Bitcoin Mining Equipment Checklist: Everything You Need to Start

You have decided to mine Bitcoin. Maybe you want to contribute to network decentralization. Maybe you want to heat your home with a miner. Maybe you just want to chase the dream of solo-mining a full block reward. Whatever your reason, there is a clear set of gear you need before you plug anything in.

This is your complete bitcoin mining equipment checklist — organized by setup type, so you only buy what you actually need. Whether you are setting up a $50 Nerdminer on your desk or a dedicated 240V ASIC operation in your garage, every item on every list has a purpose. No fluff, no upsells on things you will never use.

We have been building, repairing, and shipping mining equipment since 2016. As Bitcoin mining hackers — a team that takes institutional-grade hardware and makes it accessible for home miners — we have seen every setup imaginable. The mistakes are almost always the same: wrong power supply, no ventilation plan, or a $3,000 ASIC plugged into a 15A circuit that trips the breaker within an hour.

This guide makes sure you do not make those mistakes. Read the section that matches your setup type, check every box, and you will be hashing from day one.

Bitaxe and Open-Source Mining Equipment List

Open-source solo miners like the Bitaxe are the simplest way to start mining Bitcoin at home. No 240V circuits. No noise management. No dedicated rooms. Just a small board, a power adapter, and your WiFi network. D-Central has been a pioneer in the Bitaxe ecosystem since its earliest days — we created the original Bitaxe Mesh Stand, developed custom heatsinks for every Bitaxe variant, and stock the full lineup of open-source miners and accessories.

Here is everything you need:

Essential Equipment

• Bitaxe unit — Choose your model based on budget and hashrate goals. The Bitaxe Supra is the entry point for solo mining. The Bitaxe Hex runs six chips for higher hashrate. The Bitaxe GT uses dual BM1370 chips for maximum single-board performance. Check the Bitaxe Hub for a full model comparison.
• USB-C or DC power adapter — The Supra, Ultra, and Gamma models use a 5V/3A minimum USB-C or DC barrel adapter. The Hex and GT have different power requirements — always check your specific model’s specs. D-Central carries a dedicated Bitaxe power supply rated for the full lineup.
• Heatsink — Bitaxe boards run ASIC chips that generate real heat. A proper heatsink is not optional if you want stable operation and the ability to overclock. D-Central’s Premium Bitaxe Heatsink is purpose-built for the Supra, Ultra, and Gamma. For the Hex, use the Bitaxe Hex Heatsink.
• Stand or case — Proper airflow matters. The Bitaxe Mesh Stand — originally designed and manufactured by D-Central — uses a mesh ventilation design for passive cooling. The Bitaxe Mini Miner DIY Kit is another option if you want a full enclosure.
• WiFi network (2.4 GHz) — Bitaxe boards connect via WiFi only. They require a 2.4 GHz network — 5 GHz is not supported. Make sure your router broadcasts a 2.4 GHz SSID. If you only see a combined network, check your router settings to split the bands.
• Bitcoin wallet — You need a wallet address to receive mined sats. Any Bitcoin wallet works — hardware wallets like a ColdCard or SeedSigner are ideal for sovereignty. Software wallets like Sparrow, Electrum, or BlueWallet work too.
• Mining pool account or solo setup — Most Bitaxe miners point to a solo mining pool like Public Pool or Ocean. These pools let you mine solo while contributing to decentralization. No account creation needed for Public Pool — just enter your wallet address.

Optional but Recommended

• Thermal paste — If your heatsink does not include a pre-applied thermal pad, high-quality thermal paste improves heat transfer.
• Extra cooling fan — The 4020 5V PWM cooling fan adds active airflow for aggressive overclocking, especially on the Hex.
• Replacement OLED display — The small OLED screens on Bitaxe boards can degrade over time. The replacement OLED pack keeps a spare on hand.

For the complete accessory breakdown, read the Bitaxe Accessories Guide. For step-by-step configuration, follow the setup guide for your model: Supra, Hex, Gamma, or GT.

ASIC Mining at Home: Full Equipment Checklist

Running a full ASIC miner at home is a different game from open-source solo mining. These machines produce serious hashrate — and serious heat, noise, and power draw. An Antminer S19j Pro pulls around 3,050 watts. An S21 can draw over 3,500 watts. You do not plug these into a regular wall outlet and hope for the best.

The equipment list is longer, the electrical requirements are stricter, and the planning matters more. But the reward is real hashrate contributing to network security — and real bitcoin flowing to your wallet.

