Ender 3 Glass Bed Review

The print pictured above is of the Canon Lens Hood 18-55 created by StlzZo from Thingiverse. The material used is Atomic Filament Carbon Fiber PETG.

One of the most annoying parts about 3D printing is when the part sticks after hours of printing. The stock Ender 3 ships with a standard hard-surface bed. There is the option to upgrade to a flexible bed which often ensures that the parts stick very well. Often times, the parts will stick too well. In the end, we are left with the dilemma of letting the parts stick to, and often rip the flexible bed, or whether the hard bed should be used and the print monitored closely at all times. Luckily there is a solution! Enter the glass bed. The glass bed made by a host of different companies scattered throughout Amazon and other online retailers. These glass beds are great because they limit the need for constant bed leveling as the glass does not bend much between each side.

On most commercially available glass beds one side is coated in a micro-mesh atop the glass sheet while the other side remains smooth. This is great as the user has the option to using either side depending on what they are printing. When the side with the micro-mesh is used the prints tend to stick much better than if they had to adhere to the smooth side.

Typically, the glass beds go for around ~$20-$30 online which is a pretty reasonable price for the product. However, one does not necessarily need to buy a pre-made glass bed. With access to a glass cutter and the hardware store, glass mirror tiles can be picked up for around 10 dollars for a 5 pack. These mirror tiles work very well as long as they are kept clean before each print. The finish on the bottom side of the print when removed from the mirror tile bed is incredibly smooth while the print is still able to be removed very easily.

Overall, a glass bed is a relatively inexpensive upgrade for your Ender 3 or other 3D printer that will make the hobby more fun, and possibly less expensive in the long run as filament won’t be wasted from failed prints. Thank you for taking the time to read this article and happy printing!