Best plc on Reddit
189 reviews from r/PLC, r/Tech_Philippines
189 reviews from
and
By Brand
/By Product
#1
Siemens
4.0
(32)
"S7-1200 will be better."
"S7-1200. Cost isn't much more and you get so much more for it."
"Go for 1200. They're really good value for what they can do."
"S7-1200."
"I’d highly recommend the S7-1200. It’s a full featured PLC and gives you so many more options for programming and control."
"Siemens S7-1200 series is less expensive and has the features."
"If you want good documentation & community support you should go with siemens."
"My Prime PlantWide Ignition Server deals with Siemens, Rockwell, ModBus, Mitsubishi, (and probably more) right out of the 'box'."
"Siemens is the AB of Europe."
"I would recommend the Siemens S7-1200 route."
#2
Automation Direct
4.2
(21)
"Do-More BRX, also from Automation Direct. Vastly, like 6*10^23, times better than a Click."
"The do more series from automation direct is extremely good."
"Do-More BRX. Does all that (using 1 AI module - max 4 AI on board)."
"BRX = free support (during regular business hours) = in stock."
"I agree with automation direct click PLC's, free software and a controller with 2 slots, power supply and 2 cards doesnt cost much."
"I’d start out with something like Automation Direct. Very reasonably priced hardware and free software."
"It’s the Click PLC line I believe. Maybe start off with that?"
"Automationdirect works great with modbus tcp"
"The Productivity Series from automation direct works pretty easily."
"Honestly, automation direct productivity 5000 worked really well last time I used it."
#3
Beckhoff
4.5
(15)
"Beckhoff is great - free trial licenses and can use your computer as a PLC."
"Beckhoff Twincat!"
"Beckhoff - Their market share has eclipsed B&R and their HMI tools are better, so I have to put them at #1 despite my personal preference for B&R"
"It's free, you can use as many licences as needed for free during an entire week"
"Beckhoff TwinCAT. You do not need hardware to practice/learn."
"Beckhoff"
"CX7xxx is the most entry level and comes with a bunch of licenses already."
"Beckhoff. You can get all the modules/cards you want."
"Beckhoff makes great products and are forward thinking (they invented EtherCAT)"
"Beckhoff CX7000."
#4
Click
4.0
(11)
"Click."
"I’m biased to Click or Productivity 1000 for small projects myself."
"Click PLC or a productivity 1000."
"Click plc from automation direct."
"CLICK PLC"
"Click"
"There are used Clicks on Ebay for 50 Bux."
"Click"
"CLICK."
"Click is a good starter plc if you wanna learn LAD only."
#5
Codesys
4.5
(8)
"Look into codesys"
"Codesys"
"Codesys v3 modbus tcp driver is so easy to setup and use."
"Codesys simulator is free"
"Codesys + Raspberry PI should be on the table."
"You could start of with a free copy of codesys and a simulation software."
"CODESYS. Soft plc opc ua, modbus, ethernet ip"
"Codesys 3 based anything (Weidmueller will be in this camp)."
#6
Schneider
4.1
(8)
"Get Schneider m221 ( free programming software)."
"Schneider. Modbus TCP is their native protocol."
"Look at M241."
"M340 or M580, with a NOE scanner card, makes it stupid easy."
"Schneider Modicon"
"Schneider M221, not 100% sure if it does internal data logging though."
"Schneider M580."
"Umm I did it with Schneider and it was good enough for me."
#7
AutomationDirect
4.4
(7)
"Automation Direct is great for Fire and Gas."
"Since you are familiar with Arduino and Python I would recommend looking at P1AM from AutomationDirect."
"Automation direct."
"Something like a Click plc or Productivity 1000 plc should be easy enough to use."
"For a hobby, cost may be a concern. AutomationDirect has a Click series that has a lot of capability for the price."
"CLICK PLC."
"Download the free software, check out some videos and have some fun."
#8
Unitronics
4.3
(7)
"If you need local visualization, like a 5" or a 10" touch panel, go for Unitronics UniStream."
"I’d probably go with Unitronics vision series."
"Unitronics vision series PLC’s make modbus pretty simple."
"Unitronics-UniStream good for MODBUS TCP."
"No one here has mentioned unitronics."
"A simple Unitronics can do this."
"Pretty sure Unitronics has some 12V models."
#9
Arduino
4.0
(7)
"Arduino opta. It's made for this."
"Arduinos make good hobby PLCs."
"You could try the Arduino Opta PLC."
"Use an arguing or raspberry pi."
"Use an Arduino with an industrial shield then."
"What about using an arduino, with modbus, and then put in the Arduino stepper drivers to pull from the modbus data?"
"Arduino Opta might be a good choice when it comes out."
#10
WAGO
4.3
(6)
"Wago, Bosch, or red lion da30."
"WAGO codesys 3.5 is lovely to work with."
"Wago all the way."
"For me Wago"
"WAGO with codesys, no license needed."
"WAGO and Wieldmuller use Codesys, Bechoff uses TwinCat."
#11
Allen Bradley
4.0
(5)
"I’d advise staying away from the Micro line. The cost of a basic license for Studio 5000 is a sound investment if you’re serious about learning."
"AB Micro"
"Go for a Siemens S7-1200 or Allen Bradley Micro 800."
"Micro800 if you want an Allen Bradley product."
"Another PLC for the pile is AB Micro."
#12
Delta
4.5
(4)
"Delta or a cloned Mitsubishi FX3"
"Delta DVP28sv2, best bang for the buck."
