--- title: I've been 3D printing for 3 years, and PETG is the only... description: After three years of 3D printing, the author has settled on PETG as the go-to filament for functional parts. While PLA remains ideal for beginners and... canonical: https://daily.dev/posts/i-ve-been-3d-printing-for-3-years-and-petg-is-the-only-filament-i-print-functional-parts-in-now-mnfebq2ij twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:site: @dailydotdev og:type: website og:site_name: daily.dev og:title: I've been 3D printing for 3 years, and PETG is the only filament I print functional parts in now | daily.dev og:description: After three years of 3D printing, the author has settled on PETG as the go-to filament for functional parts. While PLA remains ideal for beginners and... og:url: https://daily.dev/posts/i-ve-been-3d-printing-for-3-years-and-petg-is-the-only-filament-i-print-functional-parts-in-now-mnfebq2ij og:image: https://api.daily.dev/og/posts/mnfEBq2IJ.png og:image:alt: I've been 3D printing for 3 years, and PETG is the only filament I print functional parts in now og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 630 og:locale: en --- > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://daily.dev/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # I've been 3D printing for 3 years, and PETG is the only filament I print functional parts in now **[XDA Developers](https://daily.dev/sources/xda-developers)** · 7 min read · 0 upvotes · 0 comments ## Summary After three years of 3D printing, the author has settled on PETG as the go-to filament for functional parts. While PLA remains ideal for beginners and decorative prints, PETG wins for practical applications due to its superior toughness, heat resistance, and flexibility. It handles real-world stress better — resisting cracking, warping, and softening near heat sources like PC components and home lab equipment. The tradeoff is that PETG requires more tuning (stringing, bed adhesion quirks, temperature sensitivity) and produces a glossier, less crisp finish. Once dialed in, however, it becomes predictable and reliable. Compared to ABS, ASA, or Nylon, PETG offers a practical middle ground without demanding enclosures, dealing with fumes, or managing excessive moisture sensitivity. ## Full article daily.dev links to this article rather than hosting it. Read it at the original source: ## Similar posts on daily.dev - [I've tried every functional filament, but PETG is still my first choice for a reason](https://daily.dev/posts/i-ve-tried-every-functional-filament-but-petg-is-still-my-first-choice-for-a-reason-u9ufxjpjd) · XDA Developers · 0 upvotes · 0 comments - [I kept reaching for the strongest filament when PETG was the right call all along](https://daily.dev/posts/i-kept-reaching-for-the-strongest-filament-when-petg-was-the-right-call-all-along-ojjwkvb4u) · XDA Developers · 0 upvotes · 0 comments - [PETG: The PLA Filament Alternative That Just Works](https://daily.dev/posts/petg-the-pla-filament-alternative-that-just-works-xjq7gije3) · Hackaday · 0 upvotes · 0 comments - [Your 3D prints are failing because you're using the wrong material, and PLA is the culprit](https://daily.dev/posts/your-3d-prints-are-failing-because-you-re-using-the-wrong-material-and-pla-is-the-culprit-f2hwobruy) · XDA Developers · 0 upvotes · 0 comments - [Your 3D printer's easiest filament is also the one most likely to shatter](https://daily.dev/posts/your-3d-printer-s-easiest-filament-is-also-the-one-most-likely-to-shatter-pziezlq0a) · XDA Developers · 0 upvotes · 0 comments --- [View this post on daily.dev](https://daily.dev/posts/i-ve-been-3d-printing-for-3-years-and-petg-is-the-only-filament-i-print-functional-parts-in-now-mnfebq2ij) ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://daily.dev/#organization","name":"daily.dev","url":"https://daily.dev","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://daily.dev/apple-touch-icon.png","width":180,"height":180},"sameAs":["https://twitter.com/dailydotdev","https://github.com/dailydotdev","https://www.linkedin.com/company/daily-dev-ltd"]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https://daily.dev/#website","url":"https://daily.dev","name":"daily.dev","publisher":{"@id":"https://daily.dev/#organization"},"potentialAction":{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https://daily.dev/search?q={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}}]} {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"TechArticle","headline":"I've been 3D printing for 3 years, and PETG is the only filament I print functional parts in now","url":"https://daily.dev/posts/i-ve-been-3d-printing-for-3-years-and-petg-is-the-only-filament-i-print-functional-parts-in-now-mnfebq2ij","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://daily.dev/posts/i-ve-been-3d-printing-for-3-years-and-petg-is-the-only-filament-i-print-functional-parts-in-now-mnfebq2ij"},"datePublished":"2026-06-05T21:04:25.060Z","dateModified":"2026-06-05T21:04:58.143Z","description":"After three years of 3D printing, the author has settled on PETG as the go-to filament for functional parts. 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