3D printing isn't just a hobby for me. I've been using it for years to make useful tools and custom accessories that manufacturers often don't sell or have discontinued. I've printed out more geegaws and doodads for use around my house than I can count, but these are my favorites: a Dyson tool holder, two phone stands, custom storage bins and a custom cookie cutter modeled after my dog, Jasper.
That's not an exhaustive list by any means. Almost any tool or accessory you can imagine can be 3D printed. All of the 3D prints we featured can be printed with any 3D printer, including our top pick, the $280 Bambu Labs A1. I printed my versions on a Prusa Mini Plus.
Dyson vacuums are great, but they come with a lot of accessories that I keep losing. This simple 3D printed tool holder just attaches to my vacuum so I never lose things. Richard Baguley/CNET
I printed my own Dyson tool holder
I love my Dyson vacuum: it sucks in the best possible way and has plenty of cleaning heads for a variety of tasks. The included dock has no place to store all of them, though, so I keep misplacing them. Until I printed this Dyson Tool Holder, that is. It holds up to six cleaning heads, putting them exactly where you need them while you clean.
Here's the tool holder attached to my Dyson. It works perfectly. Richard Baguley/CNET
After printing the 3D model, I used four M3 screws to clamp it to the long extension wand of my Dyson. It is designed for the Dyson V11, but it works fine with my V8 and even holds the bulky hair tool. It should work with any Dyson cordless that has the same-diameter wand extension. The vacuum still fits into the standard charging dock, making it much easier to store. If that looks too bulky, go with a wall-mounted version. Pro tip: The best match I found for the purple of my Dyson was Polymaker Polylite PETG filament in purple, which is similar but a bit lighter.
A drawer knife holder helped save my dulling blades
These 3D printed blade covers help keep my knives from getting dull in the cupboard. Richard Baguley/CNET
You don't just throw a good set of knives into a drawer to get all blunt -- you protect their sharp edges. This simple drawer knife holder is a great way to do that, as it holds five knives, sharp edges down and away from prying fingers and all the other junk in your drawer. It's designed to integrate with Ikea drawer separators, but it works just fine on its own as well. I printed this one in mint green PLA filament from Polymaker. This attractive, easy-to-print filament is tough enough for everyday use but flexible enough to hold knives of various thicknesses.
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