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Diameter tolerance and spool weight before colour and finish

The best PLA filament for 2026

PLA is the filament most printers are tuned for: it prints at modest temperatures, warps little and needs no enclosure, and it softens in a hot car. Every spool publishes a diameter — 1.75 mm on most printers, 2.85 mm on some — and a tolerance around it, and a tight tolerance gives more even extrusion. Net weight is the filament alone; the empty spool is weighed separately, and comparing prices by the kilogram needs the net figure. The spool size matters for printers with a built-in holder or an automatic material system, which accept only certain widths and hub diameters. The recommended temperatures for nozzle and bed are printed as ranges, and they are starting points rather than settings. The finish — matte, silk, glossy, with glitter or wood fibre — changes the look and sometimes the printing: filled filaments wear brass nozzles. Winding that is orderly avoids tangles halfway through a long print. Then whether the spool is cardboard or refillable, and whether it arrives vacuum-sealed with desiccant. We compare diameter and tolerance, net weight, spool size, recommended temperatures, finish, winding and packaging.

The parts and materials worth a place on the bench

  1. SUNLU PLA+ white filament spool

    SUNLU PLA+ 1.75 mm, white, 1 kg

    A 1 kg spool of white SUNLU PLA+ in 1.75 mm with a ±0.02 mm tolerance, on a spool whose diameter, width and hole size are all published, wound by machine and inspected by hand.

    Diameter and tolerance
    1.75 mm ±0.02 mm, third bullet
    Net weight
    1 kg, title
    Spool size
    Diameter 20.32 cm, width 6.35 cm, hole 5.59 cm, fourth bullet
    Recommended temperatures
    Absent from the listing
    Finish
    PLA+, white; described as stronger than normal PLA with brighter colours, first bullet
    Winding
    Fully mechanical winding with manual inspection, no overlaps, second and third bullets
    Packaging
    Absent from the listing
    Amazon reference
    B07XFL3XB9 (same reference on 5 Amazon marketplaces)
    EAN
    0747045295922
    • Spool diameter, width and hole size published, so holder fit can be checked
    • A ±0.02 mm diameter tolerance
    • No recommended print temperatures

    Best for: Everyday PLA printing on an FDM printer whose spool holder needs checked dimensions.

    ≈ 11 €
    Check price on Amazon
  2. GEEETECH black PLA filament spool beside a black printed figure

    GEEETECH PLA 1.75 mm, black, 1 kg spool

    A spool of black GEEETECH PLA in 1.75 mm with a ±0.02 mm tolerance and a printing range of 190–220 °C, vacuum-packed, whose weight is given as 1 kg in the title and 1.1 kg in the first bullet.

    Diameter and tolerance
    1.75 mm ±0.02 mm, first and fourth bullets
    Net weight
    1 kg in the title; 1.1 kg spool in the first bullet
    Spool size
    Absent from the listing
    Recommended temperatures
    Printing temperature 190–220 °C, third bullet; no bed temperature
    Finish
    Absent from the listing — black, title
    Winding
    Absent from the listing
    Packaging
    Vacuum packaging, first bullet
    Amazon reference
    B071DM81ZK (same reference on 5 Amazon marketplaces)
    EAN
    0718399619665
    • A published printing temperature range, 190–220 °C
    • Vacuum packaging and a ±0.02 mm tolerance
    • Weight given as 1 kg in the title and 1.1 kg in the bullets

    Best for: A PLA user who wants a stated temperature range to start tuning from.

    ≈ 12 €
    Check price on Amazon
  3. eSUN PLA Basic white filament spool

    eSUN PLA Basic 1.75 mm for fast printers, white, 1 kg

    A 1 kg spool of white eSUN PLA Basic in 1.75 mm with a ±0.03 mm tolerance, formulated for high-speed printing and named as compatible with printers including the AnkerMake M5, sealed in a vacuum bag with desiccant.

