The ULTIMATE resin comparison video - Is Expensive 3D Printing Resin Worth It?

Product reviewed

The video compares 3D printing resin value, specifically whether “expensive” photopolymer resins are worth paying for. The creators test 13 different photopolymer resins (including their usual Mimic Mix) by printing parts, running standardized stress tests, and ranking results.

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How performance was evaluated (key features tested)

• Detail quality Assessed under a macro lens.

• Durability, considering:

  • Toughness (resistance to breaking)
  • Flexibility (how much it bends before failure)

• Price Determined via Google results (UK-adjusted) as of Aug 2025.

• Standardized stress tests:

  • “Staff” flex tests with pressure ramping until snap or return-to-position
  • Additional tests using single vs two connection points (two-point connections were generally harder to break)

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Main resin options and what the creators said

1) Mimic Mix (creators’ benchmark blend)

• Composition: ~70/30 Shiu Standard + Conjure Tough
• Pros (user experience):
  • “Nicely detailed” and pretty tough
  • Anecdote: a customer accidentally threw a part (“Zoro wing”) and it survived unscathed
  • In testing: strong detail and strong flex/toughness
• Cons:
  • Requires mixing resin, which the host calls a major annoyance
• Results / standing:
  • Detail: #2 (joint second)
  • Durability: strong (listed high; joint second in totals)
  • Overall: 15 points (joint 2nd)

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2) Conjure Sculpt (creators’ current default)

• Switch reason: tired of mixing; mixing no longer necessary for their current statue-style work
• Pros:
  • Good reputation: “nice resin to work with”
  • Surprisingly good flexibility
  • Tough overall; “fights back” behavior during flex testing
• Cons:
  • Didn’t top every category
  • Ranks lower than the leaders once price + durability + detail are combined
• Results / standing:
  • Detail: ranked 7th
  • Overall: not #1; fell behind top winners in totals

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3) Soriatech Fast 12K

• Pros:
  • Very flexible; resisted flex well before snapping
• Cons:
  • Detail performed poorly in this test
  • Bottle separation reported:
    • watery top / thicker bottom layer
    • cloudy vat residue
  • Gray color described as not “clear”
• Results / standing:
  • Detail: #13 (last for detail)
  • Overall: very low score; among the worst finishers

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4) Resi1 (three variants)

Resi1 M70 (high precision, salmon)

• Pros:
  • Excellent detail (“lovely… crisp”)

• Cons:

  • Very high bottom exposure requirement Bottle says 70–110s, but host needed roughly 100–110s (later noted baseline differences)

  • Durability/flex: snapped immediately with very little movement (not comfortable for shipping)

  • Very expensive (highest listed price)
  • Results / standing:
  • Detail: #4
  • Durability: #13 (worst)
  • Overall: 29 points (last place / “Mr. Fail”)

Resi1 THHR (high resolution tough resin)

• Pros:
  • Excellent detail (belt buckle/buttons/texture described as “immaculate”)
  • Toughness better than expected; fair flex under test conditions
  • Used successfully for a contest piece where detail helped it win
• Cons:
  • Not particularly flexible compared to some tough/flexible competitors
• Results / standing:
  • Detail: #1 (topped detail category)
  • Overall: not enough to win once price + durability are considered

Resi1 THWW (tough water washable)

• Pros:
  • Strong detail (water-washable didn’t noticeably reduce fidelity here)
  • Surprisingly flexible and tough; flexed far and returned relatively quickly
• Cons:
  • No major negatives mentioned; general caution that water-washables can be brittle, but this one defied that reputation
• Results / standing:
  • Detail: mid-high (ranked mid-high)
  • Durability: #5
  • Overall: joint 2nd (15 points)

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5) Sunlu ABS-like

• Pros:
  • Most balanced overall: detail + durability + price combined
  • Excellent flexibility; host’s #1 for flexibility
  • Better shipping safety: “bends but returns”
• Cons:
  • Not “super tough” in the strict sense (doesn’t feel like extreme toughness)
  • Detail not the crispest (adequate/top-half but not best)
• Results / standing:
  • Durability: #1
  • Overall: 1st place by scorecard

