Beginner guide

Best filament for Bambu P2S beginners: PLA Basic vs PLA Matte vs PETG

By Hayden · Last updated: October 16, 2026

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Got your P2S running and now staring at a wall of filament options? This guide covers the three materials most new owners actually need to choose between — PLA Basic, PLA Matte and PETG — plus practical tips for using them in the AMS. If you haven't set the printer up yet, start with my P2S first-week guide.

Short answer: start with PLA Basic, add PLA Matte when you want nicer-looking prints, and move to PETG once you're comfortable and need parts that are tougher or more heat-resistant.

The P2S supports a long list of materials (including ABS, ASA, TPU and carbon-fibre blends) according to Bambu Lab's official P2S specs, but you don't need any of those to get started. Always check the Bambu Lab Wiki for current settings — presets and firmware change over time.

In this guide

Quick comparison
PLA Basic: the default choice
PLA Matte: for prints you want to show off
PETG: your first step up
Which build plate for which filament
AMS tips for beginners
Keeping filament dry
A simple starter shopping list
Sources

1. Quick comparison

PLA Basic — easiest to print, smooth semi-gloss finish, good all-rounder. Bambu says it can usually be printed straight out of the bag. Not for hot places: Bambu doesn't recommend PLA for environments around 50 °C or higher.
PLA Matte — prints like PLA, but with a non-glossy finish that Bambu says significantly reduces visible layer lines. Great for display pieces and gifts.
PETG — tougher and more heat-resistant than PLA, but it absorbs moisture more readily and should be dried before printing. Slightly more fiddly.

All three are listed as compatible with the AMS in Bambu's official filament guide.

2. PLA Basic: the default choice

If you buy one spool, make it PLA. Bambu's PLA usage guide calls PLA Basic “one of the easiest to print,” usually needing no adjustments after opening. It's what the P2S presets are built around, so it's the best material for learning.

Use it for: practice prints, organisers, toys, cable clips, most MakerWorld models.
Avoid it for: anything that lives in a hot car, near a heater or in direct summer sun. Bambu notes PLA isn't recommended for environments around 50 °C or higher.
Handy tip from Bambu: when you cut the bands on a new spool, hold the loose end so the filament can't unravel.
Enclosed printer tip: the P2S is enclosed, and PLA softens at low temperatures. Bambu recommends opening the front door and/or removing the top glass cover when printing PLA with the bed above 45 °C, especially in a warm room, to avoid heat building up and causing clogs.

3. PLA Matte: for prints you want to show off

PLA Matte is still PLA, so it prints with the same ease and the same limits on heat. The difference is the look: a soft, non-reflective surface that hides layer lines better than glossy filament. Bambu describes it as easy to print and beginner friendly.

Use it for: vases, figurines, architectural models, gifts — anything where looks matter more than strength.
Bear in mind: independent comparisons generally find matte PLA a bit weaker and less stiff than standard PLA, because of the additives that create the matte finish. For brackets, hooks and other parts that take load, stick with PLA Basic or PETG.
Bambu says PLA Matte can also make support removal easier.

4. PETG: your first step up

According to Bambu's PETG guide, PETG has better impact resistance than PLA while keeping a printing experience similar to PLA, without the warping and smell associated with ABS. It also handles heat better than PLA, which makes it a good choice for functional parts.

Use it for: functional parts, outdoor or warm-environment items, things that need to flex a little rather than snap.
Dry it first. Bambu describes PETG as highly hygroscopic (it soaks up moisture from the air) and recommends drying it before printing and storing it sealed with desiccant. Obvious stringing is a sign your PETG is damp.
Expect a bit more warping than PLA. Bambu suggests glue and/or a brim if parts lift at the corners.
Not food safe. Bambu states its PETG filaments are not food-contact grade — and the same goes for most of its PLA (PLA Pure is the exception listed in its PLA guide).
Which PETG? Bambu sells PETG Basic and PETG HF (a version designed for faster printing). Both are listed as compatible with all standard nozzles, all build plates and the AMS. Use the matching profile in Bambu Studio for whichever you buy.