    Diameter and tolerance
    1.75 mm ±0.03 mm, title
    Net weight
    1 kg, title
    Spool size
    Absent from the listing
    Recommended temperatures
    Absent from the listing
    Finish
    Absent from the listing — white, title
    Winding
    Absent from the listing
    Packaging
    Vacuum-sealed bag with desiccant, fifth bullet
    Amazon reference
    B0CR1CS3K8 (same reference on 5 Amazon marketplaces)
    EAN
    6922572205635
    • Formulated for high-speed printing, with compatible printers named
    • Vacuum-sealed with a desiccant bag
    • A ±0.03 mm tolerance, looser than the ±0.02 mm of four other PLAs here

    Best for: Fast CoreXY and high-speed bed-slinger printers, including the AnkerMake M5 reviewed on this site.

    ≈ £12 / 13 €
    Check price on Amazon
  4. 3DHoJor matte PLA filament spool in peach pink

    3DHoJor Matte PLA 1.75 mm, peach pink, 1 kg

    A 1 kg spool of peach-pink matte PLA from 3DHoJor in 1.75 mm with a ±0.02 mm tolerance, mechanically wound and checked by hand, and dried for 24 hours before vacuum sealing with desiccant.

    Diameter and tolerance
    1.75 mm ±0.02 mm, fourth bullet
    Net weight
    1 kg, title
    Spool size
    Absent from the listing
    Recommended temperatures
    Absent from the listing
    Finish
    Matte, described as hiding layer lines, first bullet; peach pink, title
    Winding
    Fully mechanical winding with strict manual checks, fourth bullet
    Packaging
    Dried for 24 hours, then vacuum-sealed with desiccant, fifth bullet
    Amazon reference
    B0CRZ3433T (same reference on 6 Amazon marketplaces)
    EAN
    0774882966258
    • Dried for 24 hours before sealing, as the fifth bullet states
    • A matte finish that the listing says hides layer lines
    • No temperatures or spool dimensions

    Best for: Decorative prints, figures and cosplay pieces where a non-glossy finish matters.

    ≈ £11 / 14 €
    Check price on Amazon
  5. AzureFilm PLA Matte HS filament spool in bordeaux

    AzureFilm PLA Matte HS 1.75 mm, bordeaux, 1 kg, for fast printers

    A 1 kg spool of bordeaux AzureFilm PLA Matte HS in 1.75 mm with a ±0.02 mm tolerance, an ultra-matte finish and a reinforced formulation stated to extrude stably at up to 600 mm/s.

    Diameter and tolerance
    1.75 mm ±0.02 mm, fourth bullet
    Net weight
    1 kg, title and sixth bullet
    Spool size
    Absent from the listing
    Recommended temperatures
    Absent from the listing
    Finish
    Ultra-matte, non-glossy, first bullet; bordeaux, title
    Winding
    Absent from the listing
    Packaging
    Sealed spool, delivered moisture-protected, sixth bullet
    Amazon reference
    B0F9HC8ZGG (same reference on 6 Amazon marketplaces)
    EAN
    3830063546828
    • An ultra-matte finish combined with a high-speed formulation
    • Extrusion stated as stable at up to 600 mm/s
    • No temperatures, spool size or winding information

    Best for: Display models and cosplay parts printed quickly on a high-speed printer.

    ≈ 17 €
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  6. Two Creality Ender PLA filament spools in black and white

    Creality Ender PLA 1.75 mm, black and white, two 1 kg spools

    Creality Ender PLA in 1.75 mm black and white, sold as a two-pack of 1 kg spools in the title and described as a four-pack in the first bullet, with low shrinkage and EPC automatic winding.

    Diameter and tolerance
    1.75 mm, fifth bullet; no tolerance figure given
    Net weight
    2 × 1 kg in the title; the first bullet refers to a 4-pack
    Spool size
    Absent from the listing
    Recommended temperatures
    Absent from the listing
    Finish
    Absent from the listing — black and white, title
    Winding
    EPC automatic winding with precise diameter, third bullet
    Packaging
    Absent from the listing
    Amazon reference
    B0BY25RJLH (same reference on 5 Amazon marketplaces)
    EAN
    6971636405528
    • A multi-pack from a printer maker, for 1.75 mm FFF printers
    • EPC automatic winding for tangle-free feeding
    • Two-pack in the title, four-pack in the first bullet

    Best for: A Creality printer owner who wants black and white PLA in bulk, once the pack size has been confirmed.

    ≈ 30 €
    Check price on Amazon

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.