PLA vs PETG vs ASA — Which Filament Should You Actually Use?

We get asked this every week in the shop: "which plastic should I print this in?" There's no single right answer, but there is usually an obvious one once you know where the part is going to live.

PLA — the default, and that's fine

PLA is stiff, cheap, prints beautifully and comes in every colour going. If the part sits indoors and doesn't take much load, print it in PLA and stop overthinking it. Its one real weakness is heat: leave a PLA part on a car dashboard in August and it will droop.

• Best for: models, display pieces, prototypes, toys, indoor brackets
• Avoid for: cars, outdoors in direct sun, anything near a motor or heater

PETG — the sensible upgrade

PETG is tougher, slightly flexible instead of brittle, and shrugs off water and moderate heat. It's what we reach for on functional parts. It's a bit stringier to print, so expect a few wisps you can clean off with a heat gun.

• Best for: replacement parts, outdoor fittings, anything that flexes or gets knocked
• Avoid for: crisp fine detail, where PLA still wins

ABS & ASA — heat and UV

ASA is essentially ABS that doesn't go chalky in sunlight. Both need an enclosure to print reliably, which is why most home printers struggle with them. If your part lives on a vehicle, a boat, or permanently outdoors, this is the one.

TPU — when it needs to bend

Flexible, grippy and near-indestructible. Great for gaskets, phone cases, feet and bumpers. Prints slowly and needs a direct-drive setup — our TPU for AMS range runs happily through Bambu machines.

Still not sure?

Tell us what the part does and where it goes and we'll pick for you. Get a price straight away on the Instant Quote page, or message us.