This is an entirely 3D printed spool holder that can accommodate almost any size filament spool with a shaft diameter of 16 to 62 mm. If that’s not universal enough, it will take spool-less filament coils, too.

The main spindle of the holder rotates on its own rollers for smooth unspooling. The holder also has a filament guide (pictured above) to guide both 1.75- and 2.85-mm diameter filament, with a built-in pocket for a cleaning sponge.

Perhaps best of all, you don’t need any extra hardware: no bearings, glue, or fasteners. Makers have commented that if you’re having any trouble with the assembly, a bit of oil will do the trick.

The designer recommends printing the spool holder at a 0.2-mm layer height with 10% infill. It’s estimated to use 92 grams of filament and takes about 9 hours to print.

• Who designed it? CreativeTools
• How printable/popular is it? On Thingiverse alone, this model has 183 shared makes as well as 54 remixes for whatever kind of spool you can dream of!
• Where to find it? Instructables, Thingiverse, Cults, YouMagine, MyMiniFactory

Meet Phil, the universal filament holder designed to eliminate the need for additional components. This fully printable solution has gained significant recognition on Thingiverse, garnering over 12,000 likes.

The designer has taken the extra step to provide source files, allowing users to adjust the tightness of the spools to their specific requirements. This level of customization ensures a perfect fit and compatibility, easily accommodating different types of filament. For optimum stability, it’s highly recommended to include rubber pads to keep Phil from slipping away.

However, it’s important to note that there have been comments suggesting limitations when dealing with heavier spools. While Phil can hold light spools, some users have found that heavy spools (3-5 kg) experience friction due to the design’s bearing-less concept.

If you wish to make a dual-tone red-black version, changing the filament at specific layer heights is recommended: 0-3 mm for black, 3-10 mm for red, 10-13 mm for black, and 13 mm to the end for red.

• Who designed it? TheNewHobbyist
• How printable/popular is it? 128 makes of this design have been shared, not to mention 18 remixes.
• Where to find it? Thingiverse

The Universal Auto-Rewind is a spool holder that spools up extra filament for you – handy if you’re changing filaments often. That way, you’re not left with a tangle of material when you unload! It’s one of many popular auto-rewinding designs by Vincent Groenhuis.

This universal spool holder features a unique 3D printed spring that does the rewinding work for you. The slipping of the clutch can be adjusted based on your needs. There’s also a filament guide available, should you want one. You can see a full guide to the spool holder’s use and assembly in the dedicated YouTube video.

The designer printed the parts in PLA at a 0.2-mm layer height. The single-color version is estimated to take 47 hours and 460 grams of material to complete, while the dual-color version takes 90 hours and 780 grams.

• Who designed it? VincentGroenhuis
• How printable/popular is it? This model has 47 shared makes on Thingiverse alone as well as 74 remixes for printer-specific parts and mods.
• Where to find it? Printables (single-color and dual-color), Thingiverse

The tried-and-true SpannerHands spool system is another entry featuring moisture protection. Despite the release of newer SpannerHands models, this one offers the best in terms of ease of use.

Filament is kept clean and dry, thanks to a dust cover enclosure and a pocket holding a sachet of desiccant. Everything is sealed with an easily accessible latch upfront for quick filament changes. There’s an optional spot for adding a humidity sensor to monitor your filament. You even have the option of wall-mounting the spool holder (pictured above) to get it off your desk.

Unfortunately, the SpannerHands is only designed for 750-g spools of Fillamentum. It’s a common size, but not quite as universal as we’d like.

The designer recommends printing with a layer height of 0.2 to 0.4 mm and 20% infill. The designer also recommends using flexible and semi-flexible filaments for printing the airtight seals.

• Who designed it? 3DMasterRace
• How printable/popular is it? 61 makers have shared their prints of this model. There are numerous remixes, including bearingless and auto-rewind versions.
• Where to find it? Thingiverse

The Filler is a unique spool holder that stands out for its ease of mounting. It features bearings for smooth unspooling and a host of premade attachments to accommodate a wide range of printers. There are even standalone and wall-mounted options for maximal flexibility.

If your filament doesn’t fit well on this holder, fret not. You can also use two Fillers side-by-side as rollers beneath your spool.

The designer recommends printing the brace with three shells and 40-50% infill. The roller portion should use four shells and 0% infill.

• Who designed it? HugoHuge
• How printable/popular is it? This model has been made 212 times. Despite the impressive number of mounting options already available, 303 remixes will get you additional flexibility.
• Where to find it? Thingiverse

This model is similar to the SpannerHands design, but it does better in terms of universality. Spools run on rollers at the bottom of the spool holder, so many sizes will fit.

Like the SpannerHands, you’ll get an easily-accessible latch, an optional humidity sensor, a tray for desiccant, and optional wall-mounting. An added bonus is that it will work with Prusa’s Printer Enclosure V2.

Depending on the version you choose, printing will take an estimated 31 to 35 hours and 400 to 450 grams of material. Prusa Research recommends PLA plastic for this spool holder.

• Who designed it? OndrejStritesky
• How printable/popular is it? Between both versions of this model, 39 makes have been shared, mainly for Prusa machines.
• Where to find it? Printables: with sensor and without

Named “The Ultimate Spool Holder”, this design accommodates spools of all sizes. Its four parts snap together without needing fasteners and hold four 608 bearings. Simply line up the rollers with the edge of your spool, and you’re good to go! The design makes for a slim setup and easy spool swaps.

The designer recommends printing the parts with 20% infill and 0.2-mm layers. In some cases, filament may roll off the spool when nearing its end. However, placing the spool above the printer can solve this problem.

