What I Learned After 200 Prints: The Real Value of 3D Printing

I’ve been 3D printing since the beginning of 2026, and after more 200+ models printed , the early euphoria has settled. I still enjoy it a lot. But differently.

Back then, as I wrote in the middle of my beginner‑euphoria, I looked at the world through bright pink glasses. But like with anything new, the novelty fades. Once it did, something happened: I stopped seeing 3D printing as a fun toy and started seeing it more as a tool.

Not just fun.

Not just cool tech.

A practical way to solve real problems.

Photo by New Data Services on Unsplash

In this article, I want to give you a quick update on my 3D printing journey and share the lessons that became visible once the initial excitement wears off.

The “must-print” trap

As with every hobby, you start reading online and eventually stumble upon lists like “the ultimate beginner’s guide to …” or “essential things to do as a beginner of …”.

I did that too.

I read dozens of articles and watched a bunch of YouTube videos about popular models.

Most of them are funny little toys “every owner of a 3D printer has to print”. And yes, some of these essential models are fun. But they aren’t particularly useful. On the contrary, they are actually a waste of material if you look at it 100 % objectively.

Examples for such models are: FlexiRex, Infinity Cube, ArcSpin, …

I printed about 20 of these kinds of fidget toys by now.

Don’t get me wrong: these prints are fun, but only for about 2-3 days. After that, most of them just collect dust. The filament should’ve been spent on something different. Still, there are some exceptions: I like to keep one or two of them on my desk for those meetings where you need to keep your hands busy.

The prints that actually make fun

When I think back on all the models I’ve printed so far, there are a couple of categories that brought a lot more (long‑lasting) joy than the odd fidget toy:

• Prints for family and friends
• Printed toys for kids
• Prints that need assembly
• Useful prints (I’ll put that one in a separate category)

Prints for family and friends

If you’re a new owner of a 3D printer, it won’t take long before your family and friends approach you with orders: Could you print that connector? A friend of mine has a birthday and is really into tennis: could you print something for her? …

At least that was the case for me.

And I have to tell you: these are prints I enjoy a lot. Using your tool and hobby to make something another person finds value in is truly great.

And it’s a perfect opportunity to talk about your new hobby (;

Prints for kids

This is similar, but even more fun. Printing new toys for kids is great. With 3D printing, you can create toys that are compatible with existing ones (Duplo, Brio, …).

You can even take it a step further and create connectors between different types of toys: the Duplo-Brio-Connector is a great example for that in my opinion. This is where 3D printing shines: creating objects you can’t even buy.

But there is one caveat: in our modern day and age, most kids already have too many toys. With a 3D printer at home and the temptation to print everything that looks cool, the amount of toys can quickly quadruple. So try to be intentional about what you print for your kids.

I try, but I can’t always resist the temptation and suddenly there you have another toy.

Prints that need assembly

This is more on the hobby side. Printing models of planes or engines can quickly result in dozens of dust collectors.

However, I have to say that I really enjoy prints that require some assembly. They let you understand the inner workings of a part (for example, a functional component of a turbine) and give you the feeling of truly building something, not just watching a machine do the work.

Useful prints

This is actually the reason why I decided to buy a 3D printer in the first place: being able to create small, complex components on my own.

I’d estimate that about two‑thirds of the models I’ve printed so far fall into this category: organizational things to keep my desk tidy, my 3D‑printing gear sorted, or to finally win the fight against dozens of charging cables.

Some prints I especially like:

• Accessories for Ikea Skadis: e.g. hooks, containers, quick-release clip, …
• My charging wall: I combined a multi-phone holder with accessories for cable management a holder for a power strip on a miniature Skadis pegboard to keep my family’s charging needs organized
• Accessories for organization in the car: I printed a lot of accessories reaching from a phone holder suitable for my car to paper baskets and fitted organization boxes.

Why do I think this category is the most important one?

Because these objects don’t just look cool for a few days before ending up on a shelf (collecting dust). These models serve a purpose. They’re functional and they actually simplify your life.

They are also the prints my family appreciates the most.

We’ve already had one or two discussions about some of the not‑so‑useful prints (the ones I talked about at the beginning) and 3D printed objects stockpiling in our living room. But instead of writing only from my perspective, I asked my wife for a guest comment on the topic.

Guest comment (by my wife)

My husband has found a passion in his 3D printer - it hums, smells faintly of melted plastic, and occasionally produces something useful.

Especially at first, I felt he spent rather too much time with it and asked a bit too often what else I might like printed. While I appreciate the thought, my taste leans more toward decorative pieces made of wood or clay.

Still, perhaps one day his creative journey will lead him from plastic filament to woodworking or pottery.

Outlook

So I guess I need to transition to woodworking or pottery, right?

Honestly, I might do that at some point, but as an addition. With 3D printing I found a great way of creating things, making ideas live. It has become a tool for me. And it might be the beginning of something …