This filament is a joy to print with. Details come out very nicely, and there were almost no problems to speak of throughout our entire testing process.

The MH Build series PLA came well packaged in a plastic vacuum-sealed bag with a desiccant pouch. We received ours along with some other filaments from MatterHackers, we were happy to find that the filaments do not have individual boxes, resulting in less overall waste. Unfortunately the bag was not resealable, so the filament must be kept in a dry box for storage in humid climates.

We tested our spool using an Original Prusa i3 MK3S in stock configuration. The color of our prints was uniform and vibrant, and the finish was very glossy and smooth.

Our first test, as usual, is the famed 3DBenchy jolly tugboat torture test. The print completed without issue on the first try and came out with an amazingly smooth finish.

A close-up photo reveals exceedingly clean layers with great adhesion, lending to the glossy sheen of the overall print.

The only issue was the slight stringing on some areas of the print. Otherwise, it was impeccable.

Our second print was an Iron Man bust by Jason Atkins. This print used supports, which snapped off cleanly and easily with very little effort.

Due to an issue with the model, the neck portion did not slice properly, leaving the connections between the head and chest of the bust very thin. To our surprise, the MH Build PLA printed these without any issue, and the finished print is surprisingly strong and robust, everything considered.

In other matters, the details all turned out exceptionally well, again there were no issues aside from the slight stringing.

Our third and final test print was the Fire Hydrant container by waldamore. Like the other two models, this print finished without any issues.

We printed this part with custom supports using the Support Enforcer settings in PrusaSlicer 2.0. These snapped off very cleanly, leaving only slight marks on the surface of the prints. All of the details are clean and well-defined, and the color is the perfect, vibrant fire hydrant red to suit the model.

Both parts fit together well, and the stringing between the parts on the print bed was minimal.

All in all, we really enjoyed the hassle-free experience that this filament offered us.

Considering its price point in the $20 to $30 range, this material should be a no-brainer for anyone looking to get their hands on an excellent material that will print exceptionally well without any issues.

Compared to the AmazonBasics and other Hatchbox PLAs we have reviewed so far, the MH Build PLA sports a glossier texture and has fewer issues overall. The only notable downside compared to the others is slightly increased stringing.

So if you were hesitant before, rest assured that this filament is some of the best we’ve ever tested, and has our glowing recommendation. So who is it for? Answer: Anyone and everyone!

MatterHackers MH Build Series PLA

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We tested our MH Build series PLA on an Original Prusa i3 MK3S in stock configuration with PrusaSlicer.

We used the “0.15mm Quality MK3” and “Generic PLA” profiles, with the following changes:

• Extruder Temperature: 205 °C
• Bed Temperature: 40 °C

The manufacturer’s recommended settings are as follows:

• Extruder Temperature: 190-220 °C
• Bed Temperature (not required): 25-55 °C
• Filament Diameter: 1.75 mm or 3 mm (±0.05 mm)

For those curious about how we got to our conclusion, we review filaments using the following guidelines:

Each and every spool is brand-new and unopened.

Our first print is always a 3DBenchy. We use this to check for any inconsistencies in quality, color, and finish. After that, we print a few other models, the results of which we present to you. We slice the model using the latest version of PrusaSlicer. We do not post-process the prints in any manner; we simply remove them from the bed and cut off any support materials.

We start with the manufacturer’s recommended settings (where available). When the manufacturer offers a range of values, we go for the arithmetic mean. Therefore, if we are given a printing temperature range of 200–220 ºC, we would print at 210 ºC (unless noted otherwise).

For this review, we used an Original Prusa i3 MK3S in stock configuration. Statements regarding print quality are based on the printer’s ability and reputation to successfully print a wide variety of other filaments and models.

We would like to mention that every spool of filament can be slightly different, and filaments often vary greatly even within a small range. Simply fiddling with a single setting like retraction can have huge effects in print quality. This can make the difference between a disastrous fail and a wondrous success.

So, if you own a spool of this filament, we invite you to contribute in the comments below! Did you manage to get your prints to turn out? Did you have an interesting or strange experience? Let us know – we’d love to hear from you!