The era of cheap 3D printing is screeching to a halt. A perfect storm of newly imposed tariffs and a shake-up in international shipping rules is quickly driving costs upward. Tariffs on Chinese-made goods , which include popular 3D printers from Bambu Lab, Creality, Elegoo, and Anycubic, have hit a record high of 145%. To make matters worse, international shipping company DHL announced it will temporarily suspend deliveries over $800 to American customers.
DHL posted an update on its website stating all shipments to the U.S. with a declared customs value over $800 now require formal entry processing, which has been causing significant delays. Before April 5, 2025, U.S. Customs only required this kind of paperwork on shipments over $2,500.
“To manage this, starting Monday, April 21, 2025, and until further notice, we will temporarily suspend B2C shipments to private individuals in the U.S. where the declared value exceeds USD 800,” reads the statement from DHL.
Bambu Lab’s newest printer, the H2D , was launched on March 25 with a starting price tag of $1,899 for the two-color, non-laser unit. It’s now listed at $2,399, while the 40-watt laser unit we reviewed last month will now set you back a whopping $4,399. This is $500 to $900 more than its intended price, and neither model will be shipped to American households by DHL under the current restrictions.
It is worth noting that DHL will continue to ship to businesses, regardless of the price tag, and U.S. customers can still utilize alternative shipping companies, such as FedEx or UPS.
Tracking the rising cost of 3D printers is a difficult task. Some Chinese manufacturers have not raised their prices, but their goods are also not in stock, making availability another issue 3D printer hobbyists and business owners are dealing with. Notable in this category is the Elegoo Centauri Carbon , which is still listed at its debut price of $299. But it is also listed as a “pre-order” that will only become available in late July.
The Creality K2 Plus Combo , which we reviewed in January, is still holding its original price tag of $1,499, and is listed as shipping from a U.S. warehouse. Tariffs are only applied to items at the time of shipping. While no one wanted to be named, several company representatives at this year's Rapid + TCT told me they had rushed shipments to U.S. warehouses before the tariffs hit and are hoping to hold prices down for as long as they can.
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