Like us, you’re tremendously excited by the possibilities of 3D printing in 2025. Unfortunately, first, you must navigate a landscape cluttered with 3D printed objects that nobody wants or needs. We’re in danger of drowning in trinkets, doodads, and ornaments.

Fight the tide of mediocrity! Let’s make stuff that’s useful and cool! Here’s a list of great things to 3D print, right now, today. Prove to your nearest and dearest that there’s an everyday and practical application of this wonderful technology.

Headphone Stand

Printables user H3li0 is a skilled 3D designer with multiple contest wins on Printables and over 100,000 downloads of his designs.

His latest creation, a headphone stand, keeps your over-ear headphones both showcased and easily accessible on your desk. The model is made up of just three parts: the base, the stand, and a screw. We printed one in about half a day, and it looks awesome. A nice touch: the base even includes four indentations for rubber feet.

Finger Chopsticks for Gamers

Statistically, the dirtiest item in your home is likely your kitchen sink sponge. But if you’re someone who snacks while gaming, your controller or mouse might be a close second. Fortunately, there’s a solution!

These finger chopsticks let you enjoy your snacks without ever touching your controller, keeping it clean while you game. A clever fix for dedicated gamers.

And whatever you do – never clean your controller with that kitchen sponge!

Folding Tripod

If you’re into filming or recording audio, a sturdy tripod is essential. Most gear fits easily thanks to the standard mounting system – but a quality tripod usually costs at least $30 to $40. Luckily, you can save a good chunk of change by 3D printing one yourself.

This design comes in two sizes (70 mm and 110 mm) and can support up to 1 kilogram. Assembly isn’t the simplest, so be sure to check out the excellent video instructions to see if it’s within your skill level.

Foldable Pocket Comb

If your hair, beard, or even your dog’s fur is looking a bit unruly, a 3D-printed pocket comb is all you need to tidy things up.

Compact and easy to carry, this comb features sturdy, rounded teeth – each shaped like a smooth cylinder – to prevent scalp irritation. Simply snap the two parts together, and you’re ready to groom on the go!

Scale Dress

3D-printed fashion accessories are gaining popularity, but a dress with robotic components that move? That’s where Anouk Wipprecht takes things to the next level.

The Dutch fashion designer is known for her innovative and stunning tech couture, and her latest creation, the Scale Dress, showcased at Formnext 2024 at the Elegoo booth, is now open source. With detailed instructions available, you’ll need servo motors for each module, along with some basic coding skills, to bring this dynamic design to life.

Water Lily Lamp Shade

There are plenty of cool lamp shades in the 3D printing file repositories, but this one is a real highlight. It looks quite delicate, is modeled to give the impression of a water lily, and uses very little material – some parts are just three layers thick.

The printing can be challenging, so calibrate your machine. Fortunately, none of the parts need support structures. An E27 lamp socket will hold this print in place.

Desktop Arcade Basketball

Occasionally, we come across a design we are amazed by but isn’t all that useful. As an excuse, we say this fully 3D-printed desktop game can make coffee breaks with your colleagues much more entertaining. It’s a print that will take some time, but there are detailed assembly instructions. Make sure to use TPU for the basketballs to add authenticity.

AI Assistant

Neo, a friendly little robot, can wave its hands and blink its LED eyes. Alone, those are kind of boring, but it also serves as AI desktop assistant, which elevates its appeal. The system interfaces with Google’s Gemini large language model and is driven by an Arduino Nano. Thanks to an included microphone and a speaker, you can ask a question and have Neo answer them.

Band-Aid Case

You don’t have to work in child care to understand that band-aids are the bond between the hurt and the caring. But carrying band-aids in a massive clinical pack is simply not practical, and if you just put one in your pocket, it’ll be hopelessly crumpled when called upon. So, this band-aid case comes in handy. There’s even a high-capacity case that holds up to 25 band-aids – if you work in a kindergarten, you’ll need this print.

