The Best ABS Filament: 3D Printer Filament Guide

The best ABS filament brands are a pleasure to work with. ABS it is stronger than PLA and has better surface finish when smoothed with acetone vapor treatment.

We put together a quick list of the best ABS filaments from some of the top filament brands in the world. All four are high quality, strong, and have great tolerances.

Our top choice is Hatchbox ABS because it is simply one of the most reliable and well priced brands out there. Here are a few things that make Hatchbox great:

  • Fantastic tolerances compared to other brands
  • Cheap prices for high quality filament
  • Wide range of colors and fast delivery

Looking for PLA? Check out our guide to the best PLA brands here

Also check out our review of the Best Solvents For ABS Post-Processing

HATCHBOX ABS 3D Printer Filament, Dimensional Accuracy...
IC3D Orange 1.75mm ABS 3D Printer Filament - 2.5kg...
Gizmo Dorks Low Odor ABS 3D Printer Filament 3mm...
HATCHBOX ABS 3D Printer Filament, Dimensional Accuracy...
IC3D Orange 1.75mm ABS 3D Printer Filament - 2.5kg...
Gizmo Dorks Low Odor ABS 3D Printer Filament 3mm...
8,343 Reviews
197 Reviews
68 Reviews
-
$23.99
$66.00
$21.95
HATCHBOX ABS 3D Printer Filament, Dimensional Accuracy...
HATCHBOX ABS 3D Printer Filament, Dimensional Accuracy...
8,343 Reviews
$23.99
IC3D Orange 1.75mm ABS 3D Printer Filament - 2.5kg...
IC3D Orange 1.75mm ABS 3D Printer Filament - 2.5kg...
197 Reviews
-
$66.00
Gizmo Dorks Low Odor ABS 3D Printer Filament 3mm...
Gizmo Dorks Low Odor ABS 3D Printer Filament 3mm...
68 Reviews
$21.95


Hatchbox ABS

ABS filament

(5/5)

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While Hatchbox ABS filaments are not priced like premium brands, they are such good quality that you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference if you compared them.

True, they are imported from China. And yes, these ABS filaments might have some extra additives in them to make them extra glossy.

But the only effect this will have on your printing experience will be that you might have to print at slightly higher temperatures than with other ABS.

The main reason we included Hatchbox in this list, however, is the price. At around the same price as Hatchbox PLA, you really can’t beat the price of Hatchbox ABS filaments.

It is some of the best value for money filament out there. The quality is definitely high enough that Hatchbox could charge a bit more if they wanted to.

For instance, Hatchbox ABS has absolutely no tolerance issues, with a maximum variance of +/- 0.03 mm. That’s right. An ABS filament that sells for the same price as PLA has basically perfect diameters.

Plus, the colors are great, the layer bonding is solid and the warping is minimal. What more could you want?

Hatchbox Filament Is Very Popular

If you want to see what others think of Hatchbox ABS, check out the hundreds of positive customer reviews. Hatchbox ABS is some of the most highly rated filament in the world.

Combined with such a low price, Hatchbox ABS is probably the best filament offer on the internet. You can read the complete review of Hatchbox here.

HATCHBOX ABS 3D Printer Filament, Dimensional Accuracy...
  • FILAMENT SPECS: SIZE: 1 kg (approximately 2.20 lbs) Spool, 1.75 mm Filament Diameter (Dimensional Accuracy +/- 0.03 mm), TEMPERATURE: Recommended Extrusion/Nozzle Temp 210°C - 240°C (410°F - 464°F)
  • TOUGH & DURABLE FILAMENT: Hatchbox ABS filament, or Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene, is known for its durability, versatility and smooth finish. One of the most commonly used filaments, ABS is strong, impact resistant, and ideal for fully functional prototypes and other end-use applications.
  • BEGINNER & EXPERT FRIENDLY: Hatchbox 3D Filaments are made with quality and consistency in mind, making it easy for novice users to get started with basic settings. Seasoned printers can push their designs to the limit without worrying about purity, tolerance or printing issues.
  • STRONG & IMPACT RESISTANT: ABS 3d printer filament is more impact resistant than PLA and also suitable for use at higher temperatures, enabling a broader range of applications. Each spool is vacuum-sealed with moisture-absorbing desiccant to ensure clog, bubble, and tangle-free printing.
  • WHY HATCHBOX? We’re proud to be known in the 3D printing community for producing the highest quality ABS on the market, with the largest selection of filaments and colors at an unbeatable price. From art and design, to prototypes and models, Hatchbox is trusted to deliver the best in 3D printing technology.

Push Plastic ABS

(5/5)

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Push Plastic ABS is super underrated, but it is truly one of the best ABS filament brands around. Based in Arkansas, the company is run by two plastics industry veterans with over 20 years of experience, so they really know their stuff.

Push Plastic color tags ABS filament

Push Plastic Subscription Box

Following the ignominious fall from grace and subsequent shutdown of MakerGeeks, Push Plastic has taken up the subscription box mantel. Their subscription box is very good and well worth checking out.

