35 Cool 3D Printing Ideas
There are hundreds of 3D printing ideas out there, from useful items that can make everyday tasks easier to pretty ornaments. If you want to print cool but still useful or functional 3D models, then look no further – we have compiled 35 of the best ones on this list, including a pen container/holder modeled after Thor’s Mjolnir to arcade buttons-inspired light switches.
1. Amazon Echo Dot Wall Mount
If you prefer a wall-mounted Amazon Echo Dot, you can print this simple wall mount instead of buying a third-party mount that costs around $10. It’s easy to print and keeps your Alexa-enabled smart speaker securely in place, featuring nail holes for wall mounting.
Thingiverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1463045
2. Arcade Button Light Switch
Regular light switches are boring. You can make them a lot cooler and more fun to use with this colorful arcade buttons-inspired light switch. You can make up to three sets and choose different colors for both the box and the buttons. Sadly, this modification will only work on rocker switches, so if your light switches at home are a different type, you’ll need to change them first.
Thingiverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:48034
3. “Bakercube” – Measuring Cube
Forget about individual measuring cups or spoons. If you love to bake or cook, you can use this all-in-one measuring cube instead. It has both imperial (cup, tablespoon, teaspoon) and metric (milliliter) measurements for versatility.
Thingiverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2676324
4. Cable Management Hive
For easy cable management and storage, use this simple cable manager, which, as its name suggests, is shaped like a beehive. You can use it to store different cables, along with earphones and regular USB flash drives. It’s especially useful for IT people. While it’s designed with small cables in mind, you can make it bigger if you want it to be compatible with larger ones or simply prefer more storage space.
Thingiverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:961176
5. Catapult Inspired by Leonardo da Vinci
This catapult is a cool little toy for entertainment. You can use it when you have nothing else to do in the office or during house parties if you and your friends are tired of cards and board games. It’s a redesigned version of the original design by ollie91297 on Thingiverse, featuring a larger “ammo” loading dock.
Thingiverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3545539
6. “Clasp”
The Clasp is basically a fancy holder modeled after the human hand. You can use it as a power switch cover and as something to hold a pendant light or a small light bulb. When it’s plugged into a wall outlet, it looks like someone punched through the wall.
Thingiverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:757985
7. Complete Animal Chess
Chess isn’t exactly an exciting game. You can make it more fun by adding some color to it. Like, literally. Replace your boring chess pieces with these colorful, animal-inspired pieces, which include a lion (king), a penguin (pawn), and a seal (bishop).
Thingiverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:900340
8. Digital Sundial
One of the coolest 3D printing ideas we have ever seen, this digital sundial is precisely designed to only allow sunlight to pass through at specific times. It projects the actual time, but only from 10:00 to 16:00, with the time updating every 20 minutes. While not exactly the most practical solution, it’s a cool thing to bring along during daytime outdoor excursions.
Thingiverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1068443
9. Dragon Door Knocker
This one is self-explanatory – it’s a door knocker shaped into a menacing dragon head. If your family members regularly enter your room without knocking, this cool door knocker might change that. It’s a very detailed model, though, so make sure your printer settings are on point.
Thingiverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1458545
10. Duck Headphone Hanger
There are more practical headphone hanger designs out there. But if you want an attention-grabbing one, check out this duck headphone hanger from Toshi_TNE on Thingiverse. Designed for wall mounting, this headphone hanger will easily hold headphones with thick headbands, with the curved beak serving as the actual hanger.
Thingiverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2831920
11. Fish Bone Wall Hanger
This cute little item will make for a nice wall hanger in the kitchen or bedroom, featuring three screw holes for a more secure mount. You can use it to hang pants, belts, shopping bags, and kitchen tools, among other things.
Thingiverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:232464
12. Frankenstein Light Switch Plate
If you’ve always wanted one of those light switches seen in movies that feature a mad scientist laboratory, check out this light switch plate inspired by Frankenstein’s laboratory. Unlike the cool arcade buttons light switch plate above, this one is designed primarily for toggle switches.
Thingiverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:649284
13. “GRAMiPhone” – iPhone 6 Gramophone Horn
This iPhone 6 stand acts as a passive speaker amplifier. Although it has a larger overall footprint than most amplifier designs out there, it has a cooler design. It’s not recommended for watching movies or video clips, though, as the horn can get in the way.
Thingiverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1112960
14. Greek Meander Lamp
If you want to give your plain-looking bedroom an Ancient Greek vibe at night, print this lamp cover. Just place a lamp at the bottom – the designer recommends IKEA Ledberg without the lens – and you are all set for a Greek-themed movie night.
Thingiverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3434805
15. Hodor Door Stop
Those simple door stops that spell “HODOR” are nice. But if you want something that shows the beloved Game of Thrones character’s sacrifice, print this one instead. You might want to hide it when your particularly sensitive fellow GOT fan comes over, though, as the sight of it might cause them to break down in tears.
Thingiverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2470241
16. Julius Caesar Pen/Pencil Holder
It’s a Julius Caesar model. With holes at the back. If you don’t get the context/joke, we recommend reading about one of the most popular figures in history.
Thingiverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2536988
17. Jumbo Elephant Cutlery Drainer
This elephant cutlery holder/drainer is useful if you don’t like individually drying off newly washed cutlery and kitchen tools. It can easily hold over a dozen items, with the trunk serving as the drain hole. Obviously, the trunk/drain hole needs to be positioned directly over the kitchen sink.
Thingiverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:998999
18. Keychain / Smartphone Stand
If you want a smartphone stand that’s a lot more portable than the gramophone horn-inspired iPhone 6 dock above, print one of these animal keychains instead. It’s got a recess in the animal’s neck where you can place your smartphone. There are different designs to choose from, including a cat and a snail.
Thingiverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1587568
19. LED Bridge Lamp
This LED bridge lamp is great if you want a more stylish lamp when tinkering with or assembling electronics. Compared to the original design, this upgraded model offers more flexibility, with an option to add middle segments for an even wider arc.
Thingiverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1703104
20. Low Poly Bulbasaur Planter
If you are one of those who picked Bulbasaur as a starter Pokemon, then this low poly Bulbasaur planter is for you. It takes up very little space and looks good on any desk. The design is also fitting, considering Bulbasaur is a Grass-type Pokemon.
Thingiverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:381599
21. Mini Tape Gun – Tape Dispenser
This mini tape dispenser is a nice little tool for speeding up your gift wrapping during Christmas season. It’s especially great for large boxes. It’s not as good as an actual, non-printed tape dispenser, but it’s a good backup if you don’t have the real thing.
Thingiverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1169741
22. “The Hive” – Modular Hex Drawers
The Hive is a set of hexagon-shaped stackable drawers for easy storage of cables, USB flash drives, nuts, bolts, and other items. Each unit can connect with up to six other units. You can stack as many drawers as you need and print them in different colors if you want a more colorful setup.
Thingiverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1743145
23. Puzzle Key Hook
If you want a more futureproof key holder, one that can be easily expanded, use this cool puzzle key hook. As with The Hive, you can print as many puzzle pieces as required and simply connect them together.
Thingiverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1537383
24. Secret Butterfly Box
Your nosy siblings won’t be able to easily open this Secret Butterfly Box – both the key and the keyhole are hidden within the frame. You might want to print it in low-key colors, though, if only to keep away curious eyes, considering the box design isn’t exactly subtle.
Thingiverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2977908
25. Secret Shelf
While not as spacious, this secret shelf is stealthier than the Secret Butterfly Box above. It’s great if you want a quick storage box for your cash and other small items. Just make sure you actually put something on top of it – like a clock or a planter – to make it less suspicious.
Thingiverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:356676
26. “Sharkz” – Multipurpose Clips / Holders
Simple but useful, this shark-shaped multipurpose clip is useful for holding notes and keeping your paper bags secured. It’s not reliable for holding wet clothes, but it’s good for keeping draped towels, mattress covers, and handkerchiefs in place on a clothes line.
Thingiverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:910216
27. Smart One-Handed Bottle Opener
The 3D-printed version of the original “GrabOpener” by Mark Manger, this one-handed bottle opener is a useful tool for those who can’t or don’t want to use both hands to open a bottle of beer or cola. It’s an incredibly simple tool that’s very easy to print.
Thingiverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:269463
28. “Spherez”
Although it appears to be a lamp container at first glance, the Spherez is actually a small container with a freely rotating outer shell that acts as the cover to the opening. You can use it to store small items, such as a watch, coins, jewelry, and keys, among other things.
Thingiverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3512973
29. Splashy iPad stand
From adjustable stands to tentacle-inspired stands, there are a lot of iPad stand designs out there. But none of them will invite more second looks than this stand. It’s a two-piece item composed of a pipe and a spraying “water” that acts as the back support for your iPad.
Thingiverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:260588
30. Stiletto Business Card Case
In this fast-paced world, sometimes being able to hand out your business card faster than your rival can give you an edge. Instead of storing your business cards in your wallet, keep them in this spring-loaded business card case. Just flick the switch, and one card quickly pops out.
Thingiverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1767851
31. Swiss Army Style SD Holder
This Swiss Army knife-inspired SD card holder is great for professional photographers, featuring compartments for different card sizes. It’s easy to carry, keeps your cards securely in place, and is expandable.
Thingiverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:633436
32. Thor Mjolnir Hammer Bic Pen
While it won’t grant you lightning-fast writing speed, this Mjolnir pen container/stand is a cool 3D printing idea if you are a big fan of comic books and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The handle serves as an alternative container for a regular Bic pen while the head acts as a stand/cover. Unfortunately, everyone will be able to easily use this Mjolnir, whether or not they are worthy of wielding your pen.
Thingiverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2749478
33. Toothpaste Dispenser
A standalone toothpaste squeezer is easy to misplace due to its small size. This toothpaste dispenser is a better tool. Simply hold your toothbrush under the toothpaste opening and squeeze. It also doubles as a toothbrush holder, featuring expandable holders at the side. If you want, you can also detach the toothpaste squeezer or extruder from the frame.
Thingiverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3377436
34. “Venus Box”
The Venus Box is a cool mini-storage where you can place small items, such as coins, jewelry, and SD cards. When the gear-shaped base is rotated, the four-piece door opens or closes. And as for the item’s name: The designer said that a co-worker likened the model to a Venus flytrap, so they named it Venus Box.
Thingiverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1559232
35. Webcam Cover
Covering your laptop’s built-in camera with tape is not cool. If you need to actually use the camera, you’ll need to remove the tape and re-apply it again. Instead of tape, use this 3D-printed webcam cover, which allows you to easily cover and uncover the camera.
Thingiverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2754874
