A lot of makers when they're just starting off don't really take into account how important it is to be sure your filament is in top shape. After all, filament is filament right? Uh... no. I'm sure you've heard the old adage "Garbage in, Garbage out" right? Couldn't hold more true for the most critical component of your prints!

If you read our fantastic intro on "Care and Feeding of your Filament" then you remember that many materials used for FDM/FFF printing are hygroscopic, meaning they readily absorb moisture from the air. Some materials are more prone to this than others (Nylon...cough, cough... looking at you), but if you are getting excessive crackling and bubbling from your filament at normal extrusion temperatures this may be a sign that your filament has absorbed more water than it should.