Best Dual Extruder 3D Printers in 2020

The Zonestar P802QR2 is a DIY kit. It has to be assembled from scratch, with the assembly and initial setup taking about six to eight hours. Unlike most other Chinese DIY kits, this one has a solid documentation, making the assembly less of a daunting task, as well as a good customer service.

Zonestar’s Prusa-based 3D printer comes in different configurations. The P802QR2 model points to the dual extruder configuration with automatic bed leveling. It has a heated print bed and an aluminum frame. The former allows it to process high-temperature materials while the latter makes it more stable, especially during large-scale prints, which the P802QR2 is equipped to handle, courtesy of its good build volume.

The P802QR2 is far from a finished product in the sense that it needs upgrades in several areas in order to produce the best results – a common thing among cheap DIY 3D printers. If you want a cheap dual extruder 3D printer that you can tinker with, the P802QR2 is for you. It’s a reliable 3D printer once armed with mods and paired with the right software.

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The XYZprinting da Vinci 2.0 Duo is a dual extruder 3D printer with a fully enclosed setup, making it an ideal machine for school use and home use. It has good print quality and build volume but comes with a very limited software, so it may not be a good fit for tinkerers and intermediate users.

While XYZprinting does offer 3D printers with an open filament system, the da Vinci 2.0 Duo, sadly, is not one of them. This 3D printer requires you to use proprietary filaments, which are more expensive than third-party filaments. Even worse, XYZprinting doesn’t offer a lot of color options. It’s possible to hack the da Vinci 2.0 Duo and make it accept third-party filaments, but it’s risky.

Despite its obvious limitations, the da Vinci 2.0 Duo is still a solid 3D printer that you can get for less than $500. It’s an entry-level dual extruder 3D printer that can produce good results as long as you have the right settings.

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Just like the Zonestar P802QR2, the Maker Farm Pegasus is a DIY kit. It’s an aluminum-framed 3D printer that comes in three sizes – the product listed here is the largest. Maker Farm, an American company, offers a dual extruder setup for the Pegasus, with several options for the print head.

The Pegasus is equipped with an LCD interface for onboard controls, making it possible to print directly from an SD card. It has a heated print bed and an open filament system. The real highlight here is the Pegasus’ large build volume. Though not on par with the Creality CR-10S, the 12-inch Pegasus is one of the largest 3D printers under $1,000.

With the right tune-up, the Pegasus is a reliable workhorse that can produce excellent results. It has an impressive print quality and the versatility to print with different materials. It’s not a recommended starter 3D printer for beginners, though. But for tinkerers, the Pegasus is a fantastic DIY kit that brings durability and reliability, which translates to long-term value.

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The FlashForge Creator Pro is one of the most popular dual extruder 3D printers under $1,000. It has a large online community. It’s assembled out of the box and ready to go in a couple of hours, with the majority of that time spent on tinkering with the print settings.

A MakerBot clone, the Creator Pro is an enclosed 3D printer with a removable front door and top cover. The enclosure helps it maintain the temperature during high-temperature prints, as well as protect it against dust and other elements. It has an onboard LCD interface and a heated print bed and comes with a rather limited printing software.

While the Creator Pro is a reliable 3D printer, it takes some work before it can produce consistent results with the dual extruder setup. The good news is, the aforementioned large online community is an excellent source of information on how to get the Creator Pro to top form. If you want a well-established dual extruder 3D printer under $1,000, this product is for you.

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On the surface level, the Qidi Tech X-pro looks a lot like the FlashForge Creator Pro. This shouldn’t come as a surprise since both products are based on the popular MakerBot design. But the X-pro offers a more modern outfit than the Creator Pro.

A fully enclosed 3D printer, the X-pro is housed in a frame made of metal and plastic. It has a removable build plate that makes the removal of completed prints easy. Unlike most MakerBot clones, the X-pro comes with a touchscreen interface instead of a knob-operated one.

The X-pro is easy to use. The initial setup is straightforward and takes less than 30 minutes. The X-pro ships with a user-friendly software configured for PLA filaments out of the box. It can also resume from a power loss – a useful feature that should be present in all 3D printers. In all, the X-pro is a solid dual extruder 3D printer that gets the job done with minimal issues. Qidi Tech also provides excellent customer service, so it’s easy to request for parts replacement in case you ended up with a unit with defective parts.

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The Xinkebot Orca2 Cygnus is a large 3D printer that comes in a semi-assembled package. It’s easy to put the frame together and install the moving parts. It is made of quality parts and has a sturdy metal frame with good cable management.

The Orca2 Cygnus is an open-framed 3D printer with automatic bed leveling technology. It has a touchscreen interface at the base, beside the heated print bed. The Orca2 Cygnus literally stands out as one of the largest 3D printers under $2,000. It’s the largest on this list by a wide margin, towering over the LulzBot TAZ 6 and the Raise3D N2 – a pair of 3D printers known for their large format.

On the other hand, the Orca2 Cygnus has one major downside: it has a small community. It’s not as popular as the Creality CR-10S, so it can be difficult to find solutions for some problems. Therefore, the Orca2 Cygnus is ideal for tinkerers and those with extensive experience with 3D printers.

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The MakerBot Replicator 2X is the basis for the FlashForge Creator Pro, the Qidi Tech X-pro, the BIBO2, and other similar dual extruder 3D printers under $1,000. It’s an expensive 3D printer designed specifically for ABS filaments.

