Honest review, full specifications of the Creality filament dryer and my experience with it.

I’ve had this dryer for 3 months now and dried a bunch of spools with it. It’s time for an honest review of this dryer. We will take a good look on the specification and all the pros and cons.

Note: This review is based on my personal experience with the Creality Space Pi Filament Dryer Plus. I purchased this product myself, and this is not a sponsored or paid review. All opinions are my own, and I have not received any compensation from Creality or any other company.

• Fits two spools of 1 kg filament. Or one thick spool, with max. width of around 160 mm (6.3″)
• Adjustable temperature between 45°C (113°F) and 75°C (167°F).
• Adjustable units of temperature °C ↔ °F.
• Dual 110W PTC heaters with a built-in fan to circulate hot air 360°.
• Timer function: 0 to 48 hours, adjustable in 1 hour steps.
• 4-inch LCD touchscreen with temperature and humidity monitoring.
• Supports filament diameters of both 1.75 mm and 2.85 mm.
• Measures 343 x 226 x 300 mm (13.5 x 8.9 x 11.8″) and weighs approximately 2.5 kg (5.5 lbs).
• 12 pre-programmed presets for different filament types.
• 2 built-in containers for desiccant
• Price tag is around 80$.

The build quality feels solid. The case is plastic and it can withstand the temperatures it dries the filament in.

This dryer not only dries your filament, but can be used as a storage box. It has two holes for the PTFE tubes to guide your filament to the printer. Apart from that, it has 2 small containers for desiccant bags or silica gel to keep the filament dry.

Many budget filament dryers use simple resistive heating elements that run at a constant power level. These models lack self-regulation, meaning they can sometimes overheat filament if not carefully monitored. The PTC heater is superior in safety, efficiency, and heat distribution.

The power consumption while drying PETG@65°C(149°F) was around 120-140W for me. It’s slightly higher in the beginning, when the heating elements need to heat up first. Logically, it increases with the drying temperature. The maximal power consumption is around 160-170W.

The filament dryer comes with 12 pre-programmed drying presets.

Material	Temperature
PLA (Polylactic Acid)	50°C (122°F)
PA-CF (Nylon Carbon Fiber)	65°C (149°F)
PETG-CF (Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol Carbon Fiber)	60°C (140°F)
PLA-CF (Polylactic Acid Carbon Fiber)	50°C (122°F)
PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate)	60°C (140°F)
PA (Nylon/Polyamide)	65°C (149°F)
PC (Polycarbonate)	65°C (149°F)
PETG (Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol)	60°C (140°F)
ASA (Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate)	65°C (149°F)
ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene)	65°C (149°F)
PP (Polypropylene)	55°C (131°F)
TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane)	55°C (131°F)

They are generally correct and recommended. There’s a slight deviation from my own drying temperature table, but those 5 degrees leave a room for adjustment that is filament-manufacturer-specific. Or the varying humidity of different batches of the same filament.

We start with cons, because there isn’t that many and they’re not that serious. There’s only few things that (kind of) annoy me about this filament dryer. I couldn’t find any more.

This is an issue that many users have encountered. Sometimes you need to press on the touchscreen repeatedly and tap hard for the input to register. This can be annoying, but it doesn’t make the screen inoperable. It’s a small design flaw.

The screen shows pressure spots even when lightly tapped. It temporarily makes the text disappear for a second (in that spot where pressure is applied). It’s typical for liquid crystal displays and doesn’t really make it unusable – it’s just annoying to see, I suppose.

The fan in the dryer makes a bit of a “humming” noise. When your 3D printer isn’t running it’s noticeable. It doesn’t really bother me, but I like the humming of machinery (helps me sleep).

In ambient temperatures below 15°C (59°F), the dryer displays an “EA” error and delays heating until the environment warms up, which can be inconvenient in colder settings.

That means, if you’re in a colder environment, the dryer won’t heat up properly.

You can only increase the drying time by 1 whole hour. It’s a bit of a bummer, 30 min interval would be much nicer. But again, this is just a detail, not a fatal flaw.

Some people online report that the humidity reading quickly drops to 15%, raising questions about its accuracy.

I am not able to measure it myself, but I don’t think it’s that important. Like I wrote in my Full Filament Drying Guide:

“Aim for 15-20% RH (Relative Humidity) on the dryer’s indicator. The humidity level will keep dropping during drying, but keep in mind that surrounding air humidity ≠ filament humidity. I recommend keeping the dryer running for the full drying time, even if the humidity on the indicator drops before the drying cycle is finished.“

The Creality Space Pi Plus has one fan which circulates the air around the spools, making the inside air circulation great. Additionally, there are two small holes on the back of the doors to let the humid air out.

