Top Picks - Resin Printers 2023

2023 is the year of accessibility. Model car builders everywhere are cashing in on amazing deals and getting printing!

Whether you are looking to buy your first 3D printer or upgrade to a newer machine, the following article will direct you to exactly the printer for you.

2023 has seen a lot of new product releases, and the current offerings from all the main manufacturers are top-quality machines. Screen resolutions are reaching the point where higher resolution will no longer be visible to the naked eye. Because of this, manufacturers are now starting to compete more on quality of life improvements like WiFi printing, automatic leveling and resin feeding and more. Interestingly enough, the largest machines (12.8+ screens) have a wide range of resolutions and often trade resolution for overall size.

Wading through all of the specifications can be confusing, so this article takes the hassle out of buying a printer. The following printers are our End of Year 2023 top picks for resin 3D printers for model car and truck 3D printing.

Model car and truck builders want a printer that will deliver extremely sharp detail and a quality surface finish. Hassle-free printing and print size are two other important considerations.

If you're looking for a new 3D printer for your model car and truck builds, look no further than our updated Resin 3D Printer Recommendations for Model Car and Truck 3D Printing:

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Small Resin Printers

Midsize Resin Printers

Large Format Resin Printers

Wash and Cure Stations

Small But Detailed

Want to print mostly 1/24 - 1/25 scale motors, wheels, diorama parts, and other details? These resin 3D printers will reproduce every fine detail you can throw their way.

Our Top Pick

Elegoo Mars 3 Pro

Elegoo Mars 3 Pro
Elegoo's latest offering in the venerable Mars line carries on the family tradition of well-built, robust machines. The Mars 3 Pro features the same 35 micron resolution as the Photon Mono 2 for sharp prints, but adds a metal vat, slightly larger build volume and air filtration to reduce odor.
Pros:
The Mars line is legendary for its robust, reliable build quality.
Elegoo customer service is among the best.
The Mars 3 Pro is one of the top printers for beginners.
Cons:
Some users have stated the Mars 3 Pro is noisier than most resin 3D printers.

Click here to get a Mars 3 Pro free with an Annual Membership to SSG!

-or buy on Elegoo.com-

Anycubic Photon Mono 2

Anycubic Photon Mono 2
The follow-up to the Mono 4K, a printer we love so much here in The Garage, that we've owned 3, the Mono 2 carries on the family tradition of simple, workhorse printers, but features a little bit more build space and faster printing. The 4K screen prints very sharp detail.
Pros:
Unbeatable price
Very high resolution and contrast ratio make for very sharp prints
Cons:
Plastic body and vat construction feel cheaper than other offerings.
Proprietary FEP films with built-in frames are more expensive to replace.

-buy on Anycubic.com-

Budget Buy

Elegoo Mars 3

Elegoo Mars 3
All3DP's Best Resin Printer for Beginners for 2023 offers very impressive specs, nice build quality, and ease of use in an attractive package. The Mars 3 has the same resolution as its stablemate, the Mars 3 Pro, but lacks that printer's glass screen protector and has a 10mm shorter print height.
Pros:
Can't-be-beat price
Well built machine
Simple, reliable and a workhorse.
Cons:
Print area smaller than newer printers
Lacks some of the features of the other printers in its class.
For just $20 more, you can step up to the Pro.

Buy on Elegoo.com

Mighty Midsize Machines

If you are looking to print small detailed parts AND full 1/24 - 1/25 scale bodies, look no further than these resin 3D printers.

Our Top Pick

Anycubic Photon M5s

Anycubic Photon M5s
Awarded All3DP's Best Midsize Resin 3D Printer for 2023, Anycubic's M5s has a lot to love. The 10.1 inch, 12K screen offers both ample space and stunning details. While its specs are almost identical to the Elegoo below, the Anycubic's automatic build plate leveling system edges this printer ahead.

Also noteworthy: the M5s also packs in intelligent features like failure detection, low resin level warning, and an automated device diagnostic. New ACF film instead of the usual FEP film reduces peel forces which reduces the risk of failures and speeds printing.
Pros:
1st consumer grade printer with automatic leveling.
Intelligent features like: resin level detection, fail detection, and more.
24 micron resolution
Finally, reliable WiFi printing.
Cons:
Fit and finish feels subpar compared to the Elegoo.
Special resins required to reach full "fast" printing speeds advertised by Anycubic.
WiFi setup is somewhat complicated.