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6) JO ABS-like (JO Standard)

• Pros:
  • Very cheap (best price among listed)
  • Adequate detail for kits/low-cost outputs
• Cons:
  • Low durability: flex test failed quickly with minimal movement and low toughness
  • Not a good choice when parts must survive handling
• Results / standing:
  • Detail: mid-lower
  • Durability: low
  • Final score discussion suggests it competed in the lower groups mainly due to price logic (transcript notes scoring structure ambiguity)

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7) Funkra Tough

• Pros:
  • Good detail
  • Strong flex/tough behavior; bent far before snapping
• Cons:
  • No major negatives called out
• Results / standing:
  • Durability: #4
  • Overall: lower than top winners once detail + price are combined

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8) Eligu ABS-like

• Pros:
  • Decent detail; “kind of tough”
• Cons:
  • Quick snap when pushed; described as “meh”
• Results / standing:
  • Mid-low

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9) Anycubic ABS-like

• Pros:
  • Tough; handled flex pressure
  • No snap during one test; returned into place
• Cons:
  • Lowest detail among ABS-like types mentioned
  • Weird shine
• Results / standing:
  • Not top-ranked

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10) Nova 3D

Nova Cuff Water Washable

• Pros:
  • Good detail
  • High flexibility; held up surprisingly well in flex testing
• Cons:
  • Suggested brittleness from a cape chip (but flex testing contradicted that concern)
  • Used on a statue piece that performed very well socially
• Results / standing:
  • Contributed to joint top 2 in totals (per transcript)

Nova TGM (tough)

• Pros:
  • Decent detail
• Cons:
  • Snapped very quick and showed zero flex when it moved
  • Risky for delicate parts
• Results / standing:
  • Detail: 3rd place for detail

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Numerical scores / ranking results (scorecard)

The host ranks 13 resins across Detail, Durability, Price, then totals them for final placement.

Detail (1st to 13th)

• 1st: Resi1 THHR
• 2nd: Mimic Mix
• 3rd: Nova TGM
• 13th: Soriatech Fast 12K

Durability (flex + toughness)

• 1st: Sunlu ABS-like
• 2nd: Anycubic ABS-like
• 3rd: Nova Water Washable (noted as “in third”; transcript also contains an additional line stating Nova Water Washable is #5 for durability—text is slightly inconsistent)
• 5th (clearest stated line in durability section): Nova Water Washable
• 13th: Resi1 M70

Price (as of Aug 2025, UK-adjusted; cheapest to most expensive listed in transcript)

• Cheapest: JO Standard – £8.19
• Sunlu ABS-like – £9.80
• Eligu ABS-like – £12.53
• Funkra Tough – £16.22
• Anycubic ABS-like – £17.99
• Mimic Mix – ~£17.89/kg (estimated from blended bottles)
• Soriatech Fast 12K – £23.75
• Nova Water Washable – £22.12
• Nova TGM – £27.29
• Conjure Sculpt – £27.89
• Resi1 THWW – £29.50
• Resi1 M70 – £32.79
• Most expensive: Resi1 THHR – £48.69 (transcript likely misread as “£4869”)

Final overall totals (Detail + Durability + Price)

• Last place (“Mr. Fail”): Resi1 M70 – 29 points Reason: very high price + low flexibility

• Joint 2nd (15 points): Mimic Mix, Sunlu ABS-like, Nova Water Washable

• 1st place (underdog): Funkra Cult (transcript spelling varies; appears to refer to Funkra/Funko Cult branding)

Important takeaway (from transcript inconsistencies): The safest summary is that Sunlu ABS-like is described as best in durability, Resi1 THHR is best for detail, and the top overall “winner by score” is described as an underdog resin with inconsistent naming in the transcript.

