Plc reviews from Reddit

Summary

We analyzed 245 Reddit reviews across 2 subreddits and 38 posts to rank the best Plc brands recommended by redditors, including communities like r/PLC, r/Tech_Philippines. Top-rated brands include Siemens (4.2/5), Beckhoff (4.8/5), Automation Direct (4.2/5).

Stats

Reviews245

Subreddits2

Posts38

Brands51

Products67

Top communities

r/PLC244 r/Tech_Philippines1

245 reviews from

and

By Brand

By Product

Siemens

4.2

(40)

"Siemens and Schneider are the best"

"We're using mostly Siemens S7-1500"

"I particularly mostly use SIEMENS in my applications because its the standard in my region and just about everyone here knows how to do basic stuff with the TIA Portal."

"I prefer Siemens PLC. Best bang for the buck and very high performance."

"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."

Beckhoff

4.8

(24)

"Take a look at the Beckhoff Bus Coupler BK8100. Beckhoff stuff is usually not expensive and it is solid."

"Beckhoff offers especially for beginners the advantage that you get the development environment for free and you can activate the runtime again and again via 7 days trail."

"If you want it for a professional job Beckhoff"

"Beckhoff twincat. The development suit is free and includes a soft plc running on your laptop."

"Beckhoff has the most flexibility in this regard, having access to JSON serialization and an MQTT client right in the PLC programming."

"Beckhoff."

"Beckhoff. The approach they follow is more modern and flexible than the standard one."

"Beckhoff."

"Completely agree that if I was starting from a clean slate I'd choose Beckhoff. They've got the best technical architecture and the most forward-thinking designers."

Automation Direct

4.2

(25)

"Do-More BRX, also from Automation Direct. Vastly, like 6*10^23, times better than a Click."

"Get an automation direct click plc. Dirt cheep and works great."

"I think the CLICK PLCs from AD are a good start, cheap and easy to use."

"Automation Direct would be great, better than your other options, imo."

"Do-More BRX. Does all that (using 1 AI module - max 4 AI on board)."

"Anything from AD really. I think most all of their software is free"

"Automation Direct is probably a good choice."

"Click is the cheapest Hands-on Fully featured PLC you can get."

"Check out automation direct click for a cheap way to start. Free software"

"I agree with automation direct click PLC's, free software and a controller with 2 slots, power supply and 2 cards doesnt cost much."

Arduino

4.2

(13)

"If you can find an Arduino Opta"

"I would Highly suggest the Arduino Opta. You have all standard PLC languages + "

"If you buy an arduino opta (finder) plc, which are almost 150, you can get the free arduino plc ide with it"

"If you want to build some stuff as a hobby arduino IDE 2.0."

"Arduino opta pro PLC"

"I am planning to buy it, do you suggest it?"

"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."

Codesys

4.4

(11)

"Look into codesys"

"Codesys"

"Codesys is the stuff mind you 95% of what I have done controls wise is codesys."

"I am biased because I'm currently learning CODESYS but I have really drank the kool-aid."

"Codesys simulator is free"

"Codesys"

"Codesys with a raspberry PI"

"You could start of with a free copy of codesys and a simulation software."

"I would recommend anything with vanilla codesys."

"CODESYS. Soft plc opc ua, modbus, ethernet ip"

Unitronics

4.3

(9)

"Big unitronics guy here. Free software, inexpensive plcs with IO and screens built in."

"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, good price many instructions with regular update. And efficient 🙂"

"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."

AutomationDirect

4.3

(9)

"Lots of people recommend the Automationdirect Click as well."

"Automation Direct is great for Fire and Gas."

"Automation direct."

"I would look at the productivity series, also from automation direct. They're inexpensive, and they'll do the Ethernet things you may need in the future."

"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."

"For Cheapo stuff I like AutomationDirect Productivity Suite."

"Download the free software, check out some videos and have some fun."

Click

4.0

(9)

"Click."

"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."

Allen Bradley

4.3

(8)

"I'm replacing my 3-PLC AB compact logix system with a 2000 set and I like it a lot!"

"AB with Wonderware is king still, will be for a long time."

"AB if us, Siemens if Europe."

"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."

#10

Velocio

4.0

(8)

"Velocio PLC has interesting prototyping models."

"Velocio PLCs"

"Velocio PLC’s are great for starters. And the form factor is very minimal."

"Velocio plcs."

"Velocio PLCs are cheap and use 5-28vdc for power."

"Velocio PLC. Yeah it is surprising, I did a small project for myself a few years ago."