-buy on Amazon-

Elegoo Saturn 3 Ultra

Elegoo Saturn 3 Ultra
The latest Saturn offering from Elegoo pulls out all the stops. Well-built, and attractive, this machine's allure is more than skin deep. Inside you'll find a 12K 10.1 inch screen for a 24 micron resolution, plus fast print speeds and built-in air purifier.
Pros:
24 micron resolution for stunning fine detail
Sharp and roomy 10.1", 12K screen
Print speeds up to 5 inches per hour.
Cons:
Black cover shows resin and other dirt more than other colors.
Not self-levelling

-buy from Elegoo-

Budget Buy

Anycubic Photon Mono X6Ks

Anycubic Photon Mono X6Ks
The latest version of the Mono X line, the 6Ks features a sharp 6k resolution and 9.1 inch diagonal screen. Extremely sharp, tiny detail parts or full 1/24 scale bodies, this printer will do it all.
Pros:
Great price for a midsize machine
Solid construction
Enough build area for 1/24 scale and 1/25 scale model car bodies
Cons:
Slightly smaller than its predecessor.

Buy from Anycubic

Large Format Printers

Looking to print large scale model car and truck bodies (1/18 scale and larger)? You will need one of these 3 machines.

Our Top Pick

Phrozen Sonic Mega 8K

Phrozen Sonic Mega 8Ks
Brand new for late 2023, Phrozen brings us the Mega 8Ks, a slightly smaller version of the Mega 8K with a more liveable footprint and price tag. The Mega 8Ks retains the 15 inch 8K screen of the original Mega, delivering class-leading 43 micron resolution.
Pros:
Massive build area makes even large-scale bodies possible.
Factory-leveled build plate means you can unbox and start printing.
Fast printing time
Cons:
Price
Requires a lot of space
Weight - the Mega 8Ks weighs over 57 pounds fully loaded.

-buy on Phrozen3D.com-

Elegoo Jupiter

Elegoo Jupiter
Elegoo's large-format printer is no slouch either. Compared to the Mega 8K, it has a smaller screen, a shorter Z Axis, and lower resolution, but its price tag is $1000 less. Its 6K screen still cranks out respectable detail and it boasts faster print times too. For users who don't need every inch of the Mega's build area, the Jupiter may be the right choice in the large-format resin printer world.
Pros:
Automatic resin feeding system for large prints
Robust construction
Large touchscreen makes using the interface a breeze.
Cons:
Complicated build plate leveling procedure
Expensive replacement parts
6K screen provides lower resolution than Mega 8K

-buy on Elegoo.com-

Budget Buy

Anycubic Photon M3 Max

Anycubic Photon M3 Max
The largest of the M3 line, the Max offers high resolution (46 micron) and a slightly bigger screen than the Jupiter. It loses points for its plastic construction in a class full of all-metal bodied printers, as well as its awkward-to-handle resin vat.
Pros:
Comptitive price
Middle-of-the-pack resolution
Large build area
Cons:
Plastic construction seems cheap in this class of printers
Unwieldy resin vat could lead to a very messy situation

Buy on Amazon

Wash and Cure Stations

For the ultimate in convenience and cleanliness, a Wash and Cure Station makes light work of post-processing your prints. Here is our favorite:

Our Top Pick

Elegoo Mercury X (XS) Bundle

Elegoo Mercury X (XS) Bundle
This 2-piece set features dedicated wash and cure machines, unlike many of the wash and cure stations which have both functionalities built into one machine. This allows you to wash one print while curing another and eliminates the hassle of removing the cleaning bucket to use the cure feature. The Mercury XS is a little larger - perfect for the Saturn 2.
Pros:
Extra large cleaning bucket
Separate wash and cure machines prevent accidental curing of parts before they are totally cleaned.
Cons:
2 machines take up more space
Filling the almost 2 gallon wash bucket with alcohol can be pricey.

-buy on Amazon-

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