How these machines work is explained in the CNC router guide; larger machines and handheld routers are compared in how to choose a CNC router. This guide compares tabletop machines only.
Four tabletop machines by their makers' figures
| Machine | Work area | Z | What turns the bit | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genmitsu 3018-PROVer | 260 × 155 mm (10.2 × 6.1 in) | 35 mm (1.4 in) | 775 motor, 10,000 RPM, 60 W rated, included | 24 V/4 A supply |
| Genmitsu 3018-PROVer V2 | 290 × 180 mm (11.4 × 7.1 in) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | 775 motor, 10k RPM, included | Not stated |
| Carbide 3D Nomad 3 | 8 × 8 in | 3 in | 70 W spindle, 8,000–24,000 RPM, included | 110/220 V, 2 A |
| Onefinity Apprentice | 16.5 × 16.5 in | 4.5 in travel; 5.25 in gantry clearance | 65 mm trim router or spindle, not included | One 15 A 110 V circuit, plus the router's own |
| Shapeoko 5.1 Pro 2x2 | A 2 × 2 ft work area (travel figures blank on the page) | Not stated | 65 mm router or 65/80 mm VFD spindle, not included | 110/220 V, 4 A machine only |
Each figure as its maker publishes it; SainSmart lists the two 3018 versions separately. 'Not stated' means the page gives no figure. Not a ranking, and no prices.
Equipment notePaid link
Benchtop CNC router
SainSmart Genmitsu 3018-PROVer V2
SainSmart's Genmitsu 3018-PROVer V2 from the table above: a 290 × 180 × 40 mm working area and a 775 motor at 10,000 rpm, by SainSmart's figures for the V2.
Paid link — BenchRoot may earn a commission if you buy through this link.
Build and setup
| Machine | Frame and motion | Enclosure | Size or weight | Software |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genmitsu 3018-PROVer | Aluminium frame | Not stated | Frame 420 × 340 × 280 mm | Grbl control (Candle); offline controller |
| Carbide 3D Nomad 3 | Not stated | Works fully enclosed | 65 lb; about an inkjet printer's footprint | Carbide Motion, MeshCAM, Carbide Create |
| Onefinity Apprentice | 16 mm ball screws, 30 mm steel shafts | Not stated | 90 lb shipping weight | RealTime CNC; a computer required |
| Shapeoko 5.1 Pro 2x2 | Ball screws, HG-15 linear rails | Not stated | 35.5 × 35 in footprint | Carbide Motion, Carbide Create |
From each maker's page. Not a ranking.
What each specification decides
- Work area. The largest part in one setup: about 10 × 6 in on the smallest machine here, 24 × 24 in on the largest. Measure the work you will cut first.
- Z travel. The thickest stock and the longest bit: 35 mm (1.4 in) on the 3018-PROVer against 4.5 in on the Apprentice.
- What turns the bit. A small included motor is ready to run; a 65 mm mount takes a trim router or spindle bought separately, with its own speed range in its own manual.
- Enclosure. Carbide 3D says the Nomad works fully enclosed; none of the other pages reviewed describes an enclosure.
- Power and space. Onefinity asks for a 15 A 110 V circuit plus the router's own connection; the Shapeoko 2x2 stands 35.5 × 35 in.
A table top CNC wood router is chosen like any tool: by the largest and thickest piece it must cut, then by whether a router is included. Check the Z figure against the thickest stock you plan to cut; on the smallest machines here it is 35–40 mm, under 1-3/4 in.
Safe use
Safety— Small machines, same rules
A tabletop machine is still a router: Carbide 3D's rules — eye and hearing protection, a respirator suited to the dust, never reaching in while it runs and never leaving it unattended — apply. See woodworking safety rules.
Before buying a tabletop CNC
- Work area at least the size of the first parts
- Z enough for the stock plus the bit
- Router or spindle included, or bought and powered separately
- Bench space for the footprint, and the circuit it needs
- Software for drawing, toolpaths and running it
Sources
Specification-based: every figure is the maker's own for its own machine, from its own pages. SainSmart's page gives different working areas for the 3018-PROVer and the PROVer V2, and both are shown; Carbide 3D's 2x2 page leaves its travel fields blank, so its work area is given as Carbide 3D describes it. 'Not stated' means the page gives no figure. Nothing was tested and none is ranked; no prices are given.
- 1.
Nomad 3 Desktop CNC Mill. Carbide 3D.
Used for: Nomad 3: 8 × 8 in X/Y and 3 in Z; a 70 W spindle at 8,000–24,000 RPM; 65 lb; 110/220 V, 2 A; works fully enclosed; about the footprint of an inkjet printer; also called the Nomad 883 Pro in its page text.
- 2.
Shapeoko 5.1 Pro CNC Router 2x2. Carbide 3D.
Used for: Shapeoko 5.1 Pro 2x2: a 2 × 2 ft work area; footprint 35.5 in wide × 35 in deep; ball screws and HG-15 rails; a 65 mm router or spindle — the Carbide Compact Router (110 V), a 65 mm VFD (110 V) or an 80 mm VFD (220 V); 110 or 220 V auto-switching, 4 A for the machine only; Carbide Motion and Carbide Create; travel figures blank on the page.
- 3.
Apprentice CNC Router 16.5" x 16.5". Onefinity CNC.
Used for: Apprentice: 16.5 × 16.5 in cutting area; 4.5 in Z travel and 5.25 in gantry clearance; 16 mm ball screws; designed for a 65 mm Makita RT0701C trim router or a 65 mm spindle, not included; RealTime CNC RTS-1 controller, a computer required; 350 W power supply; one 15 A 110 V circuit with the router on its own connection; 90 lb shipping weight.
- 4.
3018-PROVer Semi Assembled CNC Router Kit. SainSmart (Genmitsu).
Used for: Genmitsu 3018-PROVer: working area 260 × 155 × 35 mm (10.2 × 6.1 × 1.4 in); 775 spindle motor at 10,000 RPM, 60 W rated; aluminium frame 420 × 340 × 280 mm; Grbl control with Candle and an offline controller; 24 V/4 A supply. The 3018-PROVer V2: 290 × 180 × 40 mm (11.4 × 7.1 × 1.6 in), a 775 motor at 10k RPM.
- 5.
Machine Safety. Carbide 3D.
Used for: Eye and hearing protection; a respirator suited to the dust; never leaving the machine unattended; never reaching into the working envelope while it runs.
About this buying guide
Written by BenchRoot Editorial. How BenchRoot sources, checks and corrects its pages is set out in the Editorial Policy. If something here is wrong or unclear, the contact page explains how to tell us.