The Best Creality Ender 3 Upgrades (Buy and Print)

The Best Creality Ender 3 Upgrades (Buy and Print)
Thomas Admin6 min read
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Short answer: The best Creality Ender 3 upgrades are, in order: a BLTouch auto bed levelling sensor, a Raspberry Pi running OctoPrint or Klipper, a better build surface, and a handful of free printed parts such as a part-cooling duct and belt tensioners. If your Ender 3 is an original 2018 model and you're thinking of spending more than about $100 on upgrades, compare that with a newer printer first. The Ender-3 V3 SE already has auto levelling and a direct-drive extruder.

Updated 29 October 2026. This guide combines my original 2018 Ender 3 upgrade list with the newer upgrades page, which now redirects here.

Disclosure: Amazon links on this page are affiliate links (tag tinkeratlas0c-20). If you buy through them I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

The Creality Ender 3 was my second 3D printer. For a sub-$200 printer it was shockingly good, and it's one of the easiest printers to upgrade. This list is split into upgrades you buy and upgrades you print.

Creality Ender 3 with the MakerViking mainboard relocation case

The best Ender 3 upgrades you can buy

BLTouch auto bed levelling sensor

A BLTouch is a probe that measures the bed at many points so the printer can compensate for an uneven bed. It's the single most useful Ender 3 upgrade because the original Ender 3 has no auto levelling. ANTCLABS lists a repeatability of around 0.005 mm, and it works with glass, metal and other bed surfaces. Installing and setting it up took me about 30–60 minutes. On the original Ender 3 mainboard you'll also need an Arduino Uno or similar to flash a bootloader before you can install firmware with BLTouch support. This BLTouch setup guide and mount covers it.

Check the ANTCLABS BLTouch price on Amazon

Raspberry Pi with OctoPrint or Klipper

A Raspberry Pi is a small single-board computer, and connected to your Ender 3 it lets you start, watch and stop prints from a browser anywhere in the house. OctoPrint is the classic option: it adds a web interface, webcam streaming, time-lapses and a large plugin library. Klipper is the newer option: it moves the motion calculations to the Pi, which enables features like input shaping and pressure advance. I originally used a Raspberry Pi 3 Model B, and Raspberry Pi says it will stay in production until at least January 2028.

Raspberry Pi single-board computerPhoto: Craig Dennis / Pexels

The Amazon kit I originally linked is no longer available, so here is the official product page with no affiliate tag: Raspberry Pi 3 Model B on raspberrypi.com.

A better build plate

A build plate upgrade is a replacement print surface that grips better while it's hot and releases the print once it cools. Creality sent me a polypropylene build plate for the Ender 3. It gave better adhesion for PLA and ABS than the stock surface, prints came off easily once the bed had cooled, and it mounted with clips or tape. Today a magnetic spring-steel PEI sheet is the more common choice, and it's what most newer printers ship with. If prints still won't stick, read warping causes and fixes.

The best Ender 3 upgrades to print

Printed upgrades are free mods you make on the Ender 3 itself, and they fix many of its small annoyances. Most are on Thingiverse's Ender 3 tag and on Printables, and you can discover more on TinkerAtlas.

Cooling and airflow

Cooling upgrades are printed fan ducts that direct more air at the fresh layers.

  • Hero Me fan duct: improved part and hotend cooling in one system.
  • Petsfang duct: a popular alternative with strong airflow.
  • Mainboard fan cover: protects the electronics and improves their cooling.

Mechanical improvements

Mechanical upgrades are printed parts that make the frame, belts and levelling easier to keep in tune.

  • X and Y belt tensioners: make it easy to keep belts consistently tight.
  • Z-axis stabiliser: reduces Z wobble.
  • Larger bed-levelling knobs: easier manual levelling.
  • Extruder knob: better grip for feeding filament by hand.

Organisation and convenience

Convenience upgrades are holders and guides that keep tools and filament where you need them.

  • Tool holder, SD card holder and nozzle storage: keep the small stuff on the printer.
  • Filament guide: a smoother path from spool to extruder.
  • Cable management clips: a tidier setup and less cable wear.

Looking for more printable projects? See useful things to 3D print and the first things to print on a new printer.

Which Ender 3 upgrade should you do first?

The best first Ender 3 upgrade is the one that fixes your most common failed print. For most people that's first-layer problems, so start with a BLTouch. Then add printed belt tensioners and a fan duct. Add a Pi with OctoPrint or Klipper once the printer is reliable. Test each upgrade before moving on to the next, so you know which change affected print quality. For diagnosing failed prints, see 30 common 3D printing problems and fixes.

Should you upgrade an Ender 3 or buy a new printer?

Upgrading an original Ender 3 is worth it for learning and for cheap fixes. A BLTouch plus printed parts gets you most of the benefit. Paying for a new mainboard, extruder and hotend often costs about as much as a modern budget printer with all of that built in. The Ender-3 V3 SE has CR Touch auto levelling and a direct-drive extruder out of the box. Compare options in my best beginner 3D printers and $300 budget guide.

FAQ

What is the best upgrade for the Ender 3?

A BLTouch auto bed levelling sensor is the best Ender 3 upgrade because it removes most first-layer failures. ANTCLABS lists a repeatability of around 0.005 mm.

Does the Ender 3 need a bootloader for BLTouch?

A bootloader is needed on the original Ender 3. Its mainboard shipped without a bootloader, so you need to flash one, for example with an Arduino Uno, before installing BLTouch firmware. Later boards and the Ender-3 V3 SE don't need this.

Should I use OctoPrint or Klipper on my Ender 3?

OctoPrint is simpler and works with your existing firmware. Klipper takes more setup but enables input shaping and pressure advance for faster, cleaner prints.

Is it worth upgrading an Ender 3 in 2026?

Cheap upgrades like a BLTouch and printed parts are worth it. Expensive hardware swaps usually aren't, because a new budget printer with auto levelling costs about the same.

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