Most Incredible Things Made with Consumer 3D Printers

Estimated Price: $7,000*
Printed By: Onitsuka Tiger

At first glance, this impressive sneaker might look like a new release, but that’s not the case. It’s certainly not wearable, although it looks interesting enough to hit the catwalk at Milan or Paris. The meter-long shoe was actually specially printed by Onitsuka Tiger for a commercial. 

3D Printed Shoe / @RAntoshak / Twitter.com

That being said, it was once available for sale for the price of $7,000. That’s not too bad, if you’re really into sportswear and don’t mind throwing out a pair or two of Nikes so you can fit it in your home. 

Estimated Price: $51-$61*
Printed By: Wombat

Clocks come in all shapes and sizes, but some are a little more modern than others. If you’re wanting to spice up your living space with something that’s rarely seen, why not consider splashing around $51 on this Kaleidoscope Clock from Wombat? 

Kaleidoscope Clock @deannadrakesamp / Pinterest.com

It’s unlikely you’ll find one like it at Target as it’s simply so unique. The company created the two-face design using 3D printing. The aesthetic might not be for everyone, but if you don’t like purple don’t panic – it comes in black, so there’s something to suit all tastes.  

Estimated Price: $1275*
Printed By: Fasotec

There was a time not too long ago when expectant parents had to make do with a grainy ultrasound photo printed on low-quality paper. Although ultrasound scans have certainly advanced over the years to include 3D scans, no one was expecting things to go quite this far. 

Unborn Fetus @3dprintingideas18 / Pinterest.com

A Japanese company called Fasotec has created 3D printed scans of fetuses, so parents can take away a model of their unborn child. You may not be able to put it in a frame from Bed, Bath, and Beyond but it’s still an interesting item to have on display. 

Estimated Price: $239*
Printed By: Geomatrix Design Studio

There aren’t many people out there that play the flute these days, but there should be – especially since they can be 3D printed now. Geometrix Design Studio wasted no time in creating this wonderful Shakuhachi flute that comes in a variety of different finishes. 

Shakuhachi Flute © Matthew Jason Chin / Facebook.com

The impressive Japanese instrument will set you back around $239, but who can say they’ve got something like this? You certainly can’t find it on Amazon. It’s a unique object that’s the perfect mix of old and new, which could make for the ultimate conversation piece if nothing else!

Estimated Price: $1,000+*
Printed By: Floatility and more 

We all know that buying a new car or a new vehicle isn’t the cheapest thing to do. Even if you’re buying a decent second-hand car, you’re looking at a good few hundred, if not thousands, of dollars. The manufacturing process of building vehicles isn’t easy, either, even though robots do the lion’s share of the work these days. 

Vehicle ©China Daily / Facebook.com

3D printing takes out a lot of the hassle according to companies like Floatility who make their very own 3D printed electric scooters. It’s a much faster process than traditional manufacturing and reportedly cheaper to repair. 

Estimated Price: Unknown
Printed By: Janne Kyttanen

An original light fitting can bring a new lease of life into a tired room without having to fully redecorate. Amazingly, this stunning piece is entirely 3D printed and is the work of Janne Kyttanen. Not only can it be hung from the ceiling but it can also be morphed into a standing lamp. 

Hanging Light ©3D Printed Architecture / Facebook.com

The possibilities are endless with this one, which is probably why it’s so appealing. It may look like something you could buy at Ikea, but in reality it’s far more intricate. Still, we wouldn’t be surprised if the Swedish retailer swiftly stocked it. 

Estimated Price: $15*
Printed By: Valdis Torms

Every child has played with a spirograph at least once. These simple plastic circles allow the user to create intricate patterns just by moving them around the page with a pen. While they’re widely available in stores, engineer Valdis Torms decided it was high time someone 3D printed one back in 2015.

Spirographs ©Adrienne Paule / Facebook.com

In an interview with 3DPrint.com, Torms explained, “I had a similar toy as a child. I loved it and could play with it for hours.” The particular spirograph Torms designed is capable of drawing lots of interesting shapes and patterns, much to the delight of his daughter.  

