[tylerflick]

Any reason you are recommending PLA instead of PETG?

[IgorPartola]

I still get worse finish quality with PETG (stringing and globbing) and these PLA+ type materials just end up being as good for me while being easier to print. PLA also prints a bit faster.

[jacquesm]

This is not my experience. PETG should be utterly problem free, super fast to print and has a much lower fraction of failed prints due to various adhesion issues. The big trick is to make sure the filament is dry, if it is not you will be in for a world of trouble. But properly used prints will last much longer, and are mechanically (much) stronger. On top of all that we can buy PETG in bulk for about a third of the price of PLA.

For functional parts I would not use anything else until there is a really good reason (such as high temperature stability or more strength for a given weight or cross section). I've gone through multiple tons of the stuff now (3500 Kg in total or so) on 85 printers (Bambu's (43), Creality (22) K1s and Prusas (20)), consistency between batches is very good though from brand to brand there can be some notable differences.

If you have stringing and globbing problems with PETG my first guess would be that the filament profile that you are using is subtly off for that particular brand of PETG and/or that the filament wasn't dry.

[the__alchemist]

PETG is, for me, always stringy. And I don't want to breath ABS fumes.

[dangus]

Not the person you’re replying to, but I can see the appeal of PLA. It has more color options and prints way easier.

I personally run all PETG because it is ultimately better material post-print, and once you understand how to print with it, it’s not really much harder to deal with.

The day I discovered that I should just run my dryer with the PETG inside while printing was revolutionary. Of course, that requires you own a dryer that allows the filament to print while it’s inside.

[IgorPartola]

I wish I knew how to dial in PETG fully. It prints fine for me but I still get globbing and stringing so the surface finish just isn’t that amazing.

[miladyincontrol]

I get some the appeal too but once you get a setup dialed in well and safely for ASA/ABS, theres rarely a reason to want to print either PLA or PETG.

Better ratio of weight to strength, far more durable parts for most jobs, and acetone smoothening opens up all sorts of doors to incredibly high quality prints without all the labor of sanding.

[m4rtink]

From my experience PLA is just easier to print - prints are less likely to fail and more consistent.

Also due to lower nozzle and bed temperatures, prints start faster so you can check the first layer sooner before you let the printer do its thing.

[Fomite]

For some applications, PLA is a little more rigid. It will then fail in a spectacular fashion, but "I need you not to bend" is something PETG doesn't always perform the best for.

[zihotki]

any reason to use PETG instead of PLA? PLA is plant based, in theory bio-degradable, while PETG is produced from crude oil.

[brovonov]

That is mostly true, PLA is ONLY biodegradable in a facility that can handle that. Your run of the mill recycling center in your city probably can't or won't take your PLA prints.

[dgroshev]

Less creep, slightly better at absorbing shocks without breaking, better failure behaviour (PLA can suddenly shatter leaving sharp edges, PETG tends to deform elastically first).