LOOP’s concept is so ambitious that it was called out as a scam by YouTubers shortly after it was announced in 2024. Fortunately, LOOP’s small team of Boston-based engineers responded by posting a demo on YouTube to show off a working prototype.
LOOP is housed in one machine, with a blender-like grinder on one side and a filament extruder on the other. It claims to have a dimensional precision of .01 mm, with a tolerance range of +/- 0.07. Units were supposed to ship in 2025, but the website now promises a 2026 launch date. The project also claims to be Open Source, which may give it a boost in the DIY maker community.
We haven’t heard anything new since October 2024. If you become a backer with a $100 deposit, you’ll get access to a Discord with project updates and photos.
We covered the ExtrudeX while it was a Kickstarter , but now this DIY kit can be yours for just $59, $180 worth of hardware, and a roll or two of ASA. You’ll also need to source your own grinder and a bag of fresh, virgin pellets, as the designer recommends using a 60-40 mix of new to recycled materials.
The ARTME 3D is a DIY kit made in Germany for advanced makers. The kit includes printed parts and electronics, but requires 3D printed parts from the user. This is a fully functional machine that was demonstrated by CNC Kitchen in a video back in 2023. It is an open-source design, and with printable parts, it could be refined by a skilled maker.
The ARTME does not come with a grinder or dryer. It can melt PLA well, but users have reported difficulty with PETG.
Italy-based Felfil has been in the filament-making space for years with a modular, prosumer system that splits the process into separate tools: the Evo extruder , a spooler, and an optional shredder. It’s popular with universities and FabLabs and aimed at makers who don’t mind tinkering around. The hardware is proven and available today, but it still requires hands-on calibration and careful material prep.
Desktop recycling won’t replace industrial systems anytime soon, but it’s no longer just a geeky garage experiment. A few of these machines already work, and more polished options are on the way thanks to companies like Creality. For heavy users and makerspaces, the numbers are starting to make sense today. For everyone else, it’s a sign that the industry is finally taking responsibility for the waste it creates.
If the next wave gets cheaper and easier, your failed prints might become your next spool instead of landfill.
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Denise Bertacchi is a Contributing Writer for Tom\u2019s Hardware US, covering 3D printing. Denise has been crafting with PCs since she discovered Print Shop had clip art on her Apple IIe. She loves reviewing 3D printers because she can mix all her passions: printing, photography, and writing. ","collapsible":{"enabled":true,"maxHeight":250,"readMoreText":"Read more","readLessText":"Read less"}}), "https://slice.vanilla.futurecdn.net/13-4-13/js/authorBio.js"); } else { console.error('%c FTE ','background: #9306F9; color: #ffffff','no lazy slice hydration function available'); } Denise Bertacchi Social Links Navigation Freelance Reviewer Denise Bertacchi is a Contributing Writer for Tom’s Hardware US, covering 3D printing. Denise has been crafting with PCs since she discovered Print Shop had clip art on her Apple IIe. She loves reviewing 3D printers because she can mix all her passions: printing, photography, and writing.
LordVile They don’t work. They don’t produce filament that’s uniforms enough of the correct diameter Reply
S58_is_the_goat LordVile said: They don’t work. They don’t produce filament that’s uniforms enough of the correct diameter Yup they're all junk. Reply
USAFRet Even if they did work well, you'd have to be very rabid with sorting the different types. Right now, the poop bucket behind my X1C has PLA, PETG, and ASA turdlets in it. Reply
Key considerations
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Reference reading
- https://www.tomshardware.com/3d-printing/SPONSORED_LINK_URL
- https://www.tomshardware.com/3d-printing/can-desktop-recycling-fix-the-3d-printer-waste-problem#main
- https://www.tomshardware.com
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