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54 Cool 3D Prints: Fun And Useful Things To 3D Print
Art & Design,HobbiesJUL 12, 2026

54 Cool 3D Prints: Fun And Useful Things To 3D Print

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There are so many advanced technologies that feel almost like magic. Smartphones. Airplanes. Robotic surgery. Virtual reality. Robot vacuums zooming around your local supermarket. And... 3D printing. No matter how much time goes by, we still can't get over how cool it is that you can quickly make almost any three-dimensional object that you envision from the comfort of your own home.
We want to celebrate the brightest and most brilliant creators and hobbyists out there who have come up with some truly inspiring 3D printed designs. So, we're featuring our favorite projects and designs from the awesome '3D Printing' online community to show you what’s possible with a bit of imagination, patience, and out-of-the-box thinking.

#1 Printed An Insect Water Station For Some Thirsty Boys In Europe, Had My First Visitor After A Few Minutes

A bee drinking from a yellow, honeycomb-patterned 3D printed feeder, a cool project.
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131points

#2 Tape Dispenser - Snail

Two charming 3D printer projects of snail-shaped tape dispensers, one with tape loaded and the other empty, on a wooden surface.
I always thought regular small dispensers looked like snails. So I made one and it turns out really cute. My wife and son really love this.
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115points

#3 I Made A Desk Corner Lamp

A series of images showing a triangular 3D printed wooden lamp glowing, highlighting creative projects.
I made a large wooden one of these for my living room last year and decided making a mini one was the perfect way to learn cad.
This is my first original design: a simple, minimalist corner desktop LED lamp. It’s designed to sit neatly in a corner and cast a soft, indirect glow on the wall. The lamp uses a cheap $7 LED strip from Amazon and prints in one piece, sitting at 10inches tall.
111points

3D printing essentially involves taking a digital file and then using that info to layer various materials like plastics, composites, or bio-materials to create whatever object you want, with whatever properties you want. Size, texture, material, color, rigidity, flexibility, etc—everything is up for grabs.

The 3D printing industry is predicted to be worth a jaw-dropping $84 billion by 2029 as the technology’s capabilities continue to soar. This continued spread of 3D printing tech makes it highly likely that you and I will, eventually, interact with products, homes, buildings, toys, prosthetics, medical models and implants made with this tech.

To say that we’re excited for the future of this tech is underselling things.

#4 3D Printed A Pot For My New Bonsai Tree

A potted plant in a decorative planter with root-like legs, a unique 3D printer project.
My wife got me a dwarf jade bonsai for father day, unfortunately it came in a cracked pot. I decided to print the living pot to put the bonsai in. My wife painted and decorated it! What do you think?
102points

#5 "3D Printers Are A Waste Of Money!". Oh Yeah? Well

A 3D-printed red replacement part for a deodorant stick, a practical 3D printer project.
The bottom of my deodorant broke and there was still like a quarter of it left. So I grabbed my $50 calibers and took some measurements.
Then I fired up my $2000/year CAD program on my $3000 computer and designed a replacement in a few minutes.
I then used the FREE slicer that came with my $1500 3D printer and after 20 minutes, I had a 15 cent replacement.
This saved nearly $2 in deodorant that I would have had to throw away.
All said and done I saved I saved -$6548.15!
Totally worth it! Engineering School really has helped me save money!
97points

#6 New Moon

A 3D printer project showcasing a beautiful moon-shaped night light plugged into a wall.
Just finished my moon nightlight. Adaptive layers, cotton white pla, ender 3. I haven't packaged the print files for distribution yet.
92points

One of the coolest things about this tech is that it completely shifts timelines. If you urgently need protective medical gear (like healthcare workers did during the pandemic) or a niche replacement part for an important piece of machinery, you can, effectively, use a 3D printer to get what you need instantly instead of waiting days, weeks, or months.

Meanwhile, companies can use this speed to iterate on prototypes and test out products incredibly quickly.

#7 There Is A Baby Shower Coming Up For One Of The Supervisors At A Chemistry Lab O Work At. Printed These For The Occasion

A set of colorful 3D printed laboratory beakers and test tubes with cute faces, showcasing cool projects.
Crochet look labware! These were long prints but I’m super happy how they turned out. PLA for all. Corks and the test tube stand are wood fiber PLA.
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91points

#8 In Response To The Caesar Pen Holder, I Present My Kitchen Knife Block!

A white 3D printed bust of a Roman emperor, styled as a knife block with black knives and scissors, a cool 3D printer project.
86points

#9 Faded Girl Statue

A detailed 3D printer project of a female figure with flowing hair, appearing to rise from a base, illuminated by a warm glow.
84points

3D printing can be incredibly efficient, quick, economical, and even eco-friendly. The technology has come a long way over the past few decades since it was created.

Even though the hype surrounding 3D printing has dimmed, the tech has proven to be very solid. It is practical and commercially viable in the manufacturing and automotive industries.

It is now used in a wide range of niches, from mass manufacturing and medicine to everyday maintenance (e.g., part replacement), hobbyist DIY, and even art.

