Is 3D printing useful for making everyday objects or is it more for special hobbies?
Have people been using 3D printing to genuinely create a number of needed objects in their homes, and if so, what?


Yes, but in a very limited sense. If there is widespread demand for an item, then it will always be available from stores. This is basics economics: if there is enough demand for something, somebody will step in and provide the supply. The store-bought alternative will almost always be of better quality and relatively cheap.

3D printing can be useful to create a niche part that is needed but not readily available, such as replacement parts for appliances long out of production. This unfortunately takes a lot of time since you need to make a 3D model of the part yourself, which also requires considerable skill.

Some examples of items that I made for my home:


Custom brackets to hang blinds when the store-provided ones did not fit my window.
A special mounting bracket to more easily hang a ceiling light panel.
Replacement wheel for a vacuum cleaner.
Cover plate for a deprecated telecom socket.
Fix for a broken clothes drying rack.


3D printing can also be used to create "trinkets" such as custom vases or similar objects.

I would say 3D printing is a bit like woodworking as a hobby: it is a skill that can be used to make genuinely useful items, but going to IKEA is a perfectly viable alternative.


  Or is 3D printing better for special niche interests like art projects, home engineering projects, etc?


It is ideal for this. I do not know of anybody who has a 3D printer specifically for home use. However, there are many hobbyists that use 3D printing for another primary purpose that occasionally find their 3D printers useful around the house.