CNET Tested Dozens of Printers. Here Is the 2026 Shortlist.

Best for everyone: Bambu Lab P2S Combo

Bricknell calls the P2S the printer to beat right now. At $799 it sits at the top of a beginner budget, but it fixes the small annoyances of the older P1S, adds a better print head lifted from the H2D flagship, and prints four colors out of the box. If you can spend the money, this is the one he points to. Check the Bambu Lab P2S at Bambu.

Best beginner: Bambu Lab A1 Combo

Under $700 with four-color printing via the AMS Lite, the A1 Combo impressed him enough to call it a gift he would give without hesitation. The test print came out near perfect, beaten only by the Prusa MK4S and Core One. See the Bambu Lab A1 Combo.

Best for accuracy: Prusa Core One

Prusa's enclosed Core One earns the accuracy nod for clean overhangs and tight tolerances. It is the printer to choose when dimensional precision matters more than raw speed. See the Prusa Core One.

Best multi-tool head: Snapmaker U1

The U1 won CNET's Editors' Choice in this roundup. Its tool-changing head swaps between jobs without a manual swap, which makes it a fun pick that still delivers the print quality you want. See the Snapmaker U1.

Best four-color budget: Creality SparkX i7

Creality's SparkX i7 joined the list in the April 2026 update thanks to a strong color system at a low price. See the Creality SparkX i7.

Best budget: Elegoo Centauri

The Centauri earns the budget crown with fast, good-quality prints at a price that is hard to argue with. See the Elegoo Centauri.

Best large format: Bambu Lab H2D / H2S

For big builds, the H2D and H2S bring Bambu's speed and ecosystem to a larger bed. See the Bambu Lab H2D.

Best for beginners on a tight budget: Bambu A1 Mini Combo

The A1 Mini Combo keeps the A1 experience in a smaller, cheaper package with four-color printing. A common first printer for good reason. See the Bambu A1 Mini Combo.

Best resin: Elegoo Saturn 3 Ultra, now Saturn 4 Ultra

For miniatures and detail, the Saturn 3 Ultra is the pick, though Bricknell notes the Saturn 4 Ultra is now the newer option and likely the better buy. See the Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra.

Best for educators: Flashforge Adventurer 5M / 5M Pro

Flashforge's Adventurer line is the classroom choice: enclosed, approachable, and sturdy enough for a shared space. See the Flashforge Adventurer 5M Pro.

Best for miniatures: Anycubic Photon Mono 4

Anycubic's Photon Mono 4, updated from the Mono 2, is the resin pick for tabletop detail on a budget. See the Anycubic Photon Mono 4.

The takeaway

Two things stand out. Bambu Lab owns most of the list, from the P2S down to the A1 Mini, which tells you where the value sits in 2026. And the budget tier has gotten genuinely good: you no longer trade away quality to save money. If you only read one line, read this: the P2S is the printer most people should buy, and the A1 Combo is the one to gift.