Stepper Motors

[Randy222]

First, are there any existing stepper motor reviews or write-ups here on EEVB?

2nd, what's your goto brand for budget friendly steppers in the NEMA 17 group 42x42 around 1-1.2A rating? I had to replace my Ender Y axis stepper, went with the basic low cost OEM replacement, but I am still curious what others are using for dependable/smooth/quiet steppers.

[ataradov]

I don't think I've seen stepper motor review as a thing for basic motors. It is far more useful for motors with integrated controllers/drivers.

I've only bought stepper motors from stepperonline and was happy with the experience. I don't know if they are the cheapest, but you get consistent supply with a real datasheet that matches the actual motor, not some generic abstract motor. And they have everything from basic motors to full blown closed loop servos.

Noise levels mostly depend on the driver, I don't think motor itself contributes that much to it.

[Kilrah]

Steppers are standard commodity stuff, mostly doesn't matter where you get them from, they probably come from the same source anyway. It's how they're driven that matters.

[Randy222]

I have seen "the best of" reviews online, but they are mostly a review done by the URL/site, etc, so perhaps it's just bogus or AI generated reviews.

As example, chump gpt

If by **“small stepper motors”** you mean the compact motors used in **miniature 3D printers, compact CoreXY machines, and lightweight extruders/toolheads**—especially NEMA 8, 11, 14 and short-body NEMA 17—these are the brands I’d shortlist.

| Rank | Brand | Best small sizes | Why it stands out |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **1** | **MOONS'** | NEMA 8, 11, 14, 17 | Excellent compact motors; strong torque density, low vibration, very good reputation in 3D printing |
| **2** | **LDO** | NEMA 14, 17 | Premium 3D-printer-focused motors; excellent consistency and low vibration |
| **3** | **STEPPERONLINE** | NEMA 11, 14, 17 | Very broad selection, good value, easy to source |
| **4** | **Applied Motion Products** | NEMA 8, 11, 14 | Excellent true miniature motors; specifically offers compact motors for space-constrained 3D printers  Machine Design+1 |
| **5** | **Lin Engineering** | NEMA 6, 8, 11, 14, 17 | Particularly strong for genuinely miniature/high-precision motors |
| **6** | **Oriental Motor** | NEMA 8, 11, 14, 17 | Very established manufacturer with an unusually broad range of small frame sizes  Oriental Motor |
| **7** | **Wantai** | NEMA 11, 14, 17 | Popular among DIY/3D-printer builders; good performance for the price |
| **8** | **Phidgets** | NEMA 11, 14, 17 | Convenient sourcing and well-documented motors; useful for prototypes and small machines |
| **9** | **Same Sky** | NEMA 11, 14, 17 | Higher-end compact motors, including encoder-equipped versions |
| **10** | **Pololu** | NEMA 8/11/14-class miniature motors | Excellent for small robotics/prototyping where physical size and easy sourcing matter |



If we narrow the target to **NEMA 17 with \~0.44 N·m (44 N·cm / \~62 oz-in) holding torque**, the field gets much more manageable.

One important point: **0.44 N·m is holding torque**, not the torque the motor will necessarily deliver while moving at your desired print speed.

### My shortlist

| Rank | Brand / model family | Torque | Typical body | My take |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **1** | **LDO 42STH-series** | \~0.44–0.5 N·m | \~40–48 mm | ⭐ Best for 3D printers |
| **2** | **MOONS' NEMA 17** | \~0.44 N·m | \~40–48 mm | ⭐ Excellent quality |
| **3** | **StepperOnline 17HM19** | **0.44 N·m** | 48–72 mm depending model | Excellent value/selection |
| **4** | **Applied Motion HT17** | \~0.4–0.5 N·m | varies | Excellent industrial option |
| **5** | **Oriental Motor PKP series** | \~0.4–0.5 N·m | varies | Premium/very consistent |
| **6** | **Lin Engineering NEMA 17** | \~0.4–0.5 N·m | varies | Premium miniature-motion option |
| **7** | **Same Sky / CUI** | \~0.4–0.5 N·m | varies | Good engineering/OEM option |
| **8** | **Wantai NEMA 17** | \~0.44 N·m | \~40–48 mm | Good budget option |
| **9** | **Phidgets NEMA 17** | \~0.4–0.5 N·m | varies | Convenient prototyping choice |
| **10** | **Generic 17HS-series** | \~0.44 N·m | \~38–48 mm | Cheapest, but quality varies |

### The sweet spot I'd target

For a **small 3D printer**, I'd actually look for something around:

- **NEMA 17 / 42 × 42 mm**
- **0.40–0.50 N·m holding torque**
- **1.5–1.8 A/phase**
- **1.8° step angle**
- **\~40–48 mm body length**
- **\~5 mm shaft**
- **4-wire bipolar**
- **low inductance**, ideally roughly 2–4 mH

That gives you a good compromise between torque, motor size, weight, and high-speed performance.

### A particularly good reference point

LDO Super Motor 42STH48 2804AC-R 48MM

The **LDO 42STH48** is very much in the category I'd investigate for a 3D printer. It's a 48-mm-long NEMA 17 and is specifically marketed for 3D-printer applications.

For comparison, **StepperOnline has an exact 44 N·cm NEMA 17**, the 17HM19-1684D family. Its specifications are **0.44 N·m, 1.68 A/phase, 1.65 Ω, and 4.1 mH**. The particular encoder-equipped version is 72 mm long.  Stepper Online

- NEMA 17 Bipolar Stepper 0.9° 1.68A 44Ncm$76.13Bearings Canada

### But I'd be careful about going too long

The exact 0.44-N·m StepperOnline motor I found is **72 mm long** in the encoder version. That's considerably larger/heavier than what I'd want on a small moving axis.  Stepper Online

Their 0.44-N·m integrated-driver version is **69.5 mm long and 404.5 g**, so that's definitely not what I'd choose for a lightweight printer toolhead.  Stepper Online

For a compact printer, **\~0.44 N·m in a 40–48 mm body** is the more interesting target.

### If this is for X/Y

I'd lean toward **LDO or MOONS'**, followed by a good StepperOnline motor.

If it's for **Z**, you can usually use a different motor because speed and moving mass aren't the same concern.

If it's for an **extruder**, I'd actually reconsider 0.44 N·m entirely—**a shorter/lighter NEMA 17 with \~0.25–0.35 N·m can be a better choice**, depending on the extruder gearing.

[thm_w]

Moons is good, we have thousands in use. LDO is popular with diy machines.
You can also look for free/cheap old 3D printers on marketplace and scavenge those for parts.

Other thing to watch out for is the inductance rating. Google says it might be J Kong JK42HS34-0844YA-01 which is 0.84A 0.27Nm 9mH. Older stepper drivers might have an issue with really low inductance, newer should be fine. For a thread driven z-axis I don't think there is any benefit to go low.