5. Which build plate for which filament

The P2S ships with a Textured PEI Plate, which works for PLA and PETG without glue. Officially supported plates for the P2S are the Textured PEI Plate, Smooth PEI Plate and Cool Plate SuperTack.

Textured PEI (included): fine for PLA, PLA Matte and PETG. Bambu's filament guide lists 45–65 °C bed temperatures for PLA and 60–80 °C for PETG on this plate. The default filament presets handle this for you.
Smooth PEI: gives a smooth bottom surface. Bambu says only PLA can go on it without glue; other filaments need glue to protect the sheet.
Cool Plate SuperTack: Bambu describes it as beginner-friendly and designed only for PLA and PETG, with strong adhesion at low bed temperatures.
Always pick the matching plate type in Bambu Studio. A mismatch is one of the most common causes of poor first layers. See my first-layer and bed adhesion guide.

Older plates: Bambu says the P2S can physically use first-generation 256 × 256 mm plates (from X1/P1/A1 printers), but won't automatically recognise them — select “Resolved” on the screen or turn off build plate detection.

6. AMS tips for beginners

If you have the P2S Combo, it comes with an AMS 2 Pro (Bambu's multi-spool feeder). A few things worth knowing:

Bambu spools are recognised automatically. Bambu filament carries an RFID tag with its print settings, which the AMS reads. With other brands, you'll need to tell the printer what's loaded in that slot and pick the right profile.
Refills need a spool. Bambu's “refill” filament comes without a spool, so you need a reusable spool to put it on before it goes in the AMS.
Check spool size. Bambu lists AMS 2 Pro support for spools 197–202 mm in diameter and 50–68 mm wide. The AMS 2 Pro manual recommends plastic spools; if you use cardboard spools, it recommends a spool adapter to reduce slipping and debris.
Keep the wrong filaments out. Bambu's filament guide says filaments that are too soft (most TPU, damp PVA), too brittle or too abrasive (some carbon/glass-fibre blends, PLA Wood) can cause jams or wear the AMS. PLA Basic, PLA Matte and PETG are all fine. Print TPU from an external spool instead.
The AMS 2 Pro can dry filament. Bambu's drying table suggests 45 °C for PLA Basic/Matte and 65 °C for PETG. The P2S can power one AMS 2 Pro for drying, but Bambu notes that without the separate AMS 2 Pro switching adapter, the P2S can't heat or move while drying is running. For PLA, use the rotating-spool drying mode — Bambu says static drying isn't suitable for low-softening filaments like PLA.
Watch the desiccant. Bambu's desiccant beads turn from yellow to green as they absorb moisture; replace or regenerate them when they look dark green.

7. Keeping filament dry

Every filament absorbs some moisture. Bambu says damp filament can cause stringing, holes, rough surfaces and weaker parts. PLA is fairly tolerant; PETG is much more sensitive.

Store open spools in a sealed bag or box with desiccant.
If you're not sure a spool is dry, dry it before an important print.
Don't dry filament in a microwave or kitchen oven — Bambu specifically warns against it because the heat is uneven.
No AMS 2 Pro? A standalone dryer works too.

8. A simple starter shopping list

2–3 spools of PLA Basic in colours you'll actually use
1 spool of PLA Matte for display prints
1 spool of PETG once you're comfortable
Sealed storage with desiccant

Can wait: TPU, ABS/ASA, silk and specialty PLAs, and carbon-fibre blends. Several of these have extra nozzle, drying or AMS requirements, so get comfortable with PLA first.

Questions, or want me to cover a specific filament? Get in touch. And if you'd rather buy a finished print, have a look at the shop.

Sources

Facts in this guide come from Bambu Lab's official documentation (checked October 16, 2026). Settings can change with firmware and preset updates, so check these pages for the latest: