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Today, I'm on a mission. I want to test some of the most popular 3D prints on the internet from the barely discovered all the way up to the single most downloaded of all time. To find out what are the most useful things that a 3D printer can actually do. Let's begin. Cuz we're starting at just over a thousand downloads where I found something that should fix one of my biggest gripes with Samsung's flagship phone, a case with an anti-wobble pin. And we're making everything here on printers from our sponsor Bambu Lab. So, here's the problem. It is literally impossible to use this phone on a flat surface without wanting to snap the thing in half in anger. So, let's put the pin in here.
Case snaps on and Oh my god, it's so simple, but it's so genius. How many engineers does Samsung have? Seven out of 10. Moving up to 2K downloads then, this amplifier is supposedly the ideal way to listen to music in the shower. So, prop it over your glass like this, smartphone goes inside, the shower goes on, and if you were standing inside, this is what it sounds like without the amplifier. And now with it. Well, hello. That was actually a very decent improvement because it keeps your phone close, it keeps your phone dry, and it makes the sound very direct. It almost feels like you're wearing a pair of earphones. Only problem is,
you're a little bit screwed if there's a 40-minute unskippable YouTube ad partway through. Give it a seven. Now, if you knew me, you'll know anything that helps me hide cables, I'm into. Anything that helps me keep my tech charged, I'm into. So, pretty excited about this AirPods dock as it is appearing to be both those things. So, one strip of double-sided tape on the back and we are in business. So, AirPods, if I slip them inside, then they're charging thanks to the USB-C cable here. Okay, but let's say I'm working at my desk and I just want to pull the buds out. Yes, that is incredibly easy. And then, if I want to take the whole case out, God, this looks like world's most useless panic button.
Wow, what a flawless invention. 10 out of 10. So far, so good then. And I'm assuming the more popular the prints get, the better they should be. So, at 3,000, this is the world's laziest phone stand. So, this is for all my fellow fall asleep to a YouTube video at night plan. Why does this feel so natural? You know when you first look at this thing, that 45° angle looks hella awkward. But weirdly, when you're watching, it feels like exactly the angle it needs to be. And then, because it's got this super wide base with these uneven holes for extra grip, you should even be able to take it onto the sheets without it tipping. All right, so I'm in bed. I can't get comfy.
Shuffling around. Oh. It does what it needs to. It's not a pretty accessory, but it is a working one. But, what if you wanted to do the old hands-free thing while riding a bike? So, open the Bambu app. That takes you to MakerWorld, which is kind of insane to me. It just feels like you're browsing this incredibly creative wacky store. So, here's a bicycle gyro can holder. But then, instead of needing to buy, you just hit print. Very curious to see if this one actually pulls through though. Because they have this one image of not just a can, but an actually open cup being balanced, which to me just feels like a fantastic way to get drenched.
Okay, go. I'm turning. Oh my God, speed bumps. Did that. Harsh brakes. Well, technically it held the cup. Shame about the liquid inside of it. Give it a three. So, let's print something to hold some less spillable items, like Polaroids or Instax photos. And since it's a bit of a display item, I'm going to print the base in a fancy multi-color silk finish. So, each one of your photos slides into these frames. You secure it in place with one of these. And then, you can leaf through them. I like the fact that you get to see two different images at the same time. I could see this being a nice thing to leave in your living room for guests to
just flick through, but got to say these frames are a little bit fiddly. Six out of 10. While we're in the process of storing memories, though, 4,000 people have downloaded this all-in-one storage chest for your entire video game collection. So, the outer case is always the same, but then the idea is that you print the specific trays that you need for the games you have. I love this locking mechanism they figured out. Very satisfying and secure. So, I got a bunch of Gameboy Advance games on top. I've got a tray for my Switch games below that. And then all of my PS5 games are Oh, yeah. Now, this one did need a few metal screws as well as the print itself, but that feels well worth it.