Desktop Clock

Abstractia Design offers several interesting and useful prints using a similar design, ranging from desktop clocks to Apple Watch and iPhone stands. Inspired by retro design (it looks like a flea market find from the 80s, doesn’t it?), the Arc Clock has smooth curves and a lovely ripple effect. It uses the Bambu clock kit, so plan an extra $10 for the clock’s budget.

Table Side Data Cable Clamp

Finally get organized in 2025!

CatMaster likes to design things that’ll keep you organized, as their profile on MakerWorld suggests. We especially like this model that not only brings cables within your reach so you don’t have to dive under the desk to get that pesky USB-C cable, it also fits nearly all desks due to its clamping mechanism. Definitely a helpful print, plus it looks nice, too.

Waste Bag Holder

If you’re 3D printing a lot, you know the mess your machine can produce: purge lines, skirts, and the occasional failed print can quickly pile up. That’s where a waste bag proves invaluable.

Printables member bequ3 developed a clever design for a holder that can be attached to a wall or any vertical surface. Lofted ribs connect the inner ring and outer walls for maximum stability while making bag changes a breeze. Plus, the design is fully scalable to fit your needs.

Bag Clip

There’s no shortage of 3D models designed to keep opened packages securely closed. This bag clip is quick and easy to 3D print in just a few minutes, making it perfect for keeping your M&Ms in the bag instead of scattered in your backpack. Additionally, ktbr has created a remix with toothed jaws for improved grip.

Pallet Coaster

Add a touch of industrial style to your coffee table with a printable pallet coaster. This eyecatcher mimics the look of a real wooden pallet. Personalize it by adjusting the size or color during printing for a custom finish.

Minecraft Mini Lantern

If you grew up playing Minecraft, this is a thing that you’ll want to print. If you didn’t, it’s still a great-looking, stylish lamp. Just print the housing with black and dark brown filament plus four yellow panes for the sides. The lantern is illuminated by a small electric tea candle you can get for cheap everywhere. Maybe pick one of the flickering models – it just looks cooler.

Lithopane Light Box

Maybe you already have the proper knowledge about how to print a lithophanes, but what do you do once you have it? How can you present it optimally? Here’s a practical lightbox with LEDs that’ll make your favorite motif shine. Of course, the box can be scaled to your liking. If you are not sure how to turn your photo into a lithophane, here is a free service to get your STL file.

Coin Sorting Vault

If you search for Rocco’s Stuff on Printables, you’ll see more vaults than you’ll encounter in a Fallout game. The models are exquisitely designed, contain many pieces, and are something that you’ll be proud of once you manage to build one.

This model, which won the gold medal at the Piggy Banks contest on Printables, has a special trick up its sleeve: You feed it some coins, which automatically get sorted in the proper boxes inside the safe. And yes, there are two versions, one for American and another one for European coins.

Airless Basketball

3D printed basketballs aren’t a novelty, but MakeItLab spent a lot of time and research to 3D print a basketball that actually bounces like the real thing, they say. On his Cults page, you can find plenty of filament choices and links to some videos showing the different results. So, if you are looking for an airless basketball that is actually fun to play with, check it out.

Twist & Lock Containers

Where would humanity be without containers? Living in a cluttered world, that’s for sure. So, if you want to keep your gold dust, diamonds, or precious marbles from your childhood safe and dust-free, you should print these containers. They come in 8 sizes, sport a rectangle texture, and a cap that neatly snaps into place. They are also designed to be stackable and fit perfectly in your home, office, or workshop. We recommend printing them in PETG, as its rigidity is perfect for the snapping mechanism.

Salt and Pepper

We all know from history lessons that spices were extremely expensive in the olden days; you paid $200 per 100 grams of pepper. And if you’re old enough to remember, the female rap duo Salt & Pepa chose a short-lived cooking show, “Cookin’ with Salt-N-Pepa,” for their not-so-spicy-comeback.

So much for the history of seasoning, but here’s a mechanical print of the classic salt and pepper combo. They are designed to mesh together and turn as gears upon their stand. Easy to print, fun to use. Can you pass the pepper, please?