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Overall ranking
Overall rank#1of 163AvailableAll: #4 / 836
Pre-OrderFree Shipping
Hashrate
525KSOL
Efficiency
4.73W/KSOL
Power
2483W
Earns/kWh
£0.290
Start ASIC mining by checking whether a particular machine fits your electricity supply, running cost, space and purpose. A compact Bitcoin miner can be a learning project; an industrial ASIC needs a suitable electrical and cooling installation. Neither hashrate nor a recent earnings figure guarantees a profit.
Before buying your first miner
- Choose the mining algorithm and exact hardware variant before comparing prices.
- Check the miner and power supply separately: a DC input rating is not the adapter’s mains input.
- Use your full electricity tariff and complete costs in the Bitcoin mining calculator.
- Plan ventilation, noise, network access and a safe first run before the equipment arrives.
The first decision
Decide whether you want to learn, try solo mining, or assess an operating business. Those goals need different expectations. A small device may be convenient at home, but convenience does not make its expected earnings large. Start with the home-miner buying comparison or full ASIC catalogue, then check the exact product.
Four useful terms
- Hashrate
- The amount of hashing work attempted per second. Compare the same algorithm and units.
- Power
- The electrical load in watts. Use whole-device consumption for operating costs, and measure it safely once installed.
- Efficiency
- Energy used for a unit of work. For Bitcoin hardware quoted in J/TH, lower is more efficient; it does not by itself establish profitability.
- Accepted shares
- Work accepted by your chosen pool. A high local hashrate with rejected or stale work needs investigation.
What a Bitcoin ASIC does
An ASIC is specialised hardware built for an algorithm. Bitcoin mining hardware repeatedly hashes candidate block headers. A valid block must also satisfy the network’s rules. A Bitcoin ASIC is not interchangeable with a GPU rig or with hardware built for another mining algorithm.
Pool payouts or solo odds?
A pool shares rewards under its stated payout rules, with its own fees and withdrawal conditions. Solo mining has much more uneven outcomes: a small miner can operate for a long time without finding any block. A recent lucky result is not a forecast. Compare pool and solo mining, then use the solo probability calculator for your hashrate and time horizon.
Choose hardware for your purpose
| Hardware or goal | What to check | Useful next step |
|---|---|---|
| Bitcoin ASIC | Exact model and hashrate grade, whole-device power, cooling, input supply, condition and warranty. | Compare S21 cooling and model variants. |
| GPU rig | A general-purpose graphics setup is a different hardware path. Do not apply its specifications or coin choices to a Bitcoin ASIC. | Check the intended network and supported algorithm first. |
| CPU or display project | Understand the actual hashing hardware and purpose. A dashboard display is not evidence of substantial mining output. | Compare NerdMiner and Bitaxe. |
| Home installation | Plan the supply, adapter, sustained load, ventilation, noise, network and access to the equipment. | Use the home setup checklist. |
Match the algorithm before buying
Check the algorithm and supported coins on the exact product. Do not choose a miner because a different coin recently rose in price, or assume firmware can convert an ASIC to an unrelated algorithm. Compare accepted pool support, current network conditions and your electricity cost together.
Check the complete cost
Electricity per day is power in watts ÷ 1,000 × running hours. Multiply that energy by the full price per kWh. Add cooling and other site loads where they are outside the miner’s rating. Use your actual tariff rather than a zero-cost assumption.
For a purchase decision, also account for the machine and supplied equipment, delivery, applicable taxes and duties, installation, pool fees, hosting charges if relevant, maintenance and downtime. Earnings minus electricity is a partial operating result, not the final return on the purchase.
The live profitability tool lets you enter your own assumptions. Use the UK profitability guide to compare home and hosted cases, including a negative outcome. Treat any worked example as an illustration and refresh market inputs before acting.
Prepare and start the miner
- Choose the location. Keep required clearances, ventilation and service access. Plan where the warm exhaust and sound will go. Do not run the unit in a cupboard or cover it to reduce noise.