"The velocio stuff is awesome to learn on."

"I’ve used some velocio PLCs for small projects. They work well for their intended purposes honestly."

#11

WAGO

4.3

(7)

"If you're using codesys compatible PLCs, you're pretty free in what you use, you can build one machine with a Wago, then the next with a Beckhoff system or a Schneider."

"Wago, Bosch, or red lion da30."

"Probably a CoDeSys PLC running on Linux. Wago and Phoenix Contact have them but there are many others."

"Wago all the way."

"For me Wago"

"WAGO with codesys, no license needed."

"WAGO and Wieldmuller use Codesys, Bechoff uses TwinCat."

#12

Delta

3.8

(8)

"Delta AS line. comes with Ethernet/IP, Modbus RTU/TCP and Canopen integrated. has free software for PLC and HMIs. user-friendly programming interface."

"If you’re starting with PLCs and want a budget-friendly option, I recommend the Delta AS Series PLC and ISPSoft for programming."

"Delta"

"Delta DVP slim. Cheap, and super easy to skin out of the casing."

"Delta DVP slim"

"Go through the Delta Automation range of DVP plcs."

"DELTA PLC"

"Delta processors are cheap but their software was absolute trash both times i had to develop on it."

#13

Schneider

4.4

(5)

"Schneider M221 is best value for money."

"Get Schneider m221 ( free programming software)."

"Schneider. Modbus TCP is their native protocol."

"Schneider M221, not 100% sure if it does internal data logging though."

"Umm I did it with Schneider and it was good enough for me."

#14

Bosch Rexroth

4.4

(5)

"Bosch Rexroth CtrlX Plc. It’s an open PLC platform that you could write some of the more complex stuff outside of IEC languages in any language of your choice"

"PLC app is CODESYS based, so very much the same as Beckhoff TwinCAT. It has a few quirks but overall better than others."

"Bosch-Rexroth's ctrlX has been around since 2020."

"I would advice you to look for the new ctrlx from rexroth, it‘s perfect for iot."

"I’ve never used it but ctrlx looks pretty great."

#15

Allen-Bradley

4.2

(5)

"Just get any plc, used AB/Siemens/Mitsubishi/Whatever is used in your region"

"Allen Bradley/Rockwell is going to be what most employers expect you to know."

"Fire eye with allen bradley."

"AB, buy one processor large enough for the whole system, and put remote IO racks like 1734s in for the other processor IO."

"AB - so far the easiest integration due to symbolic access."

#16

Rockwell

4.0

(5)

"Connected components from Rockwell is free and has lessons you can follow"

"If you are in USA, rockwell is the standard."

"Rockwell, upload tag values on save."

"Rockwell in the US. Siemens if you're anywhere else. That's purely for support reasons."

"I'm in the Southeast US and its 95% Rockwell with a small selection of everything Siemens or AD."

#17

Phoenix Contact

4.5

(4)

"Phoenix Contact PLCs. Their new line is very cost competitive, the processors are powerful and super versatile, CODESYS compatible, and the software is FREE."

"Seriously, four years ago I may have given a different answer, but the PLCNext environment has really gotten to a neat place."

"PLCnext by Phoenix Contact is pretty good"

"Phoenix Contact does a small controller that hooks onto their relays."

#18

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."

#19

Keyence

4.7

(3)

"Keyence does the data crunching. We also use Keyence safety PLC's vs GuardLogix PLC's. Very easy to use."

"Their products are awesome. We use their clamp on flow meters, radar sensors and differential temp monitors a lot. Easy to use and excellent support."

"Keyence even can write the code for the customer jaja"

#20

Panasonic

4.3

(3)

"Panasonic anything."

"Try Panasonic. It is a real PLC, with real outputs."

"Panasonic FP0R. Might even have one laying around if you want to DM me."

#21

Lenovo

4.3

(3)

"I bought a $300 lenovo thinkpad, they are great."

"Second-hand Lenovo Legion"

"Try to check out ThinkPad E15 in different specs. It has Ethernet port, usbc port to which you can ..."

#22

Micro850

4.0

(3)

"Micro 850 series."

"Micro850 are good for stand alone stuff."

"Micro850 or higher with some plugins/added slots"

#23

CLICK PLC

4.5

(2)

"CLICK PLC"

"You would need two click plc and a dio card."

#24

1.0

(1)

"Hey dont use mitsubishi their IQR series cannot send data in the form of modbus so on god dont use mitsubishi"

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