3D Printing Filament Cheat Sheet
A practical guide to choosing the right filament for your 3D printing projects. Compare materials, understand their properties, and find options that fit your needs.
Understanding Tiers
Design around it if possible - exceptional materials worth prioritizing
Excellent, broadly useful - reliable workhorses for most projects
Good but situational - higher friction to use or more specialized
Niche, annoying, or usually outclassed - use only when necessary
Not worth it - fundamentally problematic materials to avoid
Non-standard tiering - unique materials with specific use cases
Quick Selection Guide
Click a category to filter the table below
Ranked Filaments
40 ranked filament types with print settings and tier rankings. Click any row for detailed information.
Showing 40 of 40 filaments
| Tier↑ | Filament↕ | Family↕ | Nozzle Temp↕ | Bed Temp | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | Carbon Fiber PETG PETG-CF | PETG | 230°C - 260°C | 70°C - 90°C | |
| S | Carbon Fiber PLA PLA-CF | PLA | 200°C - 230°C | 50°C - 60°C | |
| S | Glass-filled Nylon PA-GF / GFPA | Nylon (PA) | 260°C - 290°C | 80°C - 100°C | |
| S | High-speed PLA Fast PLA / High flow PLA | PLA | 190°C - 230°C | 50°C - 60°C | |
| S | PCTG Polycyclohexylene Dimethylene Terephthalate Glycol-modified | PETG | 230°C - 260°C | 70°C - 85°C | |
| S | Tough PLA PLA + PBT alloy | PLA | 200°C - 230°C | 50°C - 70°C | |
| S | TPU Thermoplastic Polyurethane | Flexible | 200°C - 240°C | 30°C - 60°C | |
| A | ASA Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate | ASA | 220°C - 275°C | 90°C - 110°C | |
| A | Carbon Fiber Polycarbonate CFPC / PC-CF | PC | 270°C - 300°C | 100°C - 120°C | |
| A | PC-PBT Polycarbonate + PBT alloy | PC | 250°C - 270°C | 80°C - 100°C | |
| A | PEI 9085 Ultem 9085 | PEI | 350°C - 400°C | 120°C - 160°C | |
| A | PEKK Polyether Ketone Ketone | PEEK-family | 340°C - 380°C | 120°C - 160°C | |
| A | PETG Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol-modified | PETG | 230°C - 250°C | 70°C - 90°C | |
| A | PLA Polylactic Acid | PLA | 190°C - 220°C | 50°C - 60°C | |
| A | SEBS Styrene Ethylene Butylene Styrene | Flexible | 200°C - 240°C | 40°C - 60°C | |
| B | Carbon Fiber Nylon PA-CF / Nylon-CF | Nylon (PA) | 250°C - 290°C | 80°C - 100°C | |
| B | Glass-filled Polypropylene GFPP / PP-GF | PP | 230°C - 260°C | 80°C - 100°C | |
| B | HIPS High Impact Polystyrene | PS | 220°C - 250°C | 90°C - 110°C | |
| B | Matte PLA Matte PLA composite | PLA | 190°C - 220°C | 50°C - 60°C | |
| B | Nylon PA12 Polyamide 12 | Nylon (PA) | 260°C - 300°C | 80°C - 110°C | |
| B | Nylon PA6 Polyamide 6 | Nylon (PA) | 240°C - 290°C | 70°C - 110°C | |
| B | PCL Polycaprolactone | PCL | 60°C - 110°C | 30°C - 45°C | |
| B | Polycarbonate PC | PC | 260°C - 310°C | 90°C - 120°C | |
| B | PSU Polysulfone | PSU | 340°C - 380°C | 140°C - 180°C | |
| B | PVA Polyvinyl Alcohol | Water-soluble supports | 180°C - 220°C | 45°C - 60°C | |
| B | Semi-flexible TPU Mid-durometer TPU | Flexible | 210°C - 230°C | 40°C - 60°C | |
| B | Silk PLA Shiny PLA | PLA | 190°C - 220°C | 50°C - 60°C | |
| B | Wood PLA PLA + sawdust | PLA | 180°C - 220°C | 50°C - 60°C | |
| C | ABS Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene | ABS | 230°C - 255°C | 95°C - 110°C | |
| C | PEEK Polyether Ether Ketone | PEEK-family | 360°C - 450°C | 120°C - 200°C | |
| C | PMMA Acrylic / Plexiglass / Perspex | PMMA | 230°C - 260°C | 70°C - 100°C | |
| C | PPS Polyphenylene Sulfide | PPS | 300°C - 340°C | 120°C - 150°C | |
| C | Soft TPU Low durometer TPU (~80A) | Flexible | 200°C - 220°C | 30°C - 50°C | |
| F | HDPE High Density Polyethylene | HDPE | 220°C - 260°C | 80°C - 100°C | |
| F | Metal-filled PLA PLA + metal shavings | PLA | 190°C - 220°C | 50°C - 60°C | |
| F | Polypropylene PP | PP | 220°C - 250°C | 80°C - 100°C | |
