, connect Wi-Fi to your printer, choose any model from the Geeetech cloud 3D model gallery, slice it and print through command. As simple as that. Very convenient and easy workflow.
Conclusion
Far better than its predecessor A10M, Geeetech A20M 3D printer with excellent features that offers return for your investment makes it the best dual extruder 3d printer under $500
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#4 Raise3D Pro 2 Plus – Best Large Format 3D Printer
PROS
- Excellent build quality
- Print quality consistently good
- Professional workflows
- Full enclosure for proper heat management
- Ideamaker software provides Great integrated software control
- Free choice of printable FFF materials
- 01 layer resolution
- HEPA filter
- Strong, magnetic, heated bed
CONS
- Medium sized build volume
- Calibration can be tricky
- Expensive
Bottomline
A professional 3D printer which comes in the category of large format 3D printers with a size of spacious 305 × 305 × 605 mm build volume and delivers fast and excellent print quality. This kind of devices are mainly used in labs, entrepreneurs, manufacturing and prototyping companies. The print quality varies from very good to excellent and to get the utmost quality out of the Raise3D Pro2 Plus, you’ll need to experiment with the settings.
If you can spare $6000 on a dual extruder 3d printer, don’t think twice. Raise 3D is the one!
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Design and Setup
The regular Pro2 and the Pro2 Plus – the two size flagships. The printer is 52 kilograms, and hast a vast size of 305 × 305 × 605 mm. It comes with inbuiltlockable casters let you move and secure the Pro2 Plus with ease. It comes with many clamps, screws, tilt-watch packaging, and zip-ties and is enclosed with a transparent acrylic casing which helps to improve print quality when using materials such as ABS or HIPS. A new cooling fan with a HEPA filter is included to ensure safety.
In addition to all these the box includes 5 power cables for different countries and two spools of PLA filament and the relevant tools like gloves, nozzle cleaning kit, spare parts, hex wrenches, spatula etc.
The setup of the Raise3D Pro 2 Plus is easy, you have to tweak the distance between the photocell and the part cutting its connection in order to properly calibrate the Z-offset. It can be adjusted with a screw up and down by tightening/loosening.
Related Read: 5 Best 3D Printers Under 500 for Home Use
It comes with a 7-inch RaiseTouch touch screen which displays all relevant data in a clear manner and with aluminium body.
Raise3D comes with Pro2 series rather than popular N2 printer series. The main difference between the N2 and new Pro2 printers is dual extrusion as standard on the latter.
Raise3D can print flexible or abrasive materials such as carbon fiber enforced or even metal particles filled filament or glass fiber enforced etc. In addition to this it is capable of printing HIPS, PC, TPU, TPE, Nylon, PLA, PLA derivates, ABS, PET-G, ASA and PP.
Dual printing is one of the most important features of this machine. It is done through a dual-nozzle system mounted in one printhead. In under one second the switching between the nozzle happens. the slicer software uses a skirt to get rid of any excess filament, instead of wasting filament in a wipe tower, resulting in a separate shell that encases your print.
Software
Raise3D uses a dedicated software Ideamaker, which is fast, responsive and offers all the features you’d expect from a printer control center and is also available for Windows, Mac, and Linux etc. Ideamaker for the Raise3D Pro 2 Plus is very convenient to use where everything is laid out learly and (mostly) consistent. It has the right tool set by providing all information about the print, cost, material etc and you can change the temperature settings from the convenience of your desk. Ideamaker prints one part after the other, layer by layer which helps to reduce the inconsistencies and stringing between parts.
