Looking after filament
Most filaments absorb water from the air, and damp filament strings and pops. A dryer costs less than a failed print. This guide picks a dryer by the hardest filament you plan to use.
The SUNLU S1 Plus and Space Pi SE are the sensible first dryers.
The Comgrow SH01 is limited to 50 °C but holds two spools sealed.
The Comgrow SH03 and Space Pi X4 reach 85 °C for four spools.
Use the temperature printed by the filament maker, and check that plastic spools can take the heat.
The commonest case: a spool long open that prints badly for no visible reason.
For the most sensitive materials the filament never leaves the chamber.
There the boxes and the desiccant do the work, not the appliance.
| The symptom | The likely cause | What this site does not do |
|---|---|---|
| Crackling at the nozzle | Moisture in the filament | Give a drying schedule |
| Rough surface | Moisture or settings | Supply a profile |
| Brittle part | Degraded material | Judge a material |
| Filament snapping | Unsuitable storage | Prescribe a storage method |
A filament dryer asks for almost nothing except cleanliness and attention to the desiccant. A saturated desiccant no longer works and gives the illusion of airtight storage.
A dryer heats and often runs unattended.
Filament dryer · 1 spool · up to Φ210 × 85 mm · adjustable temperature · 6-hour default · print while drying
The most-rated dryer here at under $40: one spool up to 210 mm across and 85 mm wide, with a 6-hour default and printing during drying.
Best for: A PLA and PETG user with a damp-spool problem.
≈ $38
Filament dryer · 1 × 1 kg spool · 45–65 °C · PTC heater · 360° air · 1.75 and 2.85 mm
Creality’s single-spool dryer running from 45 to 65 °C with a PTC heater and 360° hot air, for PLA, PETG, ABS, ASA and TPU.
Best for: A PETG or ABS user with a single spool on the go.
≈ $40
Filament dryer · 2 × 1 kg spools · inner 9.29 × 6.49 × 9.13 in · 40–50 °C · temperature and humidity display
A two-spool dryer box with printed inner dimensions, but its 50 °C limit, stated by the listing, confines it to PLA and light drying.
Best for: A PLA user who wants storage plus gentle drying for two spools.
≈ $44
Filament dryer · up to 4 × 1 kg spools · 200 W + 200 W PTC · up to 185 °F (85 °C) · auto mode · 360° airflow · touchscreen
A dual-chamber dryer for up to four 1 kg spools, with two 200 W PTC heaters reaching 185 °F (85 °C), an automatic mode and a touchscreen.
Best for: A multicolor printer owner who needs four spools ready.
≈ $120
Filament dryer · 4 spools · dual independent chambers · 200 W + 200 W PTC · up to 85 °C · PLA to PA and PAHT
A four-spool dryer with two independent chambers and a stated 85 °C, named for materials as demanding as PC, PA and PAHT.
Best for: A maker with mixed engineering filaments.
≈ $159
Stringing, popping and rough surfaces are the usual signs.
No. It reads the air in the box.
For builds that: A PLA and PETG user with a damp-spool problem.
Best quality: Low price
Worst quality: No maximum temperature in the bullets
For builds that: A PETG or ABS user with a single spool on the go.
Best quality: Higher ceiling than the Comgrow SH01
Worst quality: One spool
For builds that: A PLA user who wants storage plus gentle drying for two spools.
Best quality: Two spools
Worst quality: Only 50 °C maximum
For builds that: A multicolor printer owner who needs four spools ready.
Best quality: Reaches 85 °C, enough for engineering filaments
Worst quality: Larger box
For builds that: A maker with mixed engineering filaments.
Best quality: Two materials at two temperatures at once
Worst quality: Costs more than the Comgrow SH03
Printer against printer, where the comparison already exists here.
The printers here are drawn from the catalog of this site. Specifications are the published ones, from the maker and from Amazon; prices are the Keepa figure for the date shown, and both shift. Ranking rests on declared specifications, on stated strengths set against stated limits, and on price. No printer here has run a job for us, and nothing on this page says it has.
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A price quoted in the text of a MakerVerdict page dates from the day that page was written; the live figure beside each product is fetched while you read and replaces it.
