The era of cheap 3D printing appears to be coming to a screeching halt in the US. A perfect storm of newly imposed tariffs is quickly driving costs upward astariffs on Chinese-made goods, which include popular 3D printers from Bambu Lab, Creality, Elegoo, and Anycubic, have hit a record high of 145%.Bambu Lab’s newest printer, theH2D, was launched on March 25 with a starting price tag of $1,899 for the two-color, non-laser unit. It’s now listed at $2,399, a 23% increase, while the 40-watt laser unit we reviewed last month will now set you back a whopping $4,399. This is $500 to $900 more than its intended price — a 20% increase.
Tracking the rising cost of 3D printers is a difficult task. Some Chinese manufacturers have not raised their prices, but their goods are also not in stock, making availability another issue 3D printer hobbyists and business owners are dealing with. Notable in this category is theElegoo Centauri Carbon, which is still listed at its debut price of $299. But it is also listed as a “pre-order” that will only become available in late July.
TheCreality K2 Plus Combo, which we reviewed in January, is still holding its original price tag of $1,499, and is listed as shipping from a U.S. warehouse. Tariffs are only applied to items at the time of shipping. While no one wanted to be named, several company representatives at this year’sRapid + TCTevent told me they hadrushed shipments to U.S. warehouses before the tariffs took effectand are hoping to hold prices down for as long as possible.FollowTom’s Hardware on Google Newsto get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
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Denise Bertacchi is a Contributing Writer for Tom’s Hardware US, covering 3D printing. Denise has been crafting with PCs since she discovered Print Shop had clip art on her Apple IIe. She loves reviewing 3D printers because she can mix all her passions: printing, photography, and writing.