Essential Equipment

• ASIC miner — The unit itself. Current-generation models include the Antminer S19 series, S21 series, Whatsminer M50/M60 series, and Avalon A14 series. Choose based on your power budget, noise tolerance, and target hashrate. Older models like the S9 still work for heating applications at lower efficiency.
• Power Supply Unit (PSU) — Must match your miner. Antminer S19 series uses the APW12. S21 series uses the APW12 or APW17. Whatsminer models have integrated PSUs. Never use an underpowered PSU — it will cause instability, hashboard failures, and potential fire risk.
• 240V outlet or dedicated circuit — Most modern ASICs require 240V power. A standard North American 120V/15A outlet cannot supply enough wattage for anything beyond an S9. You need either a NEMA 6-20 (240V/20A) or NEMA 6-30 (240V/30A) outlet installed by a licensed electrician. Read our electrical requirements guide for detailed wiring specifications. If you absolutely must run on 120V, see the 120V mining guide — but understand the limitations.
• C13/C14 power cables — These are the standard IEC cables that connect the PSU to your miner’s hashboards. Most PSUs ship with them, but have spares on hand. Inspect cables for damage before every use.
• Ethernet cable (Cat5e or better) — ASICs use wired Ethernet connections. WiFi is not an option. Run a Cat5e or Cat6 cable from your router or network switch to the miner. Keep cable runs under 100 meters.
• Network switch or router with available port — If you are running multiple miners, a simple unmanaged gigabit switch gives you enough ports. One Ethernet port per miner.
• Mining pool account — For ASIC miners, pool mining is standard. Pools like Ocean, Braiins Pool, or Demand Pool let you earn proportional rewards. Ocean is the decentralization-focused choice. You will need to create an account and get your pool connection details (stratum URL, port, worker name).
• Bitcoin wallet — Same as with Bitaxe — a wallet address for payouts. Hardware wallets recommended for larger operations.
• Noise management solution — A stock Antminer S19 runs at 70-75 dB. That is louder than a vacuum cleaner, running continuously. You need a plan: a shroud with duct adapter to pipe exhaust outside, a dedicated mining closet, or at minimum a room with a closed door. Read the full ASIC noise reduction guide for every option.
• Ventilation plan — ASICs push hot exhaust air at 50-70 degrees Celsius. Without an exhaust path, your room becomes an oven in minutes. At minimum you need: an intake source for cool air, a duct or window for exhaust, and enough airflow volume (measured in CFM) to match your miner’s output.

Optional but Recommended

• Kill-A-Watt meter or smart plug with energy monitoring — Know your actual power draw. The rated wattage on the spec sheet is an estimate. Real-world draw varies with ambient temperature, hashboard condition, and firmware settings. Monitoring actual consumption lets you calculate real profitability.
• UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) for the control board — A small UPS protects the control board during power fluctuations. You are not running the whole miner on UPS — just the controller, to prevent corruption during unexpected shutdowns.
• Shelving or server rack — Miners need airflow on all sides. Do not set them on carpet or shove them against walls. Open metal shelving or a purpose-built rack keeps everything organized and properly ventilated.
• Surge protector (240V rated) — Protect your investment from power spikes. Make sure it is rated for the voltage and amperage your setup requires.

Space Heater Mining Equipment List

This is the setup that makes non-miners do a double take. You are literally heating your home with a Bitcoin miner. The concept is simple: ASIC miners convert electricity into heat and hashrate. A 1,000-watt miner produces 1,000 watts of heat — the same as a 1,000-watt electric space heater. The difference is that the miner also earns bitcoin while it heats.

D-Central’s Bitcoin Space Heater editions are purpose-built for this: ASIC miners enclosed in heater cases with quiet fans, designed to sit in a living space rather than a server room.

Essential Equipment

• Space Heater Edition miner — Choose your model based on available power and desired heat output. The S9/L3 Space Heater DIY Box runs on 120V and produces 1,200-1,400W of heat. The S17/T17 Space Heater case pushes higher efficiency. The S19 Space Heater Edition is the highest-performance option.
• Appropriate PSU — Some Space Heater editions include a PSU, some do not. The S9 uses an APW3 or APW7. The S17 and S19 editions require their respective Bitmain power supplies. Always confirm what is included before ordering.
• 120V or 240V outlet — This depends on the model. The S9 and L3+ editions can run on a standard 120V/15A North American outlet. The S17 and S19 editions typically require 240V. Check the electrical requirements guide for your specific model.
• Shroud and ductwork — Even in a heater case, you may want to direct the warm air output. A shroud with 8-inch duct adapter lets you pipe heat exactly where you want it — down a hallway, into an adjacent room, or through a floor register.
• Dedicated room or area — Even the quietest Space Heater edition produces some noise. A room with a door — a spare bedroom, basement, or utility room — lets you contain the sound while distributing the heat. Read the assembly and maintenance guide for placement best practices.
• Ethernet cable + mining pool + wallet — Same networking and payout requirements as any ASIC setup.

