Top 5 Lubricants for 3D Printers (For 2023)

Like any mechanical machine, 3D printers require routine maintenance for best results. Lubrication is a vital part of keeping your machine in good working condition. 3D printing is a growing trend and machines are becoming better and better. But many 3D printer machine owners are not aware that lubricating their machines is vital to there performance and ability to stay in good condition.

Finding the best 3D printer lubricant oil might be confusing because there really is not a lot of information out there and not a lot of lubricants built specifically for 3D printers. There are many lubricant options on the market, and most options will work fine, but have their pros and cons. The best lubricant options are discussed below. We’ve done the research and compared the best 3D printer lubricants on the market. We considered the manufacturer, ratings, customer reviews, our experience and put together our rankings into the top 5 best 3D printer lubricants. This ranking is based on our own findings and opinion.

(Please note that some of the links on this site are affiliate links and we may receive financial compensation or other rewards if you purchase through those links. This review is based on our research and is our opinion only. We do not represent the company or make any medical claims.)

Top 5 Lubricants for 3D Printers (2023 List)

How to Choose a Lubricant for Your 3D Printer?

For your 3D printer running smoothly you will need to lubricate it. 3d printers are expensive so it’s important to take care of them. Overtime, wear and tear can affect the print quality as well as the life of your machine. Even before you start to hear grinding bearings or a squeaking lead screw your 3D printer most likely needs some lubrication.

The best 3D printer lubricant for your situation might be difficult thing to figure out at first glance. Which one should you chose? That decision can only be made by you. We’ve decided to take a closer look and put together our research, notes and reviews of the top 5 best lubricants for 3D printers below.

When considering a lubricant for your printer it’s also important to consider the part that needs lubricating. Common areas include X, Y, Z axis, rods, bearings, guide rails and any movable part where especially metal meets metal.

Some of the most important aspects we looked for in our review and making of our top ten included:

• our experience trying the product
• customer reviews
• quality of the products
• performance

Best Lubricants for 3D Printers for 2023

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1. PlanetSafe AIM 3D Printer Lubricant

We are introducing a new product at the top of our list this year: PlanetSafe AIM 3D Printer Lubricant. This new product is really taking over the market, and for good reason, because it is the best.

PlanetSafe AIM is a precision lubricant that is scientifically formulated to clean and protect 3D printers. Machines will run better, require less maintenance and allow a smooth movement of the parts. Non-toxic, non-hazardous and odorless. Waterproof. Dust proof. Practically anything proof – in a human safe formula. Trusted by professionals. Scientifically designed specifically for Z-Screws, rods, rails, bearings, and moving parts. It will keep your 3D printers moving for years to come.

Made with nano-technology that works at the microscopic level to remove grime and debris from moving parts and at the same time provide extreme protection from friction and wear ensuring a prolonged life for your machines. It’s safe around people, kids and pets.

If you are looking for a lubricant for your 3D printer this should be the top of the list. We absolutely love this product, it is a little pricey but it is without question the best 3D printer lubricant on the market.

Highlights

• Scientifically formulated for 3D printers
• Safe for you, kids, pets and the planet
• Non-toxic and odorless
• Designed for Z-screws, rods, rails, bearings and moving parts
• Bonds to metal to reduce friction and wear for long lasting protection
• Penetrates, cleans and protects
• Made in the USA and veteran owned

2. Calorbot 3D Printer Lubricant Grease

A non-toxic lubricant made for 3D printers lead screws, optical axis, rods, and guide rails. This is an inexpensive option that has worked well in testing and results. The product comes from China and has limited information available so it does come with some question marks.

Highlights

• Made of high quality materials, non-toxic, and easy to use
• The main component is lithium soap thickened refined base oil
• For 3D printer screws, optical axis, and guide rails
• Anti-rust
• Made in China

3. DuPont Teflon Non-Stick Dry-Film Lubricant

This is a popular product with 3D printer enthusiats but comes with some limitations. The teflon and safety is a concern. However, in performance it doesn’t create a sticky residue that can attract dust and a build-up of gunk.