"Delta DVP slim. Cheap, and super easy to skin out of the casing."
"Delta DVP slim"
#13
B&R
4.0
(4)
"B&R"
"B&R - Their kinematics advantage over Beckhoff gives them a massive upper hand in robotics and their cam sequencing and reaction IO are advantages in other application types."
"Every single Codesys-Based would be fine because they either support it in the hardware tree as a standard protocol or via the modbus TCP library."
"Check out B&R."
#14
Det-Tronics
4.3
(3)
"I am a fan of Det-Tronics Eagle Quantum Premier safety system controller."
"Look at specific F&G control system. These interface with the sensors."
"I am a fan of Det-Tronics Eagle Quantum Premier safety system controller."
#15
Horner
4.3
(3)
"Horner has the nicest Modbus master I’ve ever used."
"Any Horner with Ethernet can do this."
"Have you looked into Horner?"
#16
Velocio
4.0
(3)
"Velocio PLC has interesting prototyping models."
"Velocio PLCs"
"Velocio PLCs are cheap and use 5-28vdc for power."
#17
Micro850
4.0
(3)
"Micro 850 series."
"Micro850 are good for stand alone stuff."
"Micro850 or higher with some plugins/added slots"
#18
Omron
3.7
(3)
"Omron NX102. Add as many I/O cards as you like for ~$60-75/unit."
"Omron CP PLCs have pulse outputs, encoder inputs."
"Cheapest is Omron."
#19
Red Lion
5.0
(2)
"Use a redlion protocol converter."
"Red lion dsple to pass the values to Siemens."
#20
CLICK PLC
4.5
(2)
"CLICK PLC"
"You would need two click plc and a dio card."
#21
Allen-Bradley
4.0
(2)
"Allen Bradley/Rockwell is going to be what most employers expect you to know."
"AB - so far the easiest integration due to symbolic access."
#22
Panasonic
4.0
(2)
"Try Panasonic. It is a real PLC, with real outputs."
"Panasonic FP0R. Might even have one laying around if you want to DM me."
#23
Fisher
5.0
(1)
"A Fisher ROC800 series (Emerson) with a 12 volt power module will suit your needs."
#24
Opto 22
5.0
(1)
"Opto 22 controllers have ignition edge built in"
#25
Bosch
5.0
(1)
"Look at a mobile controller Bosch, Tt control (my favorite) Ifm."
#26
Weidmuller
5.0
(1)
"Check out Weidmuller wl2000. It's a Linux based PLC that can run codesys."
#27
Raspberry Pi
5.0
(1)
"You can use a raspberry pi with codesys."
#28
Fatek
5.0
(1)
"I will recommend you to go for Japanese brand Fatek as it's very cost effective and reliable."
#29
Maple/Weintek
5.0
(1)
"You can get a codesys-enabled HMI for under $1k."
#30
blue-white or Prominent
4.0
(1)
"You don’t necessarily need a PLC. I flow-pace chlorine pumps using a flow meter with 4-20 mA output."
#31
Frank Petruzella
4.0
(1)
"Programmable Logic Controllers by Frank Petruzella."
#32
AB
4.0
(1)
"Ab micro 800 series, siemens s7 1200, click plc."
#33
Mitsubishi
4.0
(1)
"You can find Mitsubishi FX3 and FX1 clones on ali express."
#34
B&R, Beckhoff
4.0
(1)
"B&R, Beckhoff, or Codesys, all free or unlimited trial with simulation."
#35
Festo
4.0
(1)
"Festo CECC-D."
#36
Beijer
4.0
(1)
"Box2 from beijer maybe?"
#37
FINDER
4.0
(1)
"Check FINDER Arduino opta."
#38
OpenPLC
4.0
(1)
"You can use OpenPLC, which is free open source software, to program it."
#39
Phoenix Contact
4.0
(1)
"Phoenix Contact does a small controller that hooks onto their relays."
#40
rPi
4.0
(1)
"RPi with Codesys, Arduino Opta, or Wago CC100."
#41
Turck
4.0
(1)
"Look at Turck."
#42
Honeywell
4.0
(1)
"Have you looked at Honeywell's products? They are specific to the industry."
#43
Opto22
4.0
(1)
"I've worked with an Opto22 groove for PLC + IIOT."
#44
Barth
4.0
(1)
"The Barth STG model runs on as low as 8V."
#45
IDEC
4.0
(1)
"IDEC FC6A All in one PLC with an 8 channel analog input card."
#46
Micrologix
4.0
(1)
"Micrologix 1100 part number 1763-L16DWD."
#47
AD Click
4.0
(1)
"AD Click or AB Micro 820. Are what I’d use."
#48
AD
4.0
(1)
"AD if you want/need hardware."
#49
Wago
4.0
(1)
"Wago pfc200 (ie. 750-8212)."
#50
SEL
4.0
(1)
"Use an SEL RTAC or Axion."
#51
Automation24
4.0
(1)
"These guys are from europe: https://www.automation24.biz/control-systems"
#52
Seneca
4.0
(1)
"Seneca Z-KEY-2ETH profinet io/modbus tcp or rtu gayeway is very simple to use and configure!"
#53
N/A
2.0
(1)
"For $1000 spend the money on the pump if it will give you the perfect ratio."
Discover your audience
GummySearch is an audience research toolkit for 130,000 unique communities on Reddit.
If you are looking for startup problems to solve, want to validate your idea or find your first customers online, GummySearch is for you.
Sign up for free, get community insights in minutes.
Tell me more
Get started
