Best Benchtop Milling Machines - Top Picks, Reviews & Complete Buying Guide
by Scott Miller Updated on
If you are reading this, we are sure that you are looking to buy a benchtop milling machine and among so many models available on the market, you have no idea which one is the most suitable for you.
You are on the right place due to the fact that we understand your worries, so we gathered all the reviews written by both satisfied and dissatisfied users and made our own review section where we discussed several models and all their positive and negative features.
What we also offer you are some useful buying tips in order to make you able to make the right decision prior to purchasing it.
The Shop Fox M1110 is rightfully our top pick as it is a powerful machine that both drills and mills.
Better to say, it does everything you can expect from a benchtop milling machine.
What is even better, it does not leave users space to complain.
The users are very satisfied with what the machine can do as everything worked great and with the excellent precision.
The only complaints they had was that they had to tinker with it a little right out of the box to get the measurements accurate and that it is quite an expensive tool.
The third model on our list has the title “best for the money”.
In this case, the OTMT Variable Speed OT2213 Benchtop Mill is actually best for-dollar value due to the fact that there are cheaper models available, but they are not of the same quality as this model.
You would not regret spending a little extra to get this model, as it is really worth consideration.
According to the users, the machine worked great.
They have compared it to some bigger models and what they concluded is that this machine is more affordable and best for the money.
The disadvantages that were noticed are that there was some slippage along the X and Y axis.
It would have been nice to concentrate purely on getting the milling right.
You would have to accept this as this is an affordable benchtop mill.
If you want perfection, you will have to be ready to pay much more for it.
Benchtop Milling Machines: The Ultimate Buying Guide
A benchtop milling machine is a big investment and we understand that it is difficult to make a right decision about which one to buy.
Spending several hundred dollars on a tool which will not meet your expectations or would break after a short period of usage is not an option.
So, we offer you a buyer’s guide to provide you with handy tips in how to review benchtop milling machines prior to purchase.
What can I do with it?
Very simple jobs can be done with it.
The tool can be used for small jobs and heavy-duty projects, but you have to have in mind the size of it as it has to be in line with the project so as to be able to finish it successfully.
We suggest you not to get the wrong size milling machine to save yourself money.
That way you would limit yourself to the kind of work you can do.
What should I know about the range of motion?
If the range of motion is in question, when you are choosing a benchtop milling machine, you would like to get the drilling machine which will allow you to make a hole at a specific place and the hole needs to be a specific diameter.
You should also look for a machine which will offer you enough room between the table and headstock to accommodate larger pieces.
How important is the power of the motor?
You should look for a machine which has good and reliable power as the power of it will determine the time necessary for the job to be done and the efficiency of doing it.
Conclusion
All in all, we can say that the benchtop milling machines shown on our list are the best that you can find on the market and there is no need to search for other models.
You can choose between large ones designed for heavy-duty tasks or compact models for small jobs.
The Shop Fox’s M1110 and the JMD-15 are the best for the same reasons – the maximum load.
The OTMT’s Variable Speed OT22123 was not the cheapest, but it was the most affordable model that could handle everything.
The Klutch 2706S009 and the Proxxon 37110 do not have the expected quality and features so we cannot suggest them to be your choice when buying a benchtop milling machine.
Our aim was to help you get familiar with important characteristics of benchtop milling machines, and determine which one is the right for you after reading our reviews.