PLA vs PETG vs ABS: Which Filament to Use?

Quick Comparison

PLA: The Reliable Default

Polylactic acid is what most people print with, and for good reason. It's made from plant starch (typically corn or sugarcane), prints at the lowest temperatures of any common filament, and rarely causes problems on an open-frame printer. If you're buying your first spool, buy PLA.

PLA's biggest weakness is brittleness. Drop a PLA print on a hard floor and it cracks. Leave it in a hot car on a UK summer day (yes, even here) and it softens around 60°C. It's great for prototypes, decorative items, and anything that won't take a beating.

The "PLA+" variants from brands like eSUN and ELEGOO improve on standard PLA with better layer adhesion and slightly more flexibility. They print at the same temperatures but produce parts that hold together better under stress. At around £14/kg, eSUN PLA+ is hard to beat for everyday printing.

PETG: The Practical All-Rounder

Polyethylene terephthalate glycol is the filament that bridges the gap between PLA's ease and ABS's toughness. It's the same base material as water bottles, modified for 3D printing with glycol to reduce crystallisation. PETG prints a bit hotter than PLA, can be slightly stringy, but produces parts that actually survive being used.

PETG handles impact much better than PLA without shattering. It resists moisture better (though it still absorbs water over time), handles moderate heat up to about 80°C, and bends before it breaks. For functional brackets, phone cases, tool holders, and anything that needs to survive a workshop environment, PETG is the right call.

The trade-off is stringing and oozing. PETG tends to leave fine strings between print features, which means you'll need to dial in retraction settings. It also sticks too well to some bed surfaces (especially glass), so a release agent or textured PEI sheet helps. TECBEARS PETG is a budget-friendly option that prints cleanly once you've tuned your retraction.

ABS: The Tough One (That Fights Back)

Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene is the original engineering plastic. It's what LEGO bricks are made from, and it's been used in injection moulding for decades. ABS is tough, heat-resistant, and machinable. It also warps like crazy if you don't control the printing environment.

The core problem with ABS is shrinkage. As it cools from printing temperature, it contracts significantly. On an open-frame printer, the top layers cool faster than the bottom, pulling the corners up and cracking along layer lines. An enclosure keeps the ambient temperature stable and nearly eliminates this issue. Without one, you're fighting physics.

ABS also produces fumes that smell like hot plastic (because they are hot plastic). It's not acutely dangerous in a ventilated room, but printing ABS in a sealed bedroom isn't a great idea. Open a window or use a carbon filter. eSUN ABS+ HS is a high-speed formulation that reduces warping compared to standard ABS, making it more forgiving on open-frame printers.

How to Choose: Decision Framework

Start with PLA if you're new to 3D printing. Get your printer calibrated, learn your slicer settings, and build confidence. PLA is forgiving and cheap, so mistakes don't cost much.

Move to PETG when you need parts that do something. Brackets, enclosures, jigs, tool holders, anything that needs to survive being handled or exposed to moderate heat. PETG is where most UK makers end up for everyday functional printing.

Use ABS when you specifically need its properties: high heat resistance, acetone-smoothable surfaces, or impact resistance for engineering parts. If you don't have an enclosed printer, consider whether ABS is worth the hassle or if PETG covers your needs.

Project-Based Quick Guide

⚠️ = possible with caveats (UV exposure for outdoor, food-safety requirements for contact items).

Filament Storage Tips

All three materials absorb moisture from the air, which causes printing defects like stringing, bubbling, and poor layer adhesion. PETG is the worst offender. Store opened spools in airtight containers with silica gel packets, or use a filament dry box. If your filament has been sitting out for weeks, dry it in a filament dryer or a low oven (50°C for PLA, 65°C for PETG, 70°C for ABS) before printing.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Verdict

For most UK makers, PETG is the filament to buy first after you've exhausted your PLA learning phase. It's strong enough for functional parts, forgiving enough to print without an enclosure (with proper bed prep), and affordable enough that a ruined print doesn't sting.

PLA stays in the rotation for quick prototypes, cosmetic pieces, and anything where appearance matters more than durability. ABS is for makers who specifically need its properties and have the setup to support it (enclosure, ventilation, higher bed temps).

Our recommendation: buy a spool of eSUN PLA+ to learn on, then a spool of TECBEARS PETG for your first functional project. That's about £30 total to cover 90% of what you'll ever need to print.

Filaments Mentioned in This Guide