They offer two types of subscription boxes: the Basic Box and the Specialty Box. The prices are very reasonable and you can choose 1 month, 3 months, or 6 months.

Printing With Push Plastic ABS

Push Plastic ABS filaments are strong and the diameters are very consistent. They are also really easy to print with, although they sometimes require a slightly higher melt temperature than other ABS filaments.

Try starting out with a print temperature of 220ºC and adjust from there.

Most other high-quality filaments cost an arm and a leg. Not Push Plastic ABS, and that makes it a really good deal.

Plus if you visit their website, you might get a seasonal deal or free shipping. Read more about that in our full Push Plastic review.

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IC3D ABS

(5/5)

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IC3D ABS filaments are easily some of the highest-rated ABS filaments out there. They have hundreds of positive reviews.

That is pretty impressive, especially for a filament manufacturer from Ohio that makes all of their own filament in-house.

Marvin ABS filament

One key to their success has been keeping their business model lean and supporting a wide community of makers, from students to professionals. But the most important reason IC3D’s filament is on this list is its quality.

The ABS filament that IC3D makes is one of the best ABS filaments simply because it is easy to work with and nearly flawless on most metrics.

Key Observations:

  • IC3D has fantastic layer bonding no matter what speed you are printing at.
  • This ABS also has exceptional diameters.
  • IC3D ABS filament almost never clogs.
  • The surface finish is nice and glossy

But the best thing about IC3D is the price. You can purchase a spool of IC3D ABS for 20% less than many other premium brands.

That is an absolute steal for the level of quality you get with these ABS filaments. So check them out here.

IC3D Black 3mm ABS 3D Printer Filament - 2.1lb Spool -...
  • Use abs filament when your 3D printed objects need to be strong, stiff, and flexible enough to resist breaking when stressed
  • Abs can also be post-processed easily, either by sealing and painting or through solvent-based methods
  • Hot end temperature range: 235-245°c
  • Print Surface Temperature: 95°C with PEI print surface

Ultimaker ABS

(5/5)

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Ultimaker is a high-end Dutch filament brand that makes fantastic ABS. You can make just about any functional part you can think of with this stuff.

Ultimaker ABS has particularly good layer bonding and very low warping. As a result, this brand of ABS is super easy to print with. And it responds really well to post-processing in an acetone vapor bath.

Benchy ABS filament

You can rely on Ultimaker ABS filaments for printing functional parts that require high durability. Ultimaker ABS has been used to make high impact parts for skateboards and props for action movie sets.

The quality of this ABS is high enough that many small businesses rely on it for all of their local manufacturing needs.

Ultimaker ABS Price

Of course, high quality comes at a high price. A roll of Ultimaker ABS costs around double what a regular spool of ABS costs, and that’s not even including shipping.

You can avoid overseas shipping fees by buying through Amazon or Ultimaker resellers in the US, such as MatterHackers, fbrc8.com and Dynamism. If you buy through one of the resellers, you will also get completely free shipping.

Read more in our complete Ultimaker brand review.

Ultimaker 3 NFC ABS Filament - Black
  • 2.85mm NFC ABS Filament
  • High Quality - consistent diameter reduces jams
  • Manufactured for use with the Ultimaker 3 3D printer

SUNLU ABS 

(5/5)

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Sunlu is a relatively new brand on the filament scene, and it is quickly gaining a reputation for being one of the better Chinese sourced brands. For many people, Sunlu ABS+ is a new favorite.

Sunlu is often priced lower than other similar filaments which makes an attractive alternative to popular brands like Hatchbox.

The main thing to keep in mind is that the quality of Sunlu is slightly worse than Hatchbox. It can cause some issues, especially when printing things with lots of bridging. But for smaller figurines, it will work just fine.

Key observations:

  • Silk Yellow is a very pleasing color
  • No adhesion issues with the print bed
  • Minor printing issues could be user error
  • Spectacular surface finish

Update 1/6/2019:

Be careful with Sunlu. It looks like they switched manufactures last year. Now the quality of the filament might be lower and the colors are slightly different.

However, we are still recommending Sunlu because there are still many positive reports coming in from customers.

Now the thing about Sunlu is that there is evidence floating around on the internet indicating that it is the same filament as other brands like 3D Hero. This has to do with how the filament is sourced from the original manufacturer.

That means that sometimes the quality of Sunlu will vary. But most of the time the fact that the filament is the same as other Chinese sourced filaments will not affect your printing experience.

If any of these evaluations change, we will update this review. Please let us know in the comments what you’re experience with Sunlu.

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Final Thoughts: ABS Filament

Hatchbox ABS filament

These brands are the best ABS filament brands for good reasons. They all have fantastic print qualities, superb tolerances, and are relatively easy to work with.

They are what you might call “low hassle” ABS filaments. You can also use each of these brands for functional pieces since they are all very strong.

And some of them, like Push Plastic and Hatchbox, are super cheap compared to other premium ABS filaments. Check prices here.

If you are looking for more information about these brands, check out the individual brand reviews. Otherwise, you can find all of these filaments for sale.

And let us know in the comments which brand you like the most, or if you prefer a different brand than the ones we talked about in this list.

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