Image: Sainsmart
Sainsmart Genmitsu 3018 REX
Sainsmart
Best for: Beginners, classrooms and STEM programs that want a 3018-size machine running in minutes with proper safety hardware
Typical starting price
$249Editorial baseline for this machine
Overall score
Best current buying path
Where to buy
SainSmart: $249 · checked Oct 2
- Shipping varies by retailer
- Check manufacturer site for availability
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Quick verdict
The 3018 REX is Sainsmart's reworked 3018: same 300 x 180mm bed, but it ships pre-assembled with a 32-bit board, Wi-Fi, homing switches and an E-stop. The useful hardware change is an HGH15 linear guide on the X axis and 60mm of Z travel, up from 45mm on the 3018-PRO. The claimed 3000 mm/min max speed is a rapid figure, not a cutting feed for this class of machine. The big gap is the spindle: Sainsmart lists no power or RPM figure, and with a 24V/4A supply it is a small DC motor, so treat it as an engraver and light wood and plastic cutter. At $249 it is a clean, safe starter machine, not a step up in cutting capability.
Who this fits best
Beginners, classrooms and STEM programs that want a 3018-size machine running in minutes with proper safety hardware
Buy this if
Beginners, classrooms and STEM programs that want a 3018-size machine running in minutes with proper safety hardware. Arrives pre-assembled, setup is a matter of bolting two modules together.
Skip this if
Sainsmart does not publish the spindle power or RPM, so you are buying the cutting head blind, and x-Z carriage is still plastic, which caps how hard you can push any spindle.
What else you still need
End mills and V-bits beyond whatever ships in the box, clamps or a wasteboard, and a dust shoe. The Y-axis linear rail kit, the offline controller, the laser module and the 4th-axis rotary are all extra-cost add-ons. Budget for a quieter replacement or larger spindle later only if Sainsmart confirms what the mount accepts.
Material reality check
Expect wood, plastics, foam, PCB and engraving on soft metals. With an unpublished low-voltage DC spindle and a plastic Z carriage, aluminum is light engraving or very shallow passes at best, and hardwoods need slow, shallow cuts.
Better alternative if...
pick the 3020-PRO Ultra if you want to actually cut aluminum and hardwood rather than engrave, since it brings a 710W router and a stiffer all-metal gantry. See Sainsmart Genmitsu 3020-PRO Ultra
Where it wins
- Arrives pre-assembled, setup is a matter of bolting two modules together
- HGH15 linear guide on the X axis is a real step up from the rod-only gantry of older 3018s
- 60mm Z travel and 91mm clearance under the gantry, more than any previous Genmitsu 3018
- Limit switches, homing and an E-stop are fitted from the factory
- Built-in Wi-Fi plus native 4th-axis and laser support for a $249 machine
Where it falls short
- Sainsmart does not publish the spindle power or RPM, so you are buying the cutting head blind
- X-Z carriage is still plastic, which caps how hard you can push any spindle
- Y axis stays on round shafts unless you buy the separate linear rail kit
- Work area is still 300 x 180mm, the same footprint as a 2018 3018
- Shipping as a pre-order (ETA November) and the anniversary edition is limited to 300 units
Specifications
300 × 180 mm
540 cm²
n/a
Enclosed DC spindle motor under a plastic cover (power and RPM not published), runs off the 24V/4A supply
32-bit GRBL 1.1h board with TB67S109 drivers, built-in Wi-Fi, laser and 4th-axis ports, physical X/Y/Z limit switches and E-stop
5.0 kg
$249
budget
Full specification table
Relative to database
Benchmark Scores
Overall Score
Composite across 5 dimensions
Community Sentiment
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