Optional but Recommended

• BitChimney kit — The DIY BitChimney is a chimney-style passive heat venting system for the L3+. It directs heat upward naturally without fans, making the setup near-silent. See the BitChimney installation guide for setup details.
• Smart thermostat or temperature sensor — Monitor room temperature and adjust miner underclocking to maintain comfortable heating levels.
• Timer or smart plug — Schedule mining/heating hours to match when you actually need heat. No point heating an empty house at full power during summer.

Networking Essentials for Bitcoin Mining

Mining uses almost no bandwidth. A single ASIC miner typically consumes less than 1 Mbps of upload and download combined. You do not need fiber internet or a fancy router to mine bitcoin. What you need is stability.

Internet Connection

Any broadband connection works. DSL, cable, fiber — the speed does not matter much. What matters is uptime. Every minute your miner is offline is lost hashrate. If your ISP has frequent outages, consider a mobile hotspot as a failover. Some miners support dual network connections for redundancy.

Wired vs. WiFi

ASIC miners use wired Ethernet only. There is no WiFi option on Antminer, Whatsminer, or Avalon units. Run a Cat5e or Cat6 cable from your router or switch to the miner. For runs longer than a few meters, use solid-core cable rated for in-wall installation.

Bitaxe and open-source miners use WiFi. They connect over 2.4 GHz wireless. Keep the miner within reasonable range of your router. If signal is weak, a WiFi extender or mesh node solves the problem.

Network Configuration

Static IP or DHCP reservation recommended. Assign your miner a fixed local IP address through your router’s DHCP reservation settings. This way, you always know where to find it on your network for monitoring and configuration changes.

Port forwarding is NOT needed. Miners connect outbound to pool servers. You do not need to open any inbound ports on your router. Your standard firewall and NAT setup works perfectly.

VLANs for larger setups. If you are running more than a handful of miners, consider putting them on a separate VLAN. This isolates mining traffic from your household network and makes management easier.

Tools for Setup and Maintenance

Mining hardware is hardware. It runs hot, accumulates dust, and occasionally needs hands-on troubleshooting. A basic toolkit saves you from downtime and expensive repair bills.

Essential Tools

• Multimeter — The single most important diagnostic tool for ASIC mining. Test PSU voltage output, check hashboard continuity, and diagnose dead chips. Our multimeter guide for ASIC repair walks through every measurement a home miner should know.
• Precision screwdriver set — Phillips and hex drivers in multiple sizes. ASIC miners use small fasteners on hashboards and control boards. A magnetic tip driver set prevents dropped screws inside the chassis.
• Thermal paste — Arctic MX-4 or Noctua NT-H1 are popular choices. You will need this when reseating heatsinks, replacing fans, or performing any maintenance that involves removing the thermal interface between chips and heatsinks.
• Compressed air — Dust is the silent killer of mining hardware. A can of compressed air or an electric air duster clears dust from heatsink fins, fan blades, and PCB surfaces. Clean your miners every 3-6 months depending on environment.
• SD card and USB card reader — For firmware flashing, recovery, and control board reimaging. Keep a couple of 8-16 GB micro SD cards formatted and ready. See our SD card firmware flashing and recovery guide for step-by-step instructions.

Nice to Have

• Isopropyl alcohol (99%) — For cleaning PCB contacts and removing old thermal paste. Do not use rubbing alcohol with lower concentrations — the water content can cause corrosion.
• Anti-static wrist strap — When handling hashboards or control boards, static discharge can damage ASIC chips. A $5 wrist strap eliminates the risk.
• Heat gun or soldering iron — For advanced repairs and modifications. Not needed for basic setups, but invaluable if you get into ASIC repair or custom builds.
• Label maker — Once you have multiple miners, labeling power cables, Ethernet runs, and breaker circuits prevents confusion during troubleshooting.

Bitcoin Mining Equipment by Budget

Not sure where to start? Here is what a complete mining setup looks like at every budget level, from a $50 desk toy to a full-scale home operation.

A note on the Nerdminer: At $35-50, the Nerdminer is not a profitable mining device. Its hashrate is measured in kilohashes — millions of times slower than a Bitaxe. But it is a fully functional solo miner running on an ESP32 chip, and it is the cheapest way to participate in Bitcoin’s proof-of-work consensus. Think of it as a Bitcoin lottery ticket that never expires.

Best value for solo mining: The Bitaxe Supra at $100-150 total is the sweet spot. Real ASIC-chip hashrate, silent operation, runs on any outlet, and you are genuinely participating in Bitcoin mining. Add the premium heatsink and mesh stand for stable long-term operation.

Best value for heating + mining: A used S9 in a Space Heater case produces 1,200-1,400W of heat — equivalent to a high-end electric space heater — while earning bitcoin. At current hardware prices, the total investment can be under $500.

Frequently Asked Questions