Best multi-colour and multi-material 3D printers

Updated 6 September 2026 · Live prices on every page load from Canada marketplaces

AMS, ACE, MMU, toolchangers - the printers that swap filament mid-print without hand intervention. For anyone printing minis, display pieces, or parts with soluble supports.

  1. #1
    sainsmart x WonderMaker ZR CoreXY Multicolor – 600mm
    sainsmart
    x WonderMaker ZR CoreXY Multicolor – 600mm
    C$379 CoreXY · 27.0 L · 300°C · Smart sensors
  2. #2
    FlashForge Creator 5
    FlashForge
    Creator 5
    C$999 CoreXY · 16.8 L · 320°C · Fully Automatic Calibration &
  3. #3
    Anycubic Kobra X
    Anycubic
    Kobra X
    C$559 Bedslinger · 17.6 L · 300°C
  4. #4
    Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 Multi-Colour 4-Colour Pr
    Elegoo
    Centauri Carbon 2 Multi-Colour 4-Colour Pr
    C$599 CoreXY · 16.8 L · 350°C · Full-Auto Calibration
  5. #5
    FlashForge AD5X Multi-Color 4 Colors
    FlashForge
    AD5X Multi-Color 4 Colors
    C$599 CoreXY · 10.6 L · 300°C · Strain gauge
  6. #6
    Voxelab FLASHFORGE AD5X
    Voxelab
    FLASHFORGE AD5X
    C$935 CoreXY · 10.6 L · 300°C · Strain sensor

Matt's take

Multi-colour looks fantastic in marketing and less fantastic in the filament-waste bin. An AMS-style printer purges filament between every colour change, which means a 4-colour Benchy uses three times the filament of a single-colour one. Real uses are narrower than YouTube suggests: soluble supports (valuable), matte-and-gloss two-tone (valuable), full rainbow benchies (expensive novelty). If you never print with supports and never print multi-colour visual parts, save the money.

Frequently asked

Is multi-colour 3D printing actually worth it? +

For soluble supports and two-tone display parts, yes. For four-plus colour decorative prints, usually no - the purge waste per colour change is 3-8 g, which multiplies fast. Most owners use their AMS a lot in the first month then switch back to single-colour.

How much extra does multi-colour cost? +

The AMS / ACE / MMU unit typically adds $250-500 to the system price. Then budget 30-50 % more filament per print because of colour-change purges. Toolchangers avoid the purge problem but cost $1,500+.

Can any printer be upgraded to multi-colour? +

In theory yes with DIY MMU kits, in practice the first-party AMS systems (Bambu, Creality) are worth the premium for how much tuning they avoid. Retrofit kits work on a Prusa or Voron but need firmware flashing and tuning time most hobbyists will not enjoy.

Other shortlists

Ranking is spec-driven. It favours printers that objectively have the capabilities this shortlist targets. Firmware, support quality and long-term reliability aren't on the spec sheet - read the full printer page and owner reports before committing.