Everyone needs something to drink at some point: a cool, refreshing glass of water, hot tea, or maybe an alcoholic beverage when handled responsibly. To enjoy any of these drinks, you’ll need a cup or a mug. Rather than simply going to the store and buying one on the spot, makers have the delightful option of 3D printing a cup or mug.
Printing a cup or mug isn’t quite as easy as you might think. The choice of filament is an important consideration given food safety issues. While the basic shape of cups and mugs isn’t particularly difficult, the print has to be watertight. Further, common post-processing methods may lead to weakness or outright leaks. In this article, we present some of the best 3D models for cups and mugs, as well as some considerations to keep in mind before printing them.
If you find a mug that you’re heart is set on but can’t print it at the moment, try Craftcloud. Upload your model and pick all you preferences, then let a professional print service handle all the tricky bits.
Considerations
Before we dive into some great 3D printed cups, let’s take a look at three criteria any practical dishes should exhibit:
- Water tightness: A cup is a container for drinking, so if your 3D printed cup cannot contain a drink, what even is it then? Maybe a cool shelf decoration or a 3D print collection item but not a useful dish. To achieve water-tightness, try increasing extrusion and selecting materials that can withstand the temperatures of the hot drinks you want to contain.
- Bacteria resistance: Bacteria love to find lodging in small cracks or spaces. Since 3D prints essentially exhibit layers in their construction, they create perfect homes for germs. Now, if you want to make dishes for one-time use, bacteria build-up is not that big of a problem. However, if you plan to use 3D printed plasticware repeatedly, you should try to smooth out and clean your prints as much as possible.
- Food safety: Food safety is perhaps the most important criterion for 3D printed cups. Some filaments, such as ABS, are not the best material for 3D printed dishes because they are toxic. Make sure that the filament and sealants you’re using are food safe.
Without further ado, let’s take a look at these awesome 3D printable cup models!
Krug
This design was tailor-made for the fantasy gamers out there. Designed to serve as a dice roller or a can holder, several makers have used it as a cup in its own right.
It’s a fun design evoking a beer keg and a classic stein. Fortunately, this design hides print layers better than many, so sanding is a slightly lower priority. If you want a proper multicolored look, choose paints carefully and follow with multiple layers of safe clearcoat.
- Who designed it? ArsMoriendi3D
- How printable/popular is it? This popular design has more than 100 shared makes.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Tiki
This Tiki Mug features a classic design that might help one feel warmer during colder months. Originally designed to sharpen the creator’s skills, this mug has won over some hearts.
Printing-wise, keep in mind that lowering the infill too much has been proven to create holes in prints, so it’s best to go with a higher infill percentage.
- Who designed it? Shapespeare
- How printable/popular is it? 25 makers are in a tiki kind of mood.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Fish
The designer of this mug calls it the “101 Use Fish Cup”, and they certainly offer a list of 101 possible uses. These range from the silly “Hockey Puck” to the endearing “Small Animal Water Bowl”. From the posted makes, we also see it being used as a toothpick holder and pen holder.
With the right filament and a food-safe treatment, it can also serve as a fun mug. The designer says the model can be printed without supports, and increasing the number of perimeters would help with beverages.
- Who designed it? McAwesome
- How printable/popular is it? This fishy design has 30 makes and counting.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Classic
This classic cup is a basic design with high ratings on Printables. It’s featured in multiple collections and has a fair amount of comments and reviews by the standards of the site.
Sometimes simple is best, and this cup is just that. Featuring a smooth surface and simple design, it’ll fit in with almost any place setting. The designer reminds us that microscopic gaps between layers pose potential health risks, so a food-safe coating is highly recommended if you intend to drink from this print.
- Who designed it? The Reason
- How printable/popular is it? This classic design has six makes.
- Where to find it? Printables
Cantina
Star Wars-themed drinkware has been a thing since the 80s, and this design fits right in. The design is reminiscent of the cantina mugs found at Oga’s Cantina at The Walt Disney World Resort.
This cantina mug is designed to fit a soda can inside and can be printed without supports. Keep in mind that it’s important to use fine settings to preserve the design details.
- Who designed it? Bugman_140
- How printable/popular is it? 11 makers have showed their allegiances by printing these Star Wars-themed cups.
- Where to find it? Printables
Anglepot Remix
This design is ideal for tea drinkers in particular. It allows users to steep tea, then simply tilt the cup to separate the teabag from the water.
You should be especially careful when choosing filament to print this cup. All prints are temperature sensitive, and the hot liquids will make this riskier to use unless heat resistance is accounted for in the materials used.
- Who designed it? unwohlpol (Remixed from whatakuai)
- How printable/popular is it? The relatively new remixed design has five downloads and one posted make. The original design on Cults has over 370 downloads.
- Where to find it? Printables
Crushed
What better way to start the day than with a nice distorted cup of coffee? The designer of this model has published a beautiful, 3D printable coffee cup to hold your delectable breakfast beverage!
Love espresso? The designer has also designed a similar espresso cup for an early morning pick-me-up. (Don’t worry if you prefer tea time — this model is also compatible with tea!) In about 3 to 5 hours of print time, you can have your very own crushed coffee cup. Maybe the look of your 3D printed cup will rival the taste of its contents.
- Who designed it? Deepfri3D
- How printable/popular is it? This crushed cup has attracted 12 makers.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Second Life
If you need a mug and a practical use for old jars, this is the model for you. It’s a great way to give old jars a “second life”. Simply twist the model onto a small jam jar. If it doesn’t fit your particular jar or cup, don’t worry, you can easily slide this onto the bottom of your cup and show off your universal mug handle.
This print will cost you about 30 grams of filament and 2 hours. This is an incredibly low price for such a unique design.
Food safety is less of an issue with this design compared to the others. As the model will lift a glass with liquid, you’ll probably want to go with 100% infill and follow other tips recommended to ensure a strong 3D print.
- Who designed it? le FabShop
- How printable/popular is it? There are 40 makes and 5 remixes of this design on Thingiverse.
- Where to find it? Pinshape, Thingiverse
Pythagorean
If you’ve never heard of the Pythagorean Cup, the idea is simple. If you fill the cup only partially, the cup works normally. However, if you fill the cup over a certain point, the liquid will be forced through the hidden tube and out the bottom of the cup. Though this cup may not completely rid the world of greedy people, it is sure to be a fun party trick (in the most literal sense) and an example of additive manufacturing capabilities.
This model may seem pretty complex, but the print is easy. No supports, no long print times, and no outlandish filament costs. Just make sure your printer is well-calibrated so the inner “straw” prints properly.
At 20% infill, in under 2 hours, and with a little over 22 grams of filament, this great print can be your own!
- Who designed it? jsteuben
- How printable/popular is it? The devious design has 39 makes and 3 remixes.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Classic Coffee
This model is Daniel Noree’s take on a coffee cup. Who knew that the father of the 3D Benchy and the Open RC Project was also a master cup designer? Actually, it should come as no surprise that his design expertise extends beyond 3D printable boats and cars and into the kitchen. It’s simple, elegant, and perfect for a morning drink.
(Disclaimer: Noree didn’t actually drink from the cup. The main goal for this design was to see if his 3D printed cup could withstand the 97 °C temperature of his coffee. Other makers have reported perfect results when used with both hot and cold drinks.)
In about 3 hours, you can 3D print your very own cup and proudly display it in your cupboard or happily fill it with a tasty drink.
- Who designed it? Daniel Noree
- How printable/popular is it? This design has over 7,000 views and 514 downloads.
- Where to find it? Cults
License: The text of "3D Printed Mugs & Cups: The Best Models to 3D Print" by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.