Eight out of 10. Am I using this video as an excuse to just fix our own day-to-day micro issues? Yeah. Pretty much. Because I've also just found a sofa tray that looks spot-on. Cuz we have this amazing place to put drinks if you're on the ends of the sofa, but if you're anywhere in the middle area, you're kind of stranded. So, does this solve the problem? Ooh, I like that. It slides in nicely, but it's clearly got enough friction to keep it in place. And this is so clever because it's angled at just the right amount to offset the natural downward angle of the sofa so that the drink stays flat. I'm actually completely happy leaving this here. Plus the fact that we printed it in a wood filament, so it even matches the aesthetic. That's a nine.
We're past the 5K downloads mark now. And what a lot of people seem to have clocked onto is the crazy crocodile clip. So, the idea is you've got an open bag. This seals it. Oh, I love the snap. Now I get why it's a crocodile. And it's clamped down proper. You can't even get that off. I honestly have absolutely zero notes. The hinge even has a little bit of friction so that it holds at whatever point you want. It's the best bag clip I've ever used. It's just a bonus that it's also a crocodile. I may have slightly missed the ideal seasonal window for this one, but I was just slightly taken aback by the fact that you can also print a lawn
sprinkler. So, snap it into your hose pipe, stab it into the ground with the spike, and oh my goodness me. I mean, it definitely sprinkles, blimey in that. Okay, all right, calm down. Yeah, this will work great for my artificial grass. Oh, this is awkward. I've just found a product that I've been telling friends to buy for ages for $25 a pop, not realizing that you can just print it for less than a hundredth of that. So, this is the real thing. I use it almost every single day right in front of my mouse to reduce the wrist strain that I get from it. But then, this is what I just printed, and it feels almost exactly the same. It doesn't
quite have the same soft-touch finish. I'd say the real one is 10% more comfortable, but then this is still 100% better than not having anything at all. So, I can't give it less than an eight. But I might be able to do one better than that. Instead of just a product that is exactly the same as something you can buy, this is a clothes hanger with an additional trick up its sleeve. Or your sleeves. Sorry. Okay, so I'm in a massive hurry. I really want to wear this hoodie, so I should have caught that. But, wow, have I been doing this wrong my whole life? There's basically a bunch of gears here that are designed to release when you squeeze these two parts
together, and that is infinitely quicker than trying to wrangle your clothing off the arms and inevitably stretching it because you're doing it in such a hurry. Nine.5. We're past 10,000 downloads now. My theory on more downloads equals better is having mixed success, I'd say. But now we have a trash can, which I wasn't originally going to print because, well, a trash can is a trash can, right? But then I realized this actually allows me to solve a problem from when we were first doing up the house. I had this idea that I wanted to theme every part of each of the bedrooms and bathrooms, and I got 80% there, but there were certain things that I just
couldn't find the right thing for. And the bin is one of them, and this fills that gap. And it closes by itself. Controversially, I'm going to say an eight. How about the completely mechanical hand fan, powered using a crank mechanism? I like the two-tone finish. Pretty smart-looking thing. This one took a couple of screws, too. Was it worth it? Let's see. Ooh. That's not bad at all. I can definitely feel the airflow. Kind of satisfying, too, if you're feeling cranky.
It is a bit loud, though. I'll give it a seven. I've also been wondering, though, as I've started to slowly fall down the MakerWorld rabbit hole, there are so many things here that genuinely look like designer home pieces. So, we should probably print one. Because I want to see how close to that they will actually turn out. So, at 12K downloads, is a lamp called The Wave. This looks amazing. Like seriously. So, I did have to buy the LED inside separately. I paid about £8 for it. Get a little clicker with it over here.
Wow. That's sick. I love the way that distributes the light. I actually have no idea how I would even improve this. That's a 10 out of 10. Now, something I thought was silly and funny and actually really cool, there's a Harry Potter bookend, which I had to try. Because we got the whole collection. We're waiting on little man to be old enough to understand them. So, you wrap the first book around it. Harry himself goes here, and then That is so cool. It would take you like a proper 30 seconds to figure out what's going on here.
Love it. Now, I have low expectations, but very high hopes for this one. Do you remember when Wilson came out with an airless basketball and charged like two and a half thousand dollars for it? Well, here's mine. This is the most excited I've been in the entire video. So, regular basketball, great bounce, obviously. But now, 3D printed basketball. Oh. It Go with me. But after that grueling 11 seconds of exercise, I feel like I could do with a sit-down. So, I'm printing a chair.
