The Top-Rated Affordable CNC Mills 2023

If you’re looking for a way to take your manufacturing business to the next level or keep trade secrets close, you’ve come to the right place.

For starters, most CNC milling machines are very expensive and designed for industrial settings, so finding an affordable yet high-quality machine can be tricky.

Secondly, all different mills come with their own features, so you’ll need to find the one that best suits your purpose.

To help you out, we’ve picked out the best CNC mills for 2023. We've gone with mostly affordable yet powerful machines — and routers that provide low-cost alternatives — for hobbyists and small businesses with a few of the best industrial CNC mills also included.

CNC Mills vs CNC Routers

To the untrained eye, CNC mills and CNC routers may appear very similar. While they both do have similar functionalities, there are several key differences. In fact, if you want to buy a cheap CNC machine, your only options really are to buy a router, as low-cost CNC mills start in the several thousand dollar price ranges.


We strive to provide innovative technologies to the CNC machining industry by offering elite products that give you more for your money. Our CNC control and operating software is designed to be user-friendly. It’s easy to learn and program, regardless if used for production or prototyping. Our CNC mills can be used for metalworking and woodworking applications, and they work with various metals, including steel and aluminum, as well as tougher materials and wood.

While most CNC milling machines are built elsewhere, CNC Masters designs and builds their CNC machine tools. Here is what you get:
•     Powerful conversational programming lets you tweak programs
•    Vertical Machining Centers (VMC) that handle tougher materials
•    Prototyping and production across several industries
•    Woodworking and softer materials
•    Small CNC Machines designed for small businesses and many hobbyists
•    Versatile CNC Vertical Mill that quickly switches to manual operations
•    Spindles that add a second Z-axis
•    Control software that's second to none
•    Powerful stepper motors on all three axes (X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis)
•    Variable speed spindle system