If you were expecting 2025 to be the year we finally got Star Trek replicators in our kitchens, I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but we aren’t quite there yet. 2025 wasn’t a landmark year for novel breakthroughs in 3D printing technology, at least for tabletop printers and hobbyists. Instead, this year was defined by refinement. We saw metal printing get a “brain” that fixes mistakes before they happen, and the use of AI for something other than generating images and essays, in slicer software. Tool-changer CNC machinery stepped down from its pedestal of elite industry-only clientele to serve a few hobbyists with deep pockets, through projects from Snapmaker and EufyMake.