No, literally. This is a portable chair that you can take anywhere. So, you carry it around like a briefcase or stick some straps in the side and use it like a sling. And then, these are all my pieces. Nice chair. Me personally, I'd probably just look for a bench. But it's not a bad backup to have for a last-minute picnic or barbecue. Six out of 10. However, I can actually level this up a little. Because there's Bambu Labs is more accessible printers like the A1 and the higher-end stuff like the H2 series, but that is their just-announced top-of-the-line H3C. The filament storage is now built right in instead of sitting in a separate box. And more
importantly, because this thing has nine tool heads with the filaments already loaded, preheated, and ready to print, it can switch between different colors and even different materials in 6 seconds versus 40 at a minimum before. So now, I'm printing a Beyblade card, which might just be the cheat code to unlimited happiness. So everything's printed in one go together in this frame, and I guess you just pop the pieces out. Oh my god, this is so satisfying. And this thing is so cute. And this has the rip cord and the launcher all baked in as part of the package. I did have to add my own metal bearing here, but that was very cheap.
Now we just need a Beyblade stadium. 3 2 1 let Oh my god. Okay, well, they don't spin as long as the real thing, but that's still awesome. All things considered, I'm going to say eight out of 10. And I guess while we're in the process of frying the mind of my not-so-inner child, at 35k downloads, you can apparently print the Ocarina of Time from Zelda. You know, the thing that Link plays to control time, summon storms, oh, and teleport. This is that. I specifically picked a metallic finish to better match the shine of the real Ocarina, and it should be playable. [screaming] Um I'm not sure I could call that the most sonically pleasing musical instrument I've ever played, and I'm definitely still here. Maybe
because there was no Triforce symbol on it like the real. That was awesome. Now, you might remember that time where I made that video backing a ton of Kickstarter products, and literally my favorite thing of the lot was this pair of 3D printed sliders. So, found a print for them, as did 50,000 other people, I guess, and go. And the reason this is particularly exciting now is because the HTC can, by default, print in a new softer TPU that's specifically certified for skin contact. Uh It actually worked. We printed sliders, and I'm not actually sure I would say these look homemade. Only one thing left to do.
Come to daddy. Oh, wow, that's a snug fit. Okay, seems like I printed exactly the right size. Oh, they're bouncy. I think we've done it. Yes, they're actually perfect. They have just the right amount of squidge that I was looking for. I can't believe it. I can't believe that's 3D printed. What the hell? And the other really nice thing about these is kind of feels like you're walking on this really soft, gel-like layer. And then, because they're so absorbent, they're also practically silent. Yeah, I have absolutely no idea what I would even do to improve that. Therefore, a 10. And apparently, these are just the gateway shoe because these came off the exact same printer. So, Bambu Lab did
this one just to show that you can even make an entirely custom shoe in full color with both TPU for soft parts and PEBA for support in one print. They're on the heavy side as far as trainers go. Okay. All right, Bambu. Well done. They are very comfortable. And now that I've started questioning how much stuff I've unnecessarily bought over the years, turns out one of these MakerWorld madlads has even figured out how to make a card shuffler after I paid over $100 for one in a video not very long ago. Definitely on the more complex end construction-wise, but this would be very impressive if it works. So, pack of
red cards on that side, blue cards on that side. You put one of these 3D printed weights on either side. All right, 3 2 1 shuffle. Oh, you don't really see much happening at the top, but the piles are going down really quickly. And then to retrieve your cards, whoa, I shouldn't have done that. So, how well is it shuffled? Ooh. Not perfectly, but pretty well. Can you see it's like mostly one-to-one with a chunk of a few of the same color having slipped through every now and again. So, you're basically getting the result here of a decently capable riffle shuffle,
perhaps with a little less aura. I don't think I'd personally use this, but I am very impressed with the mind that came up with it cuz the mechanism is sick. Let's go six. But of everything that humanity could choose to print, it's pretty funny that one of the most popular things on the entire platform is a slightly better way to squeeze toothpaste. So, you stick your toothpaste inside. So, this actually has a ratcheting mechanism, which means you can squeeze some out, but then let it go and it stays locked in place. It's such a satisfyingly tight fit on the tube. Oh, got some out.