| F | POM Acetal / Delrin / Polyoxymethylene | POM | 220°C - 260°C | 90°C - 120°C | |
| F | PVDF Polyvinylidene Fluoride / Kynar | PVDF | 220°C - 260°C | 70°C - 90°C | |
| F | TPE Generic TPE filament | Flexible | 200°C - 230°C | 30°C - 50°C | |
| SP | PVB Polyvinyl Butyral | PVB | 190°C - 220°C | 50°C - 70°C |
PETG-CF
Enclosure
Heated chamber to prevent warping and maintain stable temps
Not needed - prints fine in open air
Drybox / Filament Dryer
Moisture control during storage and printing
Not needed - low moisture sensitivity
Hardened Nozzle
Wear-resistant nozzle (hardened steel, ruby, tungsten carbide)
Not needed - standard brass nozzle is fine
PLA-CF
Enclosure
Heated chamber to prevent warping and maintain stable temps
Not needed - prints fine in open air
Drybox / Filament Dryer
Moisture control during storage and printing
Varies by storage conditions
Hardened Nozzle
Wear-resistant nozzle (hardened steel, ruby, tungsten carbide)
Not needed - standard brass nozzle is fine
PA-GF / GFPA
Enclosure
Heated chamber to prevent warping and maintain stable temps
Not needed - prints fine in open air
Drybox / Filament Dryer
Moisture control during storage and printing
Not needed - low moisture sensitivity
Hardened Nozzle
Wear-resistant nozzle (hardened steel, ruby, tungsten carbide)
Not needed - standard brass nozzle is fine
Fast PLA / High flow PLA
Enclosure
Heated chamber to prevent warping and maintain stable temps
Not needed - prints fine in open air
Drybox / Filament Dryer
Moisture control during storage and printing
Varies by storage conditions
Hardened Nozzle
Wear-resistant nozzle (hardened steel, ruby, tungsten carbide)
Not needed - standard brass nozzle is fine
Polycyclohexylene Dimethylene Terephthalate Glycol-modified
Enclosure
Heated chamber to prevent warping and maintain stable temps
Not needed - prints fine in open air
Drybox / Filament Dryer
Moisture control during storage and printing
Not needed - low moisture sensitivity
Hardened Nozzle
Wear-resistant nozzle (hardened steel, ruby, tungsten carbide)
Not needed - standard brass nozzle is fine
PLA + PBT alloy
Enclosure
Heated chamber to prevent warping and maintain stable temps
Not needed - prints fine in open air
Drybox / Filament Dryer
Moisture control during storage and printing
Varies by storage conditions
Hardened Nozzle
Wear-resistant nozzle (hardened steel, ruby, tungsten carbide)
Not needed - standard brass nozzle is fine
Thermoplastic Polyurethane
Enclosure
Heated chamber to prevent warping and maintain stable temps
Not needed - prints fine in open air
Drybox / Filament Dryer
Moisture control during storage and printing
Varies by storage conditions
Hardened Nozzle
Wear-resistant nozzle (hardened steel, ruby, tungsten carbide)
Not needed - standard brass nozzle is fine
Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate
Enclosure
Heated chamber to prevent warping and maintain stable temps
Not needed - prints fine in open air
Drybox / Filament Dryer
Moisture control during storage and printing
Not needed - low moisture sensitivity
Hardened Nozzle
Wear-resistant nozzle (hardened steel, ruby, tungsten carbide)
Not needed - standard brass nozzle is fine
CFPC / PC-CF
Enclosure
Heated chamber to prevent warping and maintain stable temps
Not needed - prints fine in open air
Drybox / Filament Dryer
Moisture control during storage and printing
Not needed - low moisture sensitivity
Hardened Nozzle
Wear-resistant nozzle (hardened steel, ruby, tungsten carbide)
Not needed - standard brass nozzle is fine
Polycarbonate + PBT alloy
Enclosure
Heated chamber to prevent warping and maintain stable temps
Not needed - prints fine in open air
Drybox / Filament Dryer
Moisture control during storage and printing
Not needed - low moisture sensitivity
Hardened Nozzle
Wear-resistant nozzle (hardened steel, ruby, tungsten carbide)