Estimated Price: $161*
Printed By: Saga

When most of us think about iPad stands, we think of bog-standard chunks of plastic that might come in different colors. It’s not very often we stop to consider how interesting they could actually be. In this case, one company took inspiration from a Finnish concept and came up with this little muscle man. 

iPad Stand @thenextweb / Pinterest.com

The 3D printed object holds up the iPad like it’s pushing for dear life. It brings a whole new look to an idea that was hitherto unappreciated. That being said, it’s not for those wanting to grab themselves a bargain, considering the $161 price tag.

Estimated Price: $116*
Printed By: Crayon Creatures

This whimsical idea isn’t cheap, but it’s got a lot of charm. One company decided there was money to be made by offering parents the opportunity to turn their child’s drawings into 3D-printed figurines. We have to admit, it’s genius – even if it costs over $116 for just one.

Figurines From Children’s Drawings @farmgirljen / Pinterest.com

The resulting 3D printed item looks just like the drawing, giving you the option for a lifelong keepsake, or a very expensive child’s plaything. It’s a novel idea that we can fully get behind, partly because it’s a one-of-a-kind premise that seems too sweet not to support.

Estimated Price: $1,000+*
Printed By: Southampton University 

Drones have become more and more popular over the years. Everyone from amateur enthusiasts to photographers has been keen to get their hands on them, while different companies are churning out new and improved ones every day. 

Drone @charliefenwick9 / Pinterest.com

Researchers at Southampton University in the UK jumped on the bandwagon when they crafted SULSA, a plane-shaped 3D printed white drone that is capable of reaching speeds of 90 miles per hour. The best part? You can take it apart and reassemble it in less than 10 minutes. That’s impressive considering it’s made entirely of plastic. 

Estimated Price: $5*
Printed By: Unknown

A few years ago, fidget spinners started popping up all over the world. They were the latest trend, but originally they were designed to help those who had trouble focusing. According to some sources, being able to play with it is a welcome distraction that can help some people calm down. 

Fidget Spinner ©3D Majigz / Facebook.com

For others, they’re simply fun little gadgets to have in their pockets. The plus side is that they are small enough to be 3D printed in next to no time. Multiple companies have decided to go down that production route to create low-cost versions of these handy little toys. 

Estimated Price: $200*
Printed By: Hans Fouche

3D printing is an excellent tool, but when it first became widely available companies were busy trying to wow the tech world with all sorts of fancy things, like 3D printed hearts and even whole cars. However, Hans Fouche thought it was high time something far more every day was produced when he came up with this 3D-printed lawnmower. 

Lawn Mower @14gzce9f2709uw5 / Pinterest.com

Fouche reportedly built his own 3D printer in his garage. He experimented with many things, but the lawnmower was by far one of his most successful creations. It might be a while before we see them hit the shelves in stores like Walmart though, as each one takes 9 hours to print. 

Estimated Price: Unknown
Printed By: Unknown

Medical science has come a long way since the turn of the 20th century. For a start, we now know that cigarettes are bad for you when they were once advertised as perfectly healthy. 3D printing has been used to create all sorts of things, including hearts, but it has also helped medicine in other ways. 

Medical Models @3D4U / Pinterest.com

The 3D printing of lifelike medical models allows surgeons and other doctors to study the human anatomy closely, enabling them to plan the right course of treatment. Without them, studies were limited to available cadavers or plain old-fashioned textbooks. 

Estimated Price: $100*
Printed By: Yuvabalaji

Music is a wonderful thing, but when it comes to guitars we usually think that they’re lovingly handcrafted using the finest wood. At least, in some cases. That being said, there are many ways to skin a cat – or in this case, string a guitar. 

Acoustic Guitar @cgtrader / Pinterest.com

Tech enthusiast Yuvabalaji shared his print design for an entire acoustic guitar on CGTrader.com. It may not look quite as good as that vintage Gibson you’ve spotted on eBay but it does everything a guitar is supposed to do – we just can’t attest to the quality of the sound.