Specifications
Make: Raise3D
Model: Pro2
Technology: FDM
Frame: Cartesian
Year: 2017
Category: Professional, industrial
Print area: 305 × 305 × 605 mm (12 x 12 x 23.8 in)
Max. bed temp: 110℃
Nozzle size: 0.2mm to 0.8mm
Max. nozzle temp: 300℃
Max. Z-axis resolution: 0.1mm
Max. travel speed: 30 – 150 mm/s
Printable materials: PLA, PLA derivatives, ABS, HIPS, PC, TPU, TPE, Nylon, PET-G, ASA, PP, Exotics
Filament diameter: 1.75mm
3rd party material compatibility: Yes
Interface: 7 inch TFT touchscreen, Wifi remote control via Ideamaker software
Connectivity: Wifi, USB, LAN
Printer size: 620 × 590 × 760 mm
Printer weight: 52kg
Power input: AC 100-240V
Features: Dual extrusion system, filament runout sensor, power outage resume, camera, HEPA Filter, auto bed-leveling, removable print bed, 32-bit mainboard.
Conclusion
One of the best in the business with all the features required for a 3D printer to meet the demands Raise3D is our pick of best dual extruder 3d printer and is rated 4.5 out of 5. But considering the price, we list the printer in 4th position.
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#5 QIDI TECHNOLOGY Dual Extruder 3D Printer
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QIDI Tech 3D printer is practically an equivalent 3D printer to the FlashForge Creator Pro but priced less than that. Both are also based on the MakerBot Replicator 2X. Whether a novice hobbyist or an experienced engineer, the QIDI Tech device is a 3D printer worth looking at. The company introduces a more economical model with a number of attractive features, optional upgrades, and excellent customer support to capture the market.
The sturdy QIDI Tech has a metal frame and weighs almost 46 pounds. It measures 18.3 x 12.6 x 14.76 inches and features a heated printer bed that creates objects up to 9 x 5.9 x 5.9 inches with an overall print volume of 313 cubic inches or five liters. The plate is constructed from aviation grade aluminum, which prevents warping from the high temperature up to 120F.
The printer comes well packed and nearly fully assembled. In addition to the printer, the box contains:
1 roll of ABS filament
1 roll of PLA filament
2 filament spool holders
1 roll of painter’s tape
A USB cable
Power cable
4GB SD card
Wiring harnesses
Filament tubing
Wiring harness holder
Tool Box complete with fasteners and tools
Instructions
The assembly is straightforward and simple due to the easy-to-follow instructions on the SD card. Some find that the YouTube videos are also quite helpful for learning to get started. Mount the dual extruder into the cradle, mount the filament holders, the filament, and attach the plexiglass top, walls and door.
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The dual extruders enable multi-color printing in layer thicknesses that adjust from 0.1 to 0.3 millimeters. The machine functions either via the PC tether or the SD card. Later upgrades may include wireless function. The printer needs occasional recalibrating between builds which is an inconvenience.
The QIDI Tech 3D printer does not have the option of an extended warranty. However, they have an excellent customer support team to ensure customer satisfaction. Staff members are known to respond quickly to emails and provide answers to questions, guidance and a wealth of helpful tips. Replacement parts also tend to arrive faster than expected.
Even cheaper model than Creator Pro, with a lot of features and good performance. Trust me you can count on QIDI Tech.
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#6 MakerBot Replicator 2X
MakerBot has released a series of 3D printers, and the fourth-generation Replicator 2 continues to be one of their most successful models. With a more industrial look (steel frame and LCD screen), the Replicator 2 would fit perfectly into a garage. It’s larger than most others, with an excellent build volume of 285 x 153 x 155 mm – just make sure you have room for it.
This FDM 3D printer supports printing from an SD card and prints mainly on PLA. It is really a durable machine; unlike some of the fragile 3D printers on the market, the Replicator 2 is known for its reliability and manufacturing quality. It’s accurate, easy to use and has good software.
While examining the disadvantages of this printer we should say that there is no heated platform and it is a noisy model. It’s also expensive and is better suited for intermediate users who want a machine that will test the limit.
Very expensive. Suitable for commercial purposes.
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#7 Leapfrog Creatr
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LeapFrog is a well-known Dutch manufacturer in the 3D Printer market. Their latest model, the Leapfrog Creatr is a high-quality printer. Made of aluminum parts, this is extremely durable too. This 3D printer is available with the single or dual extruder (simultaneously print in multiple colors) and can handle different materials like ABS, PLA, and PVA.
