25 Useful Things to 3D Print for Your Home, Desk and Kitchen
If you own a 3D printer, you've probably been asked "but what do you actually use it for?" at least once. Dragons and Benchies are fun, but it's nice to have a few answers that sound a bit more useful.
Here are 25 useful things to 3D print, in two groups. Some are better downloaded because they need exact measurements, and some are better designed yourself, so they fit your home and your style.
- Download things that need exact sizes, like cable clips, drawer organizers, wall hooks, replacement parts and Gridfinity bins.
- Design things yourself when they just need to look good and do a simple job, like planters and vases, pen holders, cookie cutters, a dice tray or a lithophane night light.
- PLA is fine indoors, and PETG is better for anything that gets wet, bends or sits in the sun.
Which useful prints should you download and which should you make yourself?
My rule is pretty simple. If it has to fit something exactly, like a shelf rail, a specific drawer or a broken part, I download a design that lots of people have printed already or I model it in CAD. AI 3D generators are good at shapes, but they don't do millimetre precise parts.
If it just has to look good and hold a plant, pens, cookies or dice, I make it myself. That way I get something that matches my place, and it's not the same model half the internet has printed.
Useful things to download
All of these are free on Printables, MakerWorld and Thingiverse. Search for the name and pick a design with lots of makes:
| # | Where it helps | Filament | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cable clips and cable chains | Desk, behind the TV | PLA or PETG |
| 2 | Gridfinity bins | Drawers, workshop | PLA |
| 3 | Drawer dividers | Kitchen, desk | PLA |
| 4 | Wall hooks and key holders | Hallway | PETG |
| 5 | Headphone stand | Desk | PLA |
| 6 | Phone and tablet stand | Desk, kitchen | PLA |
| 7 | Bag clips | Kitchen | PETG |
| 8 | Battery organizer | Drawer | PLA |
| 9 | SD card and USB holder | Desk | PLA |
| 10 | Replacement knobs, clips, covers | Anywhere | PETG |
| 11 | Hose and tap adapters | Garden | PETG or ASA |
| 12 | Under desk headphone hook | Desk | PETG |
My list of free STL sites shows where to look.
Useful things to design yourself
For these, a download usually feels a bit generic, and your own version will fit in much better.
For the home
13. A planter in any shape
A cat, an astronaut helmet, a skull or a little house. The Character Planter & Vase template has three modes (planter, vase and pen holder), and I wrote a full guide to 3D printed planters and vases.
14. A vase
Same template in vase mode. You can pick a smooth, faceted or ribbed surface, and it looks really nice in silk filament.
15. A lithophane night light
Put a lithophane of a family photo in front of an LED and you have a lamp and a photo frame in one. Made with the Lithophane Maker.
16. A relief plaque
For the front door or the hallway, made with Relief Wall Art.
For the desk
17. A pen holder
The planter template has a pen holder mode too. The one in the picture above is an astronaut helmet.
18. A desk figure that holds your headphones
This sounds silly but it works. A big dragon or a character with an open arm makes a pretty good headphone stand.
For the kitchen
19. Cookie cutters in any shape
Your kid's drawing, your logo or a dinosaur. The Cookie Cutter Maker turns a drawing or a simple shape into a cutter in 60, 80 or 100 mm. Here's how to make a custom cookie cutter.
20. A cutter set for every holiday
Pumpkins for Halloween, trees and stars for Christmas and eggs for Easter. You print the set once and use it every year. Pick the depth that fits the dough:
For hobbies
21. A dice tray
If you play board games or D&D, you'll use this a lot. Made with the D&D Dice Tray template.
22. Tabletop terrain
It's fun to play with and looks nice on a shelf between games. Made with Tabletop Terrain.
23. A cosplay prop
At full size, split into parts that fit on your bed, with Cosplay Prop.
For the garden
24. Plant labels and a planter for the balcony
Print them in PETG or ASA so they survive the sun.
25. Bird feeder decorations
Add a small figure on top of a downloaded feeder design. Mixing downloads with your own parts works great.
What filament should you use for useful prints?
| Filament | Good for | Avoid for |
|---|---|---|
| PLA | Indoor items, desk stuff, decor | Sun, heat, hot cars |
| PETG | Planters, hooks, clips, anything wet | Very fine detail |
| ASA | Outdoor, garden, car | Beginners without an enclosure |
| TPU | Bumpers, feet, phone cases | Rigid parts |
Is it actually useful or just clutter?
Fair question. A good test is whether you still use it every week a month later. Cable clips, a dice tray, a pen holder and planters usually pass that test easily, while a fourth phone stand probably won't.
Getting started
For anything that should look good and do one simple job, try making it yourself. The Character Planter & Vase and Cookie Cutter Maker templates are good ones to start with.
More guides
For prints that are more fun than useful, here are cool things to 3D print. And the full guides for the two most useful templates are 3D printed planters and vases and how to make a custom cookie cutter.
Happy printing!
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FAQ
What are the most useful things to 3D print?
Cable clips, drawer organizers, wall hooks, replacement knobs and clips, headphone stands, planters, pen holders, cookie cutters, dice trays and bag clips. Parts that need exact measurements are best downloaded or modelled in CAD. Things you use every day but don't need to measure, like planters and pen holders, are easy to make yourself with AI.
Can 3D printing actually save money?
Yes, mostly on small replacement parts like a broken knob, a missing clip or a cracked battery cover. Ordering one of those can cost 10 euros (if you can find it at all), while printing it costs a few cents of filament.
What filament is best for functional prints?
PLA is fine for indoor things that don't get hot. PETG is better for things that bend, get wet or sit in the sun, like planters and outdoor hooks. For parts near heat, like in a car, use ASA or ABS.
Is 3D printed plastic food safe?
Not really. Bacteria get stuck in the layer lines and most filaments aren't certified food safe. Short contact, like a cookie cutter on dough, is okay, but I wouldn't use printed cups, plates or cutting boards for food.
Can AI make functional 3D prints?
AI works well for shapes you use but don't measure, like planters, vases, pen holders, cookie cutters and trays. For a bracket or a replacement gear that has to fit exactly, use CAD software or a download with exact dimensions.
What are useful things to 3D print for the kitchen?
Bag clips, drawer dividers, a spice rack insert, a phone or tablet stand for recipes, and custom cookie cutters. Use PETG for anything that gets wet and keep printed plastic away from long food contact.
What are useful things to 3D print for the desk?
Cable clips, a headphone stand or under desk hook, an SD card and USB holder, a phone stand and a pen holder. The pen holder is a good one to design yourself so it matches your desk.
What should I 3D print for my home?
Wall hooks and key holders for the hallway, Gridfinity bins for drawers, planters and vases for the windowsill, a lithophane night light, and replacement knobs or clips for things that break.
What is the most useful thing to 3D print?
For most people it's replacement parts: a broken clip, knob or battery cover that's hard to buy. After that, cable management and drawer organizers are the prints people use every single day.
Is it free?
Most functional downloads on Printables and MakerWorld are free. With 3D AI Studio you can try the templates for free when you sign up and see the model in 3D. Downloading the STL or 3MF is part of the paid plans.