Why Are Prusa 3D Printers So Expensive?

If you want to jump into the ever-expanding world of 3D printing, now's the time. Buying a 3D printer is cheaper than ever, and you have plenty of popular brands to choose from. Not all 3D printers fall into the bargain category, though. Prusa printers are among the best printers on the market, but they are also some of the most expensive. That's because you pay for Prusa's personal touch.

Unlike rival brands like Bambu Labs, Prusa printers aren't built in China. Instead, most of their products are built in Europe, specifically Prague, Czech Republic. Many manufacturing jobs have moved to China because it's simply cheaper to churn out products over there — it's one of the reasons Chinese EVs are cheaper than American ones. And while products made in China are not necessarily of subpar quality, part of keeping production costs down is using commodity building blocks. Prusa 3D printers, on the other hand, are built with premium materials, which makes them last longer but also cost more. Because why pay $300 for a printer that will only last you four years when you can pay $600 for a printer that will last a decade?

The cash you spend on Prusa 3D printers doesn't just go into the printers themselves. Much of the money funds the company's customer service, which is reportedly top-notch (according to sites such as Trustpilot). Prusa 3D also offers its own proprietary filament — dubbed Prusament — which also receives plenty of excellent reviews. But like Prusa's printers, the filament is more expensive than its rivals. You are simply paying for that quality and reputation.

Many electronics products that are popular in the United States are actually made in other countries, though there are a few pockets of U.S. tech manufacturing. Despite our reliance on smartphones, for example, only one phone brand is made in the U.S, but TP-Link manufactures some of its routers in America. You can add Prusa to this list of dabblers in American-based plants, but don't expect to see a financial windfall as a consequence.

While Prusa 3D and most of its manufacturing activities are based in Prague, the company has branched out and set up a satellite headquarters in Newark, Delaware. Technically speaking, Prusa doesn't operate this location; instead, this manufacturing building is run by Printed Solid, a U.S.-based 3D printer company Prusa purchased in 2022. Still, the facility meets the exacting standards of Prusa's main manufacturing plant.

Ordering through the U.S. branch won't save you a ton of money, though. Let's look at their Prusa CORE One+ Gen 2 model. If you buy it through the Prusa website, you will pay $1,299 (including import duties) for the fully assembled product ($999 for the do-it-yourself kit). Add in shipping that starts at $154.99, and you're up to a total approaching $1,500. Meanwhile, the Prusa CORE One+ Gen 2 costs $1,449 through Printed Solid ($1,149 for the kit). Shipping is free — if you are willing to wait up to six business days — but with taxes, the total comes to $1,545. Plus, each printer you buy from the original Prusa store in Prague comes with two free one-kilogram PLA filament spools; if you buy through Printed Solid, you miss out on this offer. Supporting local businesses is often a good idea, but in this situation, it's the less frugal option.