Despite the fact they’ve been around for a few years now, 3D printers are still fairly expensive to own and maintain. Plus, they just take up a lot of real estate in a household. And while the results are absolutely worth it, we often wonder if there’s some a better solution for those that want a 3D printer experience, without having to pay the full price for it.
Enter 3D pens. Viewed as sort of a cousin to the 3D printer, 3D pens allow you to draw your creation in real life, giving it a fully realized look and feel. 3D pens function by spitting out strains of hot plastic, not entirely unlike a hot glue gun, that can be placed on top of one another to create a fully 3D model. It’s a free-flowing, creative experience that’s a great toy for children and for children at heart. Creating with a 3D pen is immensely rewarding, because at the end of it all, there’s a tangible model that’s been created.
While 3D pens haven’t quite caught on in the same fashion that 3D printers have, there are still a few good options for those that want to go ahead and begin creating 3D models of their own. We’ve rounded up three of the best so that you can go ahead and bring your dreams to life — literally.