Choosing a CNC for your hobby or business is decision that’s uniquely personal to each individual. There’s a wide array of options available to suit all budgets and applications and we understanding it can be bewildering with all that choice!

As a software company that creates products designed to work with as many CNC’s as possiblewe have to be impartial when it comes to hardware.

That being said, here’s a few things we think are important to consider when looking for a new CNC machine:

  • Your budget?
  • How much space you have for a CNC?
  • What bed size do you need? (how big a project you can machine)
  • What material do you want to machine? (metals, plastics, wood etc)
  • Do you need extraction?
  • Do you need an enclosure to limit sound and dust?
  • Does the manufacturer get good user reviews?

Finally, it’s always good to seek out communities of makers or dedicated forums to the machines/manufacturers you’re interested in. Speaking to users who’ve had hands-on time with the hardware you’re looking at, is a great way to get some unbiased opinions before making any investment in a CNC.