The Replicator 2X has a fully enclosed profile with removable covers. It’s equipped with a heated print bed and comes with an easy-to-use software for both beginners and intermediate users. It has an LCD interface at the base, operated by a set of buttons. The spool holder is located at the back of the frame, so the overall machine footprint is larger than what its physical dimensions suggest.

It takes a while to get the print settings right on the Replicator 2X. But once configured, it can produce 3D models with fantastic print quality. But as mentioned, it’s designed with ABS filaments in mind – or more specifically, MakerBot’s own ABS filaments. This limitation means the Replicator 2X is not open to a lot of experimentation, which can be a deal-breaker for tinkerers.

On the bright side, the Replicator 2X prints really well with ABS filaments. Many 3D printers do well with PLA but struggle mightily with ABS. It’s the opposite for this 3D printer. If you want a dual extruder 3D printer that works great with ABS, the Replicator 2X is for you.

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In its default setup, the LulzBot TAZ 6 is a single extruder 3D printer – the dual extruder print head needs to be purchased and installed separately. The separate print head goes for $500, so the TAZ 6 dual extruder setup is parked at $3,000. It’s not the most accessible price point, but you get what you pay for.

The TAZ 6 is one of the best and most popular 3D printers on the market. It’s mostly assembled out of the box. It ships with a comprehensive instruction manual and an easy-to-use custom Cura software. It has an automatic bed leveling system, turning the initial print bed calibration into a painless process. In all, the initial setup, including on the software side, is less than one hour.

Known for its large build volume, the TAZ 6 is a versatile 3D printer that can produce excellent prints with different materials, including the more advanced ones such as Nylon. It’s a total workhorse that doesn’t run into a lot of issues once treated to a proper tune-up.

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The Raise3D N2 is another large-format 3D printer – but unlike the LulzBot TAZ 6, the Maker Farm Pegasus, and the Xinkebot Orca2 Cygnus, it comes with a full enclosure. The transparent enclosure makes the N2 a lot heavier, not to mention more imposing.

The N2 is mostly assembled out of the box. Unless you consider installing the filaments into the internal spool holders as one, there’s no major assembly required at the onset. The N2 is ready to go in one hour. It has a large touchscreen interface – it’s one of the largest screens you’ll ever see on a desktop 3D printer – right beside the door.

When it comes to performance, the N2 delivers. It has a superb print quality and has the capability to print with more advanced materials, with its enclosure helping it maintain high temperatures and keep the noise level down. But on the flip side, the N2 has a slow print speed. If you want a dual extruder 3D printer with a tank-like construction, the N2 is for you – but make sure your workspace can accommodate its large footprint.

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The MakerGear M2 is one of the best 3D printers on the market. Its successor, the M3, is even better. Like the M2, the M3 is also available in a dual extruder setup. But unlike all but one of the products listed here, this 3D printer has an independent dual extruder setup.

The independent dual extruder system means the two extruders are carried by separate print heads. In that configuration, the extruders move independently from one another, directly leading to faster print speeds and increased productivity. The M3 can print two 3D models at the same time, a feature not possible on most dual extruder 3D printers. However, the lack of a larger build plate puts a limit on the kind of items you can print in that mode.

In all, the M3 is a well-designed dual extruder 3D printer. It has a sturdy frame with good cable management, an onboard storage, a heated print bed, and the ability to connect via Wi-Fi. It’s expensive, though, so it’s not the most accessible 3D printer for everyone.

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The Ultimaker 3 is one of the best 3D printers on the market, coming in with a gorgeous print quality that blows away most of the competition. It’s a high-end product designed for professionals and enthusiasts, with its upsized version, the Ultimaker 3 Extended, reserved for those in need of more space.

An open source 3D printer, the Ultimaker 3 is a semi-enclosed 3D printer with a robust frame. It has a heated print bed, an integrated camera, and a dial-operated interface at the base, next to the USB port. In tandem with the Wi-Fi connectivity, the integrated camera allows you to monitor your print progress from afar.

The Ultimaker 3 is a reliable machine that can print with different materials, including water-soluble support materials. The dual extruder setup, housed in a well-constructed print head, works as advertised. But on the other hand, the heavier load carried by the print head has translated to slower print speeds. It’s not really a deal-breaker since everything the Ultimaker 3 produces is worth the wait, especially the high-resolution ones that take over 20 hours to complete.

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The BCN3D Sigmax is the stretched-out version of the Sigma, featuring a much larger build plate that brings out the full potential of BCN3D’s independent dual extruder system. Just like the Ultimaker 3, this high-end 3D printer is ideal for professionals and enthusiasts.

Housed in a semi-enclosed metal frame, the Sigmax has a very striking look. It has a sturdy construction, with all the moving parts and cables safely tucked away inside the frame. It has a heated print bed and a touchscreen interface. The Sigmax’s dual extruders move independently from each other, significantly reducing the load on each print head.

With the Sigmax’s dual extruder system, you can print two objects at the same time – either two of the same 3D model or mirror images of a single 3D model. This doubles your productivity, leading to more 3D-printed objects on a weekly basis. If you can afford to spend over $4,000 on a 3D printer, the Sigmax is definitely one of the options you should consider.

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