Select a heating element with a voltage and extrusion type that match your printer. In printers with a direct feed, the extruder is attached to the heating element, feeding filament directly into it. Tube feed extruders, also known as Bowden extruders, are mounted to the frame and pass filament through a tube to the heating element. Heating elements for tube feed printers come with tubing and a fitting that attaches to the extruder.

V6 heating elements are the industry standard. They heat up in minutes to melt most multipurpose and flexible filaments. All parts are precision-machined to print smoothly and prevent clogs. These heating elements are not designed for high-speed or high-temperature printing. They come fully assembled, which saves setup time and eliminates assembly mistakes.

Volcano heating elements can print twice as fast as V6 and Mosquito styles. They fit nozzles with large openings, which allow more filament to flow through and result in a faster, stronger print. They come fully assembled, so setup is quick and error free.

For printing high-temperature filaments, such as PEEK and Ultem PEI, use Mosquito heating elements. They reach temperatures up to 149° C or 300° F higher than V6 or Volcano styles, so you can melt a wider variety of materials. These heating elements come with everything you need, and are partially assembled—you’ll need to connect the insertion heater and temperature sensor.

Shield your 3D printer's heating element, or hotend, from sticky filament buildup with these nonstick silicone covers. By repelling plastic and keeping the heating block clean, they increase the heating block's life and prevent stuck filament from dripping off and ruining prints.

Silicone is heat resistant, so these covers also insulate the heating block. An insulated heating block means more consistent extrusion temperatures and therefore better prints. The silicone also keeps heat away from the printed part to prevent it from warping.

Also known as socks, these covers are just as easy to put on and take off—slide on to install and peel off to remove.

Covers for heating block and nozzle protect the nozzle from PETG and other particularly sticky materials, which can gum up the nozzle. The material that surrounds the nozzle is very thin, though, so these covers wear out faster than covers that only protect the block.