What Should I 3D Print

One press picks your next 3D print, with a tip for getting it right.

What Should I 3D Print

  1. Pencil cupA cup with a twisted or faceted wall; print it in vase mode for speed.
All 65

Next step Try a project away from the printerDraw a filament color

How it works

Printer idle and no idea what to make? Press the button for one of 65 prints, from a calibration cube to a dice tower or a planter, each with a tip for printing it well.

Read the full guide

Narrow it to what you need

After your first press, the list beside the button narrows the draw. Good first prints are small and quick; For your printer holds test prints and upgrades; the rest sort by where the print will live, from the desk to the garden.

Pick a print that teaches you something

Many cards name what the print will teach you: a lithophane needs fine layers, a wall hook teaches you which way up a part should lie, a flexi animal tests print-in-place gaps. Set the count to 3 and pick the one you have filament for.

Tips
  • Printing for outdoors or a warm car? PLA softens at about 60 °C; PETG copes better with heat and sun.

Questions and answers

What should I 3D print first?

A test print, then something useful: a calibration cube or a first layer test shows whether the printer is set up, then a bag clip or a phone stand gives you a print you will use. The Good first prints group holds 14.

What are useful things to 3D print?

Things that fix or sort: drawer dividers, cable clips, a lost battery cover, shelf pins and furniture feet. Measure the space or the old part first and print one before you print a set.

What can I 3D print as a gift?

A lithophane of a family photo, a name sign, a puzzle box, a spiral vase or a set of tree ornaments. The Gifts group holds them all.

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All 65 3D print ideas

Good first prints 14

  • Bag clip A hinged clip that closes an open bag of chips or cereal.
  • Bookmark A thin flat strip with a cutout shape at the top, printed in one layer or two.
  • Cable clip Snaps onto the edge of a desk and keeps a charging cable where you can reach it.
  • Calibration cube A small cube you measure on each side to check that the printer prints to size.
  • Coasters Flat and quick; a first layer in a second color makes a pattern on the face.
  • Filament clip Clips onto the spool rim and holds the loose end so the filament never tangles.
  • First layer test One thin layer across the whole bed shows at a glance whether the nozzle sits at the right height.
  • Gear fidget Interlocking gears on a small plate that all turn when you spin one.
  • Keychain with your name Raised letters on a flat tag; pause the print at the letters to swap the color.
  • Phone stand A one-piece stand that props a phone up for video calls or recipes.
  • Plant labels Flat stakes with the plant name raised on them; PETG lasts longer outside.
  • Soap dish Ridges and drain holes keep a bar dry between uses.
  • Spinning top A small top with a wide rim; it spins longer when the weight sits at the edge.
  • Wall hook Print it lying on its side, so the curve of the hook is drawn in each layer and not stacked up.
Show all 65 3D print ideas (51 more)

For your printer 6

  • Bridging test Strands stretched between two posts, longer each time, to see how far plastic can span in mid-air.
  • Filament swatch cards A small card for each filament you own, with its name raised on it, to compare colors.
  • Overhang test Steeper and steeper ledges show how far your printer can lean out before it needs supports.
  • Spool holder A holder that lets the spool turn freely, so the filament unwinds without tugging.
  • Temperature tower One tall print in steps, each at a different nozzle heat, to find a filament's best setting.
  • Tool holder for the printer A rack for the scraper, the cutters and the nozzle wrench, bolted beside the bed.

