January is workshop month for a maker: the house is quiet, the days are short, and a new printer or a fresh spool of filament turns a cold weekend into a project. These nine gifts cover the whole bench, from the machine that will be printing organizers and gifts for everyone else by February to the tools and consumables that keep it running.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. When you buy through links on this page, we may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you.
Last updated: November 8, 2026. New Year's Day is Friday, January 1, 2027 — order in December so gifts arrive before the new year, or in time for the resolution week that follows.
Quick comparison
| Product | Verdict | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Bambu Lab A1 Combo | Best Overall | Check price → |
| FlashForge Adventurer 5M | Best beginner printer | Check price → |
| eSUN PLA+ 4-Pack Bundle | Best filament gift | Check price → |
| Amolen Glow-in-the-Dark PLA Bundle | Best fun gift | Check price → |
| SUNLU S2 Filament Dryer | Best print-quality upgrade | Check price → |
| Neoteck Digital Calipers | Best tool gift | Check price → |
| 3D Printer Tool Kit (50-Piece) | Best starter kit | Check price → |
| MYNT3D Super 3D Printing Pen | Best for kids | Check price → |
| Revopoint POP 3 3D Scanner | Best for designers | Check price → |
How to shop this guide
Makers are easy to shop for once you know one thing: what printer they own. Filament type, nozzle size, and accessories all depend on it, and asking is not a spoiler, because makers love that question.
Use the calendar. A printer meant to be running on New Year's Day needs to arrive well before Friday, January 1, with time to set up, level, and print a test piece.
The picks
Bambu Lab A1 Combo Best Overall
The printer makers resolve to own in 2027: fast, reliable, and able to print in four colors without pausing to swap spools.
Pros
- Four-color printing without babysitting
- Excellent out-of-box reliability
Cons
- Needs space for the filament system beside it
Our verdict: The big gift that will be printing gifts for everyone else.
Best for: A committed maker ready to level up. Not ideal for: A total beginner with no bench space.
FlashForge Adventurer 5M Best beginner printer
A first printer for the new year should succeed on day one, and this enclosed, auto-leveling machine does: quick setup, one-click nozzle swaps, and prints fast enough to finish a project over a single weekend.
Pros
- Enclosed, quiet, beginner-friendly
- Very fast setup and printing
Cons
- Smaller build volume than open-frame rivals
Our verdict: A first printer that succeeds on the first weekend.
Best for: Families and first-time owners. Not ideal for: Anyone needing large-format prints.
eSUN PLA+ 4-Pack Bundle Best filament gift
Filament is the maker's coffee: always welcome, always consumed, never clutter.
Pros
- Works on almost every printer
- Colors they would not buy themselves
Cons
- Confirm they use 1.75mm filament, most do
Our verdict: The consumable gift that is guaranteed to get used.
Best for: Every maker, especially beginners. Not ideal for: Resin-printer owners.
Amolen Glow-in-the-Dark PLA Bundle Best fun gift
Some gifts are practical; this one is pure January delight. Glow filament turns out luminous stars, signs, and night-lights, and a bundle of colors gives a maker a whole month of small, satisfying prints.
Pros
- Genuinely fun, fast prints
- Great for family printers
Cons
- Abrasive, so it wears brass nozzles faster
Our verdict: The gift most likely to be printing within the hour.
Best for: Families and decorative printers. Not ideal for: Precision functional-part printing.
SUNLU S2 Filament Dryer Best print-quality upgrade
Winter air is damp, and damp filament prints stringy, weak, and rough. The S2 dries a spool while it feeds the printer, quietly rescuing print quality, and doubles as tidy storage.
Pros
- Fixes moisture-ruined prints
- Dries while printing
Cons
- One spool at a time
Our verdict: The unglamorous upgrade that saves whole projects.
Best for: Anyone fighting stringing and brittle prints. Not ideal for: A brand-new maker with fresh filament.
Neoteck Digital Calipers Best tool gift
Every fitted part, replacement knob, and organizer design starts with a measurement, and a decent digital caliper set reads instantly in millimeters or inches.
Pros
- Improves every fitted print
- Inexpensive but used constantly
Cons
- Not a metrology-grade instrument
Our verdict: Small, cheap, and quietly transformative.
Best for: Designers and functional printers. Not ideal for: Someone who only prints downloaded models as-is.
3D Printer Tool Kit (50-Piece) Best starter kit
A proper kit replaces the sad drawer of improvised tools: flush cutters, a deburring tool, scrapers, files, tweezers, and nozzle tools in one case.
Pros
- Everything a bench needs, in one case
- Great value as a bundle
Cons
- Serious makers will already own the best pieces
Our verdict: Fifty small problems, solved in one box.
Best for: New printer owners. Not ideal for: Minimalists with a curated bench.
MYNT3D Super 3D Printing Pen Best for kids
January needs an activity for younger guests that is not a screen, and a 3D pen is exactly that: draw upward, make a star, a snowflake, a wobbly name plate.
Pros
- Instant, screen-free creating
- Uses standard 1.75mm filament
Cons
- Tip gets hot, so supervision for younger kids
Our verdict: The holiday gift that keeps the kids busy for hours.
Best for: Kids, teens, and crafty beginners. Not ideal for: Anyone wanting precise, durable parts.
Revopoint POP 3 3D Scanner Best for designers
For the maker who has printing sorted, a scanner opens a new hobby for 2027: capture a broken part, a sculpture, or a favorite ornament and turn it into a printable model.
Pros
- Accurate, portable scanning
- Opens up repair and replication projects
Cons
- Scanning has a learning curve; shiny objects are tricky
Our verdict: A genuinely new capability, not just an upgrade.
Best for: Designers and repair-minded tinkerers. Not ideal for: Someone still mastering basic printing.
When to order for New Year
If the gift is meant to be opened on New Year's Day, Friday, January 1, 2027, order it in December and do not gamble on holiday-week shipping. If it is for the resolution week that follows, a few extra days are forgiving, but the same rule holds: the best price is the one that arrives on time.
What not to buy
Avoid model-specific upgrade parts unless you know the exact printer, random resin for someone with a filament machine (or the reverse), and the cheapest no-name filament: a clogged nozzle in the first week of January is a memorable gift for the wrong reasons. When in doubt, consumables and measuring tools beat exotic hardware.
Frequently asked questions
What should I buy a 3D printing fan if I know nothing about the hobby?
Filament or tools: a PLA+ bundle and a set of digital calipers are used by every maker regardless of machine, need no model-specific knowledge, and will both be in service within the week.
Should a printer be bought before the new year, or after?
Before, if it is meant to be used during the resolution week: a printer that arrives in January is a fine gift, but a printer running on New Year's Day, making organizers and gifts, is the memory.
What filament size should I buy?
1.75mm is the near-universal standard for home printers, and PLA or PLA+ is the safest material, so avoid specialty filaments like ABS or carbon-fiber blends unless you know their machine and setup are built for them.
More gift guides
Also from our gift desk: Best Christmas gifts for 3D printing fans 2026: 9 maker-ready picks and Best gifts for 3D printing fans 2026 — same honest verdicts, different occasion.