• Who designed it? filamentry
• How printable/popular is it? Downloaded over 415,000 times, this model has 610 makes with nearly 300 remixes to more precisely fit various printers.
• Where to find it? Thingiverse

The spool’s own weight clamps it onto the holder at four points, holding the spool securely. That way, coils of filament are less likely to jump off of the side of the spool, minimizing messes and tangles.

It’s been tested for spools with diameters ranging from 145 to 210 mm and up to a maximum width of 94 mm. The outer limit of the diameter isn’t yet certain and may be greater.

The designer recommends printing the parts with 0.2-mm layers. Some users have noted that the parts don’t fit together very tightly, so a little super glue might come in handy.

• Who designed it? graham01
• How printable/popular is it? This model has been downloaded over 75,000 times from Thingiverse and has 91 makes as well as 17 remixes.
• Where to find it? Thingiverse

Like SpannerHands System, this spool holder is yet another option for users working with moisture-sensitive filaments like PVA and nylon. With three available versions – narrow (40 mm), standard (70 mm), and wide (100 mm) – this spool holder accommodates a variety of filament sizes.

The Ultra Dry Spool Holders can also handle heavy spools weighing up to 5 kg, making it a suitable option for larger filaments. Additionally, the inclusion of clear windows on the spool holder allows for convenient filament monitoring, enabling users to keep an eye on the remaining filament and measure its length with ease.

The designer’s commitment to user satisfaction gives the Ultra Dry Spool Holder an edge. Through continuous improvements based on feedback, they have addressed minor issues and enhanced the functionality of the spool holders. The detailed assembly instructions provided with this spool holder further contribute to a hassle-free setup process.

In terms of print settings, the designer recommends a 0.2-mm layer height with 35% infill for the base parts and a high-density infill (~50%) with a 0.1-mm layer height for other components.

• Who designed it? gcalin
• How printable/popular is it? The Ultra Dry Spool Holder has been downloaded over 14,000 times, and four makers have shared their prints. Notably, two of the makes highlight the spool holders’ robust and easy-to-print design.
• Where to find it? Thingiverse

This spool holder uses gravity to ensure that the filament is wound and that there isn’t too much slack. The design incorporates a plethora of different 3D printable components with a rack-and-pinion-like mechanism to ensure the spool moves up and down the structure as the filament is drawn. Although it’s designed for Prusa’s multi-material upgrade (MMU2S), this spool holder should work on all setups.

The designer listed a few of the print settings they used to produce this spool holder, including a 0.2-mm layer height for printing the parts in PET filament. The maker also noted that the parts consumed about 355 grams of filament and took just over 24 hours to finish.

• Who designed it? MichalFanta
• How printable/popular is it? This auto-rewinding spool holder has 153 shared makes, 52 remixes, and over 72,000 views! Given this project’s popularity, you should be able to make one.
• Where to find it? Printables

The 3D Printing Guardian Spool Holder is a good option for anyone looking to add personality to their 3D printing setup. Not only does it serve its primary purpose as a spool holder, but it also doubles as a unique and eye-catching wall decoration that’s sure to impress visitors.

The creator’s design has been tested for several months to ensure its structural durability. To make sure the screws hold well, it’s recommended to add extra bottom layers for increased density. The arms are also designed to be versatile, allowing you to use the product on a table as an added option.

The recommended printing settings are a 0.2-mm layer height and 5% infill. While it’s possible to print both arms simultaneously, printing them separately is recommended. The estimated printing time for one arm is approximately 7 hours.

• Who designed it? MaxFunkner
• How printable/popular is it? This spool holder has 10 makes and several remixes on Thingiverse.
• Where to find it? Thingiverse, Cults

Like the TUSH, the Universal Spool Holder makes use of rollers beneath the spools. This design is slim, accommodates many spool sizes, and makes swapping filament very easy.

Unlike the TUSH, you’ll need some extra hardware like screws to get this spool holder up and running. Its single-body design, however, means that you won’t have to worry about finicky alignment with your spool’s edges.

• Who designed it? in_the_garage
• How printable/popular is it? The Universal Spool Holder has fewer downloads than some of the big hitters on this list, totaling just over 2,000 across both YouMagine and Thingiverse. There are helpful images to guide the assembly process but no explicit printing instructions.
• Where to find it? YouMagine, Thingiverse

This clever spool holder is a compact two-part assembly that requires no hardware or fasteners. Simply print both parts and put them together!

The spool size is more limited, however, so your mileage may vary. Swapping out the top piece will allow you to fit more spool sizes, and several users have customized the file.

• Who designed it? dagoma3D
• How printable/popular is it? This model has been downloaded over 33,000 times from Thingiverse, and 32 makes have been shared. Users have commented that a drop of oil will aid spinning, but official instructions are lacking. Several remixes are also available for more sizes.
• Where to find it? MyMiniFactory, Thingiverse

This design is a hanging spool holder that’s meant to attach to a circular rod and hold a filament spool below. The spool holder comprises two arms and two hooks, which should snap together once printed. To keep the filament strand from unraveling, the arm bar piece has two holes, which you can feed filament through to tie off the strand.

As seen above, the designer has successfully made a fair amount of these spool holders and has provided a few of the settings used, including a 0.2-mm layer height and 15% infill density. No supports or rafts are necessary.

• Who designed it? 3DStartups
• How printable/popular is it? This hanging spool holder has 16 recorded makes, 15 remixes, and over 32,900 downloads! So many people have printed this spool holder; you can too!
• Where to find it? Thingiverse