This unique dry-film lubricant leaves a long-lasting, micro-thin, DuPont Teflon fluoropolymer coating that repels dirt, resists corrosion, and reduces friction and squeaks. Non-Stick Dry-Film goes on wet to penetrate, then sets up with a clean, dry, white micro-thin coating film that bonds to most surfaces and lubricates parts to reduce sticking and squeaking. Its thin coating is excellent for tight tolerances and sliding tracks and helps materials resist chemical contaminants or water. Formulated with Teflon for longer lubricant life, enhanced wear protection, better high and low temperature range and increased resistance to water.

Highlights

• Unique 100% dry-film Teflon coating and lubricant
• Clean, long-lasting micro-thin, dirt-resistant coating
• Dirt-repelling and chemical-resistant coating
• Creates a thin, dirt-repelling, chemical-resistant coating
• Metal-on-metal applications

4. 3-IN-ONE Multi-Purpose PTFE Lubricant

This lubricant is commonly used for 3D printers and has decent reviews for that. We found it to be a decent product and had pretty good results in lubricating the rails and rods. The product has some safety concerns for us because it does not state that it is non-toxic which of course we’d like it to be.

3-IN-ONE Multi-Purpose PTFE Lubricant reduces friction and wear on axels, chains, hinges, and more, and can maintain its lubricating properties at extreme pressures and high temperatures. This long-lasting PTFE lubricant is safe for both metals and plastics (except polycarbonate and polystyrene). With the 3-IN-ONE Multi-Purpose PTFE Lubricant, you have a professional-grade solution for extending the life of all types of heavy-load and pressure tools and equipment.

Highlights

• Extends the life for all types of tools and equipment
• Reduces friction and wear

• Works on axles, chains, hinges, and more

• Squeeze bottle design with twist spout offers control over the amount of lubricant dispensed exactly where you want it

5. Super Lube Synthetic Oil with PTFE

Super Lube is the most common and popular 3D printer lubricant. It is a lubricant that provides protection against friction, wear, rust and corrosion. Super Lube has been around for a long time and is used on a lot of other tools and machines as well.

During our use and testing it worked to some degree but we found it gums up the parts and gets sticky as it dries. While is doesn’t provide short term results the long term issues was not worth it for us.

Highlights:

• Provides protection against friction and wear
• Popular among 3D printer owners
• Anti-rust and corrosion
• Works on Lead screws, rails and bearings on 3d printers
• Inexpensive and wide availability

Do I Need to Lubricate My 3D Printer?

The short answer is, yes! Regular maintainence including lubrication will prolonog the life of your machine and reduce cost of repairs.

Why Should I Lubricate My 3D Printer?

Friction is an issue with any movable part in a machine, including 3D printers. As the print head moves along the rails, contact between the bearings and rods will create friction. Lubricating these parts with friction is important to keeping your machine running optimally.

If left untreated friction will eventually wear down the hardware and force the stepper motors to use more power than neccesary. This is lead to more problems and shorten the life of your printer. In addition it will lessen the quality of the printing.

Metal to metal contact needs to be periodically lubricated, especially the lead screws. One of the required maintenance tasks is to regularly lubricate the moving axis. If you have experienced Z-banding or ripples or ridges in the print surface, this is often a result of unwanted movement on the threaded rod. Reducing friction with a lubricant will usually fix this.

Should I Use WD-40 on My 3D Printer?

No! WD-40 is a solvent and not a lubricant. WD-40 has caused damage to 3D printers and should not be used.

What Kind of 3D Printer lubricant Should I Use?

There are a lot of options in 3D printing lubrication. Let’s talk about some of them.

Silicone based lubricants are not a good fit for metal to metal parts. Take a careful look at your 3D printer before using silicone oil.

Oil based lubricants are an ideal form of lubrication. They are not as heavy as grease and do not collect dust and debris as easily.

Grease can be the smoothest performer but usually creates the most mess over time.

Dry lubricants are quite popular because they provide good lubrication without collecting debris because of the lack of tackiness. Dry lubricants are slightly more expensive and do need to be reapplied more often.

Which 3D Printer lubricant is Best?

By far, the most popular 3D Printer lubricant with PTFE is Super Lube. Super Lube, like other PTFE oils, has a synthetic oil base and is marketed as “high viscosity” because of how well it adheres to the surface it is applied to. It is a little thicker than standard oil. Super Lube is easy to use and the most well known which is way it is so commonly used. But for us Super Lube was not the best performer.

You will want to consider your printer and what you need to lubricate to decide which oil or grease is best for you. In our opinion PlanetSafe AIM was the best 3D printer lube.