ABS Filament Review - Strength, Durability, and Best Brands

ABS is the material that demands respect. Ignore its requirements and you’ll print warped garbage. Follow the rules and you’ll get durable, heat-resistant parts that rival injection-molded plastic.

ABS vs. PETG vs. PLA (Real Comparison)

Property	PLA	PETG	ABS
Print temp	200°C	240°C	250°C
Ease of print	Easy	Moderate	Hard
Heat resistance	50°C	80°C	100°C
Strength	Good	Very good	Excellent
Cost/kg	$20	$25	$25
Ventilation needed	No	No	Yes

Bottom line: ABS is stronger and more heat-resistant, but requires expertise and equipment that PLA doesn’t.

Print Temperature Sensitivity

ABS tolerance for temperature is narrow.

Temperature ranges by brand:

• Prusament ABS: 245-260°C
• MatterHackers ABS: 250-265°C
• Generic ABS: 240-260°C (wildly inconsistent)

What temperature does:

• 240°C: Barely flows, may jam
• 250°C: Good flow, moderate oozing
• 260°C: Flows well but significant stringing
• 270°C: Oozing, bubbling, burn risk

Pro approach:

1. Start at 250°C
2. Print small test cube
3. Adjust ±5°C based on results
4. Lock in your printer’s sweet spot

Ventilation: The Health Conversation

Why ABS fumes matter:

• Styrene vapor (unpleasant smell, headaches)
• Benzene-related compounds (health risk)
• Not acutely dangerous at normal printing volumes, but chronic exposure isn’t healthy

Honest assessment:

• One print session: Fine without ventilation
• Regular printing (daily): Need ventilation
• Professional use (production): Essential

Ventilation options:

1. Window exhaust fan: $30-50 (minimum)
2. Dedicated duct + exhaust: $150-300 (recommended)
3. Carbon filter: $100-150 (better than nothing, not sufficient alone)

Don’t skip ventilation if printing regularly.

Warping: The Real Killer

ABS shrinks as it cools. If it shrinks unevenly, it warps.

Warping happens despite:

• Perfect temperature settings
• Heated bed (100°C+)
• Level bed

Why it still happens:

• Material property (inherent to ABS)
• Uneven cooling in the chamber
• Part geometry (long thin parts warp more)

Mitigation strategies:

1. Enclosure: DIY cardboard box or professional. Maintains heat, reduces cooling rate.
2. Large raft: Extra plastic under your part to prevent edge curling (uses more filament, reduced warping)
3. Slow print speed: 60-80mm/s (slower = more even cooling)
4. Multiple small parts: Instead of one large part, print smaller sections and assemble

Real talk: Even Prusa printing ABS acknowledges occasional warping. It’s material physics.

Brand Comparison (Tested)

Prusament ABS:

• Quality: Excellent, consistent
• Price: $30/kg
• Printability: Straightforward, forgiving
• Recommendation: Best choice if budget allows

MatterHackers ABS:

• Quality: Very good
• Price: $28/kg
• Printability: Slightly finicky, needs temp tuning
• Recommendation: Good alternative to Prusament

Generic ABS (AliExpress, Amazon):

• Quality: Inconsistent, batch-to-batch variation
• Price: $15-20/kg
• Printability: Requires extensive tuning
• Recommendation: Only if desperate to save money

Verdict: Spend the extra $10/kg for Prusament. The consistency saves troubleshooting time that costs more than the material difference.

Successful ABS Print Checklist

Before printing ABS, verify:

• Nozzle capable of 260°C (check printer specs)
• Bed heated to 100°C
• Enclosure in place (DIY or professional)
• Ventilation system running (even if simple)
• Nozzle clean (run cold pull)
• Bed level (critical more than PLA)
• Print speed set to 60-80mm/s
• Material temperature confirmed with test cube

If any of these are missing or questionable, reconsider. ABS isn’t forgiving.

Acetone Vapor Finishing (ABS Advantage)

One of ABS’s unique benefits: acetone smoothing transforms print surfaces.

Process:

1. Print part (layer lines visible)
2. Place in sealed container with acetone
3. Vapors dissolve surface layer slightly
4. Wait 10-20 minutes
5. Remove and dry

Result: Layer lines disappear, glossy finish, looks professional

Important: Acetone is toxic. Proper ventilation required. Not worthwhile for health risk.

When ABS Makes Sense

Print ABS if:

• Part needs heat resistance (over 50°C environment)
• Mechanical strength is critical
• Outdoor UV exposure (ABS is more resistant than PLA)
• You have an enclosure and ventilation
• You’re willing to iterate on prints

Use PLA instead if:

• Room temperature is sufficient
• Decorative/non-functional
• You’re unwilling to invest in enclosure
• You want simplicity

Cost-Benefit Analysis

A 100g mechanical bracket:

Option A (PLA):

• Material: $1.50
• Print time: 1.5 hours
• Strength: Adequate for light use
• Heat resistance: Only to 50°C

Option B (ABS):

• Material: $2.50
• Print time: 2 hours (slower speed)
• Strength: Excellent
• Heat resistance: To 100°C
• Setup cost: Enclosure ($50-200)

Break-even: After printing 20-40 parts, enclosure cost is amortized. For one-off prints, PLA wins. For functional projects, ABS’s properties justify the investment.

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ABS is not better than PLA—it’s different, optimized for strength and heat resistance. Print PLA until you need ABS’s properties. Then get an enclosure, verify ventilation, and accept the learning curve. The results are worth it for functional parts.

Rating: 7/10 — Excellent material, challenging to use, rewards patience and proper setup.