The four common surfaces
Textured PEI is a powder-coated PEI layer on a thin spring-steel sheet. Bambu’s version uses a 0.5 mm stainless steel plate and says PEI suits PLA, TPU and PETG as well as high-temperature materials such as ABS and nylon [2]. Prints release once the plate cools, and the underside comes out textured.
Smooth PEI uses a flat PEI sheet that leaves a smooth, matte underside. Bambu says to apply glue to prevent the sheet tearing when printing anything other than PLA [6]. Bambu has stopped selling its Smooth PEI plate for larger printers and names the Engineering Plate as the replacement; only the A1 mini version remained listed [6].
Cool plates are designed for low bed temperatures. Bambu’s Cool Plate SuperTack is described as designed for PLA and PETG, with a coating that leaves a smooth, matte bottom surface [3]. Engineering plates are general-purpose smooth plates: Bambu says glue must be applied before printing any material on its Engineering Plate, and that with a layer of glue it is compatible with its entire filament line-up [4]. Bambu also warns not to print TPU on the SuperTack plate because it damages the surface [3].
Which filament on which plate
Bambu’s filament guide publishes a plate-by-filament table with recommended bed temperatures [1]. It is the most complete official compatibility table we found; Creality’s plate listing names materials but not temperatures per plate.
Two notes from the same page matter in practice. Bambu says its old Engineering Plates are not recommended for PLA, while all Engineering Plates now sold are the new version and can be used with glue [1]. On enclosed printers, it recommends opening the door or removing the top glass when printing PLA with the bed above 45 °C, so the filament does not soften in the extruder [1].
- The table’s Cool Plate column reflects Bambu’s general cool plate. The newer SuperTack is listed by Bambu as designed for PLA and PETG, so follow the SuperTack page for that plate [3].
- Bambu does not recommend its PLA Silk on SuperTack because adhesion can be strong enough to damage the print [3].
| Material | Cool Plate | Engineering Plate | Smooth PEI | Textured PEI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PLA | 35–45 °C [1] | 45–65 °C, glue required [1] | 45–65 °C [1] | 45–65 °C [1] |
| PETG | Not recommended [1] | 60–80 °C [1] | 60–80 °C [1] | 60–80 °C [1] |
| TPU | Not recommended [1] | 30–35 °C [1] | 35–45 °C [1] | 35–45 °C [1] |
| ABS, ASA | Not recommended [1] | 90–100 °C [1] | 90–100 °C [1] | 90–100 °C [1] |
| PC, PA and fibre-filled PA | Not recommended [1] | 100–120 °C [1] | 100–120 °C [1] | 100–120 °C [1] |
Glue, cleaning and plate care
Bambu recommends glue stick or liquid glue on its plates in general, to improve adhesion, make removal easier and protect the surface, and says the protective effect is most noticeable on the Engineering Plate [1]. It names glue stick for ASA-CF, PA6-CF/GF, PPA-CF, PPS-CF, PET-CF and PAHT-CF, and liquid glue for ABS-GF [1].
For cleaning, Bambu advises dish soap and hot water and warns not to use acetone [1]. Its PEI plate listings add that light sanding with fine-grit sandpaper (600 grit recommended) can restore adhesion on a worn PEI surface, and that bubbles under a smooth PEI sheet can be eased by heating it on the bed at 80 °C or more for several hours [2][5][6]. Our bed-adhesion guide covers first-layer fixes in more detail.
Replacement prices from official stores
Prices are US-dollar listings on 30 October 2026, before tax and shipping. Creality’s plates were on sale against a higher crossed-out price, and its pages also showed an option-list price about 10% below the headline price.
| Plate | Underside finish | Needs glue | Listed price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bambu Textured PEI | Textured [2] | Only for some filaments [2] | $15.99 A1 mini; $27.99 A1, P1, X1, P2S, X2D; $43.99–$47.99 H2 and A2L [2] |
| Bambu Dual-Texture PEI (textured and smooth sides) | Textured or smooth matte [5] | Some filaments [5] | $17.49 A1 mini; $26.59 others [5] |
| Bambu Cool Plate SuperTack | Smooth matte [3] | Not stated | $24.49; Pro $38.49–$41.99 [3] |
| Bambu Engineering Plate | Smooth and flat [4] | Yes, every material [4] | $23.99; $43.99–$47.99 for H2 and A2L [4] |
| Bambu Smooth PEI (A1 mini only) | Smooth matte [6] | For filaments other than PLA [6] | $21.99 [6] |
| Creality K2 Plus PEI Frosted (listed for PLA, ABS, ASA, PETG, TPU, PC and PA) | Frosted [7] | Not stated | $23.99 headline; $21.59 in the option list [7] |
| Creality Smooth PEI 235 × 235 mm | Smooth [8] | Not stated | $17.99 headline; $16.19 in the option list [8] |
Choosing a second plate
Most printers ship with one plate. A second plate is worth buying when it changes what you can print well, not as a spare of the same thing.
- Mostly PLA and you dislike the textured underside: a smooth or SuperTack-style plate [3][5].
- Moving to ABS, ASA, PC or nylon: keep textured PEI or add an engineering plate, and buy the glue it needs [1][4].
- Flexible TPU: textured or smooth PEI at 35–45 °C, not a cool plate [1].
- On a P2S or X2D with SuperTack or Dual-Texture plates, Bambu says to turn off build-plate position detection to avoid error reports [3][5].
Questions before you decide
Can I print PETG on a cool plate?
Bambu’s compatibility table marks PETG as not recommended on its standard Cool Plate, but its newer Cool Plate SuperTack is listed as designed for PLA and PETG.
Do I need glue on a textured PEI plate?
Usually not. Bambu’s Textured PEI listing says glue is needed only for some specific filaments, and its filament guide names glue stick for fibre-filled nylon, PET-CF, PPA-CF and PPS-CF.
Can I clean a PEI plate with acetone?
Bambu’s filament guide says not to clean its plates with acetone because it may damage the surface. It recommends dish soap and hot water.
Why is the Bambu Smooth PEI plate unavailable for my printer?
Bambu says the Smooth PEI Plate for X1, P1, A1, P2S, X2D and H2 printers is no longer available and recommends the new Engineering Plate as the replacement.
Sources & verification
Product details and prices can change. Check the linked provider before buying.
- Bambu Lab Wiki: Filament guide, build plate and glue compatibility Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Bambu Lab US store: Textured PEI Plate Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Bambu Lab US store: Cool Plate SuperTack series Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Bambu Lab US store: Engineering Plate Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Bambu Lab US store: Dual-Texture PEI Plate Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Bambu Lab US store: Smooth PEI Plate Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Creality store: K2 Plus PEI Frosted Build Plate Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Creality store: Smooth PEI Build Plate 235 × 235 mm Accessed 30 Oct 2026
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