The quietest 3D printer with a published rating is the Anycubic Kobra S1, at 44 dB or less in quiet mode. Close behind are the Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 and Creality K2 Plus at 45 dB, and the Bambu Lab A1 and A1 mini at under 48 dB in Silent Mode. For a sense of scale, 45 dB is about the level of a quiet library or a refrigerator hum, and 55 dB is a normal conversation. Most printers in this list are 2 to 5 dB louder in their normal modes.
Our pick for most people who want a quiet printer is the Bambu Lab A1: it’s the easiest printer to own, it’s rated under 48 dB in Silent Mode, and it costs $259 on sale.
Quietest 3D Printers by Published Noise Rating
Sorted by the quietest mode each maker rates. Prices are maker-store Black Friday prices.
| Printer | Quiet mode | Normal mode | Type | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anycubic Kobra S1 (ACE 2 Pro Combo) | 44 dB or less | 46 dB or less | Enclosed CoreXY | $499 |
| Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 | 45 dB or less | Not published | Enclosed CoreXY | $319 |
| Creality K2 Plus | 45 dB or less (at 300 mm/s) | Not published | Enclosed CoreXY | $899 |
| Creality K2 | About 45 dB | Not published | Enclosed CoreXY | $399 |
| Anycubic Kobra S1 Max | 45 dB or less | 48 dB or less | Enclosed CoreXY | $699 |
| Anycubic Kobra 4 | 45 dB | 48 dB or less | Open frame | $279 |
| Bambu Lab A1 | Under 48 dB | Not published | Open bed slinger | $259 |
| Bambu Lab A1 mini | Under 48 dB | Not published | Open bed slinger | $199 |
| Anycubic Kobra X | Not published | 48 dB or less | Open frame | $299 |
| Bambu Lab A2L | Under 49 dB | About 52 dB | Open bed slinger | $439 |
| Bambu Lab H2S | Not stated | Under 50 dB | Enclosed CoreXY | $1,049 |
| Bambu Lab X2D | Under 50 dB | Not published | Enclosed CoreXY | $589 |
| Flashforge Adventurer 5M Pro | 50 dB | 55 dB | Enclosed CoreXY | About $359 |
| MakerBot Sketch Sprint | Not stated | Under 51 dBA | Enclosed | $2,399 |
No published figure: Bambu Lab P1S, P2S, H2D and H2C; every Prusa printer; QIDI; Sovol; the Creality K1C and Ender-3 V3 SE. That doesn’t mean they’re loud, only that the maker doesn’t rate them.
How to Read These Numbers
They’re the maker’s own measurements. Makers don’t all measure the same way. Creality rates the K2 Plus at 300 mm/s with one spool loaded; Elegoo rates the Centauri Carbon 2 printing PLA in Silent Mode with the auxiliary fan off; Bambu rated the H2S with a 40 dB background at one meter. Treat a difference of 1 or 2 dB between brands as a tie.
Every 10 dB sounds about twice as loud. A 45 dB printer sounds roughly half as loud as a 55 dB one. Our decibel chart puts these levels next to everyday sounds.
Quiet modes are slower. Silent and quiet modes cut speed and acceleration so the motors and frame make less noise. A print that takes two hours in normal mode can take noticeably longer in Silent Mode.
The fans are the loudest part. Stepper motors whine and the frame clunks on fast direction changes, but the part-cooling and chamber fans usually set the noise floor. Enclosed printers run their fans harder to move heat out of the box, which is why an enclosure doesn’t automatically make a printer quieter.
Best Quiet Printers by Need
Quietest overall: Anycubic Kobra S1. At 44 dB in quiet mode and 46 dB in standard mode, it has the lowest published figures of any current printer. It’s an enclosed 250 mm CoreXY printer with a four-color ACE 2 Pro that dries filament. Anycubic sells it as the Kobra S1 ACE 2 Pro Combo for $499.
Quietest for the money: Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2. Rated at 45 dB, it’s an enclosed CoreXY printer with a hardened 350°C nozzle for $319, or $369 with four colors. See how it compares with Bambu’s printers in Centauri Carbon 2 vs. Bambu Lab.
Quietest easy printer: Bambu Lab A1. Under 48 dB in Silent Mode, fully automatic calibration, and the simplest app. It’s open-frame, so it suits PLA and PETG, not ABS. The A1 mini has the same rating in a smaller size. Our A1 vs. A1 mini comparison helps choose.
Quietest large printer: Creality K2 Plus. Rated at 45 dB at 300 mm/s with a 350 mm cube build volume and a heated chamber.
How Loud Is a 3D Printer?
Most current consumer printers run at roughly 45 to 55 dB at a meter, the range between a quiet library and a normal conversation. Older and cheaper printers without quiet modes, and printers running fast with every fan on, are louder. Resin printers are quieter still, because nothing moves except the build plate and a cooling fan.
NIOSH’s guidance on 3D printing notes that one printer usually isn’t a hearing hazard. The practical question is whether you can sleep, work or take calls next to it.
How to Make a 3D Printer Quieter
- Use the quiet or silent mode your printer offers, and accept the longer print times.
- Put it on a heavy, solid surface. A concrete paver or a thick wooden board on foam damping feet keeps vibration from turning a desk into a speaker.
- Keep it out of the bedroom. Noise aside, NIOSH’s 3D printing guidance recommends ventilating the room and keeping your distance from a running printer because of the particles it gives off.
- Schedule long prints for when you’re out. Most printers have a camera and an app, so you can watch remotely.
- Choose PLA when it works. PLA needs strong part cooling, but it prints well at moderate speeds, which keeps fans and motors calmer than a print pushed to the limit.
Best quiet printer for most people
Bambu Lab A1
Rated under 48 dB in Silent Mode, with automatic calibration and a 256 mm build plate.
Quietest enclosed printer for the money
Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 Combo
Rated at 45 dB in Silent Mode, with a hardened 350°C nozzle and a four-color feeder.
Quietest large printer
Creality K2 Plus Combo
Rated at 45 dB at 300 mm/s, with a 350 mm build volume and a 60°C heated chamber.
Quiet 3D Printers FAQ
What is the quietest 3D printer?
The Anycubic Kobra S1, which Anycubic rates at 44 dB or less in quiet mode and 46 dB in standard mode, has the lowest published noise rating of any current consumer 3D printer.
How loud is a 3D printer in decibels?
Most current printers are rated between about 45 and 55 dB, comparable to a quiet room or a normal conversation. Quiet modes cut about 2 to 5 dB at the cost of speed.
Is the Bambu Lab A1 quiet?
Yes. Bambu rates the A1 and A1 mini at under 48 dB in Silent Mode, among the lowest figures for any printer.
Is the Bambu Lab P1S loud?
Bambu doesn’t publish a figure for the P1S, so it can’t be ranked against the printers above. Like other enclosed printers, its loudest parts are the cooling and chamber fans.
Can I sleep in the same room as a 3D printer?
It’s best not to. Even quiet printers are audible, and NIOSH’s guidance on 3D printing recommends ventilation and distance from running printers because of the ultrafine particles and fumes they give off.
Are enclosed 3D printers quieter?
Not necessarily. The enclosure muffles motor noise, but enclosed printers run fans harder to move heat out. Several open-frame printers have lower published ratings than enclosed ones.