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Pros & cons (synthesized)

Biggest pros mentioned

• High-detail resins can look “immaculate” (notably Resi1 THHR, Resi1 M70, Resi1 THWW)
• Some water-washables performed well (e.g., Resi1 THWW, Nova Water Washable) with better flexibility than expected
• Sunlu ABS-like stands out for shipping safety due to bending/returning behavior

Biggest cons mentioned

• Expensive resins don’t automatically win if flexibility/toughness is poor (notably Resi1 M70)
• Some resins show separation/consistency issues and can leave cloudy residue (e.g., Soriatech Fast 12K)
• “Tough” labels may still mean low-flex and quick snaps (e.g., Nova TGM)

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Comparisons made

The video repeatedly compares:

• Mimic Mix vs single-brand alternatives
• Detail-focused high-precision resins (often weaker durability/flex)
• ABS-like resins (JO / Sunlu / Anycubic) and their tendency to win flexibility/shipping safety
• Water-washables vs expectations of reduced detail or brittleness

The conclusion emphasizes the “best” resin depends on:

• intended use (hobby vs business),
• handling/travel/shipping needs,
• whether you prioritize maximum detail or maximum survivability.

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User experience notes

• Resin consistency can vary; shaking before pouring is recommended.
• Some bottles separate more than others.
• Getting good results involves:
  • orientation and support strategy,
  • calibration (printers matter too),
  • resin-specific settings adjustments (example: Resi1 M70 needed longer bottom exposures).

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Overall verdict / recommendation

• Yes, expensive resins can deliver top detail, but they’re not automatically “worth it” because overall value heavily depends on durability/flexibility and price.
• Guidance by priority:
  • Detail: Resi1 THHR
  • Flexibility / shipping safety: Sunlu ABS-like
  • Water-washable convenience with good results: Resi1 THWW or Nova Water Washable
  • Best overall score by the scorecard: an underdog resin labeled Funkra/Funko Cult (naming inconsistent in transcript)

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Unique points mentioned (complete list)

• Video answers: color, printer, resin (resin is the focus)
• Printer effectiveness depends on:
  • orientation,
  • supports,
  • calibration
• Current multi-printer setup listed (e.g., Mega 8K, Saturn 4, Mighty 12K, mini 8Ks, M3 Mac)
• Creators previously used Mimic Mix (70/30 Shiu Standard + Conjure Tough)
• Switched to Conjure Sculpt mainly to avoid mixing
• 13 resins tested with rankings for detail, durability, price
• Flex test method:
  • pressure ramping until snap or return,
  • includes double connection point testing
• Disclaimer: opinionated / framed as experiment
• Resin-specific highlights include:
  • Soriatech Fast 12K: lowest detail; separation; cloudy vat residue; flexible
  • Resi1 M70: excellent detail but very high exposure; snaps quickly; expensive; worst overall
  • Resi1 THHR: best detail; tough; less flexible
  • Resi1 THWW: water-washable; unexpectedly flexible and tough; high detail
  • Sunlu ABS-like: best flexibility/durability; good for shipping
  • JO Standard: cheap; adequate detail; fails flex quickly; low durability
  • Funkra Tough: good detail; flexible; snaps only after significant bending
  • Eligu ABS-like: mid detail; quick snap; “meh”
  • Anycubic ABS-like: low detail; tough; resisted snap in one test; weird shine
  • Nova Cuff Water Washable: good detail; flex test held up; cape chip suggested brittleness but wasn’t supported by testing
  • Nova TGM: decent detail but snaps quickly with near-zero flex; risky
• Scorecard summaries:
  • last = Resi1 M70
  • top = Funkra/Funko Cult (spelling inconsistent)
  • joint 2nd includes Mimic Mix, Sunlu ABS-like, Nova Water Washable
• Pricing methodology: cheapest via Google results (single page), Aug 2025, UK delivery considered; pricing can vary
• Advice: don’t universally switch to one resin; choose based on printing purpose and handling needs
• Creators plan to stick with Conjure Sculpt for bulk/statues (bulk-buy deal improves value)
• Creators may use Resi1 THHR for competition pieces due to detail
• Encouraged audience to comment about their preferred resins

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Speakers’ views

• Primary host (Megs): resin strategy owner; runs the scorecard logic; explains Mimic Mix, switching reasons, test methodology, and resin-by-resin outcomes.
• Secondary speaker reference (Parker): mentioned as someone who answers questions on Twitch/Discord; later referenced as placing 4th in a contest using a Resi1 THHR-printed entry. No additional test observations are added beyond that.