Prime Day 3D printer deals are fast approaching, so we're summoning our bargain-hunters to give you advice on how to take advantage of the event. Because our team's been covering the event in one form or another for years, we've picked up a tip or two on how to save as much as possible.
For example, we've seen more than a few high-end models drop by over $100 during previous Prime Day 3D printer deals - and not always on Amazon itself, funnily enough. That's because rival retailers and manufacturers get in on the action with sales of their own, so it's always worth casting a wider net beyond Amazon during the event. We're expecting the same again in 2023, so keep 'em peeled if you want to get the best 3D printers for less.
For more advice on how to make the most of this year's Prime Day 3D printer deals, keep on reading. Make sure you pop back closer to the event itself, too. Along with our usual coverage of Prime Day gaming deals, we'll be posting all of the best offers here as and when they arrive.
Prime Day 3D printer deals - FAQ
When will the Prime Day 3D printer deals begin?
Even though the event hasn't been given an official date yet, we have a suspicion that it'll land in early July. More specifically, previous trends indicate the July 12 - 13 period.
However, the same can't be said for other retailers or 3D printer manufacturers. While their sales are likely to occur around the same time, they may start a few days earlier - and go for longer - than the Amazon equivalent.
Do I need a Prime membership for Prime Day 3D printer deals?
As the name would suggest, you will need a subscription to Amazon Prime if you want the best discounts. Fortunately, you can get a 30-day free trial and still make the most of those reductions.
In addition, rival retailers and 3D printer manufacturers like Anycubic or Elegoo usually provide sales of their own. Naturally, you don't need a Prime membership for those offers.
Should I wait for Black Friday?
There are plenty of great 3D printer discounts during November's sales-geddon, and it's true that the best ones are reserved for Black Friday itself. Nevertheless, that isn't to say you're better off waiting. There can be some real corkers during the Prime Day event (albeit less of them, admittedly), so it's still worth keeping an eye out in early July.
The best way to see whether a deal is actually good or not is to visit price-matching services like Camelcamelcamel
The manufacturers normally offer good sales as well, particularly on materials like resin and filament. These always come in handy, so there's no benefit to waiting in their case.
If you're shopping on Amazon, the best way to see whether a deal is actually good or not is to visit price-matching services like Camelcamelcamel. This will tell you what the historic low is, the item's average cost, and when it last saw a cut.
Prime Day 3D printer deals - what to expect
While Prime Day is better known for its reductions on Kindle devices, Alexa, laptops, and TVs, Prime Day 3D printer deals do exist… and they can be excellent. For instance, the Anycubic Photon Mono X 6K dropped to $339.99 via Amazon instead of almost $460 last year. Indeed, some of Amazon's offers can end up being better than the manufacturer equivalent, which isn't always the case. (That certainly happened in 2022, with the 6K being $499 on Anycubic's own website.)
Decent offers do pop up on manufacturer stores, though. Take last year as an example. Whereas Amazon was selling the Elegoo Mars 2 Pro Mono for $170.99, Elegoo had reduced the price to $169. Yes, we're talking mere dollars here, but why spend more than you have to? Manufacturers often have multipack deals on resin and filament as well, so it's a good opportunity to stock up on material.
We'd recommend keeping an eye on Anycubic's Photon Mono M5s and Creality Ender-5 S1
In terms of models to look out for, we'd recommend keeping an eye on Anycubic's Photon Mono M5s and Creality Ender-5 S1. Both are amongst our favorite new printers from the last few months, and the former is one of the first self-leveling 3D printers while the latter is exceptionally quick without sacrificing quality. We'd be surprised if the M5s got a massive reduction due to being so new, that's not beyond the realm of possibility. (It enjoyed a big, limited-time price cut to mark its launch, after all.)
Either way, they're both worth maintaining tabs on. In our Anycubic Photon Mono M5s review we said the self-leveling functionality "removes a significant barrier to entry," for example, while our Creality Ender-5 S1 review said that it was a "powerful yet reliable machine that rarely fails to impress."
For more sales advice, don't miss our guides to Prime Day Lego deals, Prime Day board game deals, and Prime Day PC deals.
