PLA filament (polylactic acid) is a popular choice among 3D printing enthusiasts. It’s easy to print, affordable and produces excellent results.
With so many filament manufacturers offering PLA, it can be difficult to choose the right material for your 3D printer. When selecting the best PLA filament for your needs, it’s important to consider factors such as material quality, diameter consistency, and color vibrancy.
We’ve spent a considerable amount of time researching and testing many PLA filaments to help you find the best options that cater to both performance and aesthetics. Join us as we explore the top PLA filaments.
Best PLA Filaments
We’ve gathered a list of the best PLA filaments available on Amazon for you, making it easy to choose the perfect one for your 3D printing needs.
Hatchbox PLA Filament
We highly recommend Hatchbox PLA filament for its reliability, quality, and consistency. It’s easily our choice for the best overall PLA filament and provides incredible value for the price.
We found that the prints are strong and flexible. The filament sticks to the print bed without the need for adhesives, yet finished models are easy to remove from the heated bed.
The filament is easy to work with and doesn’t produce any stringing, zits, blobs, or other common print defects.
Hatchbox’s PLA filament comes in over 25 colors.
Pros
- Consistent quality and performance
- Suitable for both beginners and experts
- Minimal warping and little to no odor
- Excellent bed adhesion yet easy-to-remove prints from the bed
Cons
- Lack of support from Hatchbox
Sunlu PLA Filament
If you’re looking to purchase filament on a budget, Sunlu PLA filament offers the best bang for your buck. We highly recommend this filament bundle for its variety of vibrant colors, excellent print quality, and low price.
During our tests, the filament printed smoothly, and the layer adhesion was outstanding. We didn’t find any noticeable bubbling or stringing, and the dimensional accuracy of +/- 0.02mm produced incredibly consistent results.
The Sunlu 3D Printer Filament Bundle is an excellent purchase for those who need a selection of high-quality PLA filament on a budget. The color variety and printing performance make it a valuable addition to any 3D printing setup.
Pros
- Wide range of colors
- Great bed adhesion
- Low price
- Excellent dimensional accuracy of +/- 0.02mm
Cons
- Unpleasant fumes when printing at higher temperatures.
Prusament PLA
Don’t let the high price point scare you. Prusament PLA is our upgrade pick, thanks to its incredible performance and vibrant colors.
Prusa is one of the biggest names in the 3D printer industry. They are popular for their FDM 3D printers, but they also manufacture one of the best filaments for 3D printing.
Prusament PLA is more expensive but provides the greatest consistency and performance in our tests. Prusa Research claims a dimensional accuracy of +/- 0.02mm, which provides a consistent flow rate and minimizes the chance of nozzle clogs.
The PLA comes in a wide range of colors. Some filament colors have glitter added to produce unique visual appearances.
If you can afford the higher price tag, Prusament PLA is a great upgrade for your 3D printing filament.
Pros
- Excellent quality
- Vibrant colors
- High dimensional accuracy of +/- 0.02mm
Cons
- Price
Overture PLA Filament
We highly recommend this filament for a smooth and stable 3D printing experience, with great adhesion and print quality.
Having tested the Overture PLA filament in our projects, we immediately discovered why it’s one of the most popular filament brands.
The filament is affordable and reliable. And the filament is odor-free.
We found that the filament smoothly feeds into the extruder, but we did have an issue where our spool got tangled.
Overture offers a wide range of colors and filament effects, including matte, silky, and eco-friendly PLA.
Another impressive feature is the dimensional accuracy and consistency of the Overture filament. With a 1.75mm diameter and an accuracy of +/- 0.03mm, the filament has fewer clogging and jamming issues.
Pros
- Affordable
- Low odor
- Dimensional accuracy and consistency
Cons
- We encountered issues with tangling
Overture PLA Plus Filament
Overture’s PLA Plus (formerly PLA Professional) offers greater toughness and durability compared to the standard PLA.
According to Overture, their PLA Plus is “five times tougher than regular PLA.” While we can’t confirm their claims, we did find that it is much more durable in our tests.
The filament is easy to work with, thanks to its clog-free and bubble-free design, ensuring a smoother printing experience.
The dimensional accuracy of the Overture PLA Plus Filament is impressive as well, with a +/- 0.05 mm deviation. This means consistent results and precise prints without the need for constant adjustments.
However, some users have reported minor stringing issues, which may require a bit of cleanup after printing. We didn’t notice any striking in our tests but it is something to keep in mind.
To fix PLA stringing, make sure the nozzle temperature and retraction settings are properly set.