- Check the complete electrical path. Read the exact manufacturer instructions, supply range, AC or DC input, adapter output, connector and lead requirements. Have a competent electrician assess the sustained load where needed. This article does not size a circuit or prescribe wiring.
- Use the correct setup instructions. Follow the manufacturer’s network and firmware procedure for the actual model. Use a trusted firmware source and keep miner administration off the public internet. Do not assume every miner uses Wi-Fi or the same configuration screen.
- Prepare pool and payout details. Confirm the pool endpoint, algorithm, account or worker format, payout address, fees and threshold. Never enter a wallet recovery phrase or private key into the miner or send it to support.
- Start and verify. Use the model’s safe starting procedure, then check that the pool sees the worker and accepts work. Confirm cooling operation and watch for abnormal heat, connector problems, repeated restarts or errors.
Use the detailed ASIC rig setup guide, Bitaxe setup checks or Avalon Nano setup comparison for the relevant next step. Product manuals and the supplied unit take priority over a generic guide.
Check accepted work and stable operation
Compare the same operating period
Record the mode, accepted hashrate, rejected or stale shares, measured energy, uptime and pool credits for the same period. A miner’s local dashboard, a pool average and a network estimate can use different time windows. Do not diagnose a fault from a single short sample.
Keep the machine within its instructions
Inspect and maintain the installation as the manufacturer requires. Stop safely if there is an electrical warning, damaged connector, abnormal smell, cooling failure or repeated protection shutdown. Do not open a PSU or attempt live electrical repairs.
Change one thing at a time
Keep a record before a supported settings change, and compare accepted work and energy afterwards. A higher displayed hashrate can come with more power, noise and instability. Check warranty terms before altering firmware or hardware.
Know when home operation does not fit
If you cannot support the electrical load, exhaust heat or sound, choose a different model or stop the purchase. Mining revenue can fall, hardware can fail and electricity costs continue during unprofitable operation. Useful heat depends on whether you need it at that time; it is not automatically a saving.
Get the right help before committing
Use a competent electrician for the supply and a qualified adviser for your tax, contractual or regulatory circumstances. The hosting comparison is an alternative to assess, subject to exact machine suitability, written capacity and complete costs. TMS hosting is for new miners purchased from The Mining Shop with an active warranty.
Equipment overview
Keep a first-run record
Save the exact model and variant, supplied equipment, manual, firmware version, configured pool, running mode, representative accepted hashrate, power reading and any faults. Keep serials and account details private. These records make later support and cost comparisons more useful.
Beginner questions
Can I mine Bitcoin with any mining machine?
No. Check the algorithm of the exact device. A Bitcoin SHA-256 ASIC is not interchangeable with an ASIC built for an unrelated algorithm, a GPU rig or a display project.
Will a small Bitcoin miner give me steady income?
A small miner may be suitable for learning, but it does not guarantee income or profit. Pool payments depend on the pool rules and contributed work; solo outcomes are highly uneven. Compare current expected earnings, electricity and all other costs.
Is the DC voltage on a compact miner its mains supply?
No. A DC device input and an adapter’s AC mains input describe different parts of the electrical path. Check the exact miner, adapter, connectors and manufacturer instructions before connecting equipment.
What should I check after the first start?
Check safe operation, cooling, the worker shown by the pool and accepted work. Record the operating mode, representative hashrate, rejected work, energy and faults over a consistent period. Stop safely if there is an electrical or cooling warning.
What if I cannot run an ASIC at home?
Choose a model that fits the available supply, heat and noise limits or assess hosting before buying. Confirm machine suitability, complete costs and capacity in writing. TMS hosting eligibility is limited to new miners purchased from The Mining Shop with an active warranty.
Choose your next step
- Compare compact home Bitcoin miners.
- Browse the wider ASIC catalogue.
- Calculate with your electricity rate.
- Plan a home setup or assess hosting.
- Check a suspected fault before choosing a repair route.
Sources and further reading
Source check: 29 October 2026. Use the manufacturer’s current instructions for the exact hardware and the linked tools for changing market inputs.
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