PLA vs ABS: When to Pick Each
Quick comparison
| Property | PLA | ABS |
|---|---|---|
| Print difficulty | Easiest | Hard (enclosure, warping) |
| Enclosure | Not needed | Required |
| Bed temp | 50 to 60 C | 95 to 110 C |
| Nozzle temp | 200 to 220 C | 240 to 260 C |
| Heat resistance | 55 C (soft above) | 95 C continuous |
| Warping | Negligible | Significant |
| Smell | None | Noticeable |
| Strength | Stiff, brittle | Tough, moderate flex |
| UV stability | Poor | Poor (use ASA outdoors) |
| Cost | Lower | Lower to similar |
Pick PLA when
- It is your first material on a new printer
- You do not have an enclosure
- Print smell is a concern
- The part lives indoors at room temperature
- Visual quality is the priority
- Speed of iteration matters
Pick ABS when
- The part will see heat (above 50 C)
- You want vapour-smoothed finish
- You need impact resistance with some flex
- You have an enclosure
What most people actually need
For ~90 percent of prints, PLA is the right choice. The other 10 percent: heat-exposed functional parts (pick ABS or ASA), outdoor parts (pick ASA), high-impact functional parts (pick PETG, nylon or ABS). Almost nobody starts with ABS and they should not.