Pros
- Enhanced toughness compared to regular PLA
- High dimensional accuracy: +/- 0.03mm
- Compatible with most common 3D printers
Cons
- May experience minor stringing
- Requires proper bed temperature for adhesion
- Some reported brittleness in certain batches
Polymaker PLA Filament
Polymaker’s PLA Filament impressed us with its beautiful solid color and easy printing performance.
Made from high-quality materials, Polymaker’s PLA Filament comes well protected against tangling and moisture, ensuring a worry-free printing experience. Additionally, the spool is made from fully recycled cardboard and plants a tree for every purchase, emphasizing the environmentally-conscious aspect of the brand.
The low price point and consistent performance make it a great purchase for beginners and advanced makers.
Pros
- High-quality prints
- Solid, beautiful range of colors
- Environmentally friendly packaging
Cons
- Filament becomes brittle when wet
Polymaker PolyMax PLA
A step up from PolyMaker’s standard PLA, PolyMax promises ABS-like performance with the easy-to-use properties of PLA.
In our test, PolyMax lives up to expectations with stronger and more durable prints.
According to Polymaker, their PolyMax filament has nine times greater impact resistance than the standard ABS.
If you’re looking for durable prints and high-quality finishes, PolyMax is an excellent choice.
Pros
- Incredible strength and durability
- Easy to use
- Consistent print quality
Cons
- Price
MatterHackers Build PLA
MatterHackers Build PLA is part of the brand’s MH Build Series. Their Build PLA is a budget-friendly option that aims to deliver quality at a reasonable price point.
MatterHackers is known for its wide variety of products, including 3D printers, resins, filaments, and tools. But they also offer their own products.
The filament performs really well during post-processing. We found that it’s easy to sand and paint. It also bonds well using super-glue.
We did notice a bit of stringing during our tests. But a bit of post-processing makes it easy to clean up.
If you’re looking to create cosplay items, the low price and excellent post-processing make Matterhackers Build PLA one of the best PLA filament brands.
Pros
- Responds well to post-processing
- Affordable
- Consistent and quality prints
Cons
- Stringing may be an issue
Silver Purple MatterHackers Quantum PLA Filament – 1.75mm (0.75kg)” rel=”nofollow sponsored” target=”_self” data-lasso-id=”1723″ data-lasso-name=”MatterHackers Quantum PLA Filament”>MatterHackers Quantum Series PLA
MatterHackers Quantum Series provides visually striking results with their color-blending PLA.
Every color includes a two-color pair that creates unique prints every time. Rotating the print on the build platform creates a completely unique color pattern.
The filament is a bit trickier to work with. But MatterHackers provides an excellent guide and test print to calibrate your 3D printer before use.
Pros
- Incredible color combinations
- Affordable price
Cons
- More difficult to work with
How We Pick the Best Filament
When selecting the best 3D printer filament, we looked at several features, including price, material quality, eco-conscious features, print quality, and ease of use.
To produce our list, we relied on user feedback through direct interviews, forum posts, comments, and reviews, as well as our own testing and years of experience.
We tested every product on the list but didn’t strictly stick with our tests for quality control because various external features can impact print quality, including air temperature, humidity, 3D printer calibration, and print settings.
Our top three choices are in order of top pick, budget pick, and upgrade pick. The rest of the list is in no particular order.
Buying Guide
When looking for the best PLA filaments for our 3D printing projects, it’s important to consider several factors to ensure the final prints are of high quality. Here are some features to keep an eye on:
Material Quality
Material quality was our primary focus. In addition to testing every product on the list, we rely on community feedback to ensure we get the best information before selecting filaments for our list.
High-quality PLA filament is crucial for successful prints.
We look for filament with a consistent diameter, as this will provide a more even flow through the extruder.
The diameter should be within a tolerance of +/- 0.05 mm or lower.
Additionally, the best PLA filaments for 3D printing should not have many issues with stringing, zits, or blobs.
High-quality PLA filament should have great bed adhesion and layer-to-layer adhesion. After printing, it should be easy to remove the model from the heated print bed.
Color options and vibrancy
PLA filaments come in a wide variety of colors. Consider colors that are vibrant and rich, as these will make our prints stand out.
Additionally, think about whether we want a glossy finish or a more matte appearance when selecting our filament.
Filament Winding
A well-wound filament spool is important for trouble-free printing. If the filament is tangled or wound too tightly, it can lead to extruder jams, breaks, or skipped layers.
The best PLA filaments on the market have high-quality control standards to ensure the filament rolls are wound without tangles.
Opt for filaments that are evenly wound and well-packed.
Environmentally friendly
We gave extra credit to PLA brands with environmental features.
Many brands have made the switch to cardboard filament rolls or offer eco-friendly PLA with recyclable or biodegradable material.