Free tool
Filament Picker
PLA? PETG? TPU? The spec sheets won't tell you which one your project actually needs. Answer five questions about what you're making — we'll pick the material and hand you the settings to start from.
Question 1 of 5
What are you printing?
The 30-second version
PLA for anything decorative, indoors, and for everything while you're learning. Easiest to print, best-looking, cheapest. Its weaknesses: heat (sags at ~60 °C) and brittleness.
PETG for functional parts — hooks, brackets, anything that takes force or lives near water. Flexes instead of snapping and shrugs off weather. Slightly fussier to print.
TPU when the part should bend: phone cases, gaskets, grips. Rubbery and nearly indestructible. Print it slow and dry.
ASA for parts living outside year-round or in hot places like cars. Needs an enclosure and ventilation — an intermediate material, not a first spool.
Want the deeper comparisons? ReadPLA vs PETG, our TPU beginner's guide, or how to dry filament — and when you know what a spool costs per print, thecost calculatordoes the math.
Common questions
What filament should a beginner use?
PLA, almost always. It prints at low temperatures, barely warps, doesn't need an enclosure, and comes in more colors than anything else. Most frustration beginners blame on their printer is actually a harder filament chosen too early. Print PLA until boring, then branch out.
When should I switch from PLA to PETG?
When a part fails in the real world: it snapped under force, sagged in a hot car, or clouded outdoors. PETG flexes instead of snapping, survives to roughly 75 °C, and handles weather far better — at the cost of slightly fussier printing (more stringing, needs a release agent on smooth beds).
Do I need an enclosure for PETG?
No. PETG prints fine on open-frame printers — it just wants a hotter nozzle (230–250 °C) and bed (70–80 °C) than PLA. The materials that genuinely need an enclosure are ABS and ASA, which warp badly in open air.
Is 3D printed plastic food safe?
Treat it as no. Even "food safe" filaments end up with microscopic layer grooves that trap bacteria and are nearly impossible to clean properly. Cookie cutters and dry, single-use contact are generally considered fine; anything that touches wet food repeatedly is not worth the risk.