#10 Just Finished Printing And Painting This Celtic Wolf Head. Super Happy With How The Copper Details Came Out!

An impressive 3D printer project of a wolf's head with intricate Celtic knot patterns in metallic orange and silver.
Printed this vertical on my setup to get all the clean details on the knotwork. For the finish, I went with a dark base and used a dry brushing technique to make the copper and silver elements really pop.
What do you guys think of the look?
82points

#11 My Doom Tda Suit

A person in an elaborate Doom Slayer costume, a cool 3D printer project, standing in a field.
80points

#12 Designed And Printed My Dog A Custom Stainless Steel Dog Collar

A silver dog collar with the name HARVEY spelled out, a personalized 3D printer accessory.
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76points

The ‘3D Printing’ online community has been inspiring and amusing the internet with awesome designs and projects for the past 16 years, since early 2010. It is one of the most popular 3D printing communities on the internet, with a whopping 1.1 million weekly visitors and 25k weekly contributions on the subreddit.

The moderators of the awesome and friendly community emphasize that this is a place for everyone, amateur and veteran alike. It is a community “where makers of all skill levels and walks of life can learn about and discuss 3D printing and development of 3D printed parts and devices.”

#13 I Turned My Workshop Key In To A Chainsaw

A key with an orange 3D printed chainsaw handle, a unique and cool 3D print project.
This is the silliest thing I've ever made xD
When I first fantasized about getting a 3D printer I always thought about all the useful things I could print with it, like replacement parts, etc. But ever since I got it, I catch myself having way to much fun making useless funny stuff :)
76points

#14 My Friends Showed Me Their 7 Yr Old Son's Drawing. 2 Months Later, I Surprised Him With The Real Thing

A Devon Rex cat sits next to a 3D printed robot arm, with the original robot drawing visible above, showcasing cool 3D printer projects.
My friends showed me a sketch their 7 year old son, Teddy, had drawn. I immediately knew I wanted to turn this zap ray into a real thing for him, while keeping and expanding on all of the different details he had envisioned in his original concept.
Teddy's vision was for the zap ray to transport him in and out of the TV so he can meet the characters in one of his favourite shows, Dragon Ball. So of course, he would also need a way to remotely control it (last pic).
Two months later, this is what I surprised him with (my cat, Cosmo, for scale!).
71points

#15 I Printed A Tow Ball Cover

A blue spiked shell with white wings, a cool 3D printed Mario Kart item attached to a car, a fun project.
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67points

Earlier, Bored Panda interviewed Germany-based computer vision engineer Sricharan Chiruvolu. He was kind enough to share his thoughts on 3D printing, including its applications and upsides, with our team.

He emphasized that 3D printing has affected the common consumer goods market, allowing for more personalized, custom-made items, whether you’re talking about phone cases or prosthetics.

“Also, it [3D printing] helps to bring down the production cost for a few products, giving customers more access to distinctive designs,” the expert told us earlier.

One huge upside of this technology is that it cuts the costs of creating prototypes. This way, businesses can quickly and cheaply test new products, parts, and designs.

#16 Remember The Droideka I Showed You All? This It Now

A detailed 3D printed robot resembling a Star Wars droid, standing in a backyard, highlighting a cool 3D printer project.
61points

#17 Office Chair Wheel Guards To Safe Your Cables And Pets

A close-up of an office chair base with custom 3D printed wheels designed to protect wooden floors.
After running over a cable one time too many, I decided to design some wheel guards for my office chair.
I tried a few different design approaches such as wheel covers, but in the end, this simple ring design proved superior to all others.
60points

#18 So My Teenager Wanted A Headphone Stand

A detailed 3D printed bust of a man, shown without and then with headphones, demonstrating cool 3D printer projects.
.. and he’s really into Breaking Bad at the moment. Mike is (was) his favorite character.
Esun PLA+ Bone, P1S, 23.5 hrs.
Report
59points

“It has brought about faster distribution of prototypes, thus hastening market entry for new products, while on-demand creation has also prolonged product life for many consumers,” Chiruvolu explained.

“Through 3D printing, waste can be reduced by using only the required materials for each product; it also supports local production that could reduce transit-related emissions.”

#19 My Girlfriend Lives In An Apartment Where An Anonymous Neighbor Is Leaving Some Of Their 3D Printed Objects On The Stair Banisters. Here Are Some Of The Recent Ones

Three distinct 3D printer projects: a decorative lamp, a Spider-Man bust, and a miniature building.
59points

#20 Peak Laziness Achieved: I 3D Printed A Hand So I Don't Have To Use My Own

A man wearing a neon green 3D printed hand visor, an amusing and cool 3D print project.
I got tired of the grueling physical labor of raising my arm every time the sun was in my eyes, so I designed a wearable face hand. It features a fully adjustable strap and provides 100% autonomous sun shading.
Is it stupid? Yes. Does it actually work flawlessly? Also yes.
59points
More from this series:
195 3D Printing Fans Show Off Their Most Useful DIY Creations
2You're here54 Cool 3D Prints: Fun And Useful Things To 3D Print
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