With our guide to the best nylon filament for 3D printing, you will discover which nylon filament you should use to create high quality models.

Nyon is a common 3D printing material, and it has many advantages such as strength, flexibility, as well as a great finish. There are many different nylon filaments on the market and we are going to look at each one in-depth to find the best one to use.

Before we get into the pros and cons of using nylon as print material, here is a quick overview of the top nylon filaments that are available now.

At a Glance: 8 of the Best Nylon Filaments for 3D Printing in 2021

Nylon filament
Extruder temperature
Colors available
Filament diameters
Latest price

Polymaker PolyMide CoPA 3D Printer Filament
250-270°C
Black, natural
1.75mm, 2.85mm
Check the latest price

ColorFabb PA Neat
265-290°C
Black
1.75 mm, 2.85 mm
Check the latest price

MatterHackers Nylon G
245-265 °C
Red, orange, white, olive green, blue, desert tan, silver
1.75 mm, 2.85 mm
Check the latest price

MatterHackers Nylon K
250-265 °C
Black
1.75 mm, 2.85 mm
Check the latest price

OVERTURE Nylon Filament
250°C-270°C
Black
1.75mm
Check the latest price

Ultimaker Nylon
230-260°C
Black, and transparent
2.85mm
Check the latest price

taulman3D Nylon filament
230°C
Black
1.75mm
Check the latest price

eSUN ePA Nylon 3D Printer Filament
230-260°C
Natural
1.75mm
Check the latest price

Advantages of using nylon filament in 3D printing

There are many different filament types out there for 3D printers, but what are the advantages of 3D printing with nylon?

Durability and Strength

One of the big reasons that many people choose to 3D print with nylon filament is its durability.

Nylon is one of the most rigid filaments you can use. Therefore, it is excellent for printing off tough printed objects, and if you need durability in your 3D models, nylon is perfect for this.

Using nylon filament means that it will take a lot of work to break your 3D printed models and parts. Even though plastic filaments such as Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and PLA are perhaps more common, nylon is more robust and durable.

Flexibility

Another big reason to go with nylon filament for your 3D printing material is down to its flexibility.

This flexible filament means it has great shock absorption properties. If you need to print 3D objects that regularly experience a lot of force, nylon is a great choice.

In addition, this filament has superior impact resistance, so nylon is a fantastic filament to use for moving parts and mechanical gears.

Print Quality

The overall print quality that you get with nylon filament is very high.

Even though print quality is often determined by how good your 3D printer is, the filament you use will play a big role in this as well.

With nylon filament, your 3D-printed objects and models will come out at a very high standard.

It absorbs moisture

Nylon filament is known as what is called hygroscopic. This means that it absorbs moisture very well.

Now, there is an upside and a downside to this. The downside to nylon being hygroscopic is that the filament can lose its freshness over time because it absorbs moisture more than many other filament types. However, if you keep it in an airtight container, you shouldn’t have any issues.

The advantage of nylon being able to absorb moisture is that your models will be easy to paint. For example, if you are using your 3D printer to print off miniatures, nylon makes creating a great finished product a lot more straightforward.

Disadvantages of using nylon filament in 3D printing

Nylon is a really good filament to use, but there are a couple of disadvantages.

Prone to warping

A significant downside to nylon filament is that it is prone to warping more than other materials. Certain types of nylon filament are made to prevent this as much as possible; however, it is something that is unfortunately quite common.

One method of cutting down on the chance of warping when using nylon filament is to use a 3D printer with a heated bed. If you don’t use a 3D printer with a high bed temperature, your printed objects will cool much quicker, which can accelerate the warping process.

Another way to avoid this is to use a 3D printer that has a fully enclosed chamber. This will ensure that a hot temperature is maintained throughout the printing process and the chances of your models warping are reduced.

Requires air-tight storage

We mentioned above that the hygroscopic nature of nylon filament has both good and bad sides.

The disadvantage is that you need to keep it in an airtight container. If you don’t, it can ruin pretty quickly and certainly a lot faster than many other filaments such as plastic.

This isn’t a huge deal because it just means you need to be careful about storing the filament, but it is worth highlighting.

8 of the Best Nylon Filaments for 3d Printing

1. Polymaker PolyMide CoPA 3D Printer Filament

The Polymaker PolyMide CoPA 3D Printer Filament has a significant advantage over many other types of nylon filament – its anti-warping properties. It has an anti-warp guarantee, and this is one of the few nylon filaments that you don’t need to use an enclosed 3D printing chamber because it holds up very well. In addition, it won’t start to soften up until the extruder temperature reaches 180°C, which is a good indication of its overall strength and durability.

It is still recommended that you do use a heated chamber to prevent your printed objects from cooling down too quickly, but it isn’t the end of the world if you don’t have one.

This filament is available in 1.75mm and 2.85mm, although there aren’t many color choices available.

Pros

Has anti-warping properties, which is great for nylon filament
Don’t necessarily need an enclosed chamber
Very strong and durable
Compatible with many different 3D printers

Cons

Color choice is limited, but black is good for painting the finished product

2. ColorFabb PA Neat

This is another filament that has been constructed to help prevent warping, and the ColorFabb PA Neat nylon filament is ideal for printing mechanical and moving parts.

The overall tensile strength (the force required to break an object) is slightly higher than the Polymaker PolyMide CoPA filament. However, given the premium nature of this nylon filament, it isn’t that expensive, although you will find cheaper options.