Not needed - standard brass nozzle is fine
Ultem 9085
Polyether Ketone Ketone
Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol-modified
Enclosure
Heated chamber to prevent warping and maintain stable temps
Not needed - prints fine in open air
Drybox / Filament Dryer
Moisture control during storage and printing
Not needed - low moisture sensitivity
Hardened Nozzle
Wear-resistant nozzle (hardened steel, ruby, tungsten carbide)
Not needed - standard brass nozzle is fine
Polylactic Acid
Enclosure
Heated chamber to prevent warping and maintain stable temps
Not needed - prints fine in open air
Drybox / Filament Dryer
Moisture control during storage and printing
Varies by storage conditions
Hardened Nozzle
Wear-resistant nozzle (hardened steel, ruby, tungsten carbide)
Not needed - standard brass nozzle is fine
Styrene Ethylene Butylene Styrene
Enclosure
Heated chamber to prevent warping and maintain stable temps
Not needed - prints fine in open air
Drybox / Filament Dryer
Moisture control during storage and printing
Varies by storage conditions
Hardened Nozzle
Wear-resistant nozzle (hardened steel, ruby, tungsten carbide)
Not needed - standard brass nozzle is fine
PA-CF / Nylon-CF
Enclosure
Heated chamber to prevent warping and maintain stable temps
Not needed - prints fine in open air
Drybox / Filament Dryer
Moisture control during storage and printing
Not needed - low moisture sensitivity
Hardened Nozzle
Wear-resistant nozzle (hardened steel, ruby, tungsten carbide)
Not needed - standard brass nozzle is fine
GFPP / PP-GF
Enclosure
Heated chamber to prevent warping and maintain stable temps
Varies by brand or printing conditions
Drybox / Filament Dryer
Moisture control during storage and printing
Not needed - low moisture sensitivity
Hardened Nozzle
Wear-resistant nozzle (hardened steel, ruby, tungsten carbide)
Not needed - standard brass nozzle is fine
High Impact Polystyrene
Enclosure
Heated chamber to prevent warping and maintain stable temps
Not needed - prints fine in open air
Drybox / Filament Dryer
Moisture control during storage and printing
Not needed - low moisture sensitivity
Hardened Nozzle
Wear-resistant nozzle (hardened steel, ruby, tungsten carbide)
Not needed - standard brass nozzle is fine
Matte PLA composite
Enclosure
Heated chamber to prevent warping and maintain stable temps
Not needed - prints fine in open air
Drybox / Filament Dryer
Moisture control during storage and printing
Varies by storage conditions
Hardened Nozzle
Wear-resistant nozzle (hardened steel, ruby, tungsten carbide)
Not needed - standard brass nozzle is fine
Polyamide 12
Enclosure
Heated chamber to prevent warping and maintain stable temps
Not needed - prints fine in open air
Drybox / Filament Dryer
Moisture control during storage and printing
Not needed - low moisture sensitivity
Hardened Nozzle
Wear-resistant nozzle (hardened steel, ruby, tungsten carbide)
Not needed - standard brass nozzle is fine
Polyamide 6
Enclosure
Heated chamber to prevent warping and maintain stable temps
Not needed - prints fine in open air
Drybox / Filament Dryer
Moisture control during storage and printing
Not needed - low moisture sensitivity
Hardened Nozzle
Wear-resistant nozzle (hardened steel, ruby, tungsten carbide)
Not needed - standard brass nozzle is fine
Polycaprolactone
PC
Enclosure
Heated chamber to prevent warping and maintain stable temps
Not needed - prints fine in open air
Drybox / Filament Dryer
Moisture control during storage and printing
Not needed - low moisture sensitivity
Hardened Nozzle
Wear-resistant nozzle (hardened steel, ruby, tungsten carbide)
Not needed - standard brass nozzle is fine
Polysulfone
Polyvinyl Alcohol
Enclosure
Heated chamber to prevent warping and maintain stable temps
Not needed - prints fine in open air
Drybox / Filament Dryer