Going to be using the same tube of toothpaste till 2031. Now, the other type of thing that seems to be huge in the 3D printing world is board games, but oftentimes with clever little ways to make them even better than they used to be. So, this is Connect 4, but you use spheres instead of coins. That's so cool. I didn't realize it did that. So many more style points than just dropping a coin in. But I guess even more importantly than that, when you're done with the game, the ridges on these balls should force them to each roll into their own respective halves. So even though I think I know what's about to happen, I still can't quite wrap my head around the fact that it's about to happen.
All right. Oh my god. Every single one sorted perfectly. Are you okay? If you're in distress or need immediate I'm fine. I'm more than fine. I mean, that's not just incredibly cool engineering, but also the loser doesn't have to do the cleanup of shame anymore. Cat hat. Yeah. Okay, we've printed a ton of stuff now that's already out there. What we haven't tried yet is printing something that I've made. So this is MakerLab, which has a bunch of quick tools. Things like being able to print
your own QR codes that it turns into landscapes, or build your own bespoke lamp using a configurator, or even the thing that I'm mostly here for, turn any image into a 3D model. I'm not confident this is going to work well, but I miss my cat, Milo, so I'm going to drop a photo of him into there. Okay, that's going to take 2.9 minutes. All right. Wow. Oh my god. That's actually insane how it's got rid of the background and it's got every strand of his fur seemingly. Wow.
Okay. Um export and then print. And because the H 2 C has all of these tool heads, maybe actually the most important thing that it can now do is mix colors as it goes. So instead of me buying a separate filament for every shade of Milo's fur, it just blends them from what's already loaded. Wow. Look at that. That's mad. It's got all the bushiness of his tail and his fur. And his little face. Aw, I miss you little guy. And from a distance, you can't at all tell that it's doing color mixing to get all of these different shades. It just looks like the colors. Fact that it's got like the light reflection in his eyes as well.
I'm not exactly sure how I'm meant to rate my cat, but feels like an eight to me. Sorry. I kind of thought at that point that I topped out this machine. Yeah, no. Because when I showed Bambu Lab what I'd been printing, they chuckled. Because this is what they cooked up. And yes, it completely articulates. Oh, and then the entire body of this watch, the carbon fiber based casing, the flexible TPU for the strap, all the little details in the dial done with a fine nozzle, was made in one single print on an A1 3C. But let's get back to our download chase. Because approaching 100,000 downloads, one of the most popular prints on the planet, and yet still barely a scratch
on the single most popular print, this is Gridfinity, a 3D printed modular storage system. So, the idea is you pick a drawer or cabinet that you want to organize, and you place down these base plates. Okay, done. Then you just print the exact storage containers that you need for the specific things that you're storing. And it's genuinely surprising just how many things someone's made a Gridfinity tray for. There's even trays made for like specific camera models that have specific attachments on them. And then these trays, I'm hoping, thanks to this grid that you've got on the back of them, should just snap into place ooh, onto the base plate. And then the
question is, this tray is specifically made for the Neo Ruler that we use to measure things, is it going to fit? Yes, it is. I think I'm going to have a problem here. This is art. There's no other way to describe it. Prusa, I think we need to do this for every room in our house. The time has come then for the single most downloaded 3D printing project ever with 415,000 downloads on MakerWorld and a lot more than that in total, it's a boat.
It doesn't hold anything. It doesn't fix But it floats upside down. This is Benchy and it's basically become the first thing that anyone with a 3D printer makes because it's designed to be the perfect quick benchmark to test everything's calibrated. That's why it's got text on the underside, arches and overhangs, just a whole bunch of things that only come out right if your printer's properly dialed in. So obviously someone's made a multi-color one to flex their H3C. But yeah, the most popular 3D print of all time is completely useless. And yet it's kind of mad just how much of the rest of the stuff, the stuff I found and the stuff I made that I'm actually going to keep using. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got about 40 drawers to go and
print. Bambu Lab link below.