In my opinion they might not be enough. I recommend printing an additional gap spacer (like this one here) that leaves the cover a bit open – this way the humid air can escape, which improves the filament drying efficiency.

Some filament dryers only rely on heating (e.g., Sunlu S1, Eibos Filadryer), so Creality’s addition of built-in desiccant compartments is an advantage.

While drying, the circulating air doesn’t flow through the silica bags (desiccant) compartments, which also makes sense. The bags are mainly there to keep the stored filament dry. The compartment is not meant to dry your silica gel/desiccant bags, although the desiccant is kind of being dried to some extent through the warm air during drying cycles.

It is best to dry the desiccant bags separately, for example in a kitchen oven, from time to time (following safety precautions). You can find a guide to drying desiccants in my other post here.

A PTC heating element is a type of self-regulating ceramic heater that increases its electrical resistance as the temperature rises. Unlike traditional resistive heating elements, PTC heaters adjust their power consumption automatically to maintain a stable temperature, making them more energy-efficient and safer. They also ensure even heat distribution.

While they are more efficient and safer than traditional heating elements, they aren’t able to reach high temperatures.

The PTC heaters do the heavy lifting by removing moisture via heat, while the 2 desiccant packs help maintain a dry environment inside. This combination makes the Creality Space Pi Plus more effective than basic dryers that lack desiccant storage. However, for extremely moisture-sensitive filaments like PVA or Nylon, an active dehumidifier is still the better choice.

If you’ve seen my filament drying table before you might have noticed that the dryer’s maximal drying temperature isn’t that high. It’s actually pretty normal for the most commercial filament dryers, so it’s not really an issue or a drawback of this particular dryer.

For some filaments, the optimal drying temperature is above 75°C (167°F). They could still be dried in this dryer, but it won’t be as effective or might require more time.

Make sure that the dryer is able to reach the optimal drying temperature for the filament you primarily use.

Not really. You won’t be able to close the cover fully. If the spools are the same diameter (height) as the 1 kg ones, as long as they are max. around 160 mm (6.3″) wide, they (1 spool at a time) will fit.

The section of each side of the metal rod (where the 2 spools are placed) is roughly 72 mm (2.83″).

After using the Creality Space Pi Filament Dryer Plus for three months, I can confidently say it’s a solid choice for anyone looking for a budget-friendly yet reliable filament dryer. The dual PTC heating elements are definitely one of the standout features here—unlike many other dryers that use simple resistive heating, resulting in safer, more efficient heat distribution, ensuring your filament dries evenly without the risk of overheating. This makes the dryer more reliable and energy-efficient than many alternatives on the market.

The 12 pre-programmed drying presets make it easy to dry a wide variety of filament types at the right temperature, and the built-in desiccant compartments add an extra layer of convenience for keeping your filament dry when not in use, making a great storage box. It’s like a 2in1. The dryer is also fairly compact, fitting two 1 kg spools or one larger spool up to 160mm in width (and the same height/diameter as the standard 1 kg spool), and it’s equipped with a 4-inch touchscreen to monitor temperature and humidity, which looks nice.

That being said, it does have a few minor quirks — the touchscreen can be a bit unresponsive at times, and the fan noise might be noticeable in a quiet room. Also, if you’re in a colder environment, the dryer won’t heat up properly if the ambient temperature is below 15°C, and the timer settings are a bit rigid with only 1-hour increments. However, none of these are dealbreakers, and they don’t take away from the overall performance of the dryer.

For the price, I think the Creality Space Pi Filament Dryer Plus offers great value. It’s well-built, easy to use, and the PTC heating elements really set it apart from other dryers that rely on less efficient methods. Whether you’re drying your filament or simply storing it, this dryer is a reliable, convenient option that delivers solid results. Highly recommended for those who want an affordable, effective solution for filament drying.

I also must note, that similar DIY dryer could potentially achieve the same drying efficiency as this commercial dryer. It’s up to you if you’d rather spend those 80$ or build one yourself. Of course building one yourself is way more fun 🙂

For a full filament drying guide, make sure to check my detailed post.

Thank you for taking your time to read this review. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment or contact me.

I also appreciate your feedback. In case you think I got something wrong or something’s missing, please let me know. Thank you.