PLA – Base profile
- Nozzle: 200–210 °C
- Bed: 55–60 °C
- Retraction: 0.8–2 mm (Direct Drive)
- Fan: 100%
- Speed: 50–70 mm/s
PETG – Optimized against stringing
- Nozzle: 230–245 °C
- Bed: 75–85 °C
- Retraction: moderate
- Fan: 40–60%
- Speed: 40–60 mm/s
- Enable coasting
ABS / ASA
- Nozzle: 240–260 °C
- Bed: 95–110 °C
- Fan: 0–30%
- Enclosed build chamber
- Use brim
TPU
- Nozzle: 210–230 °C
- Bed: 40–60 °C
- Speed: 20–35 mm/s
- Low retraction
- Moderate fan
3️⃣ Print profiles for popular printers
Bambu Lab (P1P, X1C)
- ✔ Very good profiles out of the box
- ✔ PLA & PETG almost plug & play
- ✔ Note: AMS (TPU not recommended)
Prusa (MK3, MK4)
- ✔ Prusament perfectly tuned
- ✔ PETG very reliable
- ✔ ASA optimal in enclosure
Creality Ender 3 / V2 / S1
- ✔ PLA & PETG trouble-free
- ✔ ABS only with modifications
- ✔ Set retraction carefully
Anycubic
- ✔ PLA optimal
- ✔ PETG with fine-tuning
- ✔ TPU only with Direct Drive
4️⃣ Buying guide by application
🏠 Decorative & models
👉 PLA or PLA+
🔧 Mechanical parts
👉 PETG or ASA
🌦 Outdoor
👉 ASA
🏭 Load-bearing functional parts
👉 Nylon / PC / Carbon filaments
🧲 Flexible parts
👉 TPU 95A
5️⃣ Pro tips for filament selection
📦 Always store dry
Moisture causes:
- Stringing
- Blobs
- Underextrusion
- Poor layer adhesion
👉 Use dry box or silica gel.
📏 Check filament diameter
Measure at 5 points with calipers → enter average in slicer.
🔩 Note abrasive filaments
Carbon / fiberglass → ✔ Hardened nozzle, ✔ Check nozzle regularly
🧪 Always run test prints
- Temperature tower
- Retraction tower
- Flow test
Systematic testing saves filament.
🔥 Bonus: Recommended "starter combination"
If you want a setup that almost always works:
- ✔ Printer: Bambu / Prusa
- ✔ Filament: Prusament PLA or eSun PLA+
- ✔ Layer height: 0.2 mm
- ✔ 3 perimeters
- ✔ Gyroid infill 15%
Very high success rate.
🏁 Conclusion
The best filament choice always depends on:
- Application
- Printer
- Environment
- Experience
For 80% of all applications, this is enough:
- 👉 PLA for simple
- 👉 PETG for functional
- 👉 ASA for outdoor
Everything beyond that is specialty territory.