3Doodler Flow – a 3D pen that draws plastic lines in mid-air
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. It costs you nothing extra.
Every kid has tried to draw a ladder that you can actually climb. Every kid has been disappointed. Paper is flat. That’s its whole thing.
The 3Doodler Flow doesn’t care about paper. It’s a 3D printing pen: you feed it a strand of plastic, it melts it, and the line that comes out of the tip cools almost instantly. So you can draw up off the table and into the air. A little Eiffel Tower. A dinosaur for the kid who asked for a dinosaur.
What is the 3Doodler Flow?
It’s the grown-up 3D pen from 3Doodler, the company that calls itself the maker of the world’s first 3D pen and has been selling them since 2013. The Flow is meant for ages 14 and up. For younger kids, the company sells the 3Doodler Start+.
3Doodler says the Flow takes 1.75 mm filament, the same thickness many desktop 3D printers use, in PLA, ABS and even wood-filled versions. A small LCD screen on the pen shows the temperature and lets you pick the plastic type. The set comes with eight colors of filament, 80 feet in total, plus a stencil and activity guide. It plugs into the wall, so no battery to run flat halfway through a dragon.
How does the 3Doodler Flow work?
According to 3Doodler, you turn it on, wait for the light to go green, push the filament into the back until the pen grabs it, and press the button. Hot plastic comes out of the nozzle and hardens almost right away.
The easiest way to start is tracing a stencil flat on the table, then lifting the pieces off and gluing them together with more plastic. Once you get the hang of it, you can draw upward in the air. The pen has an automatic shut-off, and 3Doodler suggests it for handmade gifts, decorations and small household repairs too.
The good and the not-so-good
You can make real, solid things with it. The Toy Insider tested it in 2023 (in a review sponsored by 3Doodler) and made planters, candle holders and picture frames. It runs on filament spools instead of short sticks, so you can draw long lines without reloading every minute. And it’s screen-free fun for teens who otherwise live on their phone.
The downsides are real, though. The tip gets very hot, which is why it’s 14+ and why The Toy Insider recommends the Start+ for younger kids. 3Doodler itself says to use ABS only in a well-ventilated room. One buyer on 3Doodler’s own site warns that it can clog if you don’t clean it and switch it off properly. 3Doodler’s own shop lists only its Flow refills as compatible, so check before you buy cheap third-party filament. Amazon ratings are a decent but not stellar 4.1 out of 5. And drawing upward takes practice. Your first Eiffel Tower will look like it survived an earthquake.
Who is the 3Doodler Flow for?
Crafty teens, adults who like to make things with their hands, cosplayers who need small props, and anyone who has a 3D printer and wants to fix or decorate prints by hand. It’s a great holiday gift for the creative kid who’s too old for slime.
For kids under 14, get the Start+ instead. If they’d rather cut than draw, look at the Cricut Joy Xtra. Want something slower and cozier? The Woobles crochet kit teaches crochet one tiny penguin at a time.
Where can I buy the 3Doodler Flow?
Amazon has the black 3Doodler Flow set for about 73 bucks at the time of writing (October 2026). 3Doodler also sells it on its own website, where it comes with a two-year warranty. Buy a few extra filament colors while you’re at it. They go faster than you think.
Take my money. And my flat, boring paper.