The 2.85mm filament is very stiff. This means you will need to use a spool mount with some friction for the filament to perform correctly and prevent unspooling.

Overall, this is a robust filament that offers a high level of performance while still maintaining a reasonable price.

Pros

Very strong nylon filament which isn’t too expensive
Doesn’t warp as much as some other nylon filaments
Perfect for mechanical and moving parts due to its solid nature

Cons

You will need a pool mount with some friction for the 2.85mm filament

3. MatterHackers Nylon G

The MatterHackers Nylon G filament is the best option if you want numerous color choices as it is available in red, orange, white, olive green, blue, desert tan, and silver.

The multiple filament colors give you a world of possibilities, especially if you use a multicolor 3D printer.

You will also find this filament available at a pretty good price given the performance it offers. The glass fiber reinforcement enhances durability, which helps maintain your objects’ shape and increased accuracy. If you need superior impact resistance and print models that will come under repeated shocks, the Nylon G filament is your answer.

Pros

Available in a wide range of colors
Very strong filament which is ideal for impact resistance
Prints high-quality objects

Cons

Doesn’t come in a resealable bag

4. MatterHackers Nylon K

The next Matterhacker offering is the MatterHackers Nylon K filament.

This nylon filament has a Kevlar fiber reinforced construction to increase its durability and strength massively. If you are printing parts subject to constant friction, this is the perfect filament to choose.

It is slightly more expensive than the Nylon G, but the small additional cost is worth it if you need a highly abrasive resistant filament. Unlike the Nylon G, the color choice is limited to black, but this isn’t particularly a bad thing for painting your objects when they have cooled down.

Pros

Great for abrasive resistance due to being Kevlar fiber reinforced
Offers a high level of durability and strength
Suitable for engineering-grade materials

Cons

Slightly more expensive than Nylon G filament
Color choice is limited to black

5. OVERTURE Nylon Filament

The OVERTURE Nylon Filament is another product that has anti-warping properties, so it should cut down on the issues many people have when 3D printing with this kind of filament.

Another good feature of this nylon filament is that it is odorless. Strength and durability are found with this filament as well, and it is very cost-effective. One thing to note about this nylon filament is that it is one of the more brittle materials you can buy.

More experienced 3D printing enthusiasts have found that it can crack under pressure; however, if you are just getting started using nylon filament, it is ideal.

Pros

Cheap nylon 3D printing filament that still produces good results
Odorless and has anti-warping properties
Good choice for 3D printing beginners

Cons

This filament is quite brittle, so it can crack in some circumstances

6. Ultimaker Nylon

This is a premium filament, and the cost of the Ultimaker Nylon is a bit higher than you might want to pay.

However, it is a quality product, and spending a little extra money will be worth it. The Ultimaker Nylon filament has superior performance, while it has been specially created so that the absorption of moisture is reduced.

Suppose you are using an Ultimaker S5 3D printer. In that case, the material station works wonders with this nylon filament, as it helps to control humidity and allows for a much easier process when printing with nylon.

You don’t need to use this filament specifically with an Ultimaker printer, but it does help. However, this offers excellent all-around performance even if it is a little expensive.

Pros

Premium nylon filament that has great strength and durability
Works well with Ultimaker 3D printers, but can be used with most 3D printers
Low moisture absorption properties

Cons

This filament is a bit expensive

7. taulman3D Nylon filament

Moving back to our budget filaments, and the taulman3D Nylon filament provides a high level of performance. This product is also compatible with most 3D printers on the market, so it is very versatile.

This is a very flexible filament and removes some of the obstacles that you often find when working with nylon.

Some users have found that you may need to upscale your models slightly before printing in order to get the correct dimensions with the finished product. It shouldn’t be anything massive, but even enlarging your models by 2% is another task you’ll need to carry out.

Aside from that, this is a robust and rigid nylon filament that is very cheap for 1KG.

Pros

Budget-conscious 3D printing filament
Strong, flexible, and offers a great finish
Compatible with many different 3D printers

Cons

May need to upscale your models slightly to get the right dimensions

8. eSUN ePA Nylon 3D Printer Filament

The final product on our list (but certainly not the least) is the eSUN ePA Nylon 3D Printer Filament.

This is a kind of mid-range nylon filament, but it still provides very good results. It is available in a natural color that can make painting your objects easier, although it can take a while to use it. You may need to ramp your 3D printer temperature up to get the best finishes with this nylon filament.

This filament is solid and durable so that it would be a great choice for 3D printing gears and similar objects. Like many nylon filaments, this is prone to warping, and perhaps it is more likely to warp than others we have listed in this guide.

Pros

Decent mid-range nylon filament for your 3D printer
Provides good results for your printed objects

Cons

Very prone to warping, even more so than other nylon filaments
Can take a while to get the correct temperature

Frequently Asked Questions about Nylon Filament

Which is the Best Nylon Filament for 3D printing?

Nylon filament can take a while to get used to given its warping proneness and precise storage conditions.

This is why we recommend the Polymaker PolyMide CoPA 3D Printer Filament as our top choice.

The main reason is its anti-warping properties. While this doesn’t completely eliminate the problem, it massively cuts down on it. In addition, you don’t even necessarily need to use an enclosed chamber with this filament, and it is strong, durable, and compatible with many 3D printers.

The color choices are limited; however, black is a sensible option for painting with later on, and you can buy this filament for a reasonable price, while still being able to print high-quality objects.

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