Flashforge CJ270 Brings Full-Color 3D Printing to the Desktop for Under $4,000

Full-color 3D printing has lived in expensive industrial machines for years. Flashforge is changing that with the CJ270, a desktop material-jetting printer that started shipping this month at $3,999.

The CJ270 uses an inkjet-style printhead to deposit droplets of UV-curable resin in layers. That approach gives it a color gamut of more than 10 million shades, including transparent and white materials. The build volume measures 180 x 120 x 100 mm, and the minimum layer thickness is 7 micrometers.

Water-soluble support material comes standard, which helps with complex models that have enclosed cavities or delicate overhangs. Flashforge is targeting studios, schools, small businesses, and individual creators who want detailed, colorful output without buying a factory-floor machine.

What the price includes

The $3,999 launch price covers the printer itself. Early buyers also get 1 kg of full-color resin, a $100 consumables coupon, and three $50 coupons for accessories. The regular price will rise to $4,499 after the launch window closes.

Flashforge plans to begin shipments on October 15. Pre-orders are open now through Flashforge.com.

Where it fits in the market

Desktop full-color printing has been limited to a handful of systems. The CJ270 sits below the $4,000 mark, which puts it within reach of more small operators. Competing desktop-color systems from Stratasys and others typically cost two to three times as much.

The catch is build size. At 180 x 120 x 100 mm, the CJ270 is built for small parts: figurines, tabletop miniatures, custom gifts, and design prototypes. It is not a machine for printing large functional parts.

Should you buy one

If you need photorealistic color on small objects, the CJ270 is the most accessible option on the market right now. The material-jetting process produces smooth gradients and skin-tone transitions that filament-based color mixing still cannot match. Just keep the build volume in mind before ordering.