The machine has a build area of 230 x 270 x 200 mm heated surface and print resolution up to 0.05mm which is fairly good considering the price. You can connect to the computer via USB 2.0 interface only. Sadly, there is no wireless option available till. You will get 3 types of filaments and 2 software with the package.
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Leapfrog claims that the printer can be installed within half an hour and you are ready to print. The printer comes fully assembled and calibrated and has two software programs that convert your files to 3D print files which Creatr can handle. However, from our experience, this software is not super user-friendly and can be too complicated at times.
LeapFrog has really done their best to bring a durable, quality product to market with the Creatr series. In addition, you can choose for single or dual extruders. If we compare price with the quality of this 3D printer, the Leapfrog Creatr is an excellent product.
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#8 LeapFrog Creatr HS (Discontinued as per latest update)
The LeapFrog Creatr HS is the latest 3D printer and successor of the well-received LeapFrog Creatr. HS, or High Speed, is an update of the existing LeapFrog Creatr and has some advantages over its predecessor.
The new 3D printer is equipped with a double extruder and an LCD screen that allows users to operate the device easily. Build quality, however, remains same for both the versions. The biggest advantage of the latest version is the printer is, as the name suggests, printing at high speeds (up to 300mm/s).
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Like the ordinary LeapFrog Creatr the Creatr HS can handle multiple materials. The device uses 1.75 mm filament and can print with materials such as ABS, PLA, HIPS, PET and Nylon. Another advantage is that Leapfrog provides a standard version of Simplify3D, making it very user-friendly.
LeapFrog Creatr HS has a build area of 290 x 270 x 180 mm (slightly larger than Creatr) and a print resolution up to 0.1mm. Connectivity options include USB v2.0 and USB memory stick.
Competing with the biggest players like Makerbot and Ultimaker, LeapFrog has done a fairly good job creating high quality and durable 3D printer with the bundle of features at a decent price. We can surely expect to see more of their products in the near future.
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#9 CEL Robox
The Robox 3D Printer from the British company CEL has everything that a modern, user-friendly 3D printer should have. It has a very futuristic look and very durable construction.
CEL brings us many innovative features through the Robex. For example, the print head can be picked up; this would lead to many new opportunities for this device in the future. Likewise, Robox also uses a specially developed filament conductor by the company. This not only ensures that the filament goes to the extruder at the proper speed, but can also feed the material at accurate volume.
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The nozzle valve system created by CEL cuts off filament completely, eliminating ooze and contributing to a much smoother surface finish – meaning less time spent on finishing work. The Robox 3D printer automatically recognizes any filament loaded and self-adjusts the temperature in there.
The Robox 3D Printer uses specially developed slicer software which has a very user-friendly design and makes it easy for anyone to print a 3D model.
Although this device has dual extruders it does not mean that you can print multiple materials or colors. Firstly, only one filament can be loaded at a time into the device and secondly the second print head can be used only to support material and to fill the model. This makes the device print a lot faster.
CEL Robox also has the highest print resolution of 0.02mm but has a build area of only 210 x 150 x 100 mm which is pretty disappointing.
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#10 Felix 3.0 (Discontinued)
Felix 3.0 is the latest model from the Dutch manufacturer Felix Robotics (Not that popular in the U.S.A). There are also suppliers who deliver assembled versions of these 3D printers. Felix 3.0 has the better build quality and print speeds over its predecessor. In addition, you can choose for the dual extruder, which makes it possible to print with several materials or colors at the same time. If you choose dual extrusion, the construction area will be limited.
Felix 3.0 is a very good quality product and has high precision. The single extruder model has a nice large heated build platform of 255 x 205 x 235 mm and can handle 1.75 mm filament. The printer supports standard ABS and PLA, but it is possible to print with other materials too. Felix 3D printers are a fully open source which means that you can use any kind of software with this printer. Another advantage is that it is possible to upgrade the device later when new components are available. It supports SD card as well as USB connectivity.