Moisture control during storage and printing
Not needed - low moisture sensitivity
Hardened Nozzle
Wear-resistant nozzle (hardened steel, ruby, tungsten carbide)
Not needed - standard brass nozzle is fine
Mid-durometer TPU
Enclosure
Heated chamber to prevent warping and maintain stable temps
Not needed - prints fine in open air
Drybox / Filament Dryer
Moisture control during storage and printing
Varies by storage conditions
Hardened Nozzle
Wear-resistant nozzle (hardened steel, ruby, tungsten carbide)
Not needed - standard brass nozzle is fine
Shiny PLA
Enclosure
Heated chamber to prevent warping and maintain stable temps
Not needed - prints fine in open air
Drybox / Filament Dryer
Moisture control during storage and printing
Varies by storage conditions
Hardened Nozzle
Wear-resistant nozzle (hardened steel, ruby, tungsten carbide)
Not needed - standard brass nozzle is fine
PLA + sawdust
Enclosure
Heated chamber to prevent warping and maintain stable temps
Not needed - prints fine in open air
Drybox / Filament Dryer
Moisture control during storage and printing
Varies by storage conditions
Hardened Nozzle
Wear-resistant nozzle (hardened steel, ruby, tungsten carbide)
Not needed - standard brass nozzle is fine
Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene
Enclosure
Heated chamber to prevent warping and maintain stable temps
Not needed - prints fine in open air
Drybox / Filament Dryer
Moisture control during storage and printing
Not needed - low moisture sensitivity
Hardened Nozzle
Wear-resistant nozzle (hardened steel, ruby, tungsten carbide)
Not needed - standard brass nozzle is fine
Polyether Ether Ketone
Acrylic / Plexiglass / Perspex
Polyphenylene Sulfide
Low durometer TPU (~80A)
Enclosure
Heated chamber to prevent warping and maintain stable temps
Not needed - prints fine in open air
Drybox / Filament Dryer
Moisture control during storage and printing
Varies by storage conditions
Hardened Nozzle
Wear-resistant nozzle (hardened steel, ruby, tungsten carbide)
Not needed - standard brass nozzle is fine
High Density Polyethylene
PLA + metal shavings
Enclosure
Heated chamber to prevent warping and maintain stable temps
Not needed - prints fine in open air
Drybox / Filament Dryer
Moisture control during storage and printing
Varies by storage conditions
Hardened Nozzle
Wear-resistant nozzle (hardened steel, ruby, tungsten carbide)
Not needed - standard brass nozzle is fine
PP
Enclosure
Heated chamber to prevent warping and maintain stable temps
Varies by brand or printing conditions
Drybox / Filament Dryer
Moisture control during storage and printing
Not needed - low moisture sensitivity
Hardened Nozzle
Wear-resistant nozzle (hardened steel, ruby, tungsten carbide)
Not needed - standard brass nozzle is fine
Acetal / Delrin / Polyoxymethylene
Polyvinylidene Fluoride / Kynar
Generic TPE filament
Enclosure
Heated chamber to prevent warping and maintain stable temps
Not needed - prints fine in open air
Drybox / Filament Dryer
Moisture control during storage and printing
Varies by storage conditions
Hardened Nozzle
Wear-resistant nozzle (hardened steel, ruby, tungsten carbide)
Not needed - standard brass nozzle is fine
Polyvinyl Butyral
Enclosure
Heated chamber to prevent warping and maintain stable temps
Not needed - prints fine in open air
Drybox / Filament Dryer
Moisture control during storage and printing
Not needed - low moisture sensitivity
Hardened Nozzle
Wear-resistant nozzle (hardened steel, ruby, tungsten carbide)
Not needed - standard brass nozzle is fine
New to 3D Printing?
Start With These
- PLA (general prints)
- PETG (functional parts)
- TPU 95A (flexible parts, only after comfortable with PLA/PETG)
Avoid Without Enclosure
- ABS
- ASA
- PC
Avoid Without Drying
- Nylon/PA
- PVA/BVOH
- TPU (if humid conditions)
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