For the home 15

  • Battery organizer A tray with round slots for AA and AAA batteries, full ones at the front.
  • Cookie cutter A thin outline for dough; wash it by hand, since PLA starts to soften at about 60 °C.
  • Curtain hooks Print the exact shape you lost; PETG flexes where PLA can snap.
  • Door wedge A stop that keeps a door open; add grip ridges on the bottom face.
  • Drawer dividers A grid sized to your drawer, so cutlery, socks or pens stop sliding around.
  • Furniture feet Levelers or pads for a wobbly table leg; print a set and try each height.
  • Lampshade A thin, patterned shade for a lamp with a cool LED bulb, never a hot one.
  • Light switch cover A plate in your own color or pattern; measure the screw holes before you print.
  • Name sign for a door Raised letters on a plate, with holes for screws or a ribbon.
  • Plant pot with a saucer Two parts: a pot with a drain hole and a tray that catches the water.
  • Replacement knob A new knob for a drawer or a lid; PETG copes with warmth better than PLA.
  • Self-watering planter A water tank under the soil and a wick that draws water up to the roots.
  • Spice shelf riser Tiered steps inside a cupboard, so the jars at the back are not hidden.
  • Spiral vase A slicer's vase mode prints one wall in a single spiral, so a tall vase has no seam.
  • Toothbrush holder A cup with slots and a drain hole at the bottom.

Desk and tech 8

  • Case for a small computer board A snug box with openings for the ports; check the board maker's drawing for sizes.
  • Controller stand Holds two game controllers upright where you can grab them.
  • Desk grommet cover A round cap for the cable hole in a desk, with a slot for the wires.
  • Headphone stand A curved rest that keeps the headband in shape and the cable off the desk.
  • Laptop stand Raises the screen to eye level; a long print, so check the first layer first.
  • Memory card holder A block with slots for SD and microSD cards, so none go missing.
  • Pencil cup A cup with a twisted or faceted wall; print it in vase mode for speed.
  • Under-desk headphone hook Screws or clamps under the desk top so the headphones hang out of the way.

Toys and games 8

  • Board game insert Trays that fit a game box and keep each kind of piece together.
  • Chess set Thirty-two pieces in two colors; print one piece first to check the size.
  • Dice tower Ramps inside tumble the dice before they roll out into a tray at the foot.
  • Jointed flexi animal Printed in place as one piece, with links that move as soon as it comes off the bed.
  • Marble run pieces Chutes and funnels that stack into a track; print more to make it longer.
  • Paddle boat A small boat pushed along by a rubber-band paddle wheel; test it in the bath.
  • Puzzle box A box that opens only when you slide its panels in the right order.
  • Tabletop terrain Walls, crates, trees and ruins to build scenes for a tabletop game.

Garden and outdoors 6

  • Bike light mount A bracket that clamps to the handlebar and holds a light at the right angle.
  • Bird feeder A small seed hopper with a perch; hang it where cats cannot reach.
  • Hose guide A stake that keeps the hose from dragging across the flower bed.
  • Plant stem clips Small clips that hold tomato or bean stems to a cane.
  • Seed dibber A pointed stick with depth rings for planting seeds at an even depth.
  • Wind spinner Twisted blades on a hanging loop that turn in the breeze.

Gifts 4

  • Earrings Light geometric shapes; add hooks from a craft store.
  • Lithophane A thin panel of varied thickness that shows a photo only when light shines through it.
  • Pet name tag A tag with the pet name raised on one side; keep it thick enough not to snap.
  • Tree ornaments Stars and snowflakes with a loop for string; print a set in white or silver.

Fixes and spares 4

  • Broken clip for a bag or case Copy the old clip with calipers, print it and test the fit before you print more.
  • Cable chain for a lamp Links that bundle a long cord along a wall or a desk leg.
  • Remote battery cover Measure the slot on the remote and print a new cover to replace the lost one.
  • Shelf pins The small pegs that hold a cupboard shelf; print spares while you are at it.

How this list was compiled: Own list of 65 3D printing projects, written 2026-09-23. Checked that day on English Wikipedia: PLA's glass transition of 60 to 65 °C (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polylactic_acid), PETG as the glycol-modified PET used in printing (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyethylene_terephthalate), lithophanes as thin panels that show a picture when lit from behind (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithophane), and supports for overhangs in fused filament fabrication (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fused_filament_fabrication). No brand, file or model from a download site is named. Licence: own work