PLA filament is the go-to material for beginners to 3D printing, and for good reason. It's easy to print, requires minimal fine-tuning, and works well with most consumer-grade printers.

A glue gun that dispenses molten PLA instead of hot glue turned out to be a handy tool for joining 3D-printed objects together, once I had figured out how to print my own “glue” sticks out of PLA.

While it’s more expensive than PLA or ABS, its durability often makes up for the cost. ASA is an excellent choice if you need something that can